The Board

*Mid September*

As your alarm went off, you looked to the time and saw 5:30am. You questioned why you stayed up until 2am reading old papers in Latin, you knew you needed more sleep than 3 and a half hours. Dreading an hour flight, hour wait, and an hour train ride, you found yourself in the shower, desperately trying to rinse out the cherry red dye that you put in your hair two days prior. Messing with your image was something you did to replace your older coping mechanisms, which according to your husband were much more harmful. They were, you knew, but it's hard to get away from the things that were once so comforting. Watching the red dye fall down your chest and arms, you look to your new tattoo, covered with transparent protective material. The look and feel of your arm was slightly different than you were used to, yet it was all too similar.

On the plane you found yourself diving back into the Latin language. Yes, it is a dead language, but it’s importance in so many subjects lead to the need to be understood by you, in order to posses all the knowledge you longed to. You knew many languages, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, German and Russian, which you learned by the time you were 25.

The last 5 years have been rocky to say the least. You've been married since you were 20, had this job since you were 18, and knew more than anyone you've ever met. Since you turned 25, you've felt distant from your husband, tired from your job, and haven't been as interested in learning things as you once were. Again, you were tired of your job. The travelling mostly, but also the being alone. Right after you graduated, the outcast board took you on due to your language knowledge, organizational skills, and expertise in many fields. You are exceptionally good at recognizing details and scoping things out when going on school visits, as well as conversing with the teachers and higherups. You were lucky to have this well paying job so young, but when you look back, you can't help but think of the many other jobs that could have benefitted you, and still would.

Finally on the train, you took a break from the Latin and focused on the scenery. There was so much nature and so many trees compared to where you lived, and that's one thing you liked about travelling. Maybe travelling wouldn't even be that bad if you had someone to do it with. Your husband traveled for work, but as he had the same job as you, you never traveled to the same places at the same time, and alas, you were always apart. In the back of your mind you were happy about that, even though you knew you shouldn't be.

At the train station, you looked to the time, 11:25am. You were hungry now as all you ate for breakfast was a protein bar on the plane. Walking through Jericho, you came across a bookstore, flower shop, bar, café, and Pilgrim world. Wait, what's Pilgrim world? Not out of the ordinary for a small town you thought, it intrigued you to learn about the history behind places you travelled to. Stopping at the Weathervane café, you found your way inside and put your suitcase in a corner booth. Since it was lunch time, it was pretty busy. You were used to places being busy though, considering you lived in New York City. You looked at the menu and you decided to just get a breakfast sandwich. Coffee, although you loved it, just heightened your anxiousness, and hot chocolate was not something you found appealing, too sugary.

While you ate your breakfast sandwich, you observed people in the café. Some Nevermore students were there. You remembered reading that they weren’t allowed to go into town during lunch, for safety reasons. Besides them, it looked to be a bunch of older people, and some kids, probably from a normie school. Everyone just looked like a bunch of normies, but I guess you did too, since your ability is not a visibly presenting or obvious one.

After finishing your breakfast sandwich, you walked up to the two students from Nevermore. "Hi, nice to meet you" you said with a smile. They looked at you with a bit of concern, wondering what you would want with them, and why you had a suitcase. "Bella and Sydney, if I remember correctly? I'm joking, of course I do" you said with a smirk, knowing that they were super confused. "Yes, how did you know?" Bella said. "I work for the outcast school board, my name is Mx. Ricci and I am here to observe Nevermore and report on how this term is starting out. I do believe I read somewhere that Nevermore students aren't allowed out in Jericho during lunch due to safety concern, is that true?" you asked them, and they looked at each other in defeat. "Yes, it’s true, we'll walk back to school now, sorry" Sydney said. "Nonsense, I'm getting a taxi there right now, I'll give you both a ride if you show me to Principal Weems' office when we get there." They both half smiled and Bella said "Deal."

When you got to Nevermore, you were in awe. It was a literal castle, so well kept and decorated, and the iron gates and gargoyles made it look so spooky, in a good way. Bella and Sydney lead you up to Principal Weems' office, and you thanked them before going to knock on her door. To their surprise and yours, Principal Weems called to them while walking towards you from the hall, and they looked like they wanted to run. "Sydney, Bella, what are you doing up here? Aren't you supposed to be in the meal hall?" She chirped at them. "Forgive me Principal Weems, I couldn't find my way to your office and I asked them if they would show me" you smiled at her, knowing it was her from the one photo you remembered seeing. Also, you knew your way to her office, having never been to Nevermore before, because you briefly saw a map of the school online. She turned to them "Well, thank you for your help girls, now get to meal hall before lunch is over". You winked at them before they turned and ran to meal hall, hoping you wouldn't tell principal Weems that you caught them at the Weathervane. Turning back to Principal Weems, you held out your hand, "Principal Weems, I am Anura Ricci, from the board. It is so nice to meet you." Her face turned from stern to soft, she shook your hand but gave you a confused look. "Nice to meet you Mx. Ricci. Forgive me, but I did not know you would be arriving so soon. I would have picked you up from the train station myself." You smiled at her and reassured her with a "no worries." She in fact did look worried, but you weren’t really sure why. She unlocked her office door and pushed it open, gesturing for you to enter first.

Walking over to her taxidermy bear in the corner, you admired all the interesting décor that lined her office. You looked to her huge fireplace on the opposite wall, a couch in front of it. She gestured for you to sit in front of her desk, so you did. "Wow, I saw photos of this place online, but I didn't think it would be this immaculate in person." Larissa sat down at her desk. "Yes, it is quite beautiful, the photos don't do it justice. So, did you attend an outcast school?" You panned to her desk where you saw a unicorn mug resting on it. You smirked, "Yes I did, in Italy. Just a small school, nothing too fancy."

You went over your plans for the next two days with her and she seemed content with you listening in on classes and making sure things were up to date. She took a deep breath, "Mx. Ricci, I must let you know, since you will be here during the event, that I am planning a school trip into Jericho tomorrow. I understand that I am not supposed to be planning outcast-normie events or spending time on these sort of things, but I really think the students would benefit from a trip to Pilgrim world, to learn more of Jericho's history." She paused after spilling this information, in doing so, she sounded like a student telling on themselves for doing something they weren’t supposed to. She continued, "Before you say anything, I funded this trip myself, so no worries about wasting the schools money." No worries? No, worries. Is this why she looked worried earlier? You were extremely confused. "Principal Weems, I appreciate you being honest with me. I am slightly confused though. Why do you sound like you're doing something you aren't supposed to be doing" you let out a giggle, "and why did you fund it yourself? The board allows Nevermore funding for trips like this." She looked to you, more confused than you were. Just then, you recalled hearing something that your co-worker Mr. Martell had said in a meeting awhile ago. You recalled it perfectly. 'That pretentious Hitchcock pin-up shapeshifter. Women think they can do whatever they want, spend all our money, 'fix' normie-outcast relations.' It came back to you like it had just been said. "Principal Weems, I believe you are a pretentious Hitchcock pin-up shapeshifter, according to my co-worker." She looked at you baffled, as she recalled that was exactly what he had called her. You continued, "The board, embarrassingly so, is all over the place. We don't see eye to eye sometimes. If you want to push outcast-normie relations and be involved with the rest of Jericho, please by all means. And as for the funding, you will have all the money you wish, I will see to it." You admired her drive, her motivation, and the way she cared for the students. She let out a breath and put her hand over her chest in relief. She smiled with her teeth and tilted her head, with a "thank you Mx. Ricci." You laughed at her, she looked adorable all anxious, "breathe, Larissa" you joked. "My last board visit was rather, unpleasant, and I was prepared for the same thing again." You looked up at her giggling, knowing who was here last time and what he had said, but not knowing what had really happened. "I do believe Mr. Martell was here last time, and hopefully without sounding pretentious, you're lucky I'm here."

She showed you your temporary quarters and you immediately turned on the tv. Putting on a documentary, you spoke just as she was turning in the doorway about to leave. "Principal Weems, I will be staying here tomorrow to explore the school since no students will be present. I hope you have a joyous day in Jericho, and if you need anything, don't hesitate to call." She nodded and a blush was evident on her cheeks, you knew she was relieved that you were not unpleasant, like a certain man. "Mx. Ricci, may I ask you a question?" You nodded your head yes, wondering why she had to ask. "I know nothing about you, but you seem to know things about me. How did you know who I was when you saw me, and how did you know about my last board visit exactly?" You grinned, you knew more about her than that. "I remember things I hear and see when they're something that I care about. I saw your photo online before I arrived. If I'm not being too forward Principal Weems, in person you are quite beautiful. The photo doesn't do you justice, to quote yourself" you said with a wink. You sat down and got lost in the documentary.