Through Everything

An Interesting Duo

"All right students, today we will be doing a pair task about the Vikings." said Mrs Nailah. "So everyone pair up."

Team tasks were the least preferred activity of 10-D because it meant that kids from the five different groups of the class had to 'intermingle'. But Mrs Nailah's stern glance made them do it, no questions asked.

"Luna and Sophia, where are your pairs?" The woman placed a fist on her hip and swayed her marker from Luna to Sophia.

"Student council meeting." replied Luna, looking up from her phone.

"Luna!" shrieked Mrs Nailah. "No phones in class!"

Luna sighed. "Fine." 

"Good." said Mrs Nailah with a short smile, before turning her glance to Sophia. "And you, Sophia? Where's your pair?"

"Ma'am," she began, her feathery voice floating across the classroom to the front. Mrs Nailah banged her textbook on the table,. The class fell to whispers. "I sit alone." 

"All right. Sophia and Luna will be our last pair for this activity." she said, before the chaos in the class began once again. "Sophia, please go and sit with Luna."

Sophia hesitated and shrivelled up-much like a shrimp. Socialising wasn't her strong suit. And even if she wanted to mingle with others, her shyness was a huge hurdle-one that she hadn't yet overcome. As Sophia's pleading eyes were returned by Mrs Nailah's stern glance, she sighed. It was no use arguing with a teacher who was a monster, she thought. She got up, held her books close to her chest and headed over to Jia's empty seat.

Luna watched as Sophia sat down next to her. "That's a pretty choker. I have one just like it." Luna pointed to her neck. "Only in mine the engraving is different."

Sophia looked down at the table and smiled.

"What's engraved in yours?" asked Luna.

"My name-Sophia."

"Cool," she said. "Mine's got 'L & J Forever.' "

"Students, each pair has got a different reading comprehension about the Vikings." said Mrs Nailah who began walking around the class with her hands behind her back. As she spoke, her experienced eyes scanned the tables, making sure that there weren't any phones beneath them. Luna tucked her phone into her pocket. She continued, "So, you and your pair must read the comprehension and complete the questions beneath it by the end of this-Sammy!"

Sammy, the leader of the Chatter Squad-one of five groups of the class-crossed his legs and turned to his history teacher. "Yes," he answered with a cool tone.

"Stop talking and get to work." said Mrs Nailah, flashing him her infamous stern glance.

After walking one round around the class, Mrs Nailah sat on the edge of the teacher's table, watching everyone. Being the head teacher for 10-D, she knew how naughty some of the kids could get. Sophia and Luna began reading the passage quietly.

"We've never actually talked before, have we?" asked Luna, almost startling Sophia.

Sophia dared to look up from the worksheet placed in between the two. "No."

"Well, how about we finish this worksheet super quick and then we can get to know each other?"

She looked up at Luna, a small smile creeping up her face. "That'd be really nice."

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