KAYLA'S POV (Continuing):
For exactly half a second, no one moved.
Then, as if we all shared one brain cell, every single one of us nodded dramatically.
Some students even put on fake mournful expressions.
One guy in the back actually sniffled.
Another girl covered her mouth like she was trying not to sob.
I looked around in awe.
We didn't even know the woman's name.
But the acting?
Oscar-worthy.
The principal looked visibly touched.
"So…" she continued, "I'll be taking her place until she recovers."
The words had barely left her mouth before the class collectively gasped in horror.
"No!"
"No!"
"Absolutely not!"
She paused, raising one eyebrow.
I reacted first, because apparently I enjoyed making bad situations worse.
"W-We mean…" I stammered dramatically, pressing a hand to my chest. "No one can replace her. She's irreplaceable."
The others immediately caught on.
"Yes!"
"We're loyal to her!"
"We will only learn from her!"
The principal blinked, clearly surprised.
"I'm not replacing her," she said slowly. "I'm only here for the time being. I just want to check your knowledge and see how she's been teaching you."
My soul nearly left my body.
Questioning us?
About literature?
Today?
No. Absolutely not.
I stood up halfway, looking like I was moments away from collapse.
"Still… no…" I said weakly, voice trembling with fake emotion. "Because we don't want to hear anyone, even read one word of literature, except for her."
I took a dramatic breath, then continued before anyone could stop me.
"We really miss her. And if you start questioning us about the subject…" I placed a hand over my heart. "It will only make us miss her more and more…"
The room was dead silent.
Everyone was watching me like they were witnessing performance art.
"And then…" I whispered, my voice cracking with fake pain, "we'll have the urge to meet her right now… during school time…"
I put the back of my hand against my forehead.
"But we can't bunk other classes…"
A few people nodded solemnly.
"So if you teach us," I said, now fully committed, "it will force us to do something reckless in the name of love and loyalty."
Then I buried my face in my hands and pretended to cry.
"Please… don't…"