Trollhunters: Tales of Baniar

Part Ten

I sometimes wondered what my mum would think of my life, if she would have hated it or loved it. Would she have had supported my decisions? Would she still defend me when dad got mad? I hoped she was proud of me. Still, I doubted even my mum would be able to help me get through this Spanish lesson.

Spanish was certainly not the last lesson I wanted on my Monday, which was already a day where my patience bore thin. It didn't help that people were giving me odd stares, but I wasn't sure if those were for the fact that I was distancing myself from West or for the appearance. I had seen the difference in the mirror this morning.

The stress had been catching up to me, and I found it difficult to get a full night's sleep. I was paler, and grey bags had formed lightly under my eyes. And yet, I felt as alive as ever. I knew that as soon as this tiresome class finished, I would go back to Jim. I would go home. Undoubtedly, I liked staying at Trollmarket much more than my own home and as long as I knew it wasn't any trouble, I wanted to stay for longer.

Food, human food, hadn't been a problem. The forest had heaps of berries and fruits, with wild animals that I would eat. Of course, the school still offered food so I would buy that, but Jim would always help me get food.

Jim. The beautiful, blud-eyed troll. I had only known him for a week, and yet it felt like I had been with him for an eternity. He had been my first kiss, and I longed to see him once more.

"Señorita Caster?"

I turned my head sharply to see Señor Sãnchez giving me a pointed look. I ducked my head to cover my heated face, knowing that my blush would be bright pink.

"Los siento, Señor," I apologised hastily, mumbling into my arms.

I looked up slightly to see the teacher nod stiffly, and continue his lesson. I hadn't been paying attention, but I could tell we were still on our previous topic of countries and where everyone was from. I wasn't, at all, good at the subject. I didn't really have much of an interest for it and the infuriating teacher simply fueled this. But at least I had memorised how to apologise in Spanish due to the amount of times I have had to do it.

This particular lesson seemed to drag on impossibly long, and it made me even more impatient when I remembered that it was still only the first day of the school week.

Clearing his throat, Señor straightned the glasses perched on his nose and took a seat at his spot at the front desk.

"Now, the homework," he declared, luckily speaking in English. "How many of you decepciones didn't do it and are about to give me some excuse?"

The homework. I cursed silently, having forgotten about it completely. I had been too preoccupied and was going to complete it this morning before school but it had slipped my mind. I wasn't too concerned, however, as most of the class didn't ever do their homework. I wouldn't be singled out.

My heart sank as I realised only two other people hadn't completed it. The teacher slowly walked over to the first student, waiting for a reason as to why. It was no secret that Señor Sãnchez was terrifying, and I wasn't surprised when the kid answered with a squeak.

"I-uh my mum had to go to the hospital," he answered, but the teacher's eyes didn't soften as we expected them to.

The teacher countered. "Was there no waiting time? Your madre, I'm sure, had to wait a while to get help. Couldn't you have completed the task then?"

"Y-yes sir," the kid, who I now recognised as Jeremy, sighed.

Jeremy was short, with wavy brown hair. He was ordinary, but I knew he had a crush on Harriette. I was still meaning to talk to her, to apologise for my behaviour. I refocused to see the teacher walking over to me. My breathing hitched as he gave me a cold glance.