Tatum's Tears | On Hold

Chapter 19 - ❝You Can't Keep Your Candy And Eat It.❞

DEDICATED TO Lost_angel28 :)

~

Yeah, so since I was a bit late, I updated 2 chapters.

I'm cool like that,

So maybe I deserve a vote, right?

You decide after reading :P

~ * ~

Chapter 19 - "You Can't Keep Your Candy And Eat It."

Tatum was just pulling out her French textbook for her last class of the day, when Mrs. Dubois walked into the room. Immediately, Tatum knew that something was amiss because the normally emotionless and brusque teacher was now sporting a grim look that tightened her face and displayed the wrinkles on the pale skin around her eyes in stark contrast against her ruby red lipstick.

"Whoa, what do you think is up with her?" Angier leaned close and mumbled in a low tone that only she could hear. Tatum shrugged, wondering exactly just that, "I don't know. But I'm realizing for the first time that she's human."

Angier chuckled, "True."

After that sudden entrance he'd given the previous evening during her conversation with the Mordecai Alphas, Tatum had been pretty worried for a while during their study session over Micajah's desk—which was mostly spent chatting and making fun of each other and helping Ezra come up with prank ideas. She had been looking at him carefully all evening to check for signs that he might've heard her confession, but the carefree light in his eyes didn't seem like one he could fake.

So, Tatum had mostly assuaged herself that it was alright.

He couldn't have heard.

"Bon soir, étudiants." Mrs. Dubois started, silencing the entire room with her quiet, intimidating voice, "Je suis désolé de vous informer . . ."

Basically, the translation of what she'd said had gone something like, "I'm sorry to inform you that our beloved Mr. Bernard, the senior-most French faculty in all of the east, passed this morning in an accident at his own home."

The room had filled with low gasps because Mr. Bernard, the 92-year-old only other French professor of their college was said to be the best man ever. He was perfectly sweet and friendly and taught with such patience that people practically skipped over themselves to get in line to apply for his classes instead of Mrs. Dubois'.

And he didn't skimp much on handing out grades either.

"Dang. Fran had Bernard," Angier whispered.

"Oh," Tatum nodded.

"And since it's such a sudden shock to us, the Uni had no choice but have me take his classes over for the time being as well. So, I request you to control yourselves when the pupils of his class join us here, now." With that, Mrs. Dubois left the room.

Oh. So, that was why they had asked them to go to the bigger classroom that day.

And then Tatum realized what that meant.

Francesca was going to be in the same class as her.

Just freaking great.

As if it was clockwork, Mrs. Dubois came back exactly at that moment, followed by the chattering and footsteps of the new class joining them. Immediately, Tatum spotted the perfect, long blonde hair of Angier's flawless Mate. She smiled when she realized that Francesca had spotted them too and was looking their way, but quickly reigned her smile back in because, on closer look, the girl was not meeting her eyes.