Shrewd Warden

The third girl was 'Naomi West'

'She won't recognize me right. It was dark, she was crying so it would be impossible that she would recognize me'. Jennie hoped rather than believed herself.

"Do I have to give an invitation for you to enter ?" came the shrill voice of the warden.

Jennie quickly stepped in, and the first thing she noticed was the irk on Naomi's face when their eyes met. It was clear as day that Naomi had recognized her, and by the deep frow on her face, Jennie was sure Naomi had even heard her curse.

"So Miss Jennifer, it is your first day so I will give you a choice, rather than straight detention." Ms. Adria spoke rubbing her hands. "You could answer one question I ask, or you could serve detention of one and half hours with these three lovely girls. If you answer correctly you will be excused from the punishment and if you are wrong the detention would extend to two and half hours. So what will it be Miss Jennifer ?" Ms. Adria looked at Jennie smilingly.

Jennie it seemed like the whole situation was nothing but one big amusement game to the warden.

"Miss Jennifer we don't have much time, choose quickly ." Ms. Adria spoke again, this time her expressions harsher.

"What type of question ?" Jennie inquired.

"Your stream is business..hmm" she gave a thoughtful look, and out of nowhere snapped and shouted in her glass-shattering voice "Do you think I have so much time and energy to listen to you, just answer quickly"

Jennie almost jumped at the sudden outburst "The question...the question.." she jabbered, without thinking much.

From the corner of her eyes, Jennie could see the two girls smile.

"Good choice." Ms. Adria spoke and asked with a shrewd smile as if sure Jennie was to fail.

"So tell me Miss Ashwood, the second phase which occurs after a few days of the new moon is known as ?"

She asked a question that was not even remotely related to her subject.

The two girls started chuckling and even Naomi was smiling now.

"If you don't know the answer say so and don't waste our time, and get ready to serve extended detention." Ms Adria spoke with an evil smile on her face ready to give out her verdict.

Jennie's face broke that of a smile, "Waxing Crescent" she answered with a tiny smirk and thanked her younger self for being obsessed with the moon.

The two girls burst out laughing and the smile on the warden's face was replaced by an irritated look of disappointment, the same as that of Naomi.

After shushing the two students Ms. Adria looked at Jennie with a new look of displeasure "An intelligent one" she spoke, with a gaze that could burn holes on the skin. "Ms. Ashwood you may leave, and don't you get into trouble next time because things won't be easy then." she further added.

Jennie gulped down her saliva and instantly regretted answering. It would have been much better not to answer and serve detention than be on the radar of the shrewd warden.

"Now what are waiting for. Leave !" Ms. Adria shouted again.

Jennie hurried away straight towards her room and jumped on her bed completely exhausted.

Jennie's whole strategy of staying 'low-key' was a total failure and in just a few hours of her arrival, she was looked down by a girl, pushed and disliked by another, and she had managed to tick off her sadist warden by simply answering her question. And the most strange part was for some unknown reason, she could not get the man's face out of her head. He was like some old melody she kept on humming unknowingly.

After almost half an hour, Jennie heard a knock on the door. On opening the door she caught sight of a girl with big bright eyes and a smiling face.

"Hi. I am Julia Cray, you can call me Jule. I live next door and thought to quickly greet you and ask if you don't mind joining me and my friend for dinner?" Jule spoke with a cheerfully smile. "You haven't had dinner right ?" Her shoulder-length hair bobbled every time she spoke.

"Hello, Jennifer Ashwood." Jennie returned her smile. "Thanks for the invite, but I am too tired right now and was just about to sleep. But I would love to join you for tomorrow's breakfast if you don't mind." Jennie spoke.

"That would be amazing," Jule spoke almost jumping, she was very energetic.

"It is so good to have a new admission at 'Junior year', your parents must have some great connections," she added further.

Jennie was just about speak when Jule spoke again "You were not here for the rolls, anything I can help you with ?"

"Um...I got a bit lost admiring the beauty of the place and did not keep a check on time." Jennie sheepishly smiled thinking about the man. She felt completelt like a school girl saying that.

"Yes, the place is beautiful. You know when I was new to this place I got lost so bad that the warden had to send guards to search for me." Jule giggled. "By the way, have you caught up with two weeks of missed classes, if not you can borrow my notes we might have some mutual classes."

"No I did not had the time. It would be really nice" before Jennie could finish she saw Jule was already leaving to get her notes.

She was like this high-spirited and overly energetic person you see in an energy drink advertisement.

Julia returned with the same speed as she had went with a pile of note-books "Uh...I did not know what classes we have in common so I got everything..." she smiled with a bit of guilt.

Jennie helped her put the notes on the table.

"My friend is waiting for me so I got to go, and give me your phone number, I will text you before breakfast tomorrow."

After they exchanged their phone numbers, Julia left like a tornado just like she had arrived.

Jennie was somewhat happy to know that she would find a familiar face in the classes, and Jule's bubbly nature to some extent reminded her of her sister Kiara.

Jennie then sprawled on her bed and instantly drifted off to sleep.