Chapter Eleven

“And then, she said, who cares?” Silvia fumed as she, Estelle and Charlotte sat together at a table at the back of the classroom

“That’s harsh.” Said Estelle at once. “She doesn’t want you to have friends! So mean!”

“I know right?” Said Silvia, sadly.

“What do you think, Charlotte?” Demanded Estelle and faced Charlotte who seemed to be thinking deeply.

“Well, Silvia,” she said slowly, “you do realize best friends always forgive each other?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Both Silvia and Estelle were very confused.

“It means that you’re going to forgive her sometime.”

“No, I'm not.” Silvia shook her head wildly. Charlotte gave her a look.

“You don’t know what’s going to happen in the future and I can promise you that you and Christie will be friends again soon.”

Neither Silvia or Estelle had the chance to reply as a tall, slender woman entered the room. Immediately, all discussions died and the only sounds that could be heard were the birds chirping outside.

“You must be the new students, am I right?” The teacher’s voice was high pitched. She stared around and beamed as everyone nodded.

“Welcome,” she said, “I’m Miss Katie and I’ll be teaching mind reading.”

A boy and his friend sniggered at the front.

“Yes?” Miss Katie smiled down at them.

“Do mind reading actually...work?” The first boy snorted.

The smile faded from the teacher’s face.

“What is your name?” She asked.

“Richard. Call me Richie, I prefer that.”

“Well, Richard, I recommend you to stop thinking about your sword-which shouldn’t even be lying right in the middle of your bed-and pay attention to what I say, otherwise you won’t know what to do!” Miss Katie snapped coldly. The class laughed and Richie’s face turned pink at the mention of his sword. He nodded, and Miss Katie turned back to the class, smiling again.

“Now as you saw, I read Richie’s mind-yes I called him Richard earlier for the sake of it-and mind you, it did in fact work. This year, you will be learning the basics which includes: reading expressions, reading minds-the main thing- and perhaps a headstart on blocking others from reading your minds, which is something you start learning next year. But first things first, the roll.” She conjured out a list of names out of nowhere and called the names. “Holly-welcome, Holly, Jack-hello to you, Jack, Emily-Hey, Emily, William-looking good, Sabrina…..”

When the long roll was done, Miss Katie resumed her speech.

“However, for a while, you all need to learn the facts and a little history behind mind reading.” The class groaned at this.

“I know, I know,” said Miss Katie, “and I’m sorry, but that’s how my class goes. You can’t do prac straightaway without knowing anything, can you?”

“My mum taught me a lot!” Chirped a girl called Lilly.

“That may be the case for you, but for others it may not.” Smiled Miss Katie. One by one, students began calling out that they had learnt some things about mind reading.

“Okay, okay.” Laughed Miss Katie. “If you all know so much, why don’t I test you?” Everyone abruptly stopped speaking. Each secretly panicked, but nodded.

“What is the difference between mind reading and reading expressions?” She questioned. Every student in the room laughed at this easy question and lifted their hands, eager to answer. Miss Katie gestured at a boy called James to answer.

“Mind reading is when you read someone’s head and can read or see what they’re thinking. But reading expressions is when you look at someone’s facial expression and know what they’re feeling or thinking by just looking at them.” He said, proudly. Everyone sighed and put down their hands.

“Wrong.” Miss Katie smirked. “Mind reading is when you read someone’s mind and knowing what they’re thinking of and reading expressions is looking at them and seeing where their thoughts are at. Almost the same things, but different. So, because none of you couldn’t answer this correctly-I know all of you were thinking of what James just said-we can’t do practicals until you know the facts.”

Again, everyone sighed with disappointment. Enjoying reading disappointed minds, Miss Katie clapped her hands together and announced that day’s lesson.

“Today, you will be writing down everything I tell you to. If you don’t write any of them or some of them, you will be in trouble when exams come. If you fail the end of year exam, you repeat this first year class next year until you pass. So, take my warning seriously and take your note taking books and One Hundred Chapters On Mind Reading out. Turn to the first chapter.” She instructed firmly. “Mind reading was first founded by Lord Angus Henry in the year 1423....” She began to read while the classes scrambled to write everything.

A very strict looking lady with long jet black walked into the eerie classroom where students were standing and sitting all over the place. No one realized that their teacher had entered and continued to chatter to one another. The lady frowned and clapped her hands to get the students’ attention.

“To your seats!” She yelled, and no one spoke as they rushed back to their seats.

“Madam Crow.” Said Madam Crow and scratched her name on the black board with her fingernail, making an ear piercing screeching sound which caused everyone to wince. “I’ll be teaching History and I want each and everyone of you to listen to me carefully. Any simple mistakes I spot in your end of year exam, you’ll be punished severely. Understood?”

The class nodded silently and gulped secretly to themselves.

“This is going to be the hardest.” Whispered Ravana to Christie and Lamia. Madam Crow heard and glared at her.

“I expect it will, which is why no one shall talk in my class if they want to pass their exam.”

Lamia shook her head and mouthed “Amazing”.

“Now does anyone know anything about the history of the viles?” Madam Crow demanded. Everyone shook their heads silently, too afraid to say anything.

“The founders of the academies?”

Again, no one knew.

“The history of the old, famous viles?”

Once again, not a single soul-besides Madam Crow-knew anything.

“This class is more clueless than my last one. At least a few students in my last class knew some things,” Madam Crow grumbled and pulled out her books. She looked up and only found forty five pairs of eyes staring back at her.

“Well, what are you waiting for? Take out your notebooks and The History Of The Viles.” She snapped. “We’ll begin with that and after you all know a thing or two, we’ll move onto History Of Famous Viles.”

The class nodded.

“Good. Now, open up to three hundred and fifty two and start reading along while I read.” Rustling echoed around the room as they all flipped their books to page three hundred and fifty two.

“I’m ditching next time.” Muttered Lamia.

“How? What if you get caught?” Whispered Christie.

Lamia shrugged. “She didn’t mark the roll, did she?”

“Honestly Lamia,” said Ravana, looking worried, “I don’t think you should because first of all, she could have just forgotten today. Second of all, if you do get caught you will be in massive trouble.”

“You there, stop talking.” Said Madam Crow. “In fact, you can read.” She pointed directly at Christie who stiffened and looked around in case the lady wasn’t gesturing at her. “Stop looking around! I meant you!” Madam Crow sighed irritably. “Page three hundred and fifty two. Start!”

Without a word and turning slightly pink, Christie flicked over to the page and began reading aloud, trying hard not to wince at the gruesome pictures of pre-villains covered with spots and long tentacles that stuck out of the heads.

“Edward Dé Vouten is well known for being the killer of Jeremiah Milson…” She began with a bored voice. And it went on for the entire lesson.