Girls & Gods [On Hold]

Chapter 2

There I stood in front of the door that could ultimately lead to my demise.  My classes had gone by in a blur because of this meeting.  All I had to do was reach out and knock.  Just get it over with. 

Why was this so hard for me?  Normally I didn't get like this with people, so why was I so afraid now, with Mr. Smithley…?  

Finally, despite the nausea and overwhelming sense of impending doom, I knocked on the door to the nightmarish teacher’s office.  My heart pounded in sync with his footsteps as he approached.  Beads of sweat had already appeared on my forehead.  Man, what was going on with me?

He opened the door, greeting me with the same scowl he’d worn when we first met earlier that day.  

"You're late, Laura."  

Actually, I had been right on time at the door; it just took forever to build up the courage to knock.  I mumbled an apology.  The tall dark, and terrifying man invited me in.  I sat in an uncomfortable-looking chair in front of his desk.  It felt even worse than it looked.

"So, Laura, you successfully managed to cast the Great Darkness Spell. Amazing. Looking at your grades, I wouldn't of thought it possible."

Gee, thanks. Blunt, aren't we? I thought, grimacing.  "I didn’t inherit my family's talent," I muttered sheepishly through clenched teeth.  Once you got over the feeling that he was going to torture you for years and years if you so much as looked at him wrong, all you really felt was a very, very compelling urge to punch him in the face.

"Obviously," he replied coolly.  I bit my lip.  Through my lip, I should say.  

Was he trying to piss me off?  Surely my reputation for blowing up at people had preceded me.  Everyone knew about the screw-up Laura Pendragon’s explosive temper.  Everyone.

And then the light bulb flashed on.  He was trying to annoy me.  Mr. Smithley was testing my resolve, or something along those lines.  No matter how cruel he looked, he didn't look like the type of person who would question another's pride without reason.  Inwardly, I grinned.

"So, you are now officially in my first period class. If you are late, it is an hour's detention. You will have the proper amount of respect for my class, my teachings, and myself. And if you don't, you will regret it, I assure you. I don’t particularly care what you may think of me, but if it is bad, I suggest you don't show it, for reasons that should already be clear."  

The glare in his gaze told me he meant everything he said.  Our eyes locked.  I couldn't look away — I couldn’t move at all, to be specific.  

"Do you understand?"  The words scared the hell out of me.

I gulped and nodded ever so slightly.  He leaned back in his chair, his expression unchanging.  "Good. In return for your respect, I shall teach you more advanced Dark spells.  I will also teach you how to deal with that mark and your power.  You’ll find it will put certain… limitations on you."  How perfect.  I screw up and do a spell right for once and then I have to deal with all the power of Feran and other limitations?  How unfair is that?  If this was Destiny's work—SCREW HIM!  Or her.  I can’t remember which deity has power over fate right now.