School of Good and Evil II

Chapter 47

When I enter the office where all the teachers are gathered, Lesso turns to me, surprised to see me late and out of breath. Leonie frowns but continues talking:

- So the meeting will be the day after tomorrow at 4pm. I'm going to announce it to the students at lunchtime. Does anyone have any questions?

I'll step forward before anyone else speaks.

- I've heard that . ..

- Yes, so seeing as you're late, for a change I'm going to explain what we said to each other, Ava. Leonie cuts me off.

- No, it's not.. .

- I know, it doesn't matter. So we've decided that we're going to have a meeting with all the students, with an open debate all together, but we're also going to leave a ballot box with writing materials for a week so that they can put forward their ideas. After that, we can have another meeting between us to try and implement the majority of their proposals so that they feel listened to. Theyare the first to be affected by changes in the school and we owe it to them to respect their wishes.

While she's trying to explain so as not to cut her off, I finally explode:

- I don't give a damn about this stupid meeting! That's not what I've come to talk to you about!

Leonora looks at me, surprised to see me so upset. She gets up and puts a hand on my shoulder. I can see Leonie tense up, but I don't have time to worry about it.

- What's happening to you, Ava? The redhead asks me.

- It's about you, and.. .

- I know. Leo cuts me off.

I frown as all eyes turn to her.

- Look, Ava, this might not be the best time to talk about this. Adds the dean.

I shake my head and step forward to face her.

- Seriously?! You know about this and it's not your priority? You've got to be kidding me. You're going to have to tell them, Leonie. And now.

She sighs softly and looks at me for a moment. She looks so sad. But mostly I'm angry. How can she keep this information to herself? Does she really think that her little meeting is going to calm Bastian down? What about Leonora, eh? She's got a right to know the truth! I don't even understand why she never told me about that brother abandoned in Gavaldon. The blond finally moves slowly away from me to join the Storian.

- Look, I didn't tell you because I didn't think it was a priority. But the future of storytelling is at stake, so I'm going to tell you. You should know that this has never happened before to my memory and it might just save us all.

I frown. What the hell is she talking about? Lesso looks at me with astonishment and I can see that Dovey and the other teachers are totally lost. But I'm as confused as they are. How is this going to save us? And what does this have to do with storytelling? This is about the lives of Leonora and Clarissa.

- I read what the Storian wrote and we talked a bit. He's not writing Ava's story as you may have initially thought.

Everyone is staring at her, waiting. Yes, we're all well aware thank you. But what's the point?

- For the first time, it's a reader's story that the Storian write.

I frown. Wait, what? A reader? That's impossible.

- The Storian has written about readers before. Say Anemone. Sophie and Agatha.

- No, he hasn't. I reread what he wrote, it's not the story of a reader, it's the story of the school. With Rafal. Then Sophie and Agatha. It's the story of a school and a friendship. Here I'm talking about a story entirely centered on an only reader.

- He's writing about you? Clarissa enthuses.

But I know perfectly well that's not the case. The pieces of the puzzle order in my head and I turn away from the dean.

- Lesso. I gasp.

She widens her eyes as everyone turns to her. Yes, of course! That's why we thought the tale was mine! Because I was involved. But everything always revolved around Leonora. That's why she couldn't read what was going on when I left for Germany. And that's also why I knew she was hurting herself the first time.

- It doesn't make any sense! The professor of evil indignantly stepping back.

- But it does Lesso! You were the first to bring change in this school! Retorts Dovey.

- By not being bad enough, right?!

- You've taken it for a weakness all your life, but it's your greatest strength! You're the one saving the tales today.

- But that's absurd! I haven't experienced anything that needs to be told!

Her gaze settles on me for a moment and she lets out a little laugh. I raise my eyes to heaven. No, she's not thinking about. .. Damn, she's incorrigible!

- You must be mistaken! For there to be in a tale, I need a Nemesis, and I don't have one!

Crap! I'd completely forgotten why I'd come in the first place! But this must be it.

- Wait a minute, wait a minute!

- No, Lesso, you're wrong, you're the protagonist of this story. And you. ..

Leonie cut me off, and now she's also cut off by the arrival of Tedros, Agatha and Sophie in the office. The room falls silent and we suddenly hear shouting and violent noises in the courtyard.

- Ah, you're all here! Quick ! They're destroying the fountain! exclaims Tedros.

- They're going to kill each other! Agatha continues.

- Are you deaf or what? Move! Shouts at last Sophie.

Everyone starts running after them to get out of the tower and see what's going on. But I really don't feel it.

- Leonie wait! I exclaim as she past me without looking at me.

- Hurry up Ava! We'll talk later!

She doesn't even stop and disappears from the office. Shit! Are she kidding me?!

- Leonora! Leonora, listen to me! I shout indignantly as the redhead past me.

She grabs my arm and pulls me after her.

- Ava, this is not the time!

- Damn it, listen to me! I exclaim, tears welling up in my eyes.

But we're already outside.

- There's a time for everything, Ava. And this is not the time to argue. She whispers to me before moving to Leonie's right, while Dovey stands to the dean's left.

Before our stunned eyes, the vast majority of the students are in the process of destroying the fountain. The others try to stop them. They are fighting each other, Always and Never confused. Bastian is right in the middle of the carnage, on the side of the the majority of the students, tearing down the fountain and beating up those trying to stop him. Their group seems to be sticking together, the other lacks cohesion, they're not communicating and they're being laminated. Damn, if I'd known they'd use our classes for this!

- THAT'S ENOUGH! Suddenly shouts Leonie.

A few faces turn to her, but no one listens. So she waves to the teachers and, together, they hold up their fingers, which light up. I don't react. My heart races. Then all the students freeze, as if caught in a spider's web.

- Stop it now! exclaims Leonie, her eyes dark, her voice firm.

But in front of us, the fingers of almost all the students light up in turn, and Bastian calmly steps forward, a winning smile on his face. The teachers lower their fingers. I've got to react. I've got to warn them.