The Rejected Quisling

“The assignment will be due by next month. You may come to see me if you have any other questions. Good day, class,” Mr. Declan says before exiting the class. Only then does everyone pack up and leave. His reputation as the most handsome teacher in Manville High is the only reason the students didn’t leave immediately the alarm signaling the end of lessons sounded. Being hot surely has its perks.

Lia bolts out of the class as fast as her legs can carry her. It doesn’t help that she has to squeeze through tightly locked arms and sweaty bodies. “Ow! What a bitch!” exclaims a brunette with freckles. Lia doesn’t bother apologizing; she abandoned such courtesies a long time ago. Besides, staying back to say sorry would only make her later than she already is.

“I don’t even know why I chose this school in the first place,” she huffs as she walks out of the close her school is situated in, irritated by the smell of sweat on her. Her senses may be weaker than that of a normal witch, but they’re still quite sharp. At least they’re sharp enough to detect the number of humans whose sweat has touched her clothes, and that isn’t comforting, to say the least.

“I think the same thing from time to time too,” Sandara says, slightly scaring her as she whirls around so fast that she almost suffers a whiplash. “Aunt! Would you stop appearing so randomly? It’ll be hard to explain how you suddenly appeared out of thin air to anyone who comes by. I keep telling you to exercise caution, but you never listen…” “Oh shush, dear. I've lived among mortals long before you were even born. I should be the adviser, not you. Besides, if a certain person had shown up on time, I wouldn't have come looking for anyone,” Sandara replies, cutting her short.

“I couldn't leave while the teacher was still in class. It's not like I own the school or anything,” Lia responds with as much sass as she can muster. She is no match for her aunt though. “Of course, you do, silly. You could tell the principal to vacate his office for you and he would do so without a word of complaint. What’s a mere teacher compared to that?” “He's the hottest teacher in school,” Lia argues. “So? Don't tell me you’re crushing on him or something.” “I'm not.” “Then what's the problem with leaving the class if he doesn’t want to stop teaching? I’ve always told you that a sophisticated, private high school is the right choice for you. But no, you'd rather settle for that shitty shack, all because you want to prove a point. A point that isn’t worth all this stress.”

Lia wants to argue but thinks better of it. Until she can match her aunt’s acerbic tongue, she’s better off quiet. If there is one thing witches are famous for apart from their unparalleled control of magic, it’s their haughtiness. Sandara says it’s an acquired trait, but Lia finds that hard to believe. She has never seen any witch who isn't naturally arrogant- it practically runs in the blood.