Pleasantly Raising Cain

Punishments

Mrs Johnson looked over at the dark haired girl sitting at the back of the classroom, looking extremely bored. The teacher sighed, and so did Bella Pleasant.

It was a punishment, Skulduggery had said. For setting fire to Ghastly Bespoke's office. Bella didn't understand how helping out at a primary school in a classroom full of preschoolers was a suitable punishment, but she'd let it go.

Mrs. Johnson set the kids some colouring in to do, and approached Bella.

"Would you be able to watch them for ten minutes or so?" She asked. "I just have a few things to grab from my office."

Bella sighed, unfolded her arms and looked up.

"Sure," she answered. "How much trouble could they be?"

***

"JEREMY GET OFF THE FAN!"

Bella rushed around and hauled up a little girl who was climbing out the window.

"May, stay in your seat!" She cried. She turned around and groaned. "Abby, stop playing with the glue! No! Don't eat it!"

It was complete chaos. Jeremy was still hanging off the fan, Abby had glue in her hair now and May was running around the room screeching like a banshee.

Bella groaned and ran her fingers through her dark hair in frustration. She turned around and a coloured pencil smacked her right between the eyes. She glared.

"Who threw that?!" She demanded. Clare, a little blonde girl, giggled from the corner and raised her hand. Bella fumed.

Jeremy squealed in delight and May was laughing at him. Bella turned and curled her fingers, the fan began to spin faster and faster until Jeremy flew off it and collided with May. Both kids got up, laughing like idiots.

Bella grabbed a pair of scissors and turned, launching them at where Clare was. Although, Clare wasn't there anymore.

Mrs Johnson walked through the door. The scissors hit the wall and stuck there, and the teacher came to an abrupt halt. The scissors were only centimetres from her face, narrowly missing her pointy nose. Her eyes crossed as she stared at them. She looked up.

"Who threw those?" She asked angrily.

Bella said nothing. All the kids were back in their seats, colouring in as if nothing had ever happened. But they all turned and pointed when the teacher spoke. All of them, every single child in that classroom, was pointing at Bella.

The dark haired girl sighed and raised her hands in defeat.

"It was me."

"I can see that!" Mrs Johnson shrieked. "I gave you one job Miss Pleasant! One! And I come back to have scissors almost kill me! Get out and don't come back!"

All the kids were staring now, none of them having seen their teacher get that angry before. Bella sighed and began to walk towards the door. Mrs Johnson stepped to the side to let her through, and glared at her.

"I know your father Bella. I expected much more from you."

Does it look like I care? I don't even know you, Bella thought to herself, and walked from the room. She didn't even flinch when the door was slammed shut behind her.

***

Bella stared out the window of the Bentley, sulking. Skulduggery changed gears and looked over at her.

"So... How'd it go?"

She snapped her head towards him and narrowed her eyes. He smirked and turned his attention back to the road.

"Not well I assume..."

Bella sighed. "I've fought monsters. Vampires, demons, giants... But I can't control kids."

Skulduggery's smirk grew impossibly wider.

"It's not funny," she pouted. "Just please, never send me to a mortal school ever again."

"Be careful next time you're playing with fire Bella. Don't burn anyone's office and I won't be forced to punish you."

Bella looked out the window again and sighed. Never again, was she going near kids. Ever.