Supernatural Taxes

13) I should have just used Knots and rolled him down a flight of stairs.

Atla's shoulders slumped at the word 'groups'.

He held up a stack of papers and read one of them mechanically, "You're supposed to be reacting rapidly to take advantage of current events trends or fads while they're still relevant. Therefore it's due next week. Details in these printouts, pass them around, the absentees are in their own group." He began packing up and the lecture became much louder as students started divvying up, striking a balance between joining their friends and inviting geeks to push all the work onto.

Atla sighed, she half rose from her seat, looking around awkwardly. She received the stack of printouts and placed it on the head of one of Piet's napping friends. Soon the groups settled, some sat down in circles, others left early, and Atla spotted four like-minded stragglers scattered around the hall.

The five made eye contact and realised collectively that one of them would be left out. Atla sped up, towards the point where they were converging, not wanting to be the last one there. But it seemed that they had unanimously decided on their sacrifice since all four of them gravitated together but away from Atla, like she was literally repelling them.

Atla stood rooted in the aisle, fighting against taking it personally. It made sense, she nodded to herself, she was being regarded as some kind of mascot right now and was also Piet's latest target. She wouldn't want to be associated with herself either, that was why Atla wasn't angry... or hurt... not at all.

She clenched her jaw and walked to the front, maybe she could get into that group with whoever was absent today. Sensing her, Mr. Bouwer accelerated his escape, the closer Atla got the faster he moved, eventually grabbing loose papers under both arms and power walking for the exit. "Sir please wait," she called, making him jump.

"What is it, do you need a group?" He asked as gruffly as possible, not looking at her.

"Um yes, I was wondering"

"—Those three are short one aren't they?" He pointed at Piet's troop, they hollered from the back row.

Atla looked between them and Mr. Bouwer in disbelief, "Yes, but sir!"

"—Then go join them." He looked guilty for a moment then pulled the expression beneath his facial hair and left the building glancing around nervously.

Atla trudged to her group and pulled her chair away from the other three, extending their square of chairs into a kite. She was far away enough to leap to her feet should she need to run or let out some frustration defend herself.

Although Mr Brouwer was gone half the class was still here. The rain wasn't too heavy but the wind had become icy enough to keep those with the time inside. Ahead of her at flanks sat two strangers and opposite her, leaning over the backrest of his reversed seat sat Piet.

"Soooooo, what uh, whata' we supposed to be doing?" Piet posed the question to the group.

"Assignment wasn' i'?" The guy to Atla's right added helpfully. He was clearly on top of his game today. "That remin's me of a joke, why do fish never smile?"

He was mostly ignored, "Naw man, I remember this, we got to find something, like a, a way to make money." The beanie guy to her left winced and rubbed his temples.

"—'Cos they're always in schools." He chuckled to himself for a bit

Atla sighed, "We've got to identify an economic opportunity."

The guy to her right was now talking about fishing gear with the bored beanie guy to her left. Piet stopped rocking his chair, "Uhhhhhh-huh... Sorry what was that, Cactus GIrl?"

She grit her teeth, "It's Atla, basically we've got to look at the news and design a way to profit from a recent event."

"That's like what I said, Cactus Girl." chimed beanie guy.