Small but Divine (Old)

Chapter 31 - Darling

Classtime - Tuesday - Diviner's Classroom - Time 7:07am

June 10

Noelle's POV

Anyone who's lives with strict parents knows the underlying suspicion that they're trying to ruin your life.

My parents have always been very strict and overprotective- to a point where it's not societally normal. I know they do it because they care about me, but it sometimes it feels like they see me as their prisoner, rather than their daughter.

And I usually try to respect them- after all, they did save me from a terrible life in the adoption system.

But they really don't consider my feelings at all.

Class was going as per usual. We were all seating in our spots. For some reason, Rana decided that the back row was a good place for me, so I was sitting on top of a stack of binders to see. I was still in my pyjama pants, with a pink sweater on as a top. I was tired, but that was normal for having gotten up at six in the morning.

Everyone else was seated quietly. They were dressed casually as well. We all stopped wearing our uniforms after the first week, except for Avon, who took it upon himself to appear responsible.

Zephira was in all black, as usual. Marigold was in a pastel tank top and some leggings. Lucas was wearing all grey; he enjoyed the monochrome look. And Vane...

...Vane was barely wearing clothes. A fact which he was arguing about with Lanny and Rana.

"Vane you are in your boxer shorts. Go get dressed!" Rana told him, exasperated.

Vane shook his head. "No. I believe in freedom of clothes. And if I remember, you said we didn't have to wear the uniform literally the first week we started classes."

Annoyed, Rana retorted, "I didn't say you had to wear a uniform- I said you have to wear clothes."

"Lanny's allowed to show up in his sleepwear, why can't I? Is there some sort of bias, Rana? What's the difference between me and Lanny?"

It's 'Lanny and I,' you imbecile.

"The difference," Rana explained, "is that Lanny wears three layers of clothing to bed and you sleep in almost nothing."

"I sleep in three layers to make up for the lack of human warmth I get on a day-to-day basis," Lanny muttered, almost inaudibly.

Vane turned to him, wide-eyed. "Shit bro- are you okay? Do you need a hug?"

"What I need is Aria. How could you suspend her?!" Lanny turned, directing his yelling towards Rana.

"She disobeyed my orders and led half of the class into a death trap!"

"Don't yell at me." Lanny stated curtly. "I've been consistently drunk for like two days, and I am very hungover right now."

"I thought I told you to stop drinking."

"And I thought I told you to bring Aria back, but look where that got us."

At some point in the argument I stopped paying attention. I had reading to do, and listening to pointless banter was distracting me. I was perfectly content ignoring my classmates and getting lost in the fictional universe of knights and princesses and dragons.

Several chapters later I looked up to my phone ringing. Apparently Rana had started the lesson, and was watching me. I took one look at the number and groaned.