English had finally ended, after Mr. Michaelis had set a serious amount of homework.
"I want each of you to research a love poet, then make a collection of their most significant works. Due next lesson, which is...tomorrow."
Everyone had groaned as they exited the room.
"What's next?", asked Ciel.
"Math…." Rianne, Felicia and Eleanora spat.
"Worst subject of the day," added Felicia.
They trekked across the school to the other side, clambering up a steep set of stairs. Because they were all nerds, they were completely exhausted after climbing up halfway.
"When will we reach the room?", Ciel panted out.
"Soon, I hope", groaned Eleanora in response.
They continued into a large corridor, lined with floor to ceiling windows letting in bright sunshine which burned their eyes. From their height, they could see the rest of the school spread around the oval, little black and red ants scattered around during the mad rush to class.
"Wow," muttered Ciel. "What a view."
"That's what she said!", giggled Eleanora.
"yikes, can you not!"
"Grow up already!"
They reached the necessary room - which matched the subject. It was one of the older classrooms in the school, and it really showed. The brown paint on the walls was peeling slightly, the desks full of generations of students' scribble and graffiti, the carpet was full of dirty splotches and there was a grand total of two windows in the entire room, making it feel tiny and dark.
"Hate this room," muttered Rianne. "How much does it pay to go here again?"
"Enough to renovate the damn room twenty times over", said Felicia.
"Let's just get a good seat," interrupted Ciel.
So the Squad claimed the row of seats closest to one of the two windows that was nearest to the board. After chatting about absolutely nothing for a while, Ciel cleared his throat, indicating that he wanted to comment.
"So," Ciel began. "What are you learning in maths?"
"Don't know," answered Felicia. "I don't take maths."
Her face went pale with realization.
"Oh Mother Teresa on the hood of a Mercedes Benz, I'm not supposed to be here!"
She stood up a few seconds too late, for as soon as she stood, the only door in the room slammed shut with an almighty bang, and in strode their math teacher.
Ciel stiffened as soon as he saw the man, which Rianne found just slightly odd. Maybe he really hates math…? She thought.
"Sir," began Felicia. "I'm not in the right room. I don't take maths."
He turned to face her slowly, a simmering glint lingering in his glasses covered eyes.
"You're in it now. Take a seat." Felicia obeyed immediately.
His voice was low, but deadly. They decided at that very moment, this was the class in which they would not breathe a word. He sounded like the kind of teacher to murder his students and bury the bodies in the school garden at night.
"Now." Everyone sat up straighter, "I am Mr Faustus, and I will be your math teacher. I expect full attention, perfect attendance, and absolutely no incompetence."
Gulps sounded from around the room as his voice went lower and lower with warning.
"If these rules are not fulfilled...there may be some serious consequences."
Shivers cascaded down spines, and even the most disruptive students were silent during the deadly encounter.
"Now for the roll." His terrifying intensity did not decrease.
He called out every students' name, commanding them to also raise their hand so that he could put a face to the name. (WHHHYYY? Screamed Eleanora internally).
Every name he called, he met the person's eyes. Felicia went first, and refused to make direct eye contact. He did not continue calling names until she did. Ciel went next, and the eye contact lasted far longer than he ever wanted. Rianne was straight after, and she met his gaze with as much intensity she could muster. Try me, bitch, she tried to say with her eyes. Eleanora was last on the roll, and couldn't sit still during the staring match, much to Mr Faustus' annoyance.
"Now that that's over," he stated. "I want you to open your textbooks to page 207 and begin work immediately."
Books were flipped open, and work began straight after. No one wished to see the wrath of this particular teacher. Felicia shared a textbook with Eleanora, and internally complained the whole way through the lesson. Minutes stretched on for hours, before the once annoying bell sounded the end to their suffering.
Mr Faustus continued to sit, watching all the students as they walked out to leave.
"Remember," he called out, "Homework is your responsibility. If you are not up to date with the course, then it is your fault alone."
...And now students were running out of the room.
Ciel had sprinted out as soon as the bell sounded, so Rianne, Felicia and Eleanora had a few precious seconds to themselves down the hallway before where Ciel stood waiting for them.
"Was it me, or did Mr Faustus stare at Ciel way too long to be normal," asked Rianne.
"Considering how creepy that guy is," answered Eleanora, "I wouldn't be surprised if that man was a serial killer."
"Same", agreed Felicia. "I'm never accidentally showing up to math class with you three again."
"I wish I could do the same," complained Rianne.
"Come on you lot!", shouted Ciel grumpily. "We still have a detention with Mr Michaelis, remember?"
"Calm yourself! Detention's at second half of lunch!", corrected Felicia.
"Oh." Ciel embarrassedly muttered. "Well do hurry up, I don't want to be here any longer than I have to."
"Coming, coming."
The squad made their way over to their table where Ele and Valentino were already seated.
"Guess what we have," called Eleanora.
"Detention?", joked Valentino, laughing at the mere thought of it.
"Yep." Rianne popped the 'p.'
Valentino seemed to choke on his spit. "You guys, on detention? No way!"
Ele managed to glomp all four of them. "I'm so proud, you've all grown up!"
"Who gave it to you guys?", Valentino asked, curious.
"Mr Michaelis, our new English teacher", filled in Rianne.
"No way!"
"I want to sit down," complained Ciel.
So they all sat down on the wonky seats, and began to chat, until…
"Have you seen the canteen Ciel?", asked Valentino.
"No. I don't really need to either", he answered.
"But you should," pressed Valentino, before dragging the poor midget away.
The girls laughed at the hilariousness of Ciel being dragged by the top of his shirt.
"Now, back to important matters," grinned Eleanora mischievously, "What's going on between you and Val, Ele?"
Ele turned a bright scarlet, not unlike a third degree burn.
"Nothing, I've just been texting him."
"Um, we all text him, Ele," Felicia pointed out.
"No, I mean, 'texting' texting."
"Sexting?", asked Eleanora. "God damn it Ele, that's emotional blackmail!"
"No, not that! We've been hanging out a bit more too…"
"Aww, that's so cute!" Cooed Rianne.
"Ship it!", cried Felicia and Eleanora.
"Hey guys, Val and Ciel are coming back."
True to Rianne's words, Valentino and Ciel came trotting back, a huge smile on Val's handsome face, and a deep-set frown on Ciel's.
"Jeez, talk about juxtaposition," joked Felicia, "am I right?"
Everyone laughed, except Ele. "It's really not that funny." She justified.
The second bell of lunch rang, signalling the start of detention.
"Well, that's our cue to skadoo," laughed Eleanora. "C'mon Ciel, let's go."
The classroom reserved for detention was far nicer than their math room, but was gloomy enough to merit a sense of foreboding. Already seated at the teacher's desk was Mr. Michaelis with his arms neatly folded and several of their class' poems scattered around. He was most likely marking their trash.
Several students were also already in the classroom, eating lunch, doodling on the tables, and talking quietly amongst each other. overall, it looked pretty relaxed.
Our squad took seats all next to each other, and after about five minutes waiting, the detention began.
"So," began Mr. Michaelis. "You are all here for disruptive or immature behaviour," his eyes glared directly at our group at the last one. "So I want each of you to sit here in silence and contemplate your actions and how you will improve them for the future. If you cannot follow that instruction, you will be asked to return tomorrow for a special one on one detention."
With that said, silence resumed, settling like a thick dark cloud. Everything seemed normal (if anything, just a tad boring) before it all went pear-shaped.
One of the girls seated at the front seemed to grow paler and paler, eventually putting up her hand for Mr Michaelis' attention. He nodded, a sign for her to talk.
"Sir, can I go to the bathroom?"
"Why?" He asked. "You had the first half of lunch to sort yourself out. You can wait until the bell goes."
She couldn't.
She sprung from her seat, rushing for the door, but collapsed against the door frame. Mr. Michaelis was up as soon as she twitched, and caught her just as she went to slump across the carpet.
Even from their distance from the event, Rianne, Felicia, Eleanora and Ciel could hear her raspy breaths and see her pale and clammy face.
"She's fainted," whispered Ciel.
Mr Michaelis placed a glove-covered hand to her forehead, and his eyes narrowed.
"Detention is over. No one is to repeat what has happened to anyone outside this room."
They didn't need to be told twice, as the squad exited the room. The bell rang ominously as they made their way back to the table to retrieve their belongings.
"Hope she's okay," mumbled Eleanora.
"Let's just hurry up so we can get to class," stated Ciel, a hard frown adorning his face.
He walked ahead, leaving Felicia, Eleanora and Rianne behind.
BONUS:
"Why are we not at the canteen Valentino?", Ciel asked, clearly annoyed.
A murderous cloud surrounded Valentino, startling Ciel. The easy smile that usually decorated his face had been replaced by an angry frown. Ciel began to fear for what would come next.
"Tell me," he began, "What do you think of Ele?"
...That's his question! Ciel cried internally.
"She's nice, but I don't really know her. I don't really know anyone in the group yet. Why?" Ciel knew it was a safe response.
Valentino slumped into a sheepish expression. "I-I'm sorry, I just thought, maybe, you liked her? I don't know, she's just a really nice girl, and I….never mind."
Ciel almost felt sorry for him (key word, almost).
"Look, I'm sorry for being a bit of a jerk. Hey, if you ever need help with the ladies, I'm your man!" He grinned, giving the nice guy pose.
Ciel nodded. "Thanks, I guess…."
"Is there someone you like?", continued Valentino, without missing a beat. "I bet it's Nene, you look and act like her type!"
Ciel went pink with horror. "I - I do not!", he stammered out.
Valentino walked away laughing, beckoning for him to follow. "That's what they all say!"
