Hush, Hush: Chapter 15
ZeldaQueen: Short one today, ladies and gentlemen. Don't worry though, it has it's moments
Projection Room Voices: Starting Media in 3...2...1...
Chapter 15
ZeldaQueen: Nora and Vee are in biology, because clearly that’s the only class they ever take besides PE, and they are supposed to be doing a blood pressure lab. I honestly don’t know what sort of curriculum this class has, because they were just on their sex ed unit and we got no mention of more than a few days passing or them taking an end of chapter test or anything. In any case, Vee is lying face up on a table and is supposed to be quiet for five minutes so Nora can test how much her blood pressure is lowered. We’re told that they were allowed to choose their own lab partners, which is why Nora isn’t doing this with Patch. Given how obvious and clichéd this all is, I think we all know where this will end up going.
Anyway, Vee can’t shut up for five minutes and is telling Nora how stupid it is to think that Elliot murdered someone. She points out how nice Elliot is, and normally I’d understand being skeptical except…
First of all, either Nora hasn’t told Vee how Elliot has turned into such a scumbag, or Vee knows and doesn’t believe her. Given that Vee later flat-out hand waves Elliot’s behavior, I’d lean towards the latter
Second of all, she’s trying to ignore the news article itself. I mean, Nora actually has some basis for this notion, yet Vee is playing the “Are you sure it’s the same guy?” thing.
I also find it rather hypocritical that Vee drags Nora off to spy on Patch and proposes setting up a webcamera in his neighbor’s home just because she thinks he’s suspicious (that, and it would be fun), yet when Nora has reason to be worried about someone she just belittles the idea.
So yeah, Vee insists that even if Elliot was a murder suspect he wasn’t actually arrested, right? Nora points out that the article said that the apartment of the girl who was hung also was broken into, with the implication that her suicide note was planted. Vee chooses to ignore that idea, more or less, and says that she’ll go with the police if they say it was a suicide. Because we all know that the police never make mistakes, amirite?
And yes, I’m still pissed that Vee pushes Nora on those stupid investigations but won’t spare two seconds to at least humor her on this. That, and we're going to see later that Vee's insistence that Elliot is a good guy reaches alarming levels of idiocy later, so I'm pissed about that.
Nora proposes that they go to Elliot’s old school and snoop around (because that technique has worked so well in the past) and Vee gets “bad vibes” about doing that. What, and having Nora dress up like a hooker to see Patch’s work application didn’t? Nora also notes how suspicious it is that Jules mysteriously bails whenever they have group outings planned. Vee theorizes that he has some bowel problems. More likely he hates hanging around with her.
At that moment, Nora realizes that after her room had been broken into, the article she printed on Elliot’s investigation went missing. She freaks out and tells Vee about it and how Elliot must have been the person to break into her room to steal it back.
The teacher steps in at this point and asks how things are going. He feels Vee’s pulse and, seeing that it’s not as low as it ought to be, asks if she refrained from all activities for the five minutes. Vee is a smartass and this prompts the teacher to - honk if you saw this coming - order her to switch partners with Patch. Vee is mildly apologetic to Nora about that one. I have to wonder, if Vee is so certain that Patch beat her within an inch of her life, why isn't she more concerned that he keeps hanging around with Nora? If I was attacked so viciously by someone and then saw that my best friend was being shoved towards that same person in school, I'd be very concerned that hello, my best friend might end up Victim #2! Especially since Vee knows that Nora was most likely the target of that attack! NORA TOLD HER SHE WAS ALREADY BEING STALKED! WHY ARE EVERYONE SO CALM ABOUT THESE THINGS?!?
I'm sorry. I have a hold of myself now.
Patch comes over and, being his usual charming self, immediately brings up those high heels she wore to his work place the other night. They “banter”, which mostly consists of him making innuendos and telling her to loosen up (yes Nora, how stupid of you to be bothered by harassment), before she tells him to get on with the lab before the teacher gets even more pissed at her. Considering that Patch and Vee have been the ones goofing around, it seems pretty dickish that Nora is the one to get in trouble. Then again, her word apparently carries zero weight in this insane world.
Nora tells Patch to be the subject, probably because having him shut up for five minutes is very appealing. He refuses on the grounds that he has no heart. No kidding? And rest assured, ladies and gentlemen, in a few chapter's time, that comment is going to be very frightening.
Because he’s a dick and won’t cooperate at all, Nora is the subject and lies still for five minutes. Of course the instant he touches her wrist to feel her pulse, her heart rate goes way up. He threatens to write her spike in pulse from his touch and she tells him not to. I suspect that this is supposed to be cute banter, but given how little regard he’s had for her wishes thus far, it just comes across as him being a douche who’s further humiliating her
“'What do you want?’ I asked him.
Patch's eyes connected with mine. On the inside, he was grinning. I could tell.
‘Except, you know, that,’ I said”
ZeldaQueen: For the love of God, please tell me that wasn’t referring to what I think it was.
Jump ahead to Nora’s next visit with Miss Greene, and we’re beat over the head with how her door is closed and she is all unfriendly and yes Fitzpatrick, it’s obvious we aren’t supposed to like her. Thank you for that.
There's a lot of pointless description of how the decoration in the office has changed, and if it's supposed to be wildly symbolik, I'm not getting it. Miss Greene says that she gets that they need to build a relationship on trust and respect and promises not to bring up Nora’s dad again unless Nora says to. She then brings up that she knows that Nora was ridden home from the amusement park on Saturday and that she let Patch into her house. She reminds Nora what she said about not being alone with him. Nora instantly gets all indignant because that’s None Of Her Business, and I’m sure that would carry a lot of weight if Miss Greene didn’t have a very good point. Patch is a creeper, he’s a textbook stalker and abuser, and his actions that night were far into Do Not Want territory. Still, we’re obviously supposed to think that Miss Greene is a prying bitch for telling Nora to keep away from Patch. Lord.
Nora is asked if there’s anything else she wants to talk about, and Nora tells us in no uncertain terms that something is off about Miss Greene and she doesn’t trust her and thus won't tell her about Elliot
“Miss Greene. I couldn't put my finger on it, but something about her bothered me. And I didn't like the way she kept hinting that Patch was dangerous but wouldn't tell me why. It was almost like she had an agenda”
ZeldaQueen: An agenda? Maybe she just wants to keep you away from the dude harassing and stalking you! I hate Nora’s idiocy and I hate that Fitzpatrick had Miss Greene be a therapist. That’s all this book needs, after all. Tell the readers that it’s suspicious and weird for your therapists to tell you to stay away from your stalker
ZeldaQueen: So yeah, not much in this besides Vee being stupid, Patch being a dick, Nora expositioning her theories, and Miss Greene being Obviously Suspicious (except that she totally isn't). Don't worry though. Like I said, next chapter more than makes up for it
Onward to: Chapter 16
Back to: Chapter 14
Return to to: Table of Contents
Projection Room Voices: Starting Media in 3...2...1...
Chapter 15
ZeldaQueen: Nora and Vee are in biology, because clearly that’s the only class they ever take besides PE, and they are supposed to be doing a blood pressure lab. I honestly don’t know what sort of curriculum this class has, because they were just on their sex ed unit and we got no mention of more than a few days passing or them taking an end of chapter test or anything. In any case, Vee is lying face up on a table and is supposed to be quiet for five minutes so Nora can test how much her blood pressure is lowered. We’re told that they were allowed to choose their own lab partners, which is why Nora isn’t doing this with Patch. Given how obvious and clichéd this all is, I think we all know where this will end up going.
Anyway, Vee can’t shut up for five minutes and is telling Nora how stupid it is to think that Elliot murdered someone. She points out how nice Elliot is, and normally I’d understand being skeptical except…
First of all, either Nora hasn’t told Vee how Elliot has turned into such a scumbag, or Vee knows and doesn’t believe her. Given that Vee later flat-out hand waves Elliot’s behavior, I’d lean towards the latter
Second of all, she’s trying to ignore the news article itself. I mean, Nora actually has some basis for this notion, yet Vee is playing the “Are you sure it’s the same guy?” thing.
I also find it rather hypocritical that Vee drags Nora off to spy on Patch and proposes setting up a webcamera in his neighbor’s home just because she thinks he’s suspicious (that, and it would be fun), yet when Nora has reason to be worried about someone she just belittles the idea.
So yeah, Vee insists that even if Elliot was a murder suspect he wasn’t actually arrested, right? Nora points out that the article said that the apartment of the girl who was hung also was broken into, with the implication that her suicide note was planted. Vee chooses to ignore that idea, more or less, and says that she’ll go with the police if they say it was a suicide. Because we all know that the police never make mistakes, amirite?
And yes, I’m still pissed that Vee pushes Nora on those stupid investigations but won’t spare two seconds to at least humor her on this. That, and we're going to see later that Vee's insistence that Elliot is a good guy reaches alarming levels of idiocy later, so I'm pissed about that.
Nora proposes that they go to Elliot’s old school and snoop around (because that technique has worked so well in the past) and Vee gets “bad vibes” about doing that. What, and having Nora dress up like a hooker to see Patch’s work application didn’t? Nora also notes how suspicious it is that Jules mysteriously bails whenever they have group outings planned. Vee theorizes that he has some bowel problems. More likely he hates hanging around with her.
At that moment, Nora realizes that after her room had been broken into, the article she printed on Elliot’s investigation went missing. She freaks out and tells Vee about it and how Elliot must have been the person to break into her room to steal it back.
The teacher steps in at this point and asks how things are going. He feels Vee’s pulse and, seeing that it’s not as low as it ought to be, asks if she refrained from all activities for the five minutes. Vee is a smartass and this prompts the teacher to - honk if you saw this coming - order her to switch partners with Patch. Vee is mildly apologetic to Nora about that one. I have to wonder, if Vee is so certain that Patch beat her within an inch of her life, why isn't she more concerned that he keeps hanging around with Nora? If I was attacked so viciously by someone and then saw that my best friend was being shoved towards that same person in school, I'd be very concerned that hello, my best friend might end up Victim #2! Especially since Vee knows that Nora was most likely the target of that attack! NORA TOLD HER SHE WAS ALREADY BEING STALKED! WHY ARE EVERYONE SO CALM ABOUT THESE THINGS?!?
I'm sorry. I have a hold of myself now.
Patch comes over and, being his usual charming self, immediately brings up those high heels she wore to his work place the other night. They “banter”, which mostly consists of him making innuendos and telling her to loosen up (yes Nora, how stupid of you to be bothered by harassment), before she tells him to get on with the lab before the teacher gets even more pissed at her. Considering that Patch and Vee have been the ones goofing around, it seems pretty dickish that Nora is the one to get in trouble. Then again, her word apparently carries zero weight in this insane world.
Nora tells Patch to be the subject, probably because having him shut up for five minutes is very appealing. He refuses on the grounds that he has no heart. No kidding? And rest assured, ladies and gentlemen, in a few chapter's time, that comment is going to be very frightening.
Because he’s a dick and won’t cooperate at all, Nora is the subject and lies still for five minutes. Of course the instant he touches her wrist to feel her pulse, her heart rate goes way up. He threatens to write her spike in pulse from his touch and she tells him not to. I suspect that this is supposed to be cute banter, but given how little regard he’s had for her wishes thus far, it just comes across as him being a douche who’s further humiliating her
“'What do you want?’ I asked him.
Patch's eyes connected with mine. On the inside, he was grinning. I could tell.
‘Except, you know, that,’ I said”
ZeldaQueen: For the love of God, please tell me that wasn’t referring to what I think it was.
Jump ahead to Nora’s next visit with Miss Greene, and we’re beat over the head with how her door is closed and she is all unfriendly and yes Fitzpatrick, it’s obvious we aren’t supposed to like her. Thank you for that.
There's a lot of pointless description of how the decoration in the office has changed, and if it's supposed to be wildly symbolik, I'm not getting it. Miss Greene says that she gets that they need to build a relationship on trust and respect and promises not to bring up Nora’s dad again unless Nora says to. She then brings up that she knows that Nora was ridden home from the amusement park on Saturday and that she let Patch into her house. She reminds Nora what she said about not being alone with him. Nora instantly gets all indignant because that’s None Of Her Business, and I’m sure that would carry a lot of weight if Miss Greene didn’t have a very good point. Patch is a creeper, he’s a textbook stalker and abuser, and his actions that night were far into Do Not Want territory. Still, we’re obviously supposed to think that Miss Greene is a prying bitch for telling Nora to keep away from Patch. Lord.
Nora is asked if there’s anything else she wants to talk about, and Nora tells us in no uncertain terms that something is off about Miss Greene and she doesn’t trust her and thus won't tell her about Elliot
“Miss Greene. I couldn't put my finger on it, but something about her bothered me. And I didn't like the way she kept hinting that Patch was dangerous but wouldn't tell me why. It was almost like she had an agenda”
ZeldaQueen: An agenda? Maybe she just wants to keep you away from the dude harassing and stalking you! I hate Nora’s idiocy and I hate that Fitzpatrick had Miss Greene be a therapist. That’s all this book needs, after all. Tell the readers that it’s suspicious and weird for your therapists to tell you to stay away from your stalker
ZeldaQueen: So yeah, not much in this besides Vee being stupid, Patch being a dick, Nora expositioning her theories, and Miss Greene being Obviously Suspicious (except that she totally isn't). Don't worry though. Like I said, next chapter more than makes up for it
Onward to: Chapter 16
Back to: Chapter 14
Return to to: Table of Contents