Rika sat silently in her chair, placing her textbook neatly on her desk. Andrew, the class clown who loved to annoy people, walked past her desk holding a water bottle. Mischief sparked in his eyes as he came up with a plan to pester her. Tilting the bottle slightly, he poured water onto her desk, watching it spill over the edge and onto her clothes.
Rika's reflexes saved her textbook just in time. She yanked it away before the water could soak it. Her glare shot toward Andrew, sharp enough to pierce steel. Her voice rose with anger:
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, YOU IDIOT?"
Andrew, unfazed, smirked and replied sarcastically, "Oops, slippery fingers. My bad."
The commotion immediately drew the attention of the entire class. Whispers filled the room as students commented, "Here they go again—fighting like cats and dogs."
Rika shot to her feet, fuming. She got right in Andrew's face, her voice filled with fury. "Really? You expect me to believe you 'accidentally' did this? You're just trying to annoy me!"
Feigning innocence, Andrew pulled out a handkerchief and held it out to her. "Here, use this," he offered, his smirk widening.
Rika snatched the handkerchief and turned her back on him, using it to wipe the water from her desk. As she worked, Andrew leaned in close and whispered in her ear, "No need to thank me. It's yours anyway. You should really keep better track of your stuff. Someone might get it wet or dirty on accident."
His laughter erupted, loud enough to make his stomach hurt. He bent over, clutching his sides, laughing even harder as Rika's face flushed with anger. Inspecting the handkerchief, Rika realized it was indeed hers. Her eyes narrowed.
She turned toward Andrew, ready to throw the damp handkerchief at him. But as she moved, Andrew quickly caught her wrist mid-swing. His touch only heightened her irritation.
Dropping the handkerchief, Rika yanked her wrist free and prepared to slap him. Before she could, their teacher, Mr. Jack, stormed into the classroom. His commanding voice boomed:
"HEY! YOU TWO, KNOCK IT OFF AND SIT DOWN. I'll see you both after school for punishment!"
Rika and Andrew both groaned, rolling their eyes as they trudged back to their seats.
The class settled down as Mr. Jack introduced a new face standing beside him. "As you all know, our teacher, Mr. Makson, is still in the hospital due to his accident last month. He won't be able to return for quite some time. So, Mr. Vamp will be your substitute teacher for the foreseeable future. I hope you'll all cooperate with him."
He turned to the newcomer. "Mr. Vamp, the class is yours."
As Mr. Jack left, whispers rippled through the classroom.
"He looks more like a student than a teacher."
"Yeah, if he wore our uniform, we'd never know he wasn't one of us!"
Mr. Vamp smiled patiently, addressing the class. "Good afternoon, everyone. Let's get started." His calm demeanor quickly silenced the chatter.
Despite his composed presence, Andrew couldn't resist teasing. "So, Mr. Vamp, how old are you, really?"
Mr. Vamp replied politely, "Old enough to be your teacher, Andrew. I assure you of that."
The rest of the class burst into muffled laughter while Andrew fell silent. They resumed the lesson until the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day.
After school, Rika and Andrew stayed behind as part of their punishment. Their task was to clean the classroom. Rika's younger brother, Jones, waited in the room for her. He studied in the junior section and usually went home with her.
After an hour of cleaning, Jones grew restless. "How much longer, sis?" he asked, yawning.
"Almost done," Rika reassured him. "Just a few more minutes. Are you hungry?"
Jones nodded eagerly. "Yup. Do you have anything to eat?"
Rika rummaged through her bag but found nothing. Shaking her head, she sighed. "Sorry, Jones."
Jones pouted, his face falling with disappointment. Andrew, observing the interaction, seemed to soften. He pulled out a lollipop from his pocket and offered it to Jones.
Encouraged by Rika, Jones accepted the treat. "Thank you, Andrew," he said with a smile.
As Jones enjoyed the lollipop, Mr. Vamp passed by in the hallway. Spotting him, Jones called out, "Hey, Vamp!"
To Rika's and Andrew's surprise, Mr. Vamp entered the classroom with a warm smile. "Hello, Jones," he greeted cheerfully, waving.
Rika stared at her brother in disbelief. "Wait, how do you know Mr. Vamp?"
Jones replied casually, "He's our new neighbor. He helped me this morning when my ball got stuck in a tree near his house. You were inside, packing my school bag."
Rika turned to Mr. Vamp, her expression softening. "Thank you for helping him." Then, turning back to Jones, she asked, "Did you remember to thank him?"
Mr. Vamp chuckled. "Yes, he did, and it's no trouble at all."
Rika scolded Jones gently. "Stop calling him Vamp. He's a teacher, and you should show him respect."
"But he doesn't look much older than you, sis," Jones protested. "Still, okay—thank you again, sir."
Mr. Vamp smiled kindly. "Outside of school, you can call me Vamp. It's fine."
He crouched down to Jones's eye level. "Are you still hungry?"
Jones nodded. "But Andrew gave me a lollipop, so I'm okay for now. Thanks again, Andrew!"
Andrew ruffled Jones's hair. "No problem, kid. It'll tide you over until you get home."
Mr. Vamp stood and addressed Rika and Jones. "You're done here, so come with me. I'll walk you both home. Andrew can finish the rest of the cleaning."
Jones beamed with excitement while Rika shot Andrew a smug look. Andrew groaned, muttering under his breath, "I wish I had a hungry little brother."
Catching his muttering, Rika teased, "What's wrong, Andrew? Need help?"
Andrew forced a grin and replied, "No, just get home safe."
As Rika and Jones left with Mr. Vamp, Rika turned back and waved cheekily. "Bye, Andrew! See you tomorrow."