𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐚¹- hp.

𝐱𝐯𝐢𝐢𝐢. cast out the demon, purify the soul.

꧁—— ❦ ——꧂

"You must simplify it." The teacher dryly drawls, "If the polynomial is not in standard form, you cannot solve it."

Chalk scratching against the chalkboard, a shrill screech that sends uncomfortable tingles down her spine, it resounded throughout the otherwise silent, dingy classroom. Clouds paint the sunless sky weathered grey, dim shadows that force their way through the small barred window to render where Lavinia sits in the back corner, twirling a strand of hair and smacking her gum for any noise besides the chalkboard, slowly dozing off. One leg crossed over the other, she periodically kicks the leg of her desk, intent on disrupting the class. She kicks it once, kicks it twice, and on the third Mr Hespler finally snaps his gaze to her.

"Miss Vinke, are we disrupting you?" He asks, nose twitching in irritation.

Lavinia falsely grins, smacks her gum ( though she usually cannot stand the noise ) and twirls her hair again. "Of course not, sir."

He nods with an unconvinced look, which she thinks deserves to be there, he has been stuck teaching her all these years, "Very well." He says. "Now, back go what I was saying..."

"Wanker." Katalina whispers from her right, stifling a grin behind the fingers covering her mouth, palm resting on her chin. "Should we piss in his porridge?"

Lavinia lowly laughs, kicking the leg once more, slightly leaning to her left. "Reckon we could get away with it?"

Katalina turns to stare at her with a wicked smile, adjusting in her seat to mimic Lavinia's movements, kicking the leg a beat after Lavinia kicks her own. If one goes down, they go down together.

"I think we could." Katalina's eyes sparkle with mischief, they really are quite the pair. "I'll take Monday, you take Friday? Further ruins his Monday morning, and ruins the excitement of the weekend on Friday."

"It's a plan." Lavinia replies and kicks the desk once more, hard enough for the scraping of metal and tile to echo throughout the classroom.

"Miss Vinke!" Mr Hespler roars, "If you're quite done being disruptive, I'd like to continue teaching."

"By all accounts, please do." Lavinia innocently smiles, batting her lashes, "Just quite a bore, isn't it? Teaching the same thing all day long?"

"Excuse me?" He asks, brows raised and fists tightly gripping the edge of his tattered and chipped desk.

"Well, it just seems that throughout the years you've forgotten how to engage the students, no?" Lavinia replies, twirls her hair again.

Mr Hespler narrows his eyes, "Do you have a degree in maths or teaching, Miss Vinke?"

Lavinia kicks the leg again, "No, but I'm fairly confident a toddler could engage us more thoroughly."

Katalina snickers, also kicking the leg of her desk, "I think she's correct, Mr Hespler. You're quite a bore, disrespectfully."