“I’m just curious. You seem not worried enough to be different while the world is back there and my friends and even Hyun Jae are facing some troublesome things.”

This time, Oliver’s grin disappeared. Then he just leaned more on his chair as his gaze diverted to the front. “Worrying will not do anything well. You of all people should know that. The only thing we can do is to continue to act. And that is to do what your teacher told us to do.”

Carolle turned her gaze away from Oliver. Then stood up. Without saying anything, she returned the book back to the shelf. “We’ll just see each other later. Good luck with your class.” 

“For Lady Malaya to wish me luck, I wonder what kind of wind had passed here,” Oliver said as he returned the book as well.

“I’m just wishing you luck. After all, this world is still something different from where you came from. It must be tiring to adjust yourself to all this. Maybe you can just think of this shit as some vacation in another world.” 

“…”

“See you later,” Carolle said, then she turned towards the librarian. “I’ll be back here again in some time, it’s nice to meet you again Ms. Edna.”

“Likewise, Ms. Carolle.” Ms. Edna said then Carolle simply smiled as a response and left.

Oliver this time didn’t follow her. This gave Carolle a sense of relief. She then found herself heading towards the main auditorium where the students were now singing the national anthem. From outside the door, Carolle could completely hear their singing. She waited for the national anthem to be finished. And decided to walk to someplace since, one of the teachers announced that Ms. Buendia, the school principal would have a speech for the students.

From Carolle’s experience, during her study here, the principal’s speech was one of the things she didn’t like that well. Since it usually lasts for more than half an hour. Needing to wake up earlier in the morning, go to school, and stand up for almost half and one hour at most, Carolle simply shook her head. Remembering the days that she was a student here, surely was something nostalgic and yet she wondered how she was able to pass it all without falling asleep once to all those lullaby speeches of the principal back then.

After a few more minutes of walking, Carolle finally ended up in the classroom she was assigned to take over. She didn’t enter it and simply waited for her class to arrive. She opened the window and let her mind wander as she played online RPG games on her phone.

***

Meanwhile a few more times had passed already since Carolle left the auditorium. 

“Heart and Excellence. These two are the main two core values of our school. Always keep it in mind and live with this…”

After almost twenty minutes of his speech, the school principal, Mr. Buendia, finally let all the students return to their respective classrooms.

Among the classes, there was one particular class that was smaller in number than the others. The Class 2-F. 

The normal count for the classes was ranging from twenty-five to thirty students per classroom. However, the said Class 2-F was just a total of fifteen. With ten girls and five boys. And the teachers looked at this class as they shook their heads. Their grim expression which was showing deep dismay, clearly tells that this class could be quite a troublesome bunch.

The class continued to their classroom. 

“I heard we will have a new adviser,” one of the students of Class 2-F said, which earned the attention of his classmates.

“It will be no different than that teacher, who always uses so many reasons just to avoid our class.”

“Let’s bet.” One of the girls said with a grin on her face. 

“Bet of what?”

“Let’s bet how that new adviser will last. I bet only a week.”

“Mine is three days.”

“A month,”

“A day.”

All the students started giving their bets. 

“I bet that I will be able to finish my six months teaching with you all lots,” However they were interrupted when someone spoke behind them. “And if I won the bet, better prepare to do the thing that I will ask to do.” Carolle entered the room, leaving the confused students. But some also followed behind her. Having the idea of who she could be.

When Carolle entered the room, her brows kneaded seeing the mess of the classroom right now. There was a lot of graffiti on the walls. The chairs and tables were completely in disarray. And trash was littered everywhere. Even the blackboard was covered with writings that looked like markers.

The students waited for Carolle to react, however, to their surprise she simply proceeded to the teacher’s table without saying anything. 

‘Ah, crap. How come something like this happens to this school?’ Carolle sighed with weariness inside her. ‘This is not something a person who just woke up after a long sleep will need to do. I will just ask Ms. Gina why there is a class like this here.’

Carolle glanced at the teacher’s table where there was a curse word vandal on it. 

‘All of the teachers are sh*t! The school is sh*t!’ Then there was a poop drawing at the right bottom corner of the table.

  Carolle didn’t bring anything with her, other than chalk and her small sling bag that contained her phone, powder, wallet, and IDs. Thankfully, the seat was decent and clean. She simply sat there. However, a few moments later, she finally glanced at the door. This startled the students that didn’t enter the classroom yet for some reason.

Carolle smiled at them. “You must be the Class 2-F, why are you not entering the room?” 

The students didn’t answer. However, their expression varies. Some were expressionless. Some were cautious or curious about Carolle. While some were blatantly sneering and glaring at her. But Carolle’s calm smile remained.

Looking at the whole class, there were seventeen students that were missing. From the class list that Carolle saw from Ms. Gina, there were supposed to be thirty-two students here. Sixteen girls and Sixteen boys, a perfect match even number.  ‘But seriously, what’s happening in this class?’

“Who is the class president and the other class officers here?” Carolle asked the first thing first. Since she was going to leave them after six months, she is not used to her getting to know them and being close to them. She would simply do the job of teaching these students as their temporary students. 

‘How absurd, never in my life, I will think that I will teach children.’

“Miss,” a meek but familiar voice of a girl resounded in the classroom. When Carolle saw the same glasses girl she met on the rooftop raising her right hand, Carolle immediately recognized her. She was sitting in the left corner of the second row.

Inside the classroom, the chairs and tables were aligned with eight columns and four rows. Though it was messy when Carolle entered, the students were still aligned for their own. But didn’t bother to pick up the thrashes littered beneath and surrounding their seats.

“I am the class president here, and Melissa is the Vice President.” She answered. “Aaron Dante is the treasurer.” She also gestured to the guy sitting beside her. Like her, he was also wearing glasses and had bangs that almost covered his eyes. He simply averted his gaze when Carolle looked at him.

‘Hmm. Melissa? Isn’t it the name of the girl I brought to the clinic? So both of these girls are part of this class.’

“What is your name?” Carolle asked. 

“It’s Jannah Geva,” the glasses girl answered. 

“Then I’m Carolle Linette, just call me Ms. Carolle everyone.” Carolle faced the whole class this time. “And as you might already have known, I’m your new subadviser for six months until Ms. Ricaforte returns from her maternity leave. Do any of you have questions?”

One of the girls sitting at the right corner at the back raised her hands. She had stylish short hair and her face had thick make-up. She was also wearing dangling earrings. “When will this class be over? And no offense, but I don’t want to have a teacher that is as plain as you.”

The whole class except for the class officers and most students in the front row of the classroom, burst into waves of laughter.

“And who are you?” Carolle still remained unfazed. She knew too well of herself. And getting pissed at some kiddie remarks was not really something she did. Well, in the first place she was not even simply bothered by it.

“I’m Cindy. Cindy Lux.” The girl said with haughtiness in her voice.

“Alright Cindy Lux,” Carolle said with an unchanging smile on her face. Seeing this calm reaction, the students were somewhat agitated and started to creep out Carolle. “I’m thankful for your honest remarks. As in exchange, I have something for you..” Her eyes glinted with mischief.