Temporal Exploring 101 - Branch Cut

V.12 Deja vu

It was a bit like a deja vu.

The bell calling students to their respective classrooms for first period was ringing and I realized that I was going to be late for class if I did not hurry up. When I passed Ms Jefferson in the hall she cast me a critical if slightly amused look as I stumbled past her into the classroom.

Inside, there was what can only be described as turmoil if not as outright pandemonium. Several of my classmates were on their feet and appeared to be shouting and yelling at each other.

"This is nothing short of preposterous," Dorothy Barnett exclaimed. She was waving the new edition of our student newspaper, the Albertine, at Jessica Burns, missing the other girl's nose by mere inches. "How dare you?"

Ms Jefferson who had entered the classroom all but unnoticed by her students cleared her throat.

"Is there something we need to discuss, class?"

Ms Jefferson taught Advanced Physics as well as PE which was a fairly unusual combo, for a teacher at St. Albert's. But she was also our form teacher which meant that it was part of her job to help us discuss and settle all sorts of disputes and other issues.

"Indeed, I should say so, Miss," Eleanor Bradshaw came to the help of her friend Dorothy. "It turns out that Burns is the author of that slanderous article about the Galads that everyone is talking about."

"First of all, I want everybody to take a seat, to stop shouting and to calm down." Ms Jefferson frowned. "This is a classroom, not Parliament."

There were faint giggles all around as we did as we had been told.

"Next I would like to understand what all this is about." Our form teacher focused on Jess. "I did not know that you write for the Albertine, Burns."

"I didn't until three weeks ago, Miss," the girl replied. "Starting this term, Clarissa Hastings has become the new editor-in-chief of the Albertine. Clarissa and I have known each other since elementary school, and now she asked me if I wanted to try my hand at writing articles for the Albertine. I told her sure, why not."

"So you went and wrote 'The Galads: a distinguished student society or a club of snobs'," Barbara Lane commented, not without sarcasm.

The four self-styled 'rich girls' in our form – Barnett, Bradford, Lane and Mellon – were all members of the Galads and they appeared to be outraged.

Others in our class, not so much.

"Actually, Burns ought to have titled it 'The Galads: a distinguished student society or a bigoted club of snobs'," Natty proposed.

"Hear, hear," Ndemba muttered. Helen Langden was nodding vigorously.

"Would you care to elaborate on that remark, Fogg?" Ms Jefferson asked.ath

Natty shrugged. "It is obvious, isn't it? All the rich kids get invited to join the Galads. The rest of us may apply for membership but chances are that they get rejected like Langden, Burns and Ndemba."

Ms Jefferson sighed. "We have had that particular discussion before, haven't we?"

Indeed, we had. Apparently, I was not the only one here who felt like they were experiencing a deja vu.

Carol Mellon frowned. "If all the rich kids receive invitations, how come that the Turner twins were never invited?"

"I have no idea why we were not invited," Jen observed.

"Perhaps it is because we are not British," Debbie suggested.

"That could be it," her sister agreed.

"May I point out that Jess' article appears in the Albertine's Opinion section," Helen interjected. "It's meant to initiate a debate on that issue."