HBBIC (Head Bitches & Bastard In Charge)

Day 5- The End of Caline Bustier

A/N: This chapter mentions bullying, assault, and suicide. Read at your own risk

Caline Bustier had an unsettling feeling in the pit of her gut the second Mme. Mell walked into her classroom. Why did she pick this day to eat her lunch in the classroom? There was just something off about this woman; the way she looked at her had the redhead on her toes.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Bustier asked as she leaned on her desk, putting on a relaxed demeanor despite every emotion she was feeling.

"Well," she smiled, "I like to make an effort to get to know the people in the school. Names, birthdays, interests. Call me a 'people person,'" she joked.

Off her laughter, Mme. Bustier chuckled a bit, but still kept her guard up.

"So, tell me a little about yourself," she said before sitting on the front desk, "There's just something about you; I don't know."

Bustier smiled, "Well, I grew up with three younger brothers; they were triples," she rolled her eyes, "So I was always the one wrangling them whenever my parents went out. It wasn't easy. Whenever I had friends over from school, they'd sneak up behind us and pull on our hair."

Mme. Mell laughed, "That must've been a struggle."

"Oh, it was," she groaned, "Once, they snuck into my room and stole my makeup to use as war paint, and then they tied me up in a chair using my favorite cardigans." She chuckled, "I'll admit, I was a little ticked. But looking back, it was quite funny."

"What about your school life?" Laura probed. "Did anything there inspire you to become an educator?"

She hummed in thought, "No... I don't recall. Now, I wasn't all too involved in school activities. I did join a club or two and I was often the teacher's assistant."

Laura quirked an eyebrow, "Were you now?"

She nodded, "I passed out homework, looked after the class whenever the teacher was out, and I'd often clean the chalkboard."

"Ah, yes. The job every child gets excited about for some reason."

The two teachers laughed.

"It's still a mystery why students want to stay behind to clean the board," Mme. Bustier said through her laughter. She didn't know why this woman rubbed her the wrong way, she seems so nice. She listens, has an infectious laugh; she's a true delight. Maybe the way she handled her classes with her teaching methods is what had the young teacher on edge. Caline wasn't much to judge, especially when it came to methods of teaching, but she could stand to be a little more trusting. She heard how poor Lila was bawling her eyes out because she didn't have a note from her mother or doctor, and Laura wasn't having any of it.

"Tell, me a little about your homeroom class," Mme. Mell said, rousing Bustier from her thoughts.

Bustier internally sighed. She had always taken pride in each of her students, their interests, and their accomplishments. But now? If she told the substitute about her three problem students, it'd reflect poorly on her as a teacher. Well, she's only been here for one day. She couldn't possibly know how many students she has, or their names.

"Well, there's Kim and Alix, they're sort of the athletic types," she smiled. "They're always getting into these dare contests in and out of school. Sometimes they'll cause a small ruckus during class."

Mme. Mell arched an eyebrow, "'Ruckus?' You mean they disrupt the class?"

"No, not at all! Sometimes, they just aren't patient and often do their contests during class," she explained, but Mme. Mell still had an incredulous look on her face.