Our Other Place In The Sun

Chapter 20 (Völva)

Rem could not hold back her excitement and enthusiasm, when their science teacher announced that astronomy would be the next unit they would go over in class. She definitely showed more enthusiasm than many other students, who just let out some sighs.

Most of her enthusiasm stemmed from finally getting an answer to her big concern that had been on her mind for the past week. Raising her hand high in the air, Rem wanted to ask the teacher if the unit would cover the existence of aliens.

The teacher noticed Rems hand raised high in the air and pointed to her, giving her the speaking role of the class.

All Rem had to do now was ask her important question to the teacher. She had butterflies in her stomach when permission was finally granted to her.

Everyone seemed to be listening and waiting for Rem's question, and this made her feel quite nervous and overwhelmed.

She still wasn't used to talking to locals from Subarus world. She felt like they judged her in a negative way, because she would always ask obvious questions that were common sense to everyone.

".... Rem just wanted to know... if during this unit... Um..."

Rem hesitated on continuing to ask her question. She was beginning to sweat and shake slightly. Being afraid the teacher and the rest of the class wasn't going to take her question seriously.

"What is it, Rem? You can tell me, don't be shy" The teacher said

A couple of immature students in the back corner started to chuckle seeing Rem get scared to ask a seemingly simple question. They could see her troubled expression and noticed her body shaking in anxiety.

"Do we go over the topic of aliens?" Rem asked in a mumble.

"Huh? Can you please speak up I didn't hear you"

"Do we go over the existence of aliens!?" Rem asked again in a more loud voice, particularly yelling out her question.

The teacher let out a frustrated sigh. "Not appropriate Mrs Rosswal" He then resumed his focus to reading out what the unit of astronomy would actually cover. Making sure to underline that aliens would not be mentioned, and gave Rem a disappointed look.

Subaru only facepalmed, and let out a sigh. "Rem, I told you not to ask those types of questions. Nobody's going to take you seriously" Subaru said.

Rem looked around the classroom and saw a couple students stare at her while laughing quietly. Clearly finding her seemingly ridiculous question quite amusing.

Rem felt like her heart was crushed emotionally, as she continued to shake uncontrollably. She was starting to have a small panic attack from the social embarrassment.

She didn't understand why people didn't take seriously and laughed in her face. All she ever wanted was a simple answer to her questions, but instead she got made fun of.

Feeling tears well up at the corner of her eyelids she laid her hand across her eyes trying to shield herself from further humiliation of crying in front of everyone. As time went on it became increasingly more difficult to hold back letting out.

Subaru was listening to the teacher's lectures, when his attention immediately turned to Rem. When he heard her let out a depressed sniffle.

Looking over, he saw her crying, having small tears flow down her cheeks from her hand that hid her eyes, and fall onto the desk. She let out another sniffle, that was much louder than the last one.

Knowing her sobs were growing louder. It wouldn't be long until she was heard by other people in the classroom.

In an attempt to calm her down, Subaru threw his arm around her shoulder and pulled her head onto his lap. Letting Rem lay her head there and hide her tears from the rest of the class and cry in his chest her sobs being muffled by his shirt. They sat in the far back so no other student would notice Rem's odd way of coping.