Liona sat in her last class of the day as her teacher droned on, but instead of taking notes and paying attention, her mind was elsewhere. She was daydreaming of what she was going to do for her upcoming 18th birthday. Her parents always threw her, and her siblings, awesome birthday parties and she knew that this year was going to be no exception. She had already had her guest list planned months ago and would be sending out invitations soon.
She of course would have her whole family there, but she also wanted her two BFF's there too. Maybe she would invite her boyfriend, but she really wasn't feeling his affection anymore. She'd only been dating him a couple of months, but he was rather distant and never really felt like he was paying attention to her. She would have to make a decision on him soon. She would rather dump him and move on if things weren't going to work out between them.
While lost in thought, she didn't hear the teacher call on her, so when an alert on her desk's HUD popped up, she looked up.
"Liona, can you tell me which scene from this semester's assigned reading book has stuck with you the most?" The teacher asked once Liona started to pay attention.
Caught, since she hadn't really been reading the book, she made up something on the spot, "Uh, the scene where the main character meets their mate?"
"Interesting! And, do tell, how do they meet?" The teacher asked a leading question. She already knew that Liona hadn't been paying attention to the discussion, so this was a lesson for her.
"Uh, they ran into each other headfirst?" Liona stated randomly as the class snickered. She already knew she was busted at this point.
"That is quite fascinating, considering the book you were assigned is not an autobiography, but is in fact on world myth amongst ancient cultures. See me after class, Liona, and if you can fill me in on an actual part of the assigned reading, I won't submit that half demerit for failure to pay attention."
"But Aun…"
"Liona, that's Mrs. Gray while in class…" Emma interrupted her niece. She was the senior literature teacher at The Bartley Montessori Private Academy. Her class was currently studying one of her father's many books on mythology, yet Liona, as usual, was a million miles away, daydreaming in class instead of paying attention.
"Yes, Mrs. Gray." Liona sighed as her aunt walked back to the front of the room. It was just her luck that her aunt was her literature teacher this year. She didn't find it cool when two of her family members were teachers. At least she didn't have to worry about being mortally embarrassed by her Uncle Artemis who taught health, as well as being the soccer coach, since he worked at the public school in their area instead of here at her family's school.
After class was over, Liona approached her aunt's desk with her book bag slung over her shoulder. "You wanted to see me, Auntie?"
"Liona, do I need to keep reminding you to pay attention in class and to refer to me as Mrs. Gray while school is in session? I am your teacher first and foremost during school hours. After school is out for the day or when we are not at school, you can address me familiarly." Emma scolded her niece.
"Yes, Mrs. Gray." Liona hung her head.
"Anyway, despite my reprimand, I wanted to give you the chance to make up for your lack of attention earlier. I know that spring break is just around the corner, but that doesn't mean that your mind needs to go on vacation early. Now, please fill me in on what the class was discussing earlier, in your own words. If you can do that, I won't have to tell your parents that you have received enough demerits to warrant a full detention."
Liona grumbled under her breath but gave a half-hearted summary of today's lesson to her aunt.
Emma looked at the time on the teacher's HUD "Alright, now that I'm done being your teacher, I can speak to you casually, Liona. As such, I have a favor to ask as your aunt. If you do this for me, I may consider looking the other way when it comes to your next infraction. That could mean the difference between summer school or detention…"
This perked Liona up. She knew if she got detention then her parents would ground her, and she might miss out on her big 18th birthday celebration over spring break. "What is it? I'll do it if I don't get a detention notice sent home."
Emma smiled. It was the perfect bait to get her niece to agree. "I need you to babysit Ethan today. If you can look after him for me until this evening, then I won't submit the next demerit in my class that would get you a detention."
"Done! Anything else? I mean Ethan is pretty well behaved." Liona didn't mind babysitting her little cousin, he was a sigma child, so he was more mature than most 5-year-olds.
"Pick him up from his first-grade class. I've already called his teacher to let them know you'll be there. Oh, he's been wanting to play soccer lately, and his uncle isn't available today to play with him, so if you could kick the ball around with him for a bit, that would make him happy." Emma explained.
"You already knew I would agree, didn't you Auntie Em!" Liona laughed.
"Yes. Because I have the power!" She joked with her niece.
"Only because you have the power, I'm agreeing! Twist my arm, why don't you!" Liona giggled. She really didn't mind babysitting her cousins, they were all great kids and never caused trouble. Her aunt did have the power to send her to detention with another demerit, but she often chose to overlook those demerits when she could exchange for doing little favors like babysitting.
"Alright, go on, he's waiting for you…" Emma shooed her niece off.
When Liona left the classroom, she wasn't too surprised to see her two BFF's waiting for her. Allison and Chloe were the two bestest friends she could ever ask for.
"Hey! What took so long? We were waiting forever!" Chloe griped.
"Did you get another detention notice?" Allison asked.
"Nope, I narrowly avoided it, but in exchange I have to babysit my cousin today." Liona explained as she and her friends headed to her locker.
"That's great, Liona! If you get detention again, your parents might ground you until you're 18! Then what will happen with your party?" Chloe exclaimed.
"Oh? Were you expecting me to invite all the cute boys in my class for you to drool over? Or were you hoping that I'd give you whatever trinkets I get that I don't like again?" Liona laughed with her friends as the discussion turned to boys.
"Oh, come on! It's not like that aloof bastard you're currently dating even likes you! He's only dating you 'cause he thinks he can get some benefit from you being related to the school's owner. Your grandpa wouldn't even look twice at him the last time he came to the school for an assembly!" Allison exclaimed.
"I know, but he's cute. I mean, maybe I just like having arm candy?" Liona only half heartedly defended her current boyfriend.
"Yeah, that's about all he has going for him!" Chloe laughed as Liona put her books away.
"Hey, are you guys wanting to hang out with me while I babysit Ethan? He apparently wants to play soccer, but if it's only me, that's not as much fun for him." Liona asked as she shut her locker.
"I got nothing better to do today, why not?" Chloe responded.
"Count me in. Maybe if we go to the reservoir park there will be some cute guys there! I want to meet my fated mate in a romantic encounter!" Allison giggled.
"You wish! That only happens in fairy tales!" Chloe joked.
"Oh? And what does that make our families then?" Liona laughed as they headed toward the elementary school building on campus.
"Totally fairy tale princes and princesses!" Allison chimed in. "You both are so lucky to come from fated unions! I mean Chloe's parents were fated to meet and fell in love in high school and your parents grew up together and were fated all along! Even your grandparents were fated mates! The history books don't lie, Liona!"
"I know, but we all know that fated meetings are so rare! If it really were that easy to meet our fated mates, then it would take all the guesswork out of dating! We wouldn't have stupid cheating bastards!" Liona zeroed in on her boyfriend who was standing off to one side of the high school building, kissing another girl.