A Book For Your Mind [King]

English was a very general yet diverse subject to teach. English teachers and professors were expected to teach structure, spotting certain elements when reading, and executing various actions when writing. This meant that a lot of material had to be covered via lecture. Cadaverini's method was more focused on writing, but all writers had to know various things in order to succeed. One couldn't break the structure without knowing the structure. Thus she was in front of the class as she went over the medium of poetry. It was just a brief overview since this wasn't her poetry class. The class was broken up into units, and this happened to be the poetry one. That was when she noticed something.

"And so poetry has a rhythm of its own. Speaking of rhythm..."

There was someone in the class that wasn't paying attention. She didn't enjoy giving lectures, but she most certainly didn't like when people ignored them. Her expression didn't change much, but the ruler on her desk levitated. The ruler went flying over to the desk of the student and tapped it repeatedly in such a fashion that it would make a clear noise for everyone in the class to hear. It also tapped in a pattern befitting of iambic pentameter just because she could. She would keep doing it until she caught his attention.

"See me after class."

@"King"

@"King"

While she did want to scold him, she was also curious about the student as well. He seemed to have been reading something instead of taking notes. She would've been more annoyed if he was asleep or texting instead. The ruler moved back to her desk as class concluded. Cadaverini postponed the assignment since she wasn't able to cover everything enough to assign the poetry interpretation listed in the syllabus. The other students flocked out the classroom as she patiently waited at the front desk. She sat down in her chair as her mind organized the papers in front of her and began to put everything away in her bag. Her black eyes stared blankly at the student as he approached her.

"Pay attention in class if you intend to do well."

Her words were excruciatingly blunt and to the point. Mirella gave off the impression of a very strict, no-nonsense teacher. However, she was observant as well. She knew it was a paperback book that pulled his mind away from her words, and the avid reader in her wanted to know about it.

"It may help give you a better appreciation for reading, one which you seem to already possess considering that your nose was in a book. Now just what were you reading?"

Suddenly her facial expression wasn't as scary despite it not really changing. Her tone was softer and lost some of its cold edge. Her eyes shifted to his bag. She could have easily taken it out, but she wanted to give him a chance to do it first. Nosing around in people's stuff with her telekinesis wasn't exactly her thing.

@"King"

The student clearly knew what respect was, and that was very appreciated. He definitely wasn't a troublemaker. He never did give her that impression anyway. She crossed her legs and arms as her eyes focused intently on him. Curiosity bubbled up inside her. She always did enjoy learning about new books and what her students liked to read. Out of the backpack came a book written by a notable author. Looking at the cover, she immediately recognized the name H.P. Lovecraft. She mostly knew him for his contribution to the horror genre, but she did hear that he wrote a collection of poems.

The book floated out of the student's hands as it moved closer to the teacher. She laid not a finger on it as it opened up to several pages in. Her eyes took note of one poem as she began to read it aloud.

"There's an ancient, ancient garden that I see sometimes in dreams,
Where the very Maytime sunlight plays and glows with spectral gleams;
Where the gaudy-tinted blossoms seem to wither into grey,
And the crumbling walls and pillars waken thoughts of yesterday.
There are vines in nooks and crannies, and there's moss about the pool,
And the tangled weedy thicket chokes the arbour dark and cool:
In the silent sunken pathways springs a herbage sparse and spare,
Where the musty scent of dead things dulls the fragrance of the air.
There is not a living creature in the lonely space arouna,
And the hedge~encompass'd d quiet never echoes to a sound.
As I walk, and wait, and listen, I will often seek to find
When it was I knew that garden in an age long left behind;
I will oft conjure a vision of a day that is no more,
As I gaze upon the grey, grey scenes I feel I knew before.
Then a sadness settles o'er me, and a tremor seems to start -
For I know the flow'rs are shrivell'd hopes - the garden is my heart."

Mirella read it like a professional poetry reader. The words echoed from her mouth with ease as she spoke every line. For someone that often hid her emotions, her tone was oddly melancholy. There was a tinge of sadness in her nearly monotone voice. Her face betrayed nothing as she concluded.

"I don't remember ever spotting a student not paying attention because he was focused on reading. That amuses me."

The book was gently shut as it steadily landed on the table. Her eyes switched over to Daniel.

"Your name....Daniel, was it?"

@"King"

"Your attentiveness requires work, but your interest is appreciated."

She rarely used her own hands to perform tasks. Her mind pretty much constantly did things for her via telekinesis. It was second nature at this point for her. For better and for worse would be her thoughts on it. For the first time, she actually used her hands. She picked up the book and handed it directly to him. Just glimpsing at her hands made her realize how pale she was. Did she always look like a ghost? Her memory told her no.

"Are you alright?"

Mirella couldn't properly read his emotions. She wasn't that kind of telepath. All she could do was destroy people's minds and wreck environments, not be a therapist. Her right hand moved to run her fingers through her raven locks as her eyes focused on him.

@"King"

Even if she was bad at reading emotions, that didn't prevent her from being suspicious. She wasn't dumb; she could tell that he was nervous for some reason. She wasn't sure why, but she was interested in finding out. Her eyes pointed at the pouch that came from his pocket. She spotted it before; that book had been in there. There was an odd bulge that she picked up on. The teacher couldn't tell what it was, but it was worth questioning. Her telekinesis snatched up the porch as her mind attempted to forcefully move it away from his grasp.

"Does it have anything to do with this?"

Despite her pushy curiosity, Mirella was not careless with her powers. If she was successful in retrieving it, then she would take care as to not destroy it or cause damages. It would be horrible of her to destroy a student's piece of property. It would just lightly float in such a way that the contents would not spill over.

"I sense your nerves. Be honest with me."

Her words were a demand out of care.