"Uh, Dad's a minister," Joss admits, one hand reaching back to scratch the back of her head a little awkwardly (she has no idea how that's going to be taken). "Mam's not around."

"Oh!" responds Jade, not sure how to react. "Uh, Church of England minister, or?"

"Episcopalian. The breakdown of his marriage was a complete scandal." (And Joss' issues hadn't helped.) "But he recovered." (She's absently toying with the pendant she's wearing.)

"Ah." Paaause. "I don't know much about that denomination."

Jade, herself, doesn't seem to be wearing any religious jewelry.

"Honestly if he hadn't been a minister it probably wouldn't have even been a massive gossip point. But he was. So..." She shrugs. "What brought you over here anyway? Uh. If you don't mind me asking?"

Jade frowns in response, taking a moment to bite her lip before responding. "My dad's sort of – always wanted to move abroad? And he got an opportunity to work over here, for a bit." Pause. "The 'bit' turned into a while."

"Parents, ai?" Joss says, almost lightly. "...do you like it? Except for the, uh, obvious problems?"

Jade looks at her a bit sadly. "I guess?" She shrugs.

"I suppose you have to make the best of what you get," Joss murmurs.

Jade's expression falters a little, before she tries to smile again. "But anyway –" She gestures at a classroom they're coming up on. "I'll see you after math?"

Joss grimaces and then manages something approximately a smile. "Yeah. See you later."

And mandated education!

Mandated education!

After homeroom, the teacher continues in a similar way to the day before. It might not be obvious, but he does try to take extra care with Joss, making sure there are no obvious terminology gaps when he introduces old concepts. (He makes a couple of comments about her prior mathematical education that could be understood as disparaging, but does genuinely try to help her learn any missing concepts when he comes around the class.)

As much as she might feel slightly attacked by that, it's kind of reasonable. Still, she does her best, and isn't so proud as to not accept help where it is offered.

Then the hour can pass quite productively. Econ is next, and passes by again without much ado.

English, shared with Jade, is up after that.

Is Jade already there?

Yep! Sitting near the back, as before, with the same empty seat next to her.

She looks up as Joss enters the classroom, smiling lightly.

She grins back and heads for that empty seat. "Turns out maths is easier with someone who properly understands the subject matter explaining it."

"New teacher good, then?"

"Better than any of the tutors I've had before certainly. Home-schooled thing again."

"Ah." Jade nods. "Maybe… don't get your hopes up for English." She smiles, trying to make the statement light.

She grins slightly in response. "Eh, you might've noticed that I babble. English I can just like...babble at the subject matter until it looks like I know what I'm on about."

Jade laughs a little. "Don't let him catch you saying that!"

"Yeah, I'll definitely keep that particular skill of mine quiet."

Class proceeds, continuing from where it left off the day before. There's an exercise on some Australian slang, and they cover a couple of the quirks of Indian English, and the teacher reminds them about their homework, due tomorrow.

Joss will take the opportunity to clarify what the homework actually is - given she wasn't here when it was set?