"All right class, simmer down!" A large woman commanded, trying to make her students sit down in their seats. Among those students was a dark brown haired boy, wearing a very tall green hat that was simply too huge for him. His bangs were swept to the side, hiding one of his eyes, which were a dark emerald green. His green and yellow cape was hanging on the back of his armchair, and a tall blue staff leaned against the back.
This boy's name was Wizz.
And this was Rush Middle School.
"Aiki Lu, stop chasing poor Healury with your knives!" The woman – Calory – scolded a Chinese girl running around the back chasing a wailing little girl with butcher's knives.
Aiki Lu pouted. "Aww, but Miss Calory! Healury was messing with my hairdo!"
"I just needed a test subject for my newest spell!" Healury snapped. "It's not my fault your hair turned into a rainbow!"
Indeed, Aiki Lu's hair was now sporting all the colors of the rainbow, which made Miss Calory's class snicker as Aiki Lu sank back into her chair.
Miss Calory sighed. "Just sit down, both of you." Healury obeyed immediately.
"AROOO!" Someone howled, and most of the class turned to see their classmate, Flow, turn into a wolf. The werewolf looked around awkwardly at everyone as his seatmate, Vampino snickered, tucking a picture of the moon into his bag again.
Miss Calory stared sternly at Vampino before walking over to Flow, petting her student. "Come on, Flow. I'll take you to the nurse."
Flow whimpered as he was led outside, with Aiki Lu following in a stalkerish manner. Wizz looked oddly at her, a question mark popping out of his head. Aiki Lu noticed this and signaled him that she was worried about Flow. The boy rolled his eyes as Aiki Lu snuck out before he took out his notebook and started sketching.
Wizz's notebook was his most prized possession, aside from his staff, because inside it, he had drawn anime versions of all his classmates, in all sorts of situations. However, his most adored sketch so far was a sketch of his classmate and crush, Botherella.
Who just happened to be sitting right in front of him.
Botherella was the little sister of the famous Cinderella, and she hated herself for it. So instead, she focused on her poisonous powers, and thus, ended up at Rush Middle School to learn how to maximize her powers. Her loyal bulldog, Wolfgang, was currently sitting by her side, obediently waiting orders.
Wizz shuddered inwardly. He hated bulldogs, and Wolfgang was no exception. Sure, he had a dog, but it was a cocker spaniel, which was definitely cuter than a bulldog. Yet Botherella always insisted that Cinderella made her fairy godmother curse Wolfgang.
"Hey, Wizz!" A feminine voice called, making Wizz turn before smiling. It was Vivich, a friendly and flirtatious buddy of Wizz's, and one of his best friends. She was also Nagne's coveted one.
"Hi, Vivich." Wizz greeted as the dancer sat down in the chair beside him. Behind her, Nagne, the ninja, had his hat lowered, but Wizz knew that Nagne was simply hiding his beet red face. "You just missed Vampino's pranks on Flow again."
Vivich slighty frowned, but it was instantly replaced by a smile as she said, "So, how are things going with Miss Poison?"
Wizz could feel his cheeks flaring up as he said, "Nothing eventful, except for the fact that Boorseye's flirting with her again." The last phrase was said with a tone of resentment as Wizz turned back to his notebook and started sketching.
"What'cha drawing this time?" Vivich asked, glancing at his sketchbook before gasping. "NO WAY! Vampino and Healury?"
The whole class fell into silence as they stared at Vampino and Healury. Vampino's normally pale face was now a bright red, while Healury had hidden herself in a shield.
Wizz whacked Vivich with his staff as he hissed, "Idiot! You're not supposed to scream stuff like that in class!"
"… You know Vivich." Skully's voice drawled from behind Wizz. "She's a loudmouth."
Beside the blue-haired girl, Toxy twirled her knives. "Oh, like you aren't, Skully." She teased before hugging Choppin, who just passed by. The boy's face burned up as he dashed back to his seat near the back, hiding his face with a paper bag.
"Why, I oughta-" Skully's voice grew higher, but then suddenly, Miss Calory came back, with an embarrassed Aiki Lu and a blushing Flow in tow. She silently dropped Aiki Lu and Flow into their seats before walking back to the front and asking, "Anyone else deciding on professing their love for a classmate?"
"Ooh! Ooh!" Toxy raised her hand in the air.
"Put your hand down, Toxy, it was a rhetorical question." Miss Calory sighed.
Toxy sighed before putting down her hand. At the back, Choppin also sighed inside his paper bag.
Miss Calory then said, "All right, class, I think it's time we had a writing activity."
Arpu's hand – er, paw – shot up into the air, and Miss Calory said, "Yes, Arpu?"
"Miss Calory, what does writing have to do with rushing?" Arpu asked innocently.
Their teacher shrugged before replying, "Just thought you kids needed a break from rushing."
"Good!" Oblin Jr. sighed in relief. "At least I don't need to bash in some Mumblin heads anymore today!"
Miss Calory chuckled before turning to the blackboard, allowing Wizz to stare at the back of Botherella's head. Her blonde hair – which was usually tied up in pigtails with two pink bows – was now let down, making Wizz sigh. Botherella was so beautiful…
Suddenly, something hit his hat and landed on its rim. He reached up and grabbed it, reading the note, before scribbling a reply and tossing it back at Vivich.
Their conversation went like this:
V: Yo Wizz, u OK?
W: No, course not. Sighing dreamily.
V: Rly? Then talk to Poison already.
W: Can't. Boorstupid's flirting.
V: Rly? Can't see.
W: You're blind.
V: Oh, now I see. Tough luck dude.
W: Like you'd never believe.
Nagne: Just decided to join in.
W: Yo Nagne.
V: Hey there candycane.
W: Candycane? Seriously?
V: What? He's my crush, anyway.
N: …
W: …
V: …
W: Gotta jet. Miss Calory's done writing.
V: Seeya.
N: Bye.
Wizz sighed in relief as Miss Calory turned back to the class, pointing to the directions on the board. "All right class, today we'll be making poems. Since it's almost Valentine's Day, why don't you make poems for that special someone? I of course am going to make one for Sir Dumba, so why don't you?" She sighed dreamily.
"I know exactly who I'm going to give mine to." Boorseye winked at Botherella, but the blonde didn't seem to notice, so he frowned.
"Everyone, take a piece of paper and a pen or anything you want to use for your poem, then, one by one, we'll recite them in front before giving them to the person you chose." Miss Calory said as Healury and Vampino stood up and distributed some papers to the class.
Wizz's eye twitched. In front of EVERYBODY? No way am I reading my poem in front of everyone!
"Really now? Isn't this supposed to be private?" Nagne asked out loud.
Miss Calory rolled her eyes. "Just get to writing, Nagne."
For the next five minutes, all Wizz could hear was the scratching of pencils on paper, and the frantic mumblings of people not knowing what to write. However, Wizz knew exactly what to write for Botherella. An acrostic poem.
He went down to writing.
"Like the moon, he shines bright in my heart,
And nothing can tear us apart." Aiki Lu recited, her cheeks flushing red as she placed the valentine on Flow's desk, making the boy blush bright red.
Miss Calory clapped. "Bravo, Aiki Lu! What a wonderful couplet for Flow! And now, who's next?" She looked expectantly around the class, marking those who were already holding valentines.
Healury was holding a glittery valentine while blushing, while Vampino was head desking to hide his blush. Nagne had fully sunk down in his seat, holding a feathered valentine, while Vivich was dancing near the back, using Nagne's valentine as props. Toxy was piggybacking on Choppin, while the boy's face was flushed red.
And now, only a few people remained, and Wizz feared that he would be next.
"Wizz!"
The stars hated him.
Wizz reluctantly walked up front, his cheeks slowly turning pink as he faced the class. Most of the class had stopped in their antics to watch the class's quiet one read his valentine. Boorseye was eyeing him warily, while Botherella had her chin cupped with her hands.
The wizard boy's breath caught in his throat. The curls in Botherella's hair framed her face beautifully, and her dark blue eyes were staring intently at him, her lashes moving elegantly as she blinked, waiting for his valentine.
"Well, Wizz?" Miss Calory urged.
Wizz blinked, then coughed. Loudly. Then, he started reading his poem. He stuttered at first, then slowly, he began to gain confidence.
"B-b is for bratty, which is her trademark personality,
O is for obnoxious, which she can be at times.
T is for terrifying, when she is super angry,
H is for helpless, whenever she is hurt.
E is for entrancing, which she does every day to me,
R is for red, the color of my cheeks when I see her.
E is for her enchanting dark blue eyes.
L is for her locks, which are curly and cute,
L is for the love I have for her in my heart.
And A is for amazing, which simply describes her to this day."
By that moment, Wizz wanted to bash his head against the wall as everyone oohed and aahed at his poem. Boorseye had listed down the letters in a paper, and was now cursing under his breath, while Vivich had fainted dreamily, with Nagne catching her at the last minute. However, Wizz had definitely not been expecting Botherella's reaction.
At first, the princess was shell shocked into silence, her gloved hands dropping her valentine and her skull to the floor. Then, a slow blush crept across her cheeks as Wizz dropped his valentine on her chair.
Miss Calory had fainted from the loveliness of the poem, and signaled for Botherella to come up and read her poem.
"Um… I was gonna make this poem for someone else…" Botherella began, blushing to the roots of her hair. "But… I think someone else deserves this…" She cleared her throat before reciting.
Wizz.
Classmate, Rusher.
Fighting, Defending, Loving.
You'll always be in my heart.
Loved.
Wizz's heart raced as Botherella walked towards Boorseye's aisle, but then she made a sharp right turn and placed the valentine on his desk. He only had enough time to comprehend what just happened when Botherella leaned in towards his ear and whispered, "Thank you." She then proceeded to lightly kiss him on the cheek, making him turn bright red.