The silence in the classroom felt heavy and suffocating.
Every student stared toward the back of the room, their eyes wide open.
Selyne tried to help by whispering loudly across the aisle to the spot under the bench. "Astrid! It's roll call time! Get up!"
Ilythia's voice broke through the quiet, sharp and cold. She didn't glance at Selyne. Her crimson eyes stayed locked on the empty space under the desk. "Astrid Fal Orenis. Come forward. Now."
A soft rustling was the only response. Then the pink-haired catgirl crawled out slowly and lazily. She stood up, brushing dust off her uniform like she didn't care at all.
'Just a scolding,' Astrid thought, a small smirk on her lips. 'What a bother. Maybe I'll spice it up a bit.'
She met Ilythia's eyes, her own golden-yellow ones full of challenge. Then she vanished.
Fssht!
Astrid wanted to show off, to zip out of the classroom at her superhuman speed and leave everyone stunned. It was meant to poke fun at the rules.
