Chapter 2 Touched By An "Angel"
"I wonder who's going to be our Home Economics teacher," said Lacus, looking at her timetable.
"Whoever it is, the person is bound to be good at cooking." Said Kira knowingly, taking out his textbook.
At that very moment, a plump woman lumbered into the classroom, her handbag in her right hand.
She settled her unusually large handbag on the teacher's desk and smiled a toothy smile at the class.
Her handbag was large and bulky, which reminded Athrun of those grandmothers who carried a large bag around, inside containing their accessories for sewing.
"Good morning, my dears. I'm Madam Angela Bones, and I will be your Home Economics teacher for this year. You can remember my name as Angel with an "A" at the back." She said, in a calm and gentle voice.
"That's lame," Cagalli thought to herself, brushing a fleck of dust off her shirt.
Dearka, being rather cheeky and corrupted as he was, was eyeing Madam Bones's tight dress. The seams seemed to be stretched around her plump body, making Dearka wish they would snap halfway through the lesson.
The class stood up and greeted Madam Bones politely. Clearly, among all of them, Lacus seemed to be the most eager to learn from this teacher of theirs.
Cagalli and Athrun were trying hard not to laugh, as their legs kicked one another's under the desk. Kira had his chin resting on his palm, looking at the teacher, and forcing the words, she spouted out to enter his ear and penetrate into his brain.
Dearka was drawing stupid cartoons on the front page of his textbook, while Miriallia was watching him disapprovingly.
No surprises here, as Yzak was drumming his fingers on the desk, wishing he could just fall asleep. Kyo seemed to be fighting the urge to just ask Madam Bones to shut up, as the lumbering teacher was now telling the entire class about her life story.
"I had no friends, because I was fat. And…I felt so lonely…and I never had a boyfriend." Wailed Madam Bones, blowing her nose into a checkered handkerchief.
"I think we're in the wrong class," Dearka muttered toward his girlfriend.
"Why?" Miriallia whispered back, eager to hear the blonde boy's reasons.
"Firstly, she's so goofy looking. Secondly, this is supposed to be a Home Economics class not a class about people's life stories. Thirdly, it's obvious why she's never had a boyfriend." Said Dearka grinning.
"Didn't anyone ever tell you not to judge a book by its cover? A book may be dull on the outside, but inside, who knows how many wonderful tales and lessons it has to tell?" said Miriallia, looking sternly at the tanned boy.
"Yeah right, wonderful tales like her life story, eh? To her, maybe it's interesting, but certainly not to me." Said Dearka shaking his head.
"Touching isn't it?" asked Madam Bones, dabbing her eyes and wiping her nose once more.
"Yeah, I'm so "touched"." Said Athrun, rolling his eyes in boredom.
"Yep, I've been "touched" by an "angel"." Said Cagalli, stressing on some of her words.
Yzak was staring intently at a ladybug making its way across the desk. And somehow, Kyo would sometimes find herself looking at him and smiling to herself, for no right reason in the middle of a lesson.
"For goodness sake, you haven't even said "hi" to him. And you're already starting to feel for him? Pucker up girl! A tower can't stand without its foundation blocks!" Kyo thought to herself, putting both arms under the desk and pinching herself hard.
After what seemed like an eternity, the dreaded Home Economics class finally ended.
"Umm Lacus, that was nothing about Home Economics." Said Miriallia, walking up to Lacus.
"Oh well, it's the first day after all. I suppose Madam Bones just wanted us to get to know her better." Sighed Lacus, putting her pens back into her cloth pencil case.
"Yeah right. Wanted us to get to know her better or get to know her as a child better?" hissed Dearka shaking his head, and running his hand through his wavy blonde hair.
"I guess we shouldn't be so pessimistic about her, but then again, Dearka has a point. I mean this IS a Home Economics class, and she spent the whole of the lesson telling us about her childhood and her life." Said Kyo knowingly.
"Sit down, Mirre! That evil discipline mistress is heading this way!" said Cagalli, trying to keep her voice as soft as possible, and at the same time loud enough for Miriallia to hear her.
Miriallia quickly jumped to her seat, and put on a face that said "Don't worry, nothing's happened here."
Sure enough, the discipline mistress walked daintily into the classroom, head held high.
It was clear that the way she walked and held up her head, didn't give a very good first impression of her.
The students were staring disapprovingly at her, eyebrows raised.
"Class! Are you going to stand and greet me, or not?" snapped the discipline mistress fiercely.
Almost immediately, the whole class catapulted to their feet and greeted the discipline mistress.
"Did the class just say her name was Miss Snare?" Cagalli asked Athrun, who nodded at her in reply.
"Well, she definitely gives a perfect impression of a snare." Muttered Yzak softly.
The class sat down, waiting for Miss Snare to say something. "I will be teaching the lot of you muddle heads English for the whole of this year. Now take out your textbook and turn to page 4. Will be learning about clichés and similes today," barked Miss Snare, scribbling down some words on the whiteboard.
"I think there's only one thing I like about her." Said Kira softly, turning to his pink-headed girlfriend, who turned to him attentively. "She didn't tell us about her life story or her role in this school." Said Kira grinning widely.
Lacus chuckled softly, "I agree," she whispered back.
Miss Snare turned to her desk and dug into her straw bag, and pulled out her water bottle. But she gave a strangled cry and dropped the glass bottle she was holding onto the floor.
It shattered with an earsplitting crash as water went flying everywhere. A slimy newt slid out onto the floor. "Who…who did this?" asked Miss Snare, her voice shaking as she eyed the class suspiciously.
It was plain obvious that the fault lay in none of the students in the class. Ever since she entered the class, nobody had taken their bums off their seats except when they stood up to greet her.
The newt had been in her water bottle even before she had set foot into the classroom!
"Come on! Own up! Or it will be double the punishment when I single you out!" shouted Miss Snare angrily, slamming her clench fist down onto her desk.
The girl sitting in front of her desk, was trembling with fear as she watched Miss Snare fume away.
Miss Snare's gaze fell upon the girl in front of her. "YOU! You're the cause of this!" Miss Snare shrieked, making the girl's eyes well up with tears.
"Hey! How can you just blame her for this! It might not even be her doing!" bellowed Kyo, jumping to her feet and glaring at Miss Snare.
"Why you insolent little brat!" yelled Miss Snare, pointing her index finger at Kyo.
All eyes were on Kyo now. Lacus turned to Kyo and gestured to her to sit down and say nothing more than an apology. But Kyo refused and stood her ground.
"How dare you shout at me!" shrieked Miss Snare once, her voice echoing down the nearby corridors.
"I agree with Kyo! She has a point!" barked Cagalli standing up as well, backing Kyo up.
Athrun's face was contorted with worry. Having his girlfriend get into trouble with the discipline mistress on their first day was the last thing on his mind.
"Her point is completely illogical!" shouted Miss Snare, her face read with fury.
"What's so illogical about what I said? That girl has done nothing wrong! It's obvious that the newt had been in your water bottle even before you entered this classroom!" argued Kyo, folding her arms across her chest.
"I have been the discipline mistress at this school for over 8 years, young lady! I know what I'm doing! And I say this girl is guilty! Or why else would she be trembling so violently?" asked Miss Snare, raising an eyebrow.
"Well maybe because of the fact that you're fierce enough to scare the wits out of people like us! And what evidence do you have that she was the one who put that newt in your bottle?" asked Cagalli hotly.
"The two of you wait! You just wait!" barked Miss Snare, storming out of the classroom, her straw bag in hand.
"Sickening," muttered Kyo glaring at their English teacher and discipline mistress.