Catch The Bully(3)

"Tell me more." His voice hardened. His brows furrowed and his lips tucked into a neat, thin state. 

"Well, apparently after the morning meeting where Lydia and Posey were punished, Sir Albert took Posey with him, and since then, she has been gone. Moreover," she stopped halfway. He raised his brows at her pause. 

"Is that all?" He questioned, his eyes sending daggers. 

She froze. Her face was uncoordinated with her uneasy smile, and she nodded. "Yes, that is all." 

He looked away, taking a deep breath, before snaking his hands to intertwine with Luiza's. Um? She slightly gazed at him, her head tilted. In his other hand was a teleportation paper, which he chanted, and they arrived in front of their little house at the speed of light. 

The quick transportation made her feel dizzy and made her press the big palm even more. It was warm and soft. Abruptly, that big palm left her grip, and he walked towards the door to open it. 

Startled, she kept on gazing at his back, which was big and sturdy. "Come on in!" he said, entering the doors. 

".." 

She felt obscure and self-conscious of her behavior, which was not ladylike at all! Nodding, she immediately dashed towards the door and entered the warm lobby. 

"Stay here; I will not be back tonight or the next day," he stated. He started to take off his coat and pendent on his neck. From the oval-shaped pendent, he took out his cloak and a hand-knitted shawl. 

"Granny Alice sent it to you." He wrapped the warm ivory muffler around her neck, and once again he transported. 

~

She lay on her bed, her eyes darted on the blank wooden ceiling, and her mind spaced out. She had plenty of books to read, a whole journal of an unknown person to be translated, and homework to be done, but emptiness and laziness seeped within her. 

Her limbs felt tired, and she wished to do nothing—perhaps stay in that nothingness for a long while. But even in that state, the words of Lydia did not leave her. What did she exactly mean by "it's all because we could not break you?" 

Break her? Why would someone want to break her? And why would Sir Albert give out such an absurd command, especially to children? 

She knew he was no ordinary teacher after all; if he truly was behind Posey's disappearance, then he must have special relations to still not be speculated on and fired. But could he be part of a human trafficking community? She wasn't sure that people could never be judged by their professions. 

And in such thoughts, she drifted through the night, and her humble body slept as the stars sang their lullabies. 

~

It was a cold morning. Her blankets were not enough to keep her warm, and neither were her nightgowns made of cotton. Her feet humored the cold wood as she pushed away the curtains and let the fresh, cold air in. 

"Would it not be so great if I did not have such nightmares? I know I did wrong, but... do I have to be guilty every day to repay my debts?" she murmured. Her hollow eyes gazed at the sight of snow, which glistened as it fell. 

It was her own choice to keep on living, but if such burdens were with her for eternity, would it make it worth the while? The journey ahead seemed cloudy and uncertain. 

She headed downstairs to get breakfast. As Hael had brought a week's worth of meals, she simply searched through the pantry, got a donut, and made a warm cup of tea. 

If her life wasn't uncertain enough, her uniform sure was, with lots of torn edges and dirt all over it. The sight of it made her want to skip, but that was impossible. She brought a spare piece of fabric, wiped her dress, and made it somewhat wearable. 

After a very long time, she had walked by herself, and people made sure to let her know their opinions. 

"Isn't she the reason Posey got suspended?" 

"Huh? She got suspended. Wasn't she lost?" 

"No, not at all. But now that her supporter isn't here, she surely will be punished." 

"Huh, supporters?" 

"You didn't know? Apparently, the new handsome magic teacher is her supporter, although Nellie no longer supports her. 

After a long time, she felt such anger build up in her. She wanted to lash out at them and defend Hael and Nellie, but, like any respectable woman, her head was high and her posture elegant. Not caring about their petty gossip, she stood tall and gracious. 

She always assumed that a noble life was troublesome, with lots of duties. A glamorous lifestyle where everything was for the show. Those etiquettes, those nail-buying gossips, and those high standards for women—but the more she learned, the more she realized about the prejudice of people. The similarities in all classes of societies and just how unjust it was. 

The students gawked at her elegant walk as she sat on her dirty seat with lots of taunting scribbles. The bell rang, and the class turned silent. Students glared at the teacher, but no one uttered a word. With a sigh, Sir Albert gazed around the class and said, "Good morning, class." 

"Luiza, stand up! Read page number 118," he commanded, but she had no book. Her heartbeat accelerated, and she gestured for her benchmates to give her a book, but they were not generous enough to even lend one, and she had her head lowered. 

"What happened? Why are you not reading? Or do you not know how to read?" He ridiculed

"I do not have a book, sir." She let out a small voice. 

"Huh? Which student who'd go bonkers does not have books? Go stand out until the class ends." His words were firm and hurtful. The students gleefully watched as she walked out shamefully. After all, she would never beg him to keep her in his class; that was the only pride she had left. 

When the bell rang, Albert got out of the classroom and said, "Follow me!" 

Luiza followed the teacher. Her hands were cleansed into fists, scared by his approach. The second story felt empty and oddly silent, especially when it should be bustling with noise. She knocked on the door and entered the classroom when, all of a sudden, she felt trapped. Her mind went blank, her nose and lips were covered, and slowly she lost consciousness.