✔️Hazy [anne with an e]

| THE SLATE

chapter two: the slate

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CAROLINE WAS NOW sat beside Ruby at their shared desk, focusing as intently as she could on Mr.Phillips new lesson, not that it was a challenge for her. Reading and writing had always come easily to her, it was the math and science parts of school that she struggled with. No matter how hard she would try, nothing would ever click. Mr.Phillips had offered to teach her after class several times but she had always declined politely, nothing about that man ever sat well with her. Besides, Gilbert knew how to do math very well so she stuck to just copying off of his assignments.

Diana was reading in front of the class, her words slipping up every once and a while. Caroline could tell she was struggling and made a mental note to offer to help her later. Mr.Phillips must have thought she was doing especially awful as he ordered her to sit down, making Diana's bottom lip quiver slightly. He's lucky I can't legally hit a teacher, she thought. A piece of chalk smacked the back of her neck and she flinched, turning her head so fast that she thought it would cause whiplash. Billy gave her a smirk, raising an eyebrow quickly to make himself look even the slightest bit attractive. Caroline looked to the front quickly, noticing the Mr.Phillips attention was directed on Anne, she picked the chalk up and chucked it at Billy, hitting him dead in the eye.

Billy let out a shriek, causing all heads to turn to the back of the classroom and for Mr.Phillips to sigh,"If you are going to be a distraction, Mr.Andrews, please do it outside."

"Sorry, sir.", his voice was low as he muttered, watching Caroline simply nod along with their teacher.

"Now, new girl. Up, continue.", Mr.Phillips motioned for Anne to pick up where Diana had left off.

As Anne began to read, Caroline was insanely impressed. Anne had this way of carrying herself with such knowledge and prestige but still acting like a child who remembered all of the magic of being young. They were qualities that Caroline admired, ones that she wished she possessed as well. She peered over at her brother, who was watching Anne intently with this look of admiration and pride. As she watched him whisper something to the boy beside him, a small smile crept up on her face.

As Anne's reading of the book became increasingly more dramatic and thorough, she could hear snickers coming from behind her as the boys began to lightly mock her. Her hands tensed. Why mock someone just because they can do something better than you can? Instead of holding anger against them, maybe you should be learning to do it yourself. Mr.Phillips waved her off when she was finished, and Anne took a seat, holding her head down slightly. She shouldn't be embarrassed, she's better than almost all of the people in this room.

"Alright then, after that vivid reading, I think we all deserve a break for having to sit through it. Eat.", Mr.Phillips picked up his things and walked into his office but not before giving Prissy a look, one that made Caroline's face contort with question.