Jewelled and Wild

Chapter 3

Everyone was waiting in form class. The bell hadn't even rung yet, but none of us knew the school or anyone in it well enough to want to be anywhere else. Miss Heron had let us in and then told us she had to go "organise her office". So everyone was sitting awkwardly. A couple of small groups had formed, and they were starting to get to know each of them a little better. Most of the groups were complaining about the uniform. It really was uncomfortable.

I wasn't interested. I was way too busy watching the door, waiting for Sapphire to turn up. I'd already noticed she wasn't in the room. Miss Heron was coming back to class now, just as I hear the bell ring.

She's calling names out and I watch as one by one the kids around me raise their hands. "Sapphire Sallen?" the room falls silent. It might as well be empty for all the noise there is.
Miss Heron lifts her head to look around the room. Not seeing Sapphire, an expression quickly flashes across her face before looking back at the roll.

That expression, it was almost sad, almost pitting, almost worried, but at the same time none of these things.

"Daisy Teller?" the voice cut through my thoughts. It wasn't loud, or sharp but it might as well have been in the silence of the room.

"Here," I forced as much cheer into the single words as I possibly could, but it wasn't enough to mask my concern. Miss Heron heard, and looked me in the eyes with the same expression as before. The rest of the class started whispering to each other. It was only the second day of school, first if you didn't count orientation which I guess I don't. What could've happened that she was already missing school.

With form class continuing Miss Heron was unable to much other than try desperately to keep everyone's attention long enough to make sure they knew there was an assembly first thing tomorrow. I didn't even hear where we were supposed to go. So, I for one, was going to be wandering around lost in the morning. 

I let thoughts run through my head while walking to the first class of the day, art. I know I'm not great at art, but it's definitely more fun than some other subjects. Stopping at the end of the line I looked up see why we weren't in class yet. I realised that the teacher wasn't here. I could have figured that out if I hadn't been so lost in my thoughts. It also made sense because I knew Miss Heron had still been in the class when I left. There was no way she would have gotten here before me.

Not long after reaching the room, I heard Miss Heron's voice behind me. She was too far for me to figure out what she was saying, and she stopped talking before I could understand her, leaving just her footsteps along the hallway. She came around the corner with another teacher at her side. He nodded to us and continued on his way as Miss Heron told us all to enter the classroom.

Being at the end of the line meant I didn't have much choice at where to sit. It seems a lot of people are excited for art, all the front desks were taken. That left only a few seats right at the back of the class. I head down there and fall into one of he remaining spots. 

Miss Heron starts reading out the roll, she hesitates just before calling my name and closes her eyes for a brief second. Opening them she calls out my name, I respond keeping my face as empty as I can I answer her and raise my hand, as everyone had done. She nods slightly in my direction.

She came to the end of the roll and walked over to the board. It was technically the first day and the board was already covered in drawing people had put there before class. "Welcome to the first day of art," she began. "For today I'm just going to..."

The door creaked open. Sapphire was standing in the doorway, wearing the same clothes as yesterday, hood pulled over her face and staring at the floor. People were staring at her. The first day and she was late and not wearing uniform. This girl had to be a rebel. Miss Heron looked at her for a second, then quietly "There's a seat at the back next to Daisy. Please come and see me after class." Sapphire nodded and slipped down to the back of the class. 

Coming to a stop near the desk, I could see a fear and pain in her eyes without her ever lifting her head. "There's an empty desk over there," I whispered, careful not to disturb Miss Heron who had stared talking again. She nodded softly. There was a quiet gratitude around her. I watched as she sat at the empty desk and started drawing in a book she pulled out of her backpack. Soon she seemed to be in her own world, hardly aware of Miss Heron and the class.