Author's Note: This is the second of my Eva character sketches...
"…And that is how you form the future perfect tense. Evangeline, would you please demonstrate to the class how to form the future perfect of 'to drink'?"
I didn't answer; in fact, I didn't know what Boya had just asked. I didn't need to listen in his class, English is my first language and I've been speaking it for half a millennium, there was no reason for me to be here at all, but it was a required class.
"Eva, the answer?" He wouldn't leave me alone. He knew that I knew the answer so why did he have to ask.
"Professor Springfield, I do not think that she knows the answer," some twit commented from the front of the class. I didn't know who, and I didn't care, this was my first year with this class anyway.
"I'm sure she knows the answer, Saku, Evangeline just doesn't want to answer," Boya said from his position in front of the class. He turned to me and, with that stupid half-smile on his face, he requested, "Evangeline, would you please answer the question?"
I didn't want to but I couldn't disrespect him in front of this class. They didn't know him or me yet and if I disrespected him in front of them, then they'd think that they could too, and that'd just be wrong. Boya may only be fifteen but he'd been teaching for five years already and should be obeyed by the multitude of twits at this infernal school.
"Will have drunk," I answered slowly and quietly, as if speaking to an idiot who had annoyed me, which in a way had happened with that twit whose comment had forced me to answer.
"Okay, class. Now if you would please turn in your workbooks to page two hundred and work on exercises five and six for the last few minutes of class..."
"Professor?" Great, now another one had a question. Was I this annoying when I was ten. Chronologically, not biologically; I've been ten biologically for five hundred years.
"Yes, Ami?" Boya was always ready to answer questions; he loved to teach so much it was hard to believe that this was just an assignment for him as a magician.
"Why do you let McDowell disrespect you so much? You are the teacher." That girl was just asking to be bitten. I mean, how dare she question Boya about how I treat him? It's none of her business.
He gave a chuckle with a slight shake of his head, which I knew was for me and not part of his amusement at the question. "I've known Evangeline for quite a few years. I'm used to her behavior and don't really pay that much attention to it," he offered as an explanation.
"But how, sir? She just transferred in this year and you have been here for five years have you not?" Leave it to this one to be sharp. All of what she said was true, however, I didn't transfer to the school this year; in fact, I've been stuck here for the past twenty years. I only transferred to this class this year because my last class had graduated.
"It doesn't matter. Let's just leave it at the fact that I've known Eva for some time. Besides, it won't matter how she treats me after next week, anyway." That was new. Boya sounded kind of sad when he said that last part. What was happening next week?
"Why?" My question startled everyone, including myself.
"Because," he started with a sad smile, "I'm leaving for Wales. My time in Japan is up."
There was a shocked silence. No one could believe that we were losing the best teacher to grace the halls of Mahora Girls Academy.
The bell rang, signifying the end of class. The others simply grabbed their stuff and quickly exited the classroom, eager to be out of school for the day. I stayed behind. I had something that I had to do.
"Negi..." He started at the sound of his given name coming from me. I had always called him "Boya," ever since I first met him when he became the ten-year-old homeroom teacher of my last class.
"Yes, Evangeline?" he asked warily.
"You can't leave! I forbid it! You must listen to your master!" I commanded, trying to ignore the tears forming in my eyes at the thought of him leaving.
"I'm afraid that it's not your decision. I was ordered by the council to return. Why do you care anyway?"
"Because I love you!"
As I blurted it out I knew it was true. I knew that I would not be able to spend eternity without him.
"Evangeline..." he started. I didn't hear the rest. I ran out, not able to listen to him telling me that he didn't love me.