This made everybody laugh even the other hybrids did too, not really offended by Ricco's humor against them. For two years they outgrew his antics and just tolerated him.
It took all of Annah's damn will not scowl at him and to shove the thick apothecary book to his face that very instant. Maine pressed her lips tightly knowing how her friend was close to murdering Kwon right where he stood.
Good that the teacher got inside the class which made the students run to their seats.
"Today's class, we'll talk about how can we treat mild Aphasia as a result from hitting our head to something hard." the professor wrote it to the blackboard before she turned to her book. She looked up to Ricco whose hand shot up in the air. "Yes, Mr. Kwon?"
"We have a severe case of Aphasia in this classroom, professor," Ricco stated rather seriously which called the attention of the professor as she looked around.
"Really? Anyone of you here who hit their heads?"
Annah groaned loudly and bowed her head in frustration while Maine pressed both of her lips firmly when she was an inch away from bursting into laughter.
"It's Park, professor. She's more than Aphasiac. Oh, she scared me." Ricco shivered for added drama. This made the students laugh out loud while Annah hit her head on her desk in gritted teeth.
"Did you, Ms. Park? Oh, don't do that dear? It might worsen your condition." Professor McGrady, a fifty-year-old woman, actually fell for Ricco's antics and went in her direction to pat her back gently. "Don't worry dear one, I will treat you in my office. If you please come with me."
"Urgh! Professor!" Annah shot her head angrily which startled the elderly teacher.
"Oh that scared me." Professor McGrady had one hand to her chest.
"See? That's what I'm talking about." Ricco added which garnered laughter among his round of friends.
"I'm not aphasiac Professor and I'm not insane you sad ass loser Kwon!" Annah finally burst out but Ricco only shook his head in sympathy.
"Poor thing." Ricco clicked his tongue.
"Urgh!" Annah sat back in her chair and buried her head with her folded hands and kicked angrily under the desk.
"Failed." Maine leaned over to her friend which made Annah angrier.
*********************************************************************************
In the Manipulation class:
"Okay, if I call your name, please get to your partner immediately." Professor Toc said in a serious demeanor. "Maine and Gideon. Basik and Rex-"
There was uproar among the students seeing how the professor was openly pairing up hybrids and the purebloods in the class which didn't happen since the interbreeding studies between the race two years ago.
"Shut up and do what I say. Nevi and Sebastian, Luna and Sera, Annah and Ricco, Kira and-"
The mere mention of her name and that ass name was enough for Annah to shut down her system and collapsed her head on top of her desk with firmly closed eyes. "I'm dreaming. I'm dreaming. I'm dreaming. This is a nightmare." she shook her head in hysteria, ignoring Maine standing up from her seat and going to her partner just like what the other students were doing. She didn't even notice that the whole class fell silent. She slowly looked up. Everybody was already paired up. Hybrids and Purebloods sitting side by side except for her.
"Well? What are you waiting for, Ms. Park?" Professor Toc raised his brows while his aristocratic nose was as if made to mock all of the hybrids since Professor Toc was a direct descent of pureblood. It was even obvious of his distaste of the hybrids in his class and show great favor to all of his pureblooded students. "If you won't move a muscle, I'll be very ecstatic to drop you off my class this instant."
And Annah can't have that. She loved the subject and swore to learn from it and major in it. Whether she deny it or not, Toc was the most sought-after professor of Manipulation in the whole academy around the globe. It had been her goal to earn an apprenticeship to him one day.
So even if she had to tolerate Kwon until she drop dead, she'll do it just to earn some cookie points to Professor Toc.
"Sorry Professor. I shall do what you say." Annah said respectfully and stood up from her seat, ignoring the professor's remarks about her being a slow-witted hybrid. She walked towards Ricco's seat. There was a triumph on the ass' face as she sat beside him.
"Not having any Aphasia now, Park?" he asked in a rather low voice that only the two of them could hear.
"Shut up."
"Been treated with herbs?" He pushed more while Annah chose to ignore him and directed her eyes to the blackboard. Toc wrote the activity for that day and there were collective complaints again about it.
"We haven't gone over to page 324, professor." Luna and the other purebloods voiced out.
"I don't care and turn to page 3.2.4," Toc said clearly. "Anyone who can perform the manipulation by the end of the class shall have the chance to be my apprentice this summer."
Hearing that, Annah hastily dug out her book rather enthusiastically, placed it above the desk, and turned to the required page. On that page there were notes and a green bookmark, signifying that she had her advanced studies.
"Wow, working hard, are we?" Ricco commented and placed his book above the desk.
Annah then pointed to the chapter's title and began to speak. "Now, listen to what I tell you. This chapter is all about the ancient magic used in the war between the Reptilian tribe and-"
"-Agarthians. Don't give me that look, I happen to know my studies too, Park."
Annah looked at his book but it was rather cleaner and neater compared to hers, with many doodles and notes on the page. She cleared her throat and got her pen, facing him this time.
"You must know what kind of blood is needed to perform this magic, didn't you?" Annah asked cockily to him.
"Of course." he just answered.
Annah then nodded to professor Toc's direction and grinned widely with pure admiration. "As expected from the genius manipulator."
Ricco paid her a look for a bit and shook his head at her silly-looking face. "Let's start and stop grinning, nitwit."