high school is kind of boring really

[self_composed]

School plods along. Bella is native-quality fluent in Spanish, professor-level at math, well and thoroughly versed in the workings of the United States government, capable of doing actual independent research projects in biology, and she's been speaking English since she was one. Alas, these skills only make classes easier for a short time. After the novelty wears off they're just tedious. Bella winds up squaring her homework done more often than not so she can work out the kinks in her design for telekinesis, or play music, or attend soccer practice, or write little computer games, or read, or just fly around. This works out fine. Magic is pretty good at homework.

She winds up not attending most of the dances, but she does want to go to the end of year one, as she will be leaving Forks High School forever and it has some good points. Alice promised her a dress...

Comments

[self_composed]

Renée picks her daughter's card again, and then it's Bella's turn and she gets "Insulting". Renée doesn't have anything good and uses the turn to throw away "Black Velvet".

[edgeofyourseat]

This is the perfect place to put "Cabbage".

[self_composed]

"Cabbage?" Bella says incredulously.

It's marginally preferable to Renée's throwaway. Alice wins!

[edgeofyourseat]

Alice giggles and scoops his point. "You don't know my hand," he explains.

This turn's adjective is "Sexy"!

[self_composed]

Renée earnestly hands over "Captain Kirk".

Bella's hand has got to be really lousy if there's nothing in it Alice will find sexy. She looks and looks... Ah.

She gives him "Taking A Bath".

[edgeofyourseat]

"I get all the tough choices," says Alice.

He deliberates a little, but in the end, Taking A Bath wins. Sorry, Kirk. You're hot, but you're not as hot as what Alice gets up to in the shower.

[self_composed]

Renée looks confused but does not ask.

Her adjective is "Masculine".

Bella gives her "Watching Football".

[edgeofyourseat]

How about "Al Pacino"?

[self_composed]

Alice wins it.

Bella gets "Dead". Renée plays "Infomercials", giggling to herself.

[edgeofyourseat]

"Funerals".

[self_composed]

Alice wins again!

[edgeofyourseat]

Whee!

This round's adjective: "Tough".

[self_composed]

Renée: "Having An Operation".

Bella, snorting: "My Body".

[edgeofyourseat]

He cracks up and selects "My Body" as the winner.

[self_composed]

Renée draws "Unforgettable", and Bella gives her "My Bank Account", laughing.

[edgeofyourseat]

"Hot Lava", after some perusal of his hand.

[self_composed]

Renée mulls this over, then says, "Charming, Bella, but you know I forget my bank account all the time," and gives the card to Alice.

Bella gets "Sensitive" and Renée gives her "Wine Tasting".

[edgeofyourseat]

...Man, Alice has no good cards for this one. He puts down "Surfing the Net" just to get it out of his hand.

[self_composed]

Wine Tasting wins, then.

[edgeofyourseat]

The game progresses. Alice awards cards for such charming combinations as "Apple Pie"/"Misunderstood" and "Corvettes"/"Refined"; he plays "Choir Boys" against "Irresistible" on Renee's turn and acquires only a raised eyebrow for his trouble; and on two consecutive turns of Bella's, he plays "My Love Life" against "Squeaky Clean" and "My Bedroom" against "Peaceful", winning both.

No one is tracking scores, so they all have more cards than the defined limit when someone finally bothers to notice, but Bella has the most.

[self_composed]

"I win," Bella says merrily, and she reads off all her cards, ascribing them to herself in turn. Renée applauds softly and starts putting away the game.

[edgeofyourseat]

"That was awesome," Alice enthuses.

[self_composed]

"It really does work better with more people," says Renée, "but yes, that was fun. Oh, it's late, I'm sure you want to go back to wherever you're staying, Alice. Do you want a ride?"

[edgeofyourseat]

"Nah," he says, "thanks, I'm good." (And grins at Bella. He can't help it.)

[self_composed]

"All right. Well, I'm sure we'll see you again later this week," Renée says cheerfully, showing him out.

[I'm glad you and her get along,] Bella says.