The Night Children

Chapter 1

Edited

"Welcome to your first chemistry lesson." Stated the unfamiliar teacher as everybody began to file into the room, dragging seats around the benches as they chattered together. I glanced over at the newbie, taking her in curiously. Her grey hair was twisted into a tight bun, her glasses perched precariously on her long nose. She wore an expression of disgust as she regarded the class, her grey eyes examining every student that ignored her welcome. She looked quite old for a high school teacher, her outfit one of formality in comparison to what the rest of the other teachers wore at BrookeField High.

I felt my eyebrow rise. I already knew I wouldn't like her.

Aleena sat down in the back row, blowing a piece of dirty blonde hair that escaped her messy up do. She looked disinterested, her gaze flickering over the classroom with a frown. She was a smart girl, but as all the teachers had commented, she never took initiative in her work.

She beckoned me over, tapping on the seat next to her while the rest of the class quickly claimed their desired seats. Smiling, I started to walk towards her before the teacher's voice halted me.

"I never said you could sit down."

I turned to see her stare at Aleena with a frown, her grey irises glinting in the gloomy lab. Aleena glanced at me with a look of disbelief but didn't rise from her spot.

"And I never asked." Aleena spat back, her brown eyes nothing but flints of steel at the newbie. I stifled a grin, ducking my head. If there was one thing this try hard teacher needed to be taught, it was to never get on Aleena's bad side this early in the morning.

The teacher watched her, her pupils narrowing. "So you must be Miss Newman," She said, her tone one of formality. "The previous teacher already warned me of your stubbornness."
Aleena only responded with an arched eyebrow.

The teacher moved around towards Aleena, her heels clicking on the tiled floor. No one dared to utter a word, instead they only looked wide eyed at Aleena. She remained looking passive as always, although her lips titled into a frown.

"But I'll agree, you can remain in that seat."

Aleena's face slackened in surprise but it quickly hardened over, her eyebrows drawing together. "What's the catch?"

The teacher gave her a thin lipped smile, tapping the pen she held onto the side of Aleena's desk. The sound, although minor, echoed around the silent room. I watched as the teacher slowly turned in her spot to catch the gaze of a small red headed boy.

"Boy, what is your name?"

The boy's cheeks immediately blazed under all the eyes of his classmates as he shakily responded. "Ned."

The teacher flashed him a malicious grin before motioning towards the empty desk beside Aleena. "Ned, you may sit next to Aleena."
Ned nodded, struggling to push past the rest of the class with his huge amount of books. He half stumbled before reaching the desk, pouring his contents of materials over it before stuttering a hello to Aleena.

She gave him a grim smile in return but I could tell it was forced. Her gaze flitted back to the teachers, a look of pure loathing etched across them.

The teacher just disregarded her with a light snort that only the people near her could hear.

"My name is Miss Anderson; I will be your new chemistry teacher for this year." She turned her gaze towards the rest of the grouped class, piercing them with a glare. "I will be choosing who you sit next to."

Groans erupted around the room, with several people eyeing their friends off with a look of disappointment.

"I will expect everybody to listen to me without any disagreement." Miss Anderson finished, walking closer to the huddled class, her eyes sweeping over them as she clutched a piece of paper. She glanced back towards the class role, adjusting her glasses impatiently.