Conform or Suffer: The Darkness of Beauty

Chapter 25 Classroom Kisses

Same Day Inside Grew-Ella and Quig's Class, 8:00 a.m.

*

Quig told a dozen students that he planned, "an enormous surprise, and to have their phones ready to record."

He waved at Avery-Joy as she took photos with her phone and jotted down notes.

His eyes accidentally met Grew-Ella's, and she smiled at him. She wasn't the most beautiful woman in the room, but he had a hard time avoiding staring at her.

Her entire body floated as she wrote in two shades of glow-in-the-dark chalk.

*

Writing classes are combined with Professor Avery-Joy's journalism class and Professor Karen's art class. Enjoy the lengthened holiday break.

*

She erased due to and wrote 'because of' instead.

Her legs trembled as she sat on top of the desk.

Quig walked to his grandmother and Dot, who sat in the front row.

"This is fun. I'll help you with your surprise." Dot wove pink carnations together. "The other garlands are already delivered. But their color scheme is a bit unusual."

"They'll be lovely," Nan-Gran said.

"I'll have the flowers ready before I meet with Grew-Ella at the bridal shop. Yoleta's crew will string them up for me."

"Dot, I'm sorry for putting you through all this extra work," Quig said.

Dot smiled. "I'm saving money. You're getting trash flowers because I don't have time to order orchids." She turned to Nan-Gran. "So, do you approve of how Quig is using his nuptial bracelet?"

"I love it." Quig's grandmother's voice lowered. "Baby Boy, you better pull this off because I know how special Grew-Ella is and how much you love her." Nan-Gran's hair mirrored his, but her wings were black. Despite being over a hundred, she was still quite beautiful. "I'm lucky that I postponed my trip for a few days."

"Dot, remember to walk up when I point to you." Quig rushed to his and Grew-Ella's desk. "We're going to ask a few friends what they're grateful for on this gratitude day."

A troll stood in front of the class. His mint-green muscles glistened under the overhead lights, and he said, "I'm grateful my short story is being published."

Dot approached when Quig pointed at her. "My brother almost died. Grew-Ella took care of him and didn't leave his side in the hospital or rehab."

Professor Karen Eliot waved at the students. "I'm thankful for my daughter and Quig. I'd love to call him my son."

Quig's voice became louder at first and a nervous grin spread across his face, but he acted genuine the more he talked. "I'm grateful for Grew-Ella. She is my best friend, and we suffered failed engagements together with veggie cheese crisps."

Students stopped chatting.

He continued. "Grew-Ella, I'm in love with you. Will you marry me?" He clasped the nuptial bracelet around her wrist, and the sparkling crystals reflected in her eyes.

Grew-Ella nodded, 'yes.'

"Kiss each other," a student yelled out.

Grew-Ella's wings retracted, and she kissed him quickly. Everyone stared at them, gawking.

Quig and Grew-Ella gave a lecture on classic romance novels, and then let the students talk among themselves.

A human student approached them while others ate their breakfast burgers and wrote their love stories. "Professor Quig, what are you two planning to do for your Gratitude Day vacation?"

"We're getting married, um, in the university chapel. This way, she'll be less likely to jilt me." He held Grew-Ella's fingers near his mouth.

"She won't run," Dot said.

Grew-Ella took Quig's hands in hers. "If I don't show up, it means something terrible happened to me."

"Please, don't say that," Quig said.

Avery-Joy approached them, waving her camera. "I'm retaking photos of you kissing for the school blog."

He kissed Grew-Ella twice before she gave them the thumbs up.

Avery-Joy's phone rang. She listened to Yoleta on the other end. "Oh, thank you for telling me."

"What happened?" Grew-Ella asked.

"Stanton was accidentally cremated while he was still alive."

"That is a gruesome way to die," Quig said.

Avery-Joy hugged Grew-Ella. "I feel bad he died, but I'm glad you're safe from him."

Grew-Ella said nothing.

Dot spoke to Grew-Ella. "I'm willing to talk later, but only if you feel comfortable."

Grew-Ella shook. "He and his father borrowed money from my brother's estate as the trustee after the original died, which is why my brother is working for Yoleta as a personal guard."

"But wasn't he a month older than Madd-Ox?" Dot asked.

"All it took was a month."