Make-Believe Ballroom

"Lauren, the front desk, now."

Silence struck the class like a large dose of electricty at the words that had left Mrs. Humphersons mouth as people started to pile in from the corridor. She froze in the door frame, along with Saskia. Both girls gawping with disbelief at the situation. In one respect, the class was proud that she had finally grown a back bone, yet it was battled down by the natural instinct; to protest for the person. Nobody cared that Lauren had been in the wrong, apart from the few that silently laughed at the punishment she deserved. They cared about fighting the system and pushing the boundaries to reclaim the power they thought they had.

"You're actually joking." she huffed, shooting a glance to Saskia. She new her friend could sway the balance of this situation if she said anything in her favour.

Yet she gave her best friend a sorry look, before walking the distance to her desk and remaining quiet through out the journey. Deep down she knew this was right, yet it didn't stop the loathing she felt for the teacher for seperating her from her friend. Yet that alone couldn't make her defy a teacher. She watched from her seat as Lauren dramatically dragged herself to the isolated desk, complete with sounds of annoyance.

She felt a wave of shock as her betrayl sunk into her. Making her arm shoot into the air as a signal of her wanting to talk.

"Yes Saskia?" she was acknowledged almost immediatly by the satisfied looking woman.

"Could Lauren sit by me for today? Maybe you could allow her another shot at being next to me, since you're punishing me too and I haven't spoken out of turn." she said timidly, but her speech was met with a storm of people agreeing with her.

Mrs. Humpherson was knocked speechless by the request she had made. It was clear from the expression that rapidly crossed her face. A pause dragged out for what felt like hours as everyone waited the reply.

"One last chance." she said firmly, pursing her lips into a thin line before turning to write the lesson objectives on the white board.

Victory galavanted through those that had been trying, but they knew it was won by one girl, the very one who had her head dipped to hide the flush of embarrassment and guilt on her pale cheeks. When she finally felt capable to open her eyes, she was met by the faux wood desktop.

A small smile edged onto her face as the evidence of her artistic talent remained there, slightly smudged but completely intact. Something fizzed inside her stomach as she noticed an addition close to hers. Emotions of shock and amusement dissolved into her state as she tried desperately not to laugh. Having mastered the art of it, having a best friend like Lauren she had to practise it daily.

Her hand slipped into her blazer pocket and she felt around for her pencil. As soon as she felt it, she pulled it out and her left hand moved to scrawl nice drawing next to it. In a hope that the person would read it. She was aware so the amount of classes that occured in this room and that the chance of it surviving against the cleaners were slim. Yet the drawings had made it to the next day. She even added a colon and a closed bracket next to it, to form a smily face.

"Thanks Sassy," Lauren whispered quietly, using the nickname Saskia couldn't stomach. It didn't suit her personality at all. She nodded in response, still with a smile from the drawing.

The lesson went similarly to how it always did. No textbooks. No excercise books. Just a demonstration at the front of the class from a woman who thought passing on her knowledge was enough to get them through the exams that waited for them in May. Yet she wasn't bothered by it, for once in the school year she wasn't fazed. She was content with allowing her mind to wonder. Often tracing back to the humour of her desk.

Lauren didn't say a single word through out the period. She folded her arms and placed her head on the table, in what looked like an attempt at sleeping. And Saskia was relieved that she didn't immediatly reclaim her position of class rebel.

The miricale bell sounded and everyone charged out like they did every single day. Instead of stashing her pencil back in her pocket, she threaded it amongst her short blonde hair and twisted it into a neat knot at the back of her head.

"Saskia, can I talk to you please?" Mrs. Humpherson asked before she moved to exit.

Panic washed over her, fretting that it was to do with her outburst earlier in the lesson. She had never been in trouble during her school career. She wasn't the perfect pupil. She didn't hand in every piece of homework she was given, yet teachers assumed they'd lost it and she wasn't at fault. Then it hit her that her illusration could possibly be the cause of this discussion she wanted with her, making the dread so much worse.

"I understood what you did today was an act of loyalty Saskia. But do you want me to organise Lauren's removal from this class?" she asked in a serious tone.

"You what?" her eyes bulged from their sockets "I mean, pardon?"

"It's just noticable for me as a teacher to see that Lauren is a set-back for you."

"I'm sorry Miss, but you've got it wrong. I'm happy for her to stay." she said with her pulse beating in her ears.

"Okay, if you're sure?"

"It's okay. I better be going to next lesson..." she became concious of the room filling up with Sixth Formers and that she would be late for Biology.

♥

"Max, I don't know how many times I've told you this, and I'm pretty sure it won't be the last, but your pencildoesn't have the ability to Avada Kedavra me." he shook his head as his friend waved the stationary around, almost poking himself in the eye.

"Don't be so naive Josh. I'm magic, I know I am." Max insisted as he marched into the classroom with his nose in the air. His friend followed, wondering how he had aquired a friend such as him.

"Well if you're certain Saskia. See you tomorrow." Mrs. Humpherson told a girl as she spun on her heel to leave the class. He couldn't see her face as her hair that wasn't up hung around her dipped head. He scoffed as he knew this was the girl who excelled so well and put the rest of them to shame.

He moved away from the door, without giving her a second thought. He sat down with eyes immediatly falling on the pencil marks on the desk.

He read what had been written next to him and smiled to himself. Max tried to look over his arm and grew increasingly irritated as Josh deliberately blocked the view from him.
He knew as he wrote something underneath it, that he was going to enjoy getting to know them.