Tasha raised her hand, "I don't want to hear a single word. Don't waste your breath and our class time."
The class became silent. Tasha observed the students and their disapproved expressions.
________
Sarah wished to bang her head on the canteen table and kill herself.
What she did was to drop her head not bang it, "Girlssssssss....I can't live like this….."
"Stop exaggerating it," Ivy sipped her drink.
Grace and Iris were immersed in eating big bites of the food. While Athena scrolled through her phone screen.
Her phone began to vibrate as the screen displayed an incoming call from her mother. She stood up and went out of the canteen. She arrived at a quiet corner in the corridor and hid behind a pillar. She swiped on the pickup call sign.
Mother: My Aza baby!!
Aza had to remove the phone away from her ears because of her mother's high pitched shouting
Aza: Hello Mom, how have you been doing?
Mother: I am no fine.. How could a mother be good if her child had forgotten about her?
Aza wanted to sigh but she didn't and held it back.
Aza: What happened, mom?
Mother: You are asking me what happened? Babygirl you sound not good, are you fine? My daughter has disregarded her mother's existence. She doesn't even call me….
She rubbed her forehead in exasperation. This was the reason she didn't call her mother.
Aza: What are you saying, mom? I had not sinned. I remember you, how will I ignore my mother? Actually, I had so much work going on that I didn't get the time to call you.
Aza had never lied to her family but certainly, she could not tell them she and her friends were disguising themselves for a mission. It would be messy if their parents came to know.
Mother: Awww… my baby..Why do you want to overwork yourself? We are more than elite to provide you with everything that you desire. You don't have to stay away from us, your family. We have your brother and dad for that. You should just sit and let us pamper you.
You know your grandparents are missing you terribly….I miss you too…..
Her mother felt terrible that her princess was working and living alone while they sat in their home under the aircon. A sob left out of her mouth before tears surged out of her eyes and she broke down.
Aza panicked when she heard her mother's whimpers.
Aza: Mom, mom...Don't cry. Please….I can't stand your cries...I will come by the main house this weekend along with my friends.
Instantly her mother stopped her crying.
Mother: Promise me.
Aza sighed and made the promise. Her mother disconnected the call after she told her that her family members would be extremely excited about her arrival.
Chuckling, Aza put her phone back into her jean's pocket and returned to the canteen.
Reaching thereafter, she got a big shock. In addition to her 4 friends, she was welcomed by five new admissions boys. She clenched her hands as she saw Kaden sitting right next to her vacant seat.
Unwillingly, she strolled and plopped on the seat. To her right was Kaden while on her left was Grace who herself looked like she would be anywhere just not there.
Meanwhile, Sarah made her efforts to talk to the silent guy beside her, Ryan.
Ryan showed zero interest in her. He was busy eating his food. Ivy and Iris got the company of their classroom deskmates.
Athena could feel the heated gaze of Kaden at her but she tried to ignore it and talked to Grace.
Grace was glad that Athena had not given any regard to the boy sitting close to her.
'Thank you, God. I don't have to talk with the dumbhead Sylius or whatever his name is.' She prayed and thanked god.
Aiden glanced at the beauty by his side. He was overwhelmed by her natural beauty that his breath hitched. Lucas and Iris had a normal conversation going on. After the dead silence, Lucas thought it was time for them to ask the question for which they have shifted their seats to the girl's table.
"Did you girls decide on your partners for Ms Tasha's project work?"
Earlier when their professor had finished her lecture.
She announced, "Since we are studying History, I would like to give you all an interesting project that would help to increase your knowledge about foreign countries."
She paused as she analysed her student's anticipated faces.
"The project is quite simple. It would have a group of 10 students. The group will have to compare ancient Egypt with the modern one. The project should be submitted by the end of next month.
The group can divide the subtopics within themselves between two students. So 5 small groups would have one subtopic for their project and at last, they will have to put those subtopics together.
For the subtopics, you students have many choices such as their lifestyle, their food, their clothes, their architecture and I think my students are smart enough to find others.
One more thing as it is a group project, I would like it if you all give your best in it. Don't neglect your duties as a group member.
Don't misinterpret that I won't find anything about anything, since you should always know that teachers have their eyes on you all day while you are under our care and supervision."
Tasha laughed to lighten up the mood as she saw the sullen and dreadful expressions of her students.
She giggled, "Don't be bummed out. I have no intention to frighten you. I only wanted myself to be clear in front of you all.
Hope to see you around the end of next month. Don't disappoint me."
The bell rang and the class was over.
Not so surprisingly many girls wanted to test their luck if the Vermont brothers would let them join their group but they got only one result; failure.
The boys had fled away soon after Tasha had exited the class yet some girls were faster and had asked whether they could join however they were ruthlessly rejected by them.
Watching the girls getting humiliated by the boys, Ziya and her friends plan to ask one of the nerdy girls to go and inquire whether the boys needed partners or not. If they did then the girl had to tell them about Ziya and her four friends, which were the best option for the boys as their group partners.
To their utter disappointment but the nerdy girl's amusement, the Vermont brothers asked her who she was suggesting to them as they had no idea about Ziya Stewards. They even asked among themselves if anyone had heard this name yet they shook their heads in denial.
Ziya gritted her teeth as she witnessed the glee and joy in the nerdy girl. Just when Ziya's closest fake friend, Clara raised her hand to give an intense slap on that girl's laughing face.
"No! Don't!" Ziya whispered sharply in Clara's ears. She held her hand and moved it back.
Clara wished to argue with Ziya but one glare from Ziya made her seal her lips.
Ziya walked out of the canteen and passed by Aza who was disguised as Athena. Ziya saw her return to the canteen. Seeing her, Ziya got more agitated. She bit her lips harshly and blood drew out of her wounded lips.
Ziya's friends shuffled their feet. They notice her standing at the entrance of the canteen
Clara rushed to her side, "Ziya? Did something happen?" She didn't get a response from her dazed friend.
She put her both hands on Ziya's shoulders and jerked them. Ziya came out of her stupor and confusedly looked at Clara.
"Why are you shaking me?"
Ziya asked with bafflement written all over her face.
Clara took her palms off her shoulders, "Ziya don't think about those boys. They must be idiots to not know you." She said in a sympathetic tone.
Ziya clicked her tongue.
'They are not idiots but you are the real brain dead girl.' She disgustingly stared at Clara.
Clara got worried if her egotistic friend's ego was badly bruised that she might have lost her remaining brain cells.
Her anxiety and worries were only related to Ziya since she was her money bank and her money bank should not be affected.
'Haa….Ziya, just wait and watch. I will make you suffer ten folds more for all my suffering.' Clara fisted a bunch of her red skirt.
From the corner of her eyes, Ziya saw Aza and Kaden sitting side by side. This boiled her anger.
Ziya didn't wish to see anymore and scrambled out of the canteen without further ado.
Clara was again shocked by Ziya's strange behaviour yet she sought after her with Ziya's other three friends who had not opened their mouths until now. They were like the audience present in the theatre room, enjoying the drama before their eyes while Ziya and Clara acted as the main cast of the drama and performed on the stage.
___________
Aza choked on her eating when she saw Kaden putting her favourite food items on her plate.
A glass of water came into her sight and she took it and drank.
Aza lifted her head, "Than--..." The words got stuck in her throat.
She watched Kaden staring at her with an indescribable gaze that sent shivers down to her spine. She felt a tingling sensation in her stomach. Blood rushed to her pale neck and cheeks.