The Nightfall Chronicles

The Last Replacement - 2

The next morning at school, I was a complete contrast to the day before - cheerful and full of energy, back to my usual self. I was chatting non-stop with Tia and a few other girls in class, my endless rambling nearly making their ears bleed from all the talking.

Moments later, our homeroom teacher entered the classroom, and the chatter died down instantly as all of us returned to our desks. I felt my interest slipping away as the teacher droned on about Algebra and its real-world applications. The entire lecture became a blur, and I found myself gazing out the window, admiring the weather instead. I've never been the type to pay attention in class, yet I still manage to score above average on every test. Maybe that's why most teachers never seem to mind my lack of focus, though a few probably resent me for it. For example, this one.

"Eliza!" my homeroom teacher, AKA, my math teacher, yelled, snapping me out of my daydreams. I jolted upright in my seat, startled, and quickly responded, "Yes, Miss Ava?" "What are you staring at? Is the view outside more entertaining than my lesson?" she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm, as if daring me to claim that Algebra was more captivating than an episode of Stranger Things!

"I need you to get out of my class, this instant!" she bellowed, her voice echoing through the room. I felt the heat rise to my face as 49 pairs of eyes turned toward me, the weight of their stares adding to my embarrassment. They'd probably forget this ever happened by the time they spoke to me again, but in that moment, it was mortifying!

I lowered my head in embarrassment, walked to the front of the room, and whispered an apology to Miss Ava, who glared at me with her piercing black eyes. Her stare was infuriating, but I quickly left the room, still feeling mortified by the public scolding.

Despite the humiliation, standing in the hallway felt like a blessing compared to enduring another 20 minutes of her dull lecture. I leaned against the wall, hands behind my back, shifting my weight from foot to foot as the muffled sound of Miss Ava's voice continued from the classroom.

"Hey!" a voice called out from my left, snapping me out of my thoughts.

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The next hour was a complete disaster. Miss Ava summoned me to the teachers' office, where she unleashed a 30-minute rant about the importance of paying attention in class. She went on about how it's a matter of respect for the teacher standing at the front, shouting like a dinosaur, to help us grasp the material. I get her point, but still - just because I'm not focused doesn't mean I'm being disrespectful.

I felt completely drained after Miss Ava's lecture, my energy sapped from enduring her endless scolding. As I made my way back to class, surprisingly, all I could think about was the guy who called out to me in the hallway earlier - despite having just received an earful moments before. Something about that brief encounter lingered in my mind.