"You could at least act interested," she jabbed dryly as she sat down. She mostly just watched what he did, to get a feel for what she was supposed to do for the class. She flipped her braid back over her shoulder from where it had migrated to the front.

"You know," she said after a couple minutes of silence, "I found a way to keep teachers from noticing that you're not taking notes."

Viktor kept on shaping the wood, into a canoe-like shape, and shrugged. "I don't mind them scolding me...it makes me feel good to prove them wrong. I ace tests. I don't take notes. I don't see what the big problem is in their minds..."

He studied his handiwork for a moment, trying to see if he missed anything.

"Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I would rather keep my head down and not make waves," Glory replied. She blinked as something dawned on her. "I'm such an idiot... I never introduced myself. I'm Gloriana."

"I like to make moderate-sized waves, and catch tsunamis out on the water...I'm Viktor."

Viktor yawned, figuring he'd done enough work for the day, and plopped down, intent on spending the rest of the class period relaxing.

Absently, Glory worked on a small piece of wood, shaping it into a seashell without noticing it.

"Well, since you obviously don't like school, what do you do for fun?" she asked. "I mean, besides losing brain cells to Selena and her twits?"

"School's fine--just boring. And hanging around with Selena is not fun," Viktor clarified, though he said that part quietly. "I surf. I work. I race cars and go-karts...and I like hanging around with my friends. I don't have any here, but I have friends at work."

"I don't have the coordination to surf or anything like that," Glory replied. "I don't really even like the deeper parts of the water. Never know what might be down there, after all." If only he knew. Or rather, hopefully he didn't know. "I need to start looking around for a job soon. My grandmother and I can only live on her savings for so long."

Viktor hummed a bit and then yawned. "I have coordination...I just lose interest in most things all the time," he admitted, amused. "We need someone to clear tables at my parents' restaurant, if you're interested."

"Really?" Glory asked. He was offering her a job right off the bat? Well, she wasn't about to question an opportunity like that. "Thanks. You may need to give me directions so I can get there, I still don't know my way around town that well."

"Sure..." Viktor pulled a notebook out of his messenger bag, muttering something under his breath, and scribbled down some directions, from the school to the restaurant, in fancy script. "Here." He ripped out the page and held it out to her. "You could start tonight, if you want...you'd just have to get there early...before the dinner rush comes in..."

Glory tucked the paper into her pocket.

"Could I start tomorrow instead?" she asked. "I don't want my grandmother to worry if I don't come home until late tonight..." That, and she wanted to make sure that her friends knew, as well.

"Whatever works for you," Viktor replied, glancing at the clock. He seemed glad to see that the next class wouldn't start for about ten minutes, yet. He wanted more time to just sit and relax. He had no study halls...ever. His schedule was completely full.

"Alright," Glory replied. She glanced down at the seashell she'd been working on and carefully bored a small hole in the top. It would make a rather pretty necklace, if she painted it right... Soon enough, the bell rang, and she went to grab her bag. Hopefully, the rest of the day would pass without incident...

Viktor, of course, had every single other class with Selena. That also seemed to include lunch. As soon as the period started, he trudged in, with a chatty Selena clinging to his arm and her giggling posse following them. He had no emotion on his face--in fact, he looked rather bored...

Selena didn't seem to mind this and continued chatting away about how awful their math teacher was...

The rest of Glory's day was fairly uneventful, something she was grateful for. She actually breathed a sigh of relief when she found her car untouched, although she almost wanted to see Selena's face when she saw her parked next to Viktor. She pulled out of the parking lot smoothly, making her way back home. She would finally relax once she was back on the beach.

Léan was awake, unwillingly...even sleep hadn't slowed Archie down, and he was still even more hyper than he usually was. Léan was nearly at his breaking point with him. He wanted to get away from him, for at least a day or so, but Archie wouldn't leave him alone. Even though he had gotten sleep, he looked incredibly tired, disheveled...almost like he might cry out of frustration.

Archie, totally oblivious, was swimming around him in circles, squeaking happily.

Glory quickly changed into water-friendly clothes once she got inside and then quickly made her way out to the beach. Almost immediately, she could see both the dark circles under Léan's eyes and Archie's happy circle-swimming. Settling herself on the rocks, she sighed.

"Archie, sweetie, you need to calm down a bit," she said.

Archie frowned. "But, but...I'm just trying to cheer him up! He looks so sad...and I don't know why, and it's really bugging me, and he's never happy, and I just want him to be happy, and--"

Léan put his hands over his ears, almost as if he feared they would start bleeding. "Take me away from him..." he groaned, "...before I kill him..."

"Archie... Did you ever stop to think that maybe your brother is in a bad mood because you didn't let him sleep?" Glory suggested. She was taking a wild guess in figuring that that was why Léan looked so pissed. "I know I would be in a bad mood if I didn't get any sleep."

Archie frowned. "I let him sleep!"

Léan growled. "You let me sleep...but you've been constantly hounding me ever since I woke up...nonstop..." He put his arms over his head. He knew he wasn't going to get Archie to go away...Archie was faster than him, and if he tried to swim away, he would just catch him.

Glory sighed.

"Archie... Just leave him be for a while," she said. "Trust me on this one. Please?" Now, if she turned on just the right combination of pleading and gentleness...

Archie whined. "But...but...but!"

Léan smacked him away with his tail when he tried to hug him again, and pulled himself up onto land, out of his reach. "Arcturus! I've had enough!" He sounded thoroughly pissed. "Just leave me alone! Please!" He wanted to be as far away from him as possible...definitely not in the water.

Glory sighed.

"You brought that one on yourself, Archie," she said. "I don't think I can really say it any plainer. Just back off." She had half a mind to ask Léan if he wanted to go inside... But she wasn't sure if he wanted to sleep in her bath tub again. Maybe she could gather some cushions and put something together...

Archie frowned. "I guess I do need to calm down...I'm sorry--I'm just so excited..."

Léan continued to glare at him. "Take your excitement out on Damon. Not me!"

Archie pouted, but nodded and slipped below the rocks, out of sight.

Léan sighed quietly, rubbing his temples. "I don't think I'll be going back in the water for a bit...I need to stay away from him, or I'll pummel him..."

"I don't blame you," Glory said. "If you want me to, I can take you inside. I'm sure I can round up enough cushions and blankets to make you a bed for the night."