did not look happy. You could feel the room instantly tense up as everyone seemed to straighten up at the same time causing a wave of creaking chairs that sounded as though it was echoing on surround sound speakers.
He cleared his throat and began.
“This is not a class for easy credit so if you don’t want to work hard then I suggest you take up the creative arts for those easy A’s and stop wasting my time.” He paused and looked about the room. One guy got up but kept his head down, hiding his shame.
“Ah, we have a taker, try wood work, I hear it’s a slam-dunk!” The class let out a series of nervous noises. The lad left taking with him the tension in the tutor, which seemed to please him, as if the initiation process was over and he could now continue.
“I am Mr. Reed, Head of History. I will be taking many of your classes and believe me when I say I do not expect excuses for any reason, I don’t care for them. So unless you are on your death bed in excruciating pain and expelling every liquid from your body, I do not accept absence, just as I don’t accept tardiness.” This was directed towards the door as a face had appeared in the little porthole. She knocked and we all held our breath, instantly feeling a mutual sorrow for what was about to occur. We could feel the humiliation ready to erupt as the handle pulled downwards letting the unsuspecting girl into a pit of misery.
She walked in with such grace I think even Reed was taken back. The classroom actually gasped. She was just so beautiful, you could almost hear all the breaking of hearts from the boys and the envious mental screams from the girls. She glided through the door in a way that would put any ballerina to shame.
Reed composed himself ready for the kill and stared at the girl who just smiled sweetly in return.
“I do not accept anyone late to my class, but as it is the first day, then I will make an exception. However, if this were to happen again then you will be removed from my lesson and failed on any paper which is due, do you understand?”
“Of course and please except my sincere apologies.” Her voice sang out reminding me of one very similar. She was small and elf like, with beautiful black hair that resembled black silk as it hung down in curls to her shoulders and bounced when she moved. Her skin was almost translucent with a rosy tint to her cheeks. She looked like a china doll, as though her face had been painted in some way. It was an ancient looking beauty, one you would find on the Sistine Chapel ceiling or the works of Bouguereau.
She looked around for a space and you could see guys standing ready to give up their seats for this lovely creature. I put up my gloved hand and the tutor nodded in my direction. You could hear the groans of disappointment. She walked up the steps and people rose out of their seats to let her through to the middle, I moved the bag that I had put on the other seat and moved one of my books off the now occupied table.
“My name is Sophia and...”
“Excuse me Miss I want to disrupt the class! I have had about enough of you today.” I don’t know what came over me but I felt compelled to stand up for this poor innocent girl, after all I was the cause of her being punished now. So I did the unthinkable. I broke my one rule....I drew attention to myself.
I stood up only to get a better view of the students gasping at my madness, some even held their breath.
“Umm...” I had to clear my throat as the words would not form.
“I mean... it was not her fault, I asked her a question and she was answering me,” I managed to say, not as forceful as I had hoped but at least it made sense.
“And pray tell, what may that have been, as I'm sure, now you have all the class’ full attention, we’re all just dying to know what is more important than my lecture?” His words burned as I started to realize his full meaning. Every head in the room had now turned to look at me and I was in my own personal Hell!