chapter 22

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n// this chapter is brought to you by the new taylor swift album now everyone stream folklore for clear skin and more updates <3

ps this is a long chapter and i think im gonna get around to making a playlist for this story bc tommy and sybbie have such a particular Vibe so yeah that'll be up soon :) enjoy the chapter i love u <3

"Now," Sybil spoke, turning towards the board where she had written some math equations for the students.  "When you carry the three—"

But Sybil's lesson was cut short by the sound of children's giggles, causing her to turn around.

"I'm sorry," she began, a small smile of her own gracing her delicate features.  "Did I say something funny?"

"No, ma'am." the class chorused.

"Just as I thought." she nodded, turning back to the equations.  "As I was saying, if you—"

The giggles erupted throughout the class once more, causing Sybil to turn around even faster.

"Alright." she spoke, more stern this time around, and without a smile.  "What's going on here, hmm?"

She examined the pale and scared faces of the children, scanning the class for the culprit of the clownery.  But instead of seeing her resident trouble maker at the heart of it, she was greeted with the sight of one of her quieter students, asleep at his desk, and with different items belonging to his classmates and trash strewn all across his desk.

Silently, she walked over, and picked up the miscellaneous items.  Looking over them, it was easy to tell what belonged to who — she knew her students as if they were her own children, at times.  So, she took the items and returned them to each owner, watching as their faces fell and their heads slumped.  When she was done, she threw the little bits of trash that remained on the boy's desk in the bin and returned to her desk.  Leaning against it, Sybil crossed her arms and looked out into the sea of schoolchildren.

"I knew arithmetic couldn't possibly have been that funny." Sybil spoke sarcastically.  "However, I now realize that picking on the defenseless during the middle of a lesson is, according to you lot."

The class was silent at her words, knowing that when she got like this, it was even worse than when she would be cross at them.  They could handle a little bit of a raised voice from her, but they couldn't handle her disappointment.

"Would anyone like to say anything on the matter?  Or are you just waiting for me to turn around so you can put trinkets on my desk when I'm not looking, too?"

The class was silent for a moment, before one little boy raised his hand.

"Yes, David?"

"We would never do that to you, Miss."

At this, the class giggled, and even Sybil herself couldn't fight back a little smile.

"But you would do it to your classmate?"

"Well, Donovan was sleeping, Miss." he explained, as if it was an excuse for their actions.  "He shouldn't have been sleeping during your lesson, Miss."

"And why do you feel that way, David?"

"Because... Because you always tell us to pay attention during the lesson, Miss."

devil's backbone 🗝 tommy shelbyWhere stories live. Discover now