Chapter Text
"Alright, then I'll organize everyone so no one is left without a team," said an authoritative and serious voice that echoed throughout the classroom. The teacher had announced a group project that would last a whole month. All the teams were chosen randomly, to create an environment where students would forge friendly relationships with people outside their comfort zone, making the classroom "more united and stronger." But on the other hand, and to the dismay of many, the teacher placed certain students with low academic performance in work groups with "more responsible and exemplary" members.
"This is so stupid," Pomni muttered to herself, as she waited in her chair for Professor Abel to announce the names of the students she would be working with for the next month. Pomni found it ridiculous to a certain extent. Why didn't Mr. Abel just tell them who they would be teamed with once and for all? She hoped her next team wouldn't be a disaster. Everyone in that classroom seemed to be a stranger; after all, it was a new class. Maybe that's why they were doing this, or perhaps the teachers didn't want to see anyone excluded. Pomni laughed. They were probably just doing it to have an excuse if a bullying incident arose in the future. The principal would probably say something stupid like, "We've implemented new regulations so students can interact healthily," and then claim the problem lies with the student being bullied. Everyone at that school knows the principal is awful, and that there are serious cases of bullying. If it hadn't been for a student who reported the horrible bullying he was receiving from other students to the authorities in the past, and the stupid principal doing nothing to stop it, this stupid "friendship and relationships" dynamic wouldn't be happening.
Everyone knew the principal wouldn't care about bullying if it weren't for the complaint, which, fortunately or unfortunately, was a failure, and the bullied student simply left the school. They were only doing it for show, not because they actually cared about the students.
Pomni was lost in thought, so engrossed that she didn't notice a redhead approaching her. "Hi, Mr. Abel assigned me to you," she said. The girl's voice, though a little stressed, sounded cheerful. Pomni didn't blame her; she didn't want to make enemies right now, because she'd have to put up with them for the whole month. Despite everything, the girl's voice sounded sincere.
Pomni was about to reply to the redhead, but a girl who looked like she was about to cry appeared behind her. "I was assigned to this team," she said, her voice trembling with emotion.
"Okay, fine, I'm Pomni," she replied.
The girls sat near Pomni. Abel had announced that everyone had to sit with his group, no exceptions.
Pomni looked around the room, saw the other groups, and then looked at her own. "Does anyone know why there are only three of us and everyone else has five?" she asked, noticing the noticeable lack of members in their team.
"It seems those two decided to skip class today," the redhead said. "But that's okay, we can get to know each other so we can do a great job, and then we'll meet the other kids." The girl's tone was a bit too energetic for the situation, but she was right.
Well, this is going to be a long month, Pomni thought to herself with a sigh.