#ogdentask005

[jessehart]

the hart of the matter.

“I’m just going to run to the bathroom really quick,” Jesse said to the PA currently leading him through the hall towards the set. His smile was charming, perfectly cultivated after all these years, edged with just a touch of apology. 

“Oh, yes, of course! The bathroom is just—”

“Right down the hall to the left,” he cut her off, his smile widening only a touch. This was his school, after all.

She smiled in return and nodded, seeming a little disarmed, and Jesse wondered if that was because of his last name or because they’d all been warned by his father that he might make a scene. 

They had no idea.

He turned his back on her, his smile falling away instantly as he made his way down the hall. The bathroom door closed behind him with a quiet snick, the sound of the lock clicking into place as his hand slipped into his pocket. Unoriginal as it might be, his hand came out clenching a bag of coke as his eyes bore into his own reflection. 

Jesse hadn’t seen his father since he’d found out about. 

Well. 

So, he wasn’t sure what he was going to do when he saw him, all he knew was that he wanted to be out of his fucking mind enough to allow himself the freedom to do anything. He wanted to taste his revenge like blood in his mouth, wanted to make it hurt someone else just as keenly as it had him. 

Five minutes later, he was trailing behind that very same PA. A few minutes after that, he was being mic’d up and talked through what to expect like he hadn’t seen this whole song and dance a thousand times before. A gofer ran frantically around set collecting coffee orders and Donovan sat on his stupid fucking chair while a team of makeup artists fluttered around him like moths. 

He’d never hated anyone more in his life than he hated that man. And it was so freeing to allow it in, to let it mold him into the ugly, twisted creature his father had created. 

The lights were almost blinding as he made his way toward the chairs set up for their little interview and Donovan stood, smiling as he reached for Jesse to pull him into a hug like the caring father he’d never been. “I expect you to be on your best behavior,” Donovan whispered just before pulling away. Jesse only blinked back at him, a mask of indifference he knew would be impossible to read. Donovan looked on for a blink as if trying to see past his defenses before straightening his jacket and returning to his place. 

The countdown began and he watched Donovan transform into the version of himself he gave the public— the smarmy, fake caricature of himself— and Jesse’s jaw clenched so hard he wasn’t sure how he didn’t crack his own teeth. 

“For those that don’t know, this is my son Jesse. He’s a junior at Ogden College this year. It’s tragic that it’s taken circumstances like this to have him here with us today, but outside of that,” he turned his attention from the camera to Jesse, a hardness in his eyes meant only for his son, “it’s an honor to have you here with us.”

There was a beat of silence and then Jesse roared a laugh. And then he found that he couldn’t stop laughing, the whole situation so incredibly ridiculous that he lost himself in it. He could feel the pregnant pause of the team surrounding them, Donovan’s annoyance a physical presence. “Sorry,” Jesse said after a moment, waving a hand as he used his other to dab at his eyes before his laughter died away entirely and his gaze sharpened and cut in Donovan’s direction. “It’s just that you’re so full of shit.”

Uneasiness fell across the room like a shadow, a breath sucked in like a gasp from somewhere past where he could see. 

Donovan was on his feet in an instant, turning toward the cameras and motioning for them to be cut off, but Jesse was standing, too. His inhibitions had been banished away along with his sanity, clearly, because he felt invincible in that moment. He launched himself at Donovan, tackling him to the ground, getting one decent shot in before he was being ripped away. He caught an elbow to the gut as he fought the hands restraining him and the wind was knocked out of him for a moment. Even still, he wheezed curses at his father as they began to drag him away.

He probably looked like some sort of feral animal, and he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Donovan Hart would find a way to spin this in his own favor, but he didn’t care. He was incensed, a beat down dog in a cage that was finally biting back. He’d had a taste of blood and he wanted more.

He turned his glare to the room, to the cameras— some of which were still currently pointed in his direction, though whether or not they were still recording, he wasn’t sure. His smile turned vicious. “Do you even know who you’re protecting? Did you know he pays money to fuck college girls?” His question was directed at no one in particular, his voice ragged as he pitched his voice loud enough for everyone to hear. “You’d think with a wife at home, he could get it for free, but nope.” He laughed, a manic edge to the sound. His eyes found his father’s and locked on. “The guy’s fucking insatiable. I guess I am his son after all, huh?”

“Get him out of here!” Donovan shouted as several people flocked around him. He could hear the murmured apologies, the are you okay?s that made Jesse want to scream just before he was dragged out of sight. 

“Fuck you!” he yelled in the hope that his voice would carry it to the man who’d earned it as several hands shoved him further and further away. He ripped himself free of the mic and threw it at someone who managed to dodge it in time. They reached for him again, but he threw his hands up in surrender, artfully dodging them all. “Don’t worry, I’m leaving. But hey, here’s some free advice. If he’s tossing around thousands for college pussy, then maybe you should go into contract negotiations. Clearly he could pay you better and I know he’s not paying you enough for this kind of loyalty.”

They said nothing, though, as they formed a blockade that funneled him towards the exit like he had any desire to be sharing the same space as Donovan Hart for another minute. 

And maybe it was just the drugs, but as he stepped out into the sunlight, he smiled, flipping the building the bird.

It was only a shame that that footage would never see the time of day.

[reinaazarolla]

Task 005: The Hart of the Matter

The Hart of the Matter, Reina had heard of the show but she had never seen an entire episode. The extent of her exposure to the show were the clips that would randomly, and rarely, appear on her Tik Tok and even then she would scrolled past them 99% of the time. She had no intention of participating in the interviews that would be conducted and yet here she was, letting someone fuss around her to get the mic attached. She went to take a sip of her coffee but it was quickly taken away.

"You'll smudge your makeup." The woman said and set down the coffee cup on a nearby table. "Two minutes till places." She said checking her watch and then quickly leaving to wherever she was needed next.

The mic was attached and working, her hair - down in loose curls -and makeup - light and natural - was looked over once more and then she was led to the stage. There were bright lights, murmurs from the audience, and a hustle and bustle from the crew - the environment felt chaotic.

"Ms. Azarolla," Dr. Hart flashed what she assumed was his signature charming smile as she rook the seat beside him. A smile that she could tell was completely fake.

Reina returned the smile. "Dr. Hart," she nodded after sitting down and smoothing out her top. She was wearing black skinny jeans with ankle boots and a nice pastel pink blouse with a dainty gold layered necklace, one chain have a small sun charm and the other having a crescent moon charm. She had a black leather jacket too but they told her she couldn't wear it.

The audience started to quiet down and from somewhere behind the cameras a woman - the one that had taken Reina's coffee away - counted down. The red lights on the cameras turned on and immediately Donovan Hart started the interview.

“It’s a tough year to be a student at Ogden College with the tragic passing of Penelope Klein. And of course, we can’t forget the ongoing missing persons case surrounding beloved student, Greer Morrison. I know that Dean Zuko insisted on free on-campus counseling set up for all students. Have you made use of it?”

If her father taught her one thing it was to keep her composure at all times. That all actions and words should be done with intent. With this being recorded and the show having the power to edit this however they want to, she knew she would need to be extra careful with her words. Yet seeing Dr. Hart there was something she sensed that she just did not like, she almost just wanted to make this interview difficult for him. It was an urge she'd have to try to fight, for now.

"I was unaware of the free on-campus counseling. I may just have to look into that and thank Dean Zuko for giving his students and staff this resource for free." There was a short pause, she thought that answer would suffice but then she opened her mouth again. "And I'll have to thank him for hosting such a prominent psychiatrist the next time I see him. I'm sure he intends these interviews to be cathartic for us." The brunette tilted her head to the side slightly and smiled. Sarcasm hid beneath her tone but she was sure the wise doctor would pick up on it.

It was no surprise to her that he simply moved on to the next question.

“There was that nasty storm that knocked out the power at the resort, I remember. That got a little dicey, huh? Parents and staff all congregated in the faculty chalet, but you kids were on the other side of the resort. We’ve been told that Penelope organized some things for people to complete to make it through that night together. Were you one of them? What did you get up to during the blackout?”

Ah, one of the reasons why she didn't want to do this interview. She wasn't there when Penelope met her untimely death. She only experienced it through other's re-telling of that night and even then she knew she didn't have the whole story. "I was not at the ski resort. I was studying abroad last semester. As one of the parents there, wouldn't you have known that I was not?" She raised a brow.

Dr. Hart cleared his throat and moved on to the next question.

“In the wake of tragedy, it can be hard to recall things in detail. The brain has its own ways of protecting itself in high-stress situations, and I know that the police have been a near-constant presence on campus this year. This is not that; I want you to feel safe and comfortable enough to share whatever you want about that night. Did you see anything? Hear anything?”

There was a flash of something in Dr. Hart's eyes, as if he knew he should have not asked the question as soon as he had said it.

"May I ask you a question Dr. Hart?" Reina crossed her right leg over her left and leaned on the side of the chair that was closer to him. She didn't really wait for him to answer before continuing. "What number interview am I?" A short pause but again not one long enough for him to answer.

"I know I was not the intended interviewee, I mean I'm pretty sure it was an intern that ambushed me when I was leaving Rumi Cafe asking if I had time to come do a quick interview." Reina had told this person she did not in fact have time. She was heading back to her dorm to study. Who's bright idea was it to host right before midterms. The intern was not taking no as an answer, they seemed desperate, how many people had they approached before Reina.

"It just seems like you're going through the motions, reading those cue cards of yours." She shrugged a shoulder. "And not really listening. Which, as a psychiatrist, if a patient feels like they aren't being listened to does that create a safe environment?" Reina sighed. Again, I was not at the ski resort. I was studying abroad last semester. I did not see anything and what I've heard about that trip are just bits and pieces. Nothing I'd want to repeat, I wouldn't want to relay the wrong information."

Dr. Hart cleared his throat again and flipped through his cards before finding a question that was not entirely related to ones experience at the ski resort.

“Now, if you’ll direct your attention to this screen here, I have something that— barring appropriate authorities— no one has seen until now.” A picture of Greer suddenly appears on screen, all eyes trained on this new piece of information. All eyes but Donovan’s which are locked onto the face of the person he’s interviewing, watching for any and every reaction. “This photo is shocking, I know. It was found in the faculty chalet the night of the blackout. Do you know anything about the day it was taken or who might have taken it?”

Reina looked at the photo, her mouth fell open slightly. Donovan's voice sounded muffled, she was no longer present in the interview. Many thoughts began to enter her mind but the loudest one was once again her father every action and word must be done with intent.

Her eyes glistened as they began to fill with tears threatening to fall. She shook her head and grabbed a tissue from the box of tissues that suddenly appeared on the table beside her. She fiddled with it in her hands, only having it ready for if, or when, the tears begin to fall. "It looks like it could have been taken while on vacation, or maybe on some sort of bus. I don't know." A tear fell and she wiped it away once it was about half way down her cheek.

"You said that was found in the faculty chalet? Why would it be there? Have you asked any of the staff or parents about this yet?"

This was not a two way interview, Dr. Hart simply moved on.

“Do you have any idea why this photo might have been left with faculty that night? Or, most pressing, what reason someone could have for vandalizing it in such a horrible way?”

"What do you mean left with faculty? How do you know it wasn't already in possession of the faculty?" Her eyes still glistened and she took a deep breath to fight back the tears. Reina knew there were bound to be some creeps in Greer's life, but they were harmless. At least she thought they were harmless.

Again Dr. Hart ignored her questions.

“Finally, it’s been discovered that Penelope, shortly before her untimely death, had mentioned to someone that she knew why Greer had left. Do you think that has anything to do with this photo? Do you know why she might have left? Even though being honest about it may seem scary, I promise you, it’s the right thing to do. It’s the only way we can protect you.”

"Oh come on Dr. Hart." Now Reina was getting angry. She balled up the tissue in her fist, tears no longer threatened to fall. "Who is going to protect me, and everyone else. If you have a plan on how you can guarantee our safety then I'm all ears. But aren't you are only here for the weekend to get the inside scoop and monetize on the suffering these students have gone through." She took a steady deep breath.

"To answer your questions. I do not know why she left. I would think the photo has something to do with it, but I can't say for sure. It's just, why would someone leave it where it could be so easily found?" She shook her head. "I have nothing more to say to you except instead of worrying about all of us and making promises you can't keep, why not focus on your son that is also a student here. Have you recorded his interview yet? I'm sure a father son interview would drive your ratings through the roof."

Dr. Hart gave a look to his crew. The cameras turned off, the audience began to murmur again and the crew started get ready for the next student. Reina was directed off the make shift stage. Her mic was removed and she was left to gather her things. She put her jacket on, grabbed her bag and grabbed her coffee that was now cold and left.

[idaclarke]

ogden task 005: the hart of the matter

oh now this? this was exactly where ida wanted to be. she only wished this was being filmed in front of a live studio audience, but it made sense with the way these shows always played out. the idea of being of tv, interviewed for a tragedy of this caliber, will it sent a rush of excitement all the way through ida. hopefully this was just the start of it. while she didn’t want her first touch of adoration and fame to being talking about fucking greer morrison, everyone had to have their jumping off points didn’t they? 

crossing her legs, her dress riding up just a touch, ida leans back. her hands are folded neatly in her lap, eyes wide with feigned innocence and her lips are parted just ever so slightly as if to invite anyone in, as if to offer that she could only contain the truth. donovan hart sits across from her, ignoring her as he speaks to a pa before they nod vigorously, he straightens up, offers ida a simple smile and then someone is telling them they’re rolling. “don’t be nervous, it’s just me and you, trying to find the truth.” 

huh, the truth? overrated, and not nearly as exciting as what everyone is offering, ida is sure of that. 

“it’s a tough year to be a student at ogden college with the tragic passing of penelope klein.” he begins and ida nods as of course it is, i’ve never experienced this much hardship in my life. which, for some of her classmates, is probably true. “and of course, we can’t forget the ongoing missing persons case surrounding beloved student, greer morrison. i know that dean zuko insisted on free on-campus counseling set up for all students. have you made use of it?”

“i’ve been a coupla times.” she croons, her accent soft as she nods, giving a fleeting smile. she has been exactly once, just to see what it was about and to say she’s taken the dean up on what he has to offer. that’s she the good student everyone believes her to be. “just cause i had so much on my mind, and it was so nice to have someone to talk to about it.” her fingers grasp together as she leans in. “i…where i come from this kinda help ain’t exactly there. and people don’t really know what to do with it when it’s offered. so it’s been really helpful and nice, but not easy. for any of us.” she looks over toward the camera as if looking toward her fellow classmates. she wonders who will buy it. 

donovan smiles, pleased, and inside ida is beaming. 

“there was that nasty storm that knocked out the power at the resort, i remember. that got a little dicey, huh? parents and staff all congregated in the faculty chalet, but you kids were on the other side of the resort. we’ve been told that penelope organized some things for people to complete to make it through that night together. were you one of them? what did you get up to during the blackout?”

with a sigh, as if carrying the weight of the world, ida nods. “yes sir, i was. penny could command a room, it was impressive, so of course when she asked if people could help i volunteered.she gave us assignments, i was spose to head to the lodge and find staff, y’all, anyone who wasn’t a drunk horny college student honestly,” she gives a grimace as if embarrassed by that. as if she wasn’t one. “so i did just that.” ida lets her hands unclasp now, spreading across her knee as she switches her crossed legs, her dress rising just another inch. no one says anything or seems to notice. donovan carries on. 

“in the wake of tragedy, it can be hard to recall things in detail. the brain has its own ways of protecting itself in high-stress situations, and i know that the police have been a near-constant presence on campus this year. this is not that; i want you to feel safe and comfortable enough to share whatever you want about that night. did you see anything? hear anything?”

she sucks on her teeth, looking up and to the left, as if trying to remember what happened. the threatening words on the wall, that both pissed ida up and turn back to her classmates curious. “honestly, i don’t remember much. i was freezin’ cold, trudgin’ through the snow, hopin’ to find someone, anyone, at the lodge. but it was empty.” her eyes widen, as if disappointed with the outcome. “I wish i had and i…i’ve been afraid that maybe i kept outta my head, not so worried about bein’ cold…i mightuve seen somethin’.” she almost pleads, looking down and then back to donovan. he gives her a sympathetic look, and she puts her arms on the armrest now, meeting his gaze. 

“obviously,” he clears his throat, “we all want to get to the bottom of this and work through whatever lingering effects it might have left behind. if you were paired off with anyone that night, can you remember what they were doing? would it have been possible that they might have been behind anything you saw?” 

no, jacqui was with her the whole time. and briefly she wonders what jacqui will say. will they mention the writing of the wall? point out how ida had seen it first? throw her completely under the bus? quickly she goes through all of her options, and decides that jacqui isn’t the type to throw others under the bus, if they even decide to engage in this interview. “i was with jacqui, jacqui velazquez. they’re really sweet, honestly a great person to be trapped with.” she offers, hoping if this is aired jacqui remembers what ida did in that moment, what she could have done. “but we were together the whole time, freezin’ our lil tails off. and then when no one was in the lodge, we trudged our way back. i was just…glad i didn’t have to be alone durin’ all of that.” which, was the truth. that was the way to lie, mix it in with the truth so much that it all felt real. donovan shifts in his seat, which pulls her attention away from herself and she offers a hopeful smile, letting it fall as if she was thinking hard about this, feeling it all. 

“now, if you’ll direct your attention to this screen here, I have something that— barring appropriate authorities— no one has seen until now.” a picture of greer suddenly appears on screen, all eyes trained on this new piece of information. all eyes but donovan’s which are locked onto the face of the person he’s interviewing, watching for any and every reaction. “this photo is shocking, i know. it was found in the faculty chalet the night of the blackout. do you know anything about the day it was taken or who might have taken it?”

the picture is shocking, and ida tries her best to hide her facial expression. to keep it shocked, almost offended. far away from her real reaction, that she wanted to laugh. this was stupid. vandalizing a photo and leaving it for the staff? that was rich, and petty. it was also utterly stupid. either someone meant it, which come on, this was an embarrassing way to let out their rage against greer. or they were trying to frame someone. which also, come on. but she lets her mouth drop open as she takes it in. “no..no..” she stammers, head shaking, willing a misty-eyed look. “i have no clue, we weren’t close friends, but maybe a boyfriend? a friend? greer always had a lot of people around her so..” she trails off, glancing away from the photo as if it’s too much. 

“do you have any idea why this photo might have been left with faculty that night? or, most pressing, what reason someone could have for vandalizing it in such a horrible way?”

“no, no sir.” she shakes her head, hands now clasping onto her knee. “greer was loved wasn’t she? i mean, i certainly admired her.” hated her, but same thing right? obsession was obsession no matter what coat it wore. “It’s just…so awful. but, people can surely be so awful.” she admits almost like it’s a secret, “like…well i won’t name names. that’s not very ladylike of me. but some people are very jealous, and mean.” she whispers, leaning forward, eyes pleading and wide, cleavage pushed together. she holds it for a brief moment, pulling in all the sympathy she could before leaning back again, shaking her head. god, people were such idiots. 

donovan gives another nod, leaning back and away from ida now too. She looks back to the camera and then to the crew, seeming sad and exhausted. "finally, it's been discovered that penelope, shortly before her untimely death, had mentioned to someone that she knew why greer had left. do you think that has anything to do with this photo? do you know why she might have left? even though being honest about it may seem scary, i promise you, it's the right thing to do. It's the only way we can protect you."

“i don’t know…” her voice is soft, attention still pulled away from donovan and the camera, as if she’s gazing out onto a field wishing for a new life, wondering what else there was out there. turning back, she gives them another look. “i just hope she’s okay ya know? I can’t…i can’t imagine havin somethin’...or someone…turn me away from a place like this and my life. but i hope she’s doin’ okay.” and that she never comes back. 

donovan gives her a smile and camera’s are turned off. “thank you ida.” with a nod he’s pushing himself off and ida is watching him go before someone else is beckoning her up and ushering out, mumbling about a tight filming schedule. once the door closes, ida lets the concerned look drop and her face relax. she nailed that one.

[leakywright]

ogden task 005: the hart of the matter

fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. leaky didn’t want to be here. why did he agree to this? the funny thing is when he pictured college, he pictured press conferences. joking with reporters, celebrating wins, mourning losses. discussing plays and next-time strategies. projecting the what if’s of the draft. that espn would say his name followed by compliments about how he was one to watch. but they never came, that wasn’t his reality. 

this was. sitting in khakis and a button down across from jesse’s dad feeling like he might actually shit himself. something he hadn’t done since third grade when he got food poisoning. but it might happen again, and this time it would be recorded. he smiles at leaky, how responds weakly, crosses his foot over his knee, nods as a cameraman counts down, and then turns to leaky. serious smile this time, a man all about business. 

“it’s a tough year to be a student at ogden college with the tragic passing of penelope klein. and of course, we can’t forget the ongoing missing persons case surrounding beloved student, greer morrison. i know that dean zuko insisted on free on-campus counseling set up for all students. have you made use of it?”

oh, yea. well therapy was something that had been mandatory for him his first year at ogden, so honestly, the habit kinda stuck. dropping from once a week to once a month, leaky never really tells them anything, always afraid it would somehow get back to the dean, but it’s a nice habit. plus he knows what it looks like. “yea, well i was already using our therapy services prior to all of this. it’s always been available, but glad to see that the support has been amped up. students need it to begin with, and uh…” his goody-two-shoe answer faltering slightly, “well, i think we all need as much support as we can get these days.” he gives a nod, knuckles rapping against the cushion of the chair he’s seated in. dean zuko would like that answer. 

and so does donovan hart, who gives a smile and nod, pleased and already moving on. 

“there was that nasty storm that knocked out the power at the resort, i remember. that got a little dicey, huh? parents and staff all congregated in the faculty chalet, but you kids were on the other side of the resort. we’ve been told that penelope organized some things for people to complete to make it through that night together. were you one of them? what did you get up to during the blackout?”

his blood runs cold, thinking back to that night. he’d been entirely too drunk to do much of anything, but was still sent out and found…a bloody glove. that he didn’t report because by the time they were back to the chalet penny was dead, leaky was hunched over a toilet vomiting and dean zuko had already sent him short email to see him once he was back on campus. “uh, yea. penny didn’t really give you a choice,” he kinda chokes on her name, they hadn’t even been close but she was dead, “and so she sent me on an assignment. to collect firewood.” that he didn’t bring back because it was wet and he was freaking out. this isn’t a police interview, though leaky is half expecting dr. hart to make a note and lock eyes with someone as if they’ve found something. he doesn’t do either. 

“in the wake of tragedy, it can be hard to recall things in detail. the brain has its own ways of protecting itself in high-stress situations, and i know that the police have been a near-constant presence on campus this year.” leaky gulps, their presence hasn’t really done much to make him, or anyone frankly, feel safer. “this is not that; i want you to feel safe and comfortable enough to share whatever you want about that night. did you see anything? hear anything?”

he freezes, eyes widening as he glances up, trying to pretend like he’s thinking it through. trying to remember. but he knows, knows exactly what happened even behind the haze of the alcohol. “yea…” he croaks out, his voice sounding different, like it wasn’t his. like he was outside of his body and someone else had taken over. “i found some wood, but it was wet. cause of the snow, so i knew it wouldn’t be good to bring back.” why is he retelling this? so easily? dr. hart didn’t even have to push that hard and leaky was already breaking. “i completely forgot about this, cause i’d been worried about the firewood and then everything happened so…quickly…” he pauses, as if wading through his memories, it all available again because dr. hart had asked the right questions. “i saw this glove, in the distance, a few yards away from the wood…” he squints, the memory picture perfect in his mind, but he’s trying to play it off like it was hazy. “and maybe some footprints? or probably animal tracks. it was hard to tell but i didn’t think much of it.” he leaves the part out about the blood, that was something he should have reported. “cause like, maybe someone had dropped it and was coming back for it? all of us were just following penny’s orders.” he swallows, as if guilt is now settling with him, like it hadn’t been there the entire time. “or maybe someone lost it skiing? A lost glove doesn’t seem like that big of a deal in the moment ya know? and i just…” he stops, looking down, defeated. as if his memory had betrayed him, as if this glove could have been a clue in the mystery. and maybe it would have been, if leaky had told the whole truth. now, he hoped, people would write it off and just give sympathy to a kid who was being too hard on himself. 

dr. hart blinks, gives a small nod and leans toward leaky. as if to comfort him, to coax out more answers. leaky kept his eyes down, afraid that if he looked up the guilt would overwhelm him and he’d be spewing the god-awful truth all over the floor. 

“obviously, we all want to get to the bottom of this and work through whatever lingering effects it might have left behind. if you were paired off with anyone that night, can you remember what they were doing? would it have been possible that they might have been behind anything you saw?"

leaky shakes his head, alex had been the one to persuade them to turn around instead of getting any closer to the glove. to make the smart decisions, maybe if they had inspected it more they would have ended up in penny’s position. or worse, witnesses to it. “nah, i was with this kid alex, and he was by my side. kinda hard to wade through snow alone.” fuck, now they knew it was deep, what if they picked up on the idea that the glove hadn’t been covered? leaky hadn’t mentioned it either way. “he didn’t do anything.” and neither did i! not this time! but he didn’t, that would be too much. 

“now, if you’ll direct your attention to this screen here, i have something that— barring appropriate authorities— no one has seen until now.” a picture of Greer suddenly appears on screen, all eyes trained on this new piece of information. all eyes but donovan’s which are locked onto the face of the person he’s interviewing, watching for any and every reaction. “this photo is shocking, i know. it was found in the faculty chalet the night of the blackout. do you know anything about the day it was taken or who might have taken it?”

suddenly he's slammed back into his body. his insides were practically crawling, eyes looking over at a beautiful greer, her eyes crossed out, but it was still so obviously her. and it was hella creepy. he gulped, almost comically. “y’all…found this?” what did the dean say? no wonder he let leaky off with just a talking to, he had more on his plate than a drunk footballer hitting on his daughter. what did her parents think? he hopes that seeing this show won’t be the first time they see this. “i…greer and i aren’t close.” weren’t, but he pretends to have hope. “so i have no clue but…” he trails off, his stare saying everything else. this is fucked up. and yet this is how the school is dealing with it? that might be even more fucked up. 

“do you have any idea why this photo might have been left with faculty that night? or, most pressing, what reason someone could have for vandalizing it in such a horrible way?” dr. hart is looking at him so intensely he might just pop right out of his seat and hightail it across campus to hide under his bed. but leaky stays seated, popping his knuckles instead to release any sort of tension he can. 

with a sigh he opens his mouth, “maybe a cry for help? that the students can’t do everything alone? we were trapped and no one came to make sure we were okay, and penny died. and greer…” his voice fades as he tears his eyes back toward the camera and then to dr. hart. “who knows what she was going through...is going through. but i think it’s clear…the adults need to help us too. help her, help us on the trip, on campus, friends with penny…” a far different cry from his praise of the therapists on campus too. “y’all are responsible too.” this was mentioned so quietly leaky is unsure if the boom mic can pick up on it. dr. hart makes no indication that he’s heard him either. 

"finally, it's been discovered that penelope, shortly before her untimely death, had mentioned to someone that she knew why greer had left. do you think that has anything to do with this photo? do you know why she might have left? even though being honest about it may seem scary, i promise you, it's the right thing to do. it's the only way we can protect you."

“no.” he states flatly, hands now smoothing across his pants. god, he’s getting antsy. he needs to call his mother, his father, his granny. anyone to remind him that life isn’t all of this. It’s not all mystery and death and disappearing acts and accusing old white men. but what if this is his life now? the choice he made to come here, to do what he did, to be who he was and…it all led here. was this his destiny? or his hell? looking up, he meets dr. hart’s eyes, almost pleading. “i don’t know why greer left. i’m not sure anyone does.” and he meant it, if they did they would have come forward by now right? that’s the right thing to do. what does leaky know about that. “but i…i don’t think this will help us find her.” it certainly didn’t feel like it would. “i just hope she…she knows people miss her. that we miss her. things obviously ain’t the same and-” he stops with a shake of his head, hand now wiping across his face as all words begin to fail him. 

“that’s it?” dr. hart looks expectantly.

“yea,” leaky nods, “that’s it."

[aletheapierce]

ogden task 005: the hart of the matter

as alethea sat in the leather chair, her fingers picked at the edge of her dress, wondering just what the fuck she was doing there. her mother had mentioned being honest and endearing and as charming and sweet as she could be with donovan, (how she found out about this, alethea had no clue), meaning that she wishes she was in alethea's place. anything to be near fame, to prove that she belonged with the best of them. the apple didn’t fall far from the tree did it?

maybe they shouldn't have done that line before this. but it just felt...necessary. they were sure jesse would do it, so no harm no foul right? 

donovan hart faced her, giving a bright smile as if trying to relax them, to bring them in and open them up. their heart only tripled in time and she tried to casually check her own pulse - can't be having a heart attack in the middle of an interview now could she? he smooths over his jacket, looks to a person out of alethea’s line of vision, nods, and turns back to her. 

“no need to be nervous now, just answer honestly. people want to hear your side of the story, to know who you are, how this is affecting you. nothing to hide.” oh, but the glint in his eye and the way he nodded his head to the side told her differently. they all knew everyone was hiding something. including her. 

she swallows with a nod, mouth going dry, sniffling, fingers still pressing against each other through the velvet fabric of the dress. he smiles clears his throat, and then dives in. 

“it’s a tough year to be a student at ogden college with the tragic passing of penelope klein. and of course, we can’t forget the ongoing missing persons case surrounding beloved student, greer morrison. i know that dean zuko insisted on free on-campus counseling set up for all students. have you made use of it?”

did he? that certainly wasn’t advertised like he thought. “uhm…” they press their lips together and shrug. “not yet, it’s kinda hard to get an appointment. so many students are in need, and our classes are so demanding, plus the work we have after. hard to make it fit when there’s such limited time and appointments.” she lies, it rolls out so easily through her teeth. an excuse she has used time and time again with something else interested - calling her mom back, making friends, going on dates, doing whatever crazy diet her mother sent her. blame it on the workload. he nods, clearly unsatisfied with her answer. 

she sniffs again, reaching to wipe her nose on her sleeve but freezes with her arm halfway raised as she remembers this is being recorded. putting it down, an anonymous pa brings over a box of tissues and she politely takes it. “allergies.” she whispers, wiping her nose before crossing her feet at her ankles and turning to mr. hart again. trying to channel her mother. 

“there was that nasty storm that knocked out the power at the resort, i remember. that got a little dicey, huh? parents and staff all congregated in the faculty chalet, but you kids were on the other side of the resort. we’ve been told that penelope organized some things for people to complete to make it through that night together. were you one of them? what did you get up to during the blackout?”

her thoughts are racing, thinking back to that night as a whole. It was a shitshow from start to finish, her mothers cool anger pricking her at every corner, the tension that lived in the air, and the misery of being trapped without heat or power for so long. plus everything else that was found. “uh yea, i’m sure you’ve heard, ya know. penny was on-top of everything, the kind of person who can command a room and convince even the most indifferent student to care. so she got us all into different pairs and groups, sending us out to do things. i was told to go look for supplies in other chalet’s, which i did. but by the time we collected everything, the power came back so we headed back and-” she stops herself, unsure why all these words are pouring out of her, not when she’s known for her quietness. maybe she really shouldn’t have done that line. 

“in the wake of tragedy, it can be hard to recall things in detail. the brain has its own ways of protecting itself in high-stress situations, and i know that the police have been a near-constant presence on campus this year. this is not that; i want you to feel safe and comfortable enough to share whatever you want about that night. did you see anything? hear anything?”

the polaroids. laid out for her or heni to find. monty being the one to stumble upon them, how they were now tucked away neatly under the bottom drawer of her desk. sometimes she took them out to stare at them - as if they could tell her any more than they already did. “not really, i mean it was pitch black and our phones died. I have the bruises to prove that.” she attempts a smile, but it comes off weakly and instead she glances back at her hands. “you know when you’re alone in the dark? and everything feels way more intense than it actually is? like the walls are moving in on you and the sound of a tree brushing against the door feels like someone taunting you? and even the air feels thicker, damp, like it’s waiting for you to turn around and realize the monster is right behind you?” she doesn’t know what she’s saying or where she’s going. had she ever really been afraid of the dark? “uh…well we were on high alert, and nothing ever came from it. but honestly, things feel like that now. lost in the dark with no knowledge of what we actually need to be afraid of so we’re just…skittish around everything…” her voice tapers off as she looks over the empty space minus the crew who are just focusing on the sound, the camera. she feels mr. hart’s eyes on her but when she glances back over at him, he’s shifting again. she hates him.

he clears his throat again, ready to move on to his next readied question, not even bothering to comment on her poor nonsensical metaphor. figures. “obviously, we all want to get to the bottom of this and work through whatever lingering effects it might have left behind. if you were paired off with anyone that night, can you remember what they were doing? would it have been possible that they might have been behind anything you saw?"

“oh.” she pauses, she’s full on picking at her nails now, and she knows it’ll be the first thing her mother will comment on when she sees this. so she moves to sit on her hands instead, wondering if she should mention monty at all. but maybe he mentioned her? “yea, i was with monty.” we talked about how we’d have a threesome and found creepy photos in my bedroom, and he might have wanted to kiss me. but she doesn’t say any of that. “no, we were together the whole time.” even when they changed. “trying to use the flashlights on our phones and then trading off using my portable charger to keep any kind of light.” as if that needed to be explained. “so, no, not at all.” another pause as if he waits for something more. “you know my mother really loves you? like your show and all that, she went to ogden too and i think y’all crossed paths at some point. she’d probably want me to tell you that she says hello.” the words rush out, doing anything to point the attention away from her. he just smirks, his fingers tap against the armrest of the chair. 

“now, if you’ll direct your attention to this screen here, i have something that— barring appropriate authorities— no one has seen until now.” a picture of greer suddenly appears on screen, all eyes trained on this new piece of information. all eyes but donovan’s which are locked onto the face of the person he’s interviewing, watching for any and every reaction. “this photo is shocking, i know. It was found in the faculty chalet the night of the blackout. do you know anything about the day it was taken or who might have taken it?”

alethea might actually feel her heart stop. god, is she having a heart attack? as the photo sits there, they lean back, afraid that greer might come crawling out of the screen a la the ring. forgetting about her plan to keep herself from picking at their nails, their hands slide their way back into their laps, fingers twisting around each other until they turn white and find the edges of their cuticles on their thumbs. “i…” it’s greer, smiling, beautiful. probably from a party, or a night out. she had a way of disappearing just like alethea, all for very different reasons. so she can’t place it exactly, but it looks familiar enough. and for a second alethea feels like she might sob, something she hadn’t done about greer since everything started happening. they don’t know why it’s this moment, this photo that yanks this emotion from their chest. but fuck, alethea misses her, and they’re terrified. 

seeing that she might be too shocked to answer, he presses on, “do you have any idea why this photo might have been left with faculty that night? or, most pressing, what reason someone could have for vandalizing it in such a horrible way?” 

people have done worse things than vandalize a photo of greer. but it still hurts, knowing that she’s gone, that they don’t have a reason, and that alethea has been trying to drown out this guilt. she realizes, sitting there, that nothing has worked and has only made it blossom in their chest. “why aren’t y’all doin’ anything’ about it?” the rarity of a small accent slips from her lips quietly as a tear falls. reaching for another tissues she blows into it softly, daintily like her mother taught her, but lets the tear fall anyway. they could be dramatic sometimes. “why is it just us?” the only ones who cared? who at least tried to do something with the information they found, but alethea feels further from the truth than they did at the beginning of the year. 

they watch as his lips press into a thin line and the photo disappears from the screen. sadness, anger, fear, they all course through alethea so strongly she is aware she’s shaking. though that could also be the twenty-four ounce cold brew they chugged that morning. and the coke. but he continues on, because dammit, he has a show to film. "finally, it's been discovered that penelope, shortly before her untimely death, had mentioned to someone that she knew why greer had left. do you think that has anything to do with this photo? do you know why she might have left? even though being honest about it may seem scary, i promise you, it's the right thing to do. it's the only way we can protect you."

alethea had an idea, they all had ideas. but she can’t say it, can’t even whisper it because what would it say about them? about their relationship with greer? about things that they kept tucked away against their spine, pressed so finely they were sure it would go away. another tear falls and she looks down, the cuticle on their right thumb is bleeding again. they press into the tissue to hide it away.

“no, i have no clue.” they look back at him, tears now filling quickly that they know if they blink they’ll fall steadily down her cheeks. “if i did, i would have hoped we’d have her back by now.” and the thing is, alethea means it. but what she knows won’t bring greer back, it’d only turn more eyes on alethea, and away from the actual problem at hand. that greer was gone and penny was dead. her mouth opens and then closes and mr. hart (doctor? should she had been calling him that the whole time?) nods, lets out a breath and stands. no one says a word as they point alethea way out, the tissue still tucked around her thumb and the tears now starting to fall.