Wicked

• t w o •

There he was once again. Scribbling against a single sheet of parchment, finishing his end of the year note to all the families before the students departed for another two and a half months. He was always meticulous when he wrote his letters, precise in his wording and even the most subtlest of details in correct punctuation and grammar.

He looked to the open glass windows, hearing an unspoken but familiar noise of an old friend nearby. He smiled, watching the slow descent of his pixie friend onto his small balcony.

"Afternoon, Theseus." The pixie bowed lightly and fluttered onto the Headmaster's desk. Dressed in a long burgundy robe matching his tiny size with the features and hair of a 98 year-old man, yet his smile was still as charming and kind since the first day they met.

"Good to see you, Hermès." The Headmaster greeted. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Have you heard the news circling around Callor Town? The H.S. squad is taking serious measures against this new terrorist group on the rise."

Theseus sighed. "Yes. The more I hear about these new groups, the more I fear our world will no longer be the utopia that our ancestors had hoped for."

"I'm going to a council meeting at Juniper City in three days. I am allowed to bring guests to this meeting and I see no better option than the Headmaster of the top school in Eris."

Theseus leaned back into his chair. He knew going to this meeting would serve a good purpose; knowing how to combat the emergence of these gangs and terrorist groups in Eris without the use of violence. His thoughts suddenly shifted to his personal life and the current issues surrounding the last two weeks for him. Clarisse was already not in a good place mentally and his children already wanted to have little to no kind of communication with him.

He remembered Clarisse's words: 'You'd do anything for that damn job and leave your family to rot.' It haunted him like a lurking ghost and ate at him like maggots gnawing inside. If there was anything that could create even more tension than there already was, it would be this.

His family was crumbling every second of the day, making it hard for him to go home to face them at times. He leaned forward and remembered those fiery arguments in the last few weeks leading up to now with his wife regarding his responsibilities to Eris and his family. Seeing his wife Clarisse red in the face and tears leaving a wet pathway down her cheeks was suffocating to remember.

He had always believed that family came first over anything else and was still a firm believer in that notion. He loved his family and would do anything for them, but when Theseus was appointed the new Headmaster at Avalon Academy, it seemed that with his new position and glory came the downfall of his family.

He rubbed his eyes. The seemingly simple idea of going off on a business meeting in three days was no longer an option. His wife would surely drink herself into a stupor should he tell her this.

"I'm afraid I can't, Hermès." The Headmaster stood from his desk and peered outside his window. Below were students racing out of the building, some in glee for the seasonal break and other appearing glum for a summer with no structure.

There was no need to explain. Hermès had known his colleague long enough to know and even witness his family's distress.

"Then I wish you a splendid vacation with your family, Theseus." The old pixie smiled softly at the Headmaster's back and took his leave.

The silence after Hermès left was deafening. A thick cloud of sorrow, pain and guilt looming in the air ready to drown the middle aged man in its dark gloom. A sudden knock on the door woke him from his thoughts and gave him a small fright, his heart quickening its pace.

"Yes. Come in." A woman opened the door with an apologetic smile on her lips.

"My apologies, Headmaster. But-"

A shorter woman pushed past the timid secretary with a force stronger than the northern winds. She was slightly average in her height and had an oblong shape with fair skin contrasting her deep red lips and auburn hair.

Theseus gazed at her and sighed. She was wearing her famous blue ruffled blouse with a small section of cleavage exposed followed by a black pencil skirt. A signature look that meant she went out for some drinks again. Not to mention the smell of whiskey now permeating the air with her presence.

"Clarisse." He sighed.

His phone rang now right before he could ask his wife what was her reason for being here. She never came to his school, not once since he had been initiated in as Headmaster which was almost five years ago.

"Yes?" He answered.

"Good Afternoon, Mr. Kingsley. My name is Kendra Foyer, School Director at St. Carmine Highschool. I'm calling regarding your daughter Zara Kingsley."

~*~

Hope you all enjoyed Chapter 2! I know it's much shorter than the previous but it served its purpose.

If you liked this chapter, please leave a vote or a comment down below and let me know your thoughts so far!

Next update is Friday! So stick around for more.

Have a good day everyone x