7 Chapter 7 (1/2)

Wyatt wakes up the next morning, and Emma was still asleep. Wyatt decided to wake Emma up, although it took a few tries for her to finally wake up. When she did, she seemed to wobble as she sat up on the bed, rubbed her eyes for a bit, yawned, then asked ”What time is it?”.

”It's 7:20” Wyatt says, ”almost time for class. Are you feeling alright?”.

Emma yawns again and says ”Yeah... just... a little dizzy, and my throat is just a little dry”.

”Are you feeling sick?” Wyatt asks.

”No, I'm fine, really” Emma says.

Wyatt brings a cup of water for Emma and the two get ready for class. When class starts, and Refus walks in, the classroom was silent for a few seconds. Refus stood at the podium, and he got ready to talk to his class. Suddenly, Emma sneezes, stopping Refus from talking. The class looks back at the group they call The Rejects, as Refus looks up with a bit of concern. ”Emma Frey” Refus asks, ”do you need to see a nurse or something?”.

Emma rubs her eyes again and speaks up with a congested voice ”I'm fine... probably just a little tired is all. I won't let it happen agai- ACHOO!”. Emma sneezes before finishing her sentence. The students in the front of the class began giggling amongst themselves.

”If you're sick” Refus says, ”you should take some medicine and get some rest”.

”I'm fine, I'm fine” Emma assures.

Wyatt grows concerned as the class continues. However, he wasn't the only one concerned. Jackson and Aeris seemed to be worried about something as well. As lunch period began, The Rejects eat at their usual spot. ”You've been sounding really congested” Wyatt says to Emma, ”Are you sure you don't want to go rest for a bit?”.

”I'm sure” Emma says, ”I don't want to go home just because my nose is a little stuffy”.

”Talk about determined” Jessica says. ”The moment I get any excuse to skip class, I'd probably not even try to show up”.

”There's a difference between determination and initiative” Jackson says with a short laugh, ”you're just lazy, Jess”.

”Oh, so now it's Jess?” Jessica asks, while laughing. ”I thought I was Wingus!”.

”Hey, I said you were lazy” Jackson says, ”I didn't say I wasn't also lazy”. Jackson, Jessica and Wyatt begin laughing. However, Emma suddenly sneezed really loud. When the rest of them looked over at Emma, Aeris had covered her head with a beanie hat.

”Seriously” Aeris says to Emma, ”you should get some rest. At least wear something to warm yourself up. That way, you don't get even more sick”.

”Where were you keeping a beanie?” Jackson asks.

”I used to wear them all the time” Aeris says, ”now I just keep it in my backpack... I guess for nostalgia or something?”.

”But why do-” Jackson begins to ask. Aeris pokes Jackson on the side with her elbow and slowly lifts up the beanie. Aeris carefully lifted the hat, so that only she and Jackson could see what was underneath. When Jackson looked, Emma's fox eyes popped out again. Emma was getting so sick, that she was having troubles maintaining her human form.

”I mean it, Emma” Aeris says, ”go get some rest and stay warm”. Aeris then leans in close to whisper to Emma as she says ”You won't be able to maintain your shapeshift like this. Go home before everyone finds out about you”.

Emma panics for a second, then says ”I... I guess you're right. Wyatt, can you bring me the study materials?”.

”Sure” Wyatt says, calmly, ”you're heading home after lunch?”.

”Y-Yeah...” Emma replies, ”please let the teachers know I won't be attending today”.

”Alright” Wyatt says.

Emma says ”Thanks” and then begins coughing lightly.

”No problem” Wyatt says, ”just make sure you take better care of yourself”.

After they finish eating, Emma was the first to leave. She was still wearing Aeris's beanie when she left. ”Those two sure seem close” Jessica says.

”Yep...” Jackson says. ”Anyways, what about your beanie, Aeris?”.

”Oh, that old thing?” Aeris asks, ”she can keep it. If I need one for winter, I can buy a new one”.

”Well, thanks for thinking of other people like that, Aeris” Wyatt says.

”It's... whatever” Aeris says. ”Not sure... why... you'd be thanking me”.

”It's just...” Wyatt says as he thinks. ”Friends have got to look out for each other, I guess”.

”No, it's because you fancy her, isn't it?” Jessica asks.

”Is that... a bad thing?” Wyatt asks.

Jessica laughs and says ”So straight forward! At least the guy has guts”.

”What's wrong with that?” Wyatt asks.

”Nothing” Jackson says. Jackson slaps Wyatt on the back and says ”Go get 'em, tiger” in an unenthusiastic voice.

As the next class was beginning, Refus had met with the principal. Principal Ryan Schafold, who looked to be in his 60's at least, with gray hair but a refined sense of fashion. He wore a tailored suit and aviator sunglasses. ”I've heard the usual complaints about your class” Ryan says. ”Although, I've also seen a lot of your students around school, and they seem to be calming down recently. I must say, I'm glad to see the progress”.

”Thank you, Principal Schafold” Refus says.

”No, no” Ryan says, ”you're the one doing the work. Do you know why I allowed Quincy to announce the first laibah teacher ever, in our school?”.

”Wasn't it... for promotional reasons?” Refus asks.

”That's a benefit, without a doubt” Ryan says. ”It's controversial, and unexpected. It's bound to put this school on the map, and increase our budget so we can expend more for our students. However, I only let them announce who you are after I met you. I have faith in you, Refus. I've had bad blood with laibah before, but that's all in the past. You're the kind of teacher I'm looking for, in order to raise this school to a more proper foundation”.

”I'm... honored” Refus says, ”but... how am I supposed to handle the other staff?”.

”Oh, they'll get over themselves in due time” Ryan says. ”After all, they're not the ones who went through any actual rough patches with laibah before. That was a different time though, and they need to understand that progress can only be achieved when you consider the past to learn from it, not dwell on it”.

Refus sits down at the chair, in front of Ryan's desk. ”I agree” Refus says. ”A lot has happened in the past, but we can always try to fix what remains of it. It's a delicate situation”.

”A delicate situation” Ryan adds, ”that I think you're handling very well. I know of the terms of the agreement between you and Quincy”.

”You do?” Refus asks.

”I've known for a while” Ryan says. ”It may be too late to change the minds of most adults, but I believe that they can change themselves over time. However, it's important to show the next generation the visions we have as adults”.

”But it's not the job of the next generation to pick up what we left behind” Refus says.

”Also correct” Ryan says, ”it's their job to consider what we want, and then carve a path of their own. With enough delicate touches, there very well may not even be the obstacle we stand in today. The obstacle of prejudice and segregation. Maybe not with the current upcoming generation, but with time, that problem will cease”.

”Like a domino effect” Refus says.

”Precisely” Ryan says. ”That's why I like you. Your sense of understanding is well refined. With that, you may very well have the natural ability to lead even a nation. However, this time we're not leading a nation to war, but leading them out of the debris of one. A war that should've been buried long ago”.

”What problems did you have exactly, Mr. Schafold?” Refus asks.

Ryan lifts up his sunglasses and reveals his eyes. One eye had a scar over the eyelid, and the eyelid looked like some scar tissue had sealed the eye shut permanently. ”That's for a time that had already passed, Mr. Maloney” Ryan says. ”The war ended more than a hundred years ago, but I guess some people didn't want to accept that. That time, had long since passed though. No point in dwelling on it”.

”The war...” Refus says. ”The Great War... it should've never happened to begin with”.

”People were different back then” Ryan says. ”Two species were competing over which is the dominant species. However, no one cares about 'dominant species' anymore. People change, and they keep changing. That's the beauty of nature, Refus”.

”As teachers...” Refus says, ”it's our job to make sure we keep moving forward, right?”.

Ryan smiles and says ”Correct again, Mr. Maloney. Anyways, keep up the work, and don't let the others get to you”.