BFB High (with a continuous plot wow)

Chapter 8: Budget Cuts

"Welcome to study hall. I am Principal Mike Announcer," the stoic faced man at the front of the classroom said. "We originally hired a teacher to oversee study hall, but we had to lay them off due to budget cuts."

Why is the principal openly admitting to the school having money problems? Teddy thought, confused. Then she remembered the signs made with paper and pencil that she saw in the music room earlier. ...I guess it must be too obvious to hide at this point.

"Please take this time to do any homework that has been assigned to you," the principal continued, before spotting a raised hand. "Yes?"

"What if we don't have homework today?" Lila asked.

"Don't lie. You had Professor Four for math today. They always give out homework, even on the first day," the principal countered unflinchingly. "Yes?"

"Uh, not to be rude, sir, but to clarify, is Announcer really your last name?" Liam asked. "...I'd also like to ask that about Professor Four and Professor X."

"Yes," the principal nodded, before cracking a slight grin. "Just kidding, my actual last name is something else which I wish not to reveal for now. As for Professors Four and X, their actual last names are Integer and Variable respectively. They thought their last names stood out too much, so they asked to be introduced as Professors Four and X." Upon seeing the dubious looks on everyone's faces, he added, "Don't worry, they gave me permission to tell you their real last names."

I'm sure that's not what everyone is concerned about, Teddy thought. Rather, we're all probably thinking that Four and X are not inconspicuous last names either.

"Anyways, go do your homework and study when you're done," Principal Announcer finished, before sitting down at the teacher's desk at the front of the room.

"...So want to work on the math homework together?" Sawyer asked, pulling out the packet that Professor Four handed her at the end of their class.

"Si," Dora replied.

Teddy nodded, before jokingly typing something into her AAC app. "The answer won't always be 8, though."

"Come on, Teddy, don't tell me you have joined Lola in teasing me about this," Sawyer whined. "I just couldn't help but pick this up from AIDEN when he stayed over at my house this past summer."

"Sorry," Teddy's AAC app spoke. "Why did this Aiden guy stay at your house this summer anyway?"

"Apparently my parents and his parents used to be close when they were younger," Sawyer explained, "so they let him and his family stay with us for a while."

"Excuse me," a voice interjected, surprising Sawyer. Teddy and Dora were unfazed, however, since they had both already noticed the principal approaching them as Sawyer talked. "This doesn't sound very much like homework."

"Sorry, Principal Announcer," Sawyer said, "we'll all get to work right now."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible right now, since I need to borrow your friend Theodora for a second," Professor Announcer said.

"But Teddy didn't do anything wrong," Sawyer protested worriedly. "I was the one talking!"

"I'm only taking her due to budget cuts," Principal Announcer stated matter of factly.