Phyllis
Summary:The First Business Studies Class
Evie's Notes: Happy Friday! I hope you all had a wonderful week. Thank you so much your support of this story, it truly means the world to me 💜! I hope that you all enjoy the this new update 🌺.
Their professors had happily welcomed the students back for the new semester. Miss Valentine had crafted a brilliant welcome back poem for the class and had an adorable reunion with Mick. Lili enjoyed catching up with her yearmates and hearing about their summers. Wednesday was the first day that any of the Anubis students would be meeting the newest Frobisher Academy teacher. Apparently Miss Denby had been hired to teach the upper years a new elective, Business Studies. The eleventh years had her Monday and had raved about her, making the Anubis students all the more excited to meet her.
Liliana happily made her way through the school hallways towards the Business Studies classroom. Halfway there she met up with another one of her yearmates, Willow Jenks.
"Hi Liliana"
"Hey Willow, are you heading to Business Studies?"
"Yeah, I'm so excited! Anya had it this morning and absolutely raved about the new teacher" chirped the redhead excitedly.
"Me too, Jacob told me that she had a fun demeanor and a well put together syllabus; and coming from Jacob that's the equivalent of her being next in line for godhood. It's crazy, but I think I'm actually looking forward to getting to know one of our staff members now" laughed Lili.
"I know right!? I was telling Phyllis that most of our teachers, except Miss Robbinson and Ms. Valentine, all have such dark auras. Even Mr. Winkler, who started off having a bright glowing aura, gradually darkened. It's like this place does something to them" hummed Willow thoughtfully.
"Who's Phyllis?" asked Lili, desperately hoping to distract her loveable yearmate from poking into the dark underbelly of Frobisher Academy.
"She's my pet rat! Have you not met her?" asked Willow.
"I don't think I have"
"Aww, that's too bad. Phyllis is the absolute best, she's just so cuddly. You'll have to swing by my room at Isis next time you're there and meet her" decided Willow.
"You guys are so lucky that you get to have pets" remarked Lili. "Victor and Vera would go positively ballistic if they found out we had an animal in our rooms".
"I bet Trudy would have been more on board" suggested Willow.
"Yeah, well she got her librarian certificate last year while working on the 'Treasures of Ancient Egypt' exhibit. Apparently the school library post pays better, so we won't be getting her back anytime soon" bemoaned Lili as the pair entered the classroom.
"Oh well, maybe you'll get a pet one day" encouraged Willow with a grin before skipping off to sit with her housemate Abigail Cowen.
Lili made herself comfortable on the bench next to Amber who was busy speaking with Mick and Fabian at the table behind them.
Lili had just finished setting up her notebook, pens and water flask when the new teacher breezed into the room. She was an attractive woman who appeared to be in her early 30s who walked with power and purpose. Lili eyed the woman's fashionable outfit appreciatively, as the business studies professor it was clear that Miss Denby understood the importance of securing a positive first impression.
"Good afternoon class, my name is Miss Denby," she greeted the room at large, placing an eye-catching teal purse on her desk. "I am so excited to be teaching you all Business Studies this year".
Unfortunately her no doubt brilliant first class speech was rudely interrupted by Lili's boyfriend and best friend crashing into the room late. Lili shot them a fierce glare, why on earth were they late? Didn't they understand how important 12th year classes were for their future?
"And you are?" asked Miss Denbey with a gravity-defying raised eyebrow.
"Jerome Clarke" and "Alfie Lewis, hi!" greeted the boys sheepishly.
"Take a seat please boys, we were just getting to know each other" directed the teacher, allowing the boys to scurry to the open table at the back of the room.
"So, is anybody else new like me?" asked Miss Denby, moving around to lean on the front of the desk. A move Lili could tell was supposed to put the class at ease, this lady was good!
K.T. happily raised her hand from her spot next to Nina.
"Wonderful! Welcome, would you like to tell the class a little bit about yourself?"
"Okay!" agreed K.T. easily, hopping to her feet while the class clapped supportively.
"I'm K.T., that's short for Kara Tatinana, I blame my parents for that one" she joked. "I'm from the states".
"Oh we never would have guessed" snarked Joy, only to be pinned with a class full of angry looks. Nina's cousin was a ton of fun, so Joy had best hurry up and get over her anger if she didn't want a repeat of last year.
K.T. soldiered on bravely though, "Pennsylvania specifically. Nina here is my cousin and I am so excited to see all that Frobisher has to offer".
"Thank you K.T." smiled the teacher, before turning to the whiteboard. "So continuing on the theme of Who Am I, our first project will be on family trees".
Lili chuckled at the group's varied reactions. Most of the room groaned at the idea of research, Patricia even went as far as dropping her head down onto her desk. Nina, Fabian and Mara had the opposite reactions of sitting up straighter and giving the teacher their rapt attention.
Miss Denby spent the rest of class explaining the project's expectations and showing the students how to use the ancestry website. By the time the bell rang, Lili was itching to begin her own research.
* Scent of Lavender * Scent of Lavender *
Vera was bustling about the kitchen prepping that night's supper when the bell rang. Brushing her hands on her apron, she hurried to the door.
Opening the door Vera found Caroline Denby standing on the doorstep.
"Caroline! Welcome, thank you so much for stopping by. Please come in!"
"Thank you, Miss Devenish" replied Caroline, stepping into the atrium.
"Please dear, call me Vera. May I take your coat?". Accepting the woman's coat, Vera directed her to take a seat in the sitting room while she put on a pot of tea.
"I have to say I was surprised to have you reach out and offer me this job" mentioned Caroline.
"Well you came highly recommended by Tzaren" hummed Vera. Caroline would have to work much harder if she wanted to uncover any of Vera's secrets.
"Well it truly is an honor to not just meet the Collector face to face, but to be hired by them".
"Hmm, would you care for sugar or cream" inquired Vera pouring her guest a cup of tea.
"Yes please, two cubes and a splash of cream please" requested the younger woman.
The pair sat quietly for a moment sipping their drinks and sizing each other up.
"You don't strike me as a professional criminal" commented Caroline, eyeing Vera over the top of her tea cup.
"Well that is what makes me so good at it my dear" smirked the woman. "Now to get down to business, do you have the item I requested?"
"Of course" agreed Caroline, reaching into her purse and pulling out a velvet box and passing it over to Vera. "It took a bit of doing, but I was eventually able to acquire this piece. It was a much needed reminder that if you need something done, it is better to do it yourself".
Opening the case Vera grinned at the glimmering Jade scarab and gold chain lying on the black cushion. "Oh Caroline, I can already tell that you are going to be a wonderful addition to our lives".
Evie's Notes 2: Thank you all so much for reading 💕! I hope you enjoyed this update, let me know your favorite part of in the comments! I hope to see you all next week 💗!
Next Update: A Little Party Never Killed Nobody!
I love hearing from y'all! Let me know what you think of the chapter and the story as a whole in the comments or my Tumblr House-of-Secrets! Have a great week and stay safe! - Xo Evie🌺
