If I Could Turn Back Time || Larissa Weems

Two weeks had gone by since Larissa offered me the teaching position at Nevermore. It was impossible to decide. It would certainly be an increase in my wage, but I've taught at Jericho High School for the past two years. I've gotten to my students, and I'd hate to leave them.

However, there was the subject of the students at Nevermore–children who don't fit into societal standards. Children who needed all the love and care in the world. Children who were deprived of that love and care.

I sat at my desk as my students worked on their assignment, zoning out on my computer screen for so long that it went to sleep. Contrasting thoughts bounced around my head.

You should go.

No, don't do it. 

Yes, do it. It could be good.

But your students love you.

I came out of my trance when a chill ran down my spine. One of the girls from my class approached my desk after class, her voice quiet and meek.

"Um...Miss Foster," she spoke. "At the beginning of the semester you had mentioned you had relations to Outcasts. Well...I'm doing a research paper on them, and I was wondering if you'd be able to answer a few questions for me."

I smiled softly at her. "Of course, ask away."

"So, you said you had relations with Outcasts," she said after pulling out a notebook and pen. "Would you care to evaluate on that?"

If I was being honest, I truly didn't mind her interviewing me. "Everyone on my mother's side is an Outcast."

She scribbled down my answers and continued asking me questions.

"If you don't mind me asking, are you an Outcast?"

"...I am. But not many people know, so I'd prefer if you'd keep my name out of the paper."

"Did you go to Nevermore when you were younger?"

"No, I never had the opportunity. I attended Jericho High School."

"What's your experience been as an Outcast?"

I thought for a moment before answering. "Well...I won't lie to you. Most people didn't know I was an Outcast. And because of that they treated me like any other Normie. So, it wasn't as bad as it could've been. However, because I couldn't go to Nevermore, I never had the chance to be myself, and I think that was the most damaging part of it all."

__________

A few days later, I was sitting in the teachers' lounge, scrolling through my phone as my coworkers sat around the table laughing and carrying on as they ate their lunches.

"Seriously," one of them laughed. "I will never wrap my head around why they still let those freaks into Jericho! They can stay at Nevermore through and through."

"Careful, Rachel, you don't wanna get canceled!" another jeered.

Everyone around the table was laughing, except me. To stop myself from berating every single one of them, I stuffed my sandwich in my mouth.

"Oh, come on, (Y/N)." The guy next to me elbowed me playfully. "Why don't you ever join in on our jokes?"

Another teacher across the table scoffed. "Don't even try, Dave. She's always been sensitive. You should've seen her back in school! You couldn't even mention something negative about Outcasts around her or she'd beat your ass."

"I just don't find it funny," I murmured. "That's all."

Before they could respond, I stood from my chair and threw my trash away. When I left the room, I could hear snickers from my colleagues, but I ignored them and kept walking down the hall. While I had aimed to go back to my classroom, I ended up running into the Principal, throwing him a friendly smile.

"Miss Foster," he smiled. "I was just looking for you! Can you come with me to my office?"

I was confused, but still, I followed him.

When we arrived at his office, I took a seat in front of his cluttered desk. He folded his hands on the table, sighed, and averted his eyes.

This isn't going to be good.

"It has come to my attention," he said, "that there are rumors of you being an Outcast."

My heart dropped. I had completely forgotten about the interview my student had me do. But how did it get out? She hadn't used my name in the paper. But then, it dawned on me. As soon as my student left, another walked in to ask me a question. I had no idea how long he had been standing there.

There was no use in denying the rumors. It would come out eventually.

"Um...the rumors...they're true," I mumbled.

"This is not an easy thing to do, (Y/N)." He finally looked me in the eyes, and I knew instantly what was coming. "But, after the recent murders, a lot of suspicion lies on the Outcasts."

Here it comes.

"And, I cannot have an Outcast working at this school."

I took a deep breath as I processed his words. "But, Principal Miller, it isn't–"

"I'm sorry," he interrupted. "But, if parents hear word of it, they'll become angry. They'll insist on not sending their children to school, and we can't have that."

Tears of anger sprang into my eyes as my voice strained. "We can't have that? Or you can't have that?"

"(Y/N)," he said, "I know it's–"

"It's what?" I asked, my voice rising and the tears starting to fall. "It's unfair? It is. You will never know what it is like to be treated lesser than everyone else. To be fired from your job for being different !"

He huffed. "I cannot have a...a... freak ...on my staff!"

The way he shouted at me–the way he called me a freak–made me realize that no matter how many Outreach days we'd have, no matter how much Normies and Outcasts appeared to get along, they will never see us as equals.

"You're to be gone before the end of the day," he stated. "I'm sorry, (Y/N)."

After standing up, my hands balled into fists, I looked him dead in the eyes with a sneer on my tear-streaked face. "No you're not."

Without another word, I turned and left the room and made a direct line for my classroom to gather my things. It wasn't until I had slammed the door to my house that I finally broke down. And, it was evident then, that the universe had made the decision for me.

So, after calming myself down, I picked up my phone and went into my contacts. With a shaking voice and trembling hands, I sniffled as I made a phone call, praying that she'd answer. "Larissa? Yeah, it's me. Um...I was just wondering. Is that teaching position still available?"