Sukeban (Discontinued)

Chapter 53: Masking Emotions

A small, barely audible groan slipped past the teenager’s lips as she bent forward, leaning over her desk and placing a hand against her forehead. She let out a small stream of shaky breath, feeling the pounding continue against her skull as if something was trying to claw its way out of her head. She could barely stand the pounding sensations but she had little ideas on how to make the throbbing cease.

It had been there since she had woken up that morning. When she went to bed the previous night, she thought a night of sleep would dull the pain a bit as it usually did. It didn’t seem to work though. Mami had woken up with the same splitting headache and no relief from it in sight. She was doing her best to keep a straight face and not show anyone the pain that coursed through her but as the day went by, she was finding that becoming gradually harder to accomplish.

And she hated that. She hated the feeling of slipping up and showing a weak emotion. The blonde teenager wasn’t about to let that happen either, however. She was going to keep herself strong; no one was going to see the pain that thudded against her head.

“Sasazaki.”

The single name was spoken in an authoritative tone, making Mami cringe her body. She didn’t need to think twice about who the voice belonged to. It was obvious from the start who had spoken, and it wasn’t exactly someone Mami was fond of speaking to right now. All she wanted was for him to leave her alone.

Regardless, Mami let her hand fall away from her head and lifted her eyes, gazing up at the teacher who stood beside her now, a sour look on his face. Clearly, he was unhappy with the way the blonde was failing to pay attention. Although Mami failed to see why it mattered at all. It’s not as if she paid attention very often. Why was the teacher bothering with her anymore? Why did anyone bother with her anymore?

“I see nothing gets through to you; you’re still not paying attention in class,” he retorted to the student. Mami narrowed her eyes at him. At the current moment, this was the last thing she wanted to deal with or hear. She knew what the teacher was referring to. She knew it was about her failing grades and the talk with the principal.

“Don’t you have a class to teach?” Mami shot back at the teacher, her eyes narrowing into a harsh glare that made the aging male stumble back a bit. He coughed lowly to regain his composure, crossing his arms and looking down disapprovingly at Mami who didn’t give him much of a response. He huffed slightly, his glare deepening.

“I do have a class to teach and it’s also a class that you ought to be paying attention to.” Mami huffed softly at the harshly spoken words and rolled her eyes. With the aching in her head, Mami really was in no mood to deal with such sarcastic comments from her teacher. She could already feel her anger beginning to peak.

“I’d pay attention if your class was a bit more interest,” Mami bit back at him. She could hear the teacher sigh in annoyance at her behavior and she could practically feel the stares of her classmates on her. It wasn’t as if she cared much though; this wasn’t the first time they saw this sort of exchange and it probably wouldn’t be the last time either.

“Students like you make me wish corporal punishment was still legal.” She could hear the teacher mumble his words so none of the other students heard but it was enough to make her emotions snap. Mami felt as though she could practically see red from the anger that coursed through her. She gritted her teeth, clenching her fists.