Page 30 of Spelling Disaster

No, not like some stalker.

Maybe a little.

I’m not going out of my way to learn everything there is to know about him. I’m just curious. And I like to look.

Just as Blaire said, Theo is definitely thehot guyon campus. Quintessential hot guy. All the girls fawn over him despite him having a girlfriend, or so it appears to me. Helena is always around and although I haven’t gotten a whiff of whether they’re on or off, it seems to me they’re on.

I’ve read enough romance novels to understand one key facet about this situation: Theo doesn’t even know I exist.

Which is made painfully clear the next day in class during group participation.

“Class,” the professor begins. “Can anyone tell me the most crucial element for turning common stones into gold?”

I lift my hand. “The philosopher’s stone?” If it worked for Harry Potter in the books, then maybe it will work for me. It’s my pathetic attempt to add a little humor.

A few snickers answer me.

“Sorry, Miss Williams, that’s incorrect.” The professors smiles tightly at me before pointing toward another student with their hand raised. “Yes, go ahead.”

Okay, so this isn’t a place for jokes. My knowledge and skills are all I have, besides Blaire, and it’s not fair for her to have to babysit me all the time. Theo doesn’t turn in his seat to stare at me like some of his friends do, most of them with derision and only a little bit of pity.

I’ve learned to live with both.

I raise my hand a few more times, the only one who does, offering up several more correct answers to the questions asked. The snide remarks from the others keep coming.

“Homeschoolis trying to become the teacher’s pet,” someone whispers.

“Look at her trying. Like acting so pathetic will get her attention or something.”

My face burns, trying to ignore the remarks.

“I’d like to point out that Yasmine is not the only one who can raise her hand,” the teacher offers. “All of you are more than welcome to give me answers when I ask for them.”

The classroom falls into dead silence.

Focus on that, I tell myself. Focus on the applause and reward for my skills when I’m not cracking jokes.

The applause and reward for my skill are a benefit. Not something to be embarrassed about.

Despite the havoc that comes in the wake of it all.

The professor claps her hands. “Now, today we’re going to be making a poultice in class. Who wants to tell me what sunflowers can be used for in this instance?”

I slide my hand underneath my thigh to keep from lifting it. Another girl to the left of me shoots her hand up to be called on.

“Sunflowers are used for clairvoyance,” she answers.

We’re talking about poultices, so why is the girl…no, she’s not joking. She’s just wrong.

“Sorry, Professor?” I’ve got my hand lifted in the air once again. “Sunflowers are not used for clairvoyance, but to detoxify.”

“Yes, that’s correct, Yasmine.”

An audible groan sounds from behind me and I shrink down into myself instinctively.

“Christ, someone can’t learn how to keep her mouth shut, can she?” The girl at the desk to the right of me, one of Helena’s minions, flips her hair over her shoulder and the temperature in the room changes visibly.

My breath puffs out in a white cloud in front of my face.

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