Astralyth Online

Chapter 58 – Finding Inspiration

Madelyn, Sarah, Lillian, David, and James made their way to the classroom for their mentor session with Mr. Thatcher. The corridors buzzed with the usual morning energy, students chatting and moving about. As they entered, Madelyn found her usual spot next to Sarah, who grinned at her, clearly enjoying their routine.

Once the class settled, Mr. Thatcher stood at the front, leaning casually against his desk. “Alright, everyone, no major announcements today,” he began, his voice carrying its usual calm authority. “Use this time wisely—finish up your homework, prepare for any upcoming tests, or catch up on any classwork. If you need help, just ask.”

Madelyn glanced at Sarah, who already had her notebook out, doodling absentmindedly. Meanwhile, Lillian, seated a few rows ahead, was flipping through her biology notes, while David and James whispered to each other, likely joking about something as always.

Pulling out her math book and her English notebook, Madelyn decided to focus on what she could manage. The familiar rhythm of working on equations helped steady her thoughts, pushing away the lingering anxieties of the last few days. The numbers and symbols on the page seemed to make more sense than they ever had before, her pencil gliding effortlessly across the paper.

As she solved problem after problem, Madelyn paused, blinking down at the page. Did I really just finish the whole set already? She flipped back a few pages, double-checking her answers, but everything seemed correct. The math that had once taken her ages to grasp now felt almost intuitive, as though her mind worked faster than before. Her hand twitched with residual energy, itching for more problems to solve.

Once she finished all of her math homework, her attention drifted to her English assignment—a short story they were supposed to submit by the end of the week. Her pen hovered over the page, and she found herself jotting down ideas she hadn’t planned before.

The themes of courage, fear, and identity had taken on a new significance after everything she’d experienced. Her story began to shift into something deeper—a journey of self-discovery, of finding strength in unexpected places.

“What’re you writing about?” Sarah whispered, leaning closer to peek at Madelyn’s notebook. Her breath tickled Madelyn’s ear, making her jump slightly.

“It’s, uh…” Madelyn’s voice faltered as she turned the notebook slightly to give Sarah a better view. “Just my English story. I’m reworking it a bit.”

Sarah’s eyes scanned the page, her lips curving into a smile. “Ooh, I like it. You’re putting even more of yourself into it now, huh?”

Madelyn blushed, her hand moving to cover part of the page. “Maybe.”

“Don’t be shy about it,” Sarah encouraged, nudging her shoulder gently. “It’s going to be amazing. You’ve got so much to say, Maddy.”

Madelyn smiled softly, her tail wanting to twitch beneath her Human Disguise. “Thanks, Sarah.”

Across the room, Mr. Thatcher glanced up from his desk, giving them a brief look before returning to his paperwork. The quiet hum of the classroom settled back in, punctuated by the occasional rustle of paper or muted whispers.

Madelyn returned to her work, her thoughts swirling. She had so much going on in her life, but this story felt like a small way to make sense of it all. Writing it down, even in fiction, gave her a sense of control—something she sorely needed.

Madelyn was so absorbed in her story that the rest of the classroom seemed to fade away. Her pen moved fluidly across the page as she sketched out a particularly emotional scene, her mind immersed in the journey of her characters. She didn’t even notice the quiet shuffle of footsteps approaching her desk.

“Madelyn,” a calm yet firm voice broke through her thoughts.

She nearly jumped out of her seat, her pen skidding across the page and leaving an unintended mark. Her wide eyes shot up to see Mr. Thatcher standing beside her desk, his arms crossed but his expression kind.

“Sorry!” she squeaked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Mr. Thatcher gave a soft chuckle. “Relax, you’re not in trouble. I just wanted to check up on you.” His tone was warm, his eyes sincere as he added, “How was your first day yesterday? Do you need anything else to help you settle in?”

Madelyn felt the heat rise to her cheeks, embarrassed at being caught so off-guard. She glanced at Sarah, who was smirking at her in amusement, before turning her attention back to Mr. Thatcher. “Oh, um, it was good,” she said, her voice steadying. “Everyone’s been really nice, and I’m getting used to everything.”

Mr. Thatcher nodded, his demeanor reassuring. “I’m glad to hear that. Starting fresh like this isn’t easy, but you’re doing great so far.”

Madelyn felt a small surge of pride at his words. “Thank you.”

He glanced down at her notebook, tilting his head slightly. “That your English assignment?”

“Yeah,” Madelyn admitted, quickly closing it, feeling self-conscious. “I’ve been, um, tweaking it a bit.”

“Good to see you’re putting thought into it,” he said with an encouraging nod. “Stories are a great way to express yourself. If you ever need feedback, let me know.”

Madelyn blinked in surprise, then smiled. “I will. Thanks, Mr. Thatcher.”

He straightened up, glancing around the room. “Alright, keep up the good work. Let me know if you need anything.”

As he moved to the next student, Madelyn let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Sarah leaned over, her grin widening. “Someone’s a teacher’s pet.”

Madelyn shot her a mock glare, though she couldn’t suppress the smile tugging at her lips. “I’m not.”

Sarah shrugged, smirking. “Sure, Maddy. Whatever you say.”

Shaking her head, Madelyn returned her focus to her story, but the interaction had left her feeling a little lighter. 

As mentor class wrapped up, Madelyn closed her notebook with a satisfied smile. She had poured her heart into the story, and she felt genuinely proud of what she had written. Sarah leaned over to peek at her notebook, but Madelyn quickly slid it into her bag, earning an exaggerated pout from her best friend.

"Not yet," Madelyn said with a smirk. "You'll see it when it’s ready."

Sarah rolled her eyes playfully but grinned. "Fine, keep your secrets."

The group gathered their things and started toward their next class, English with Mrs. Carter. The hallways buzzed with activity, students chatting and lockers slamming shut, but most of the group’s attention was on Sarah, who was animatedly recounting her victory in Mario Kart the previous night.

“And there I was,” Sarah began dramatically, gesturing wildly, “first place, final lap, and then—bam! Blue shell out of nowhere. But did that stop me? Nooope. I dodged it like a pro.”

Madelyn rolled her eyes playfully. “You got lucky, Sarah.”

“Oh, come on, Maddy,” Sarah shot back, grinning. “I crushed every single race. Admit it—I’m the queen of Mario Kart. You were just happy finishing each race…”

James chuckled. “Sounds brutal, Maddy. Maybe Sarah should give you lessons?”

Madelyn narrowed her eyes at Sarah, but she couldn’t help the small smile tugging at her lips. “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. I’ll beat you one day, just wait.”

As the group neared their classroom, the light banter helped ease Madelyn’s nerves. Despite the chaos of the past few days.

Madelyn glanced at Sarah, who was still gloating about her flawless Daisy gameplay. She couldn’t help but smile.

When they arrived in Mrs. Carter’s classroom, the teacher greeted them with her usual warm smile. “Good morning, everyone. Settle in, please.”

The class began with a brief explanation of the next steps in their assignments. Mrs. Carter outlined tips for polishing their stories, emphasizing the importance of emotion and vivid imagery. Madelyn listened intently, feeling a flicker of inspiration for her revisions.

Afterward, Mrs. Carter gave them the remaining time to work independently. The room filled with the soft rustling of pages and the quiet scratching of pens against paper. Madelyn pulled out her notebook, her pen poised to refine a few details in her story. The scene she was working on—a moment of quiet reflection for her protagonist—felt eerily parallel to her own life.

Sarah nudged her arm gently. "Need any help?" she whispered.

Madelyn shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. “I think I’ve got it, but thanks.”

As she worked, the words seemed to flow effortlessly. The protagonist's struggle with self-discovery and identity mirrored her own journey, and she found herself pouring more of her feelings into the narrative than she had initially intended. By the time Mrs. Carter called for their attention again, Madelyn had added a few final touches and underlined the title with a sense of accomplishment.

Mrs. Carter clapped her hands lightly. “Alright, everyone. Time to wrap up. Don’t forget to submit your drafts by the end of the week.”

As they packed up, Sarah leaned closer to Madelyn. “You seemed super into it. Let me read it later?”

Madelyn hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Okay. But only if you promise to give honest feedback and not to laugh.”

Sarah’s grin widened. “Deal. I’m sure it’s amazing, though.”

The next class was Chemistry with Mrs. Elwood. As the students began to file in, Sarah quickly made a beeline for the seat next to Madelyn, plopping her bag down with a triumphant grin.

Before Madelyn could even return the smile, Mrs. Elwood’s sharp voice cut through the chatter. “Sarah, that seat’s not for you,” she said, pointing to a spot at the far end of the classroom.

Sarah turned, her eyes wide with exaggerated disbelief. “But Mrs. Elwood, I—”

“No ‘buts,’ Sarah,” Mrs. Elwood interrupted, her tone firm but not unkind. “You’ll sit over there, and Madelyn can work with Kim again. I’d like you to focus, not chat the entire period.”

Sarah groaned dramatically, throwing her head back as if the weight of the world had just been dropped on her shoulders. “You wound me, Mrs. Elwood,” she said, gathering her things with an exaggerated pout.

“Off you go,” Mrs. Elwood said with a small smile, unfazed by Sarah’s theatrics.

As Sarah trudged to her new seat, she shot Madelyn an exaggerated glare. “This is a conspiracy I swear,” she whispered loudly.

Madelyn chuckled, shaking her head. “you’ll survive somehow,” she whispered back, though she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment as Sarah sat down on the other side of the classroom.

Kim slid into the seat beside Madelyn, giving her a friendly nod. “Guess it’s you and me again,” she said, her tone light.

Madelyn smiled. “Looks like it. Ready for today’s experiment?”

Kim grinned. “Yeah. Let’s do this.”

As Mrs. Elwood began explaining the lab assignment, Madelyn focused on setting up the materials, carefully laying out the test tubes and beakers. Behind her, she could hear Sarah muttering theatrically, probably about the injustice of being separated again. It brought a small smile to Madelyn’s face, even if she was starting to tune out the grumbling.

Kim adjusted her goggles and glanced over. “You’re pretty good at this,” she said, nodding toward Madelyn’s neat setup. “Do you like science?”

Madelyn paused, considering. “Yeah, I guess. I mean, I’ve always liked figuring out how things work, but chemistry can be… unpredictable.”

Kim laughed lightly. “That’s kind of the fun part, though, right? Controlled chaos.” She expertly measured a small amount of acid into a beaker. “What’s your favorite subject, then?”

“Hmm…” Madelyn thought for a moment. “English, I guess. I like writing, creating stories.”

Kim raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued. “Stories? Like fantasy or sci-fi?”

“Mostly fantasy,” Madelyn replied, a little more relaxed now. “I guess I just like the idea of creating whole worlds, you know?”

Kim nodded. “That’s cool. I’m more of a sci-fi person myself. Space travel, advanced tech, alien conspiracies… the works.”

Madelyn chuckled. “Sounds like something Sarah would enjoy too. She’s into all the wild theories.”

Kim grinned, leaning a little closer. “Speaking of which, how did you and Sarah meet? You two act like you’ve known each other forever.”

Madelyn froze for a split second, her mind scrambling for a believable answer. “Uh… well, we actually kind of hit it off on my first day here,” she said, trying to keep her tone light. “She was the first one to really talk to me, you know? And we just… clicked.”

Kim tilted her head, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Huh. That’s funny, because it seemed like you two already had all these inside jokes and stuff yesterday. It didn’t really feel like ‘just met’ energy.”

Madelyn’s grip tightened slightly on the pipette she was holding, but she forced a smile. “Y-Yeah, well, Sarah’s just that kind of person. Makes you feel like you’ve known her forever.”

Kim regarded her for a moment longer, then nodded slowly. “I guess that’s true,” she said, though her expression suggested she wasn’t entirely convinced. “Sarah’s pretty great like that.”

Madelyn exhaled quietly, relieved Kim didn’t push further. She focused on the experiment, carefully mixing the next solution while Kim adjusted the burner.

After a moment, Kim shifted the conversation. “Alright, random question time,” she said, her tone more playful again. “What’s your favorite animal?”

Madelyn blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift. “Favorite animal?” she echoed, stalling for time. Her mind raced. Saying foxes felt like a trap, and her nerves prickled at the thought of it. She hesitated for a moment longer before blurting out, “Cats. I like cats.”

Kim raised an eyebrow, a small smirk playing on her lips. “Cats? Really? You’re sure it’s not… foxes?”

Madelyn froze, her cheeks flushing slightly. Kim’s tone was teasing, but the question still made her heart skip. She forced a light laugh. “Foxes are cool, I guess,” she said, keeping her voice steady. “But cats are, like, low-maintenance and super cute.”

Kim tilted her head, her gaze lingering a little too long. “Huh. You just… give off fox vibes, I guess,” she said, shrugging lightly before turning back to the experiment.

Madelyn’s heart leapt into her throat. Fox vibes? What does that even mean? Did she notice something? Does she know? No, that’s ridiculous, she can’t possibly know… right?. Her hands trembled slightly as she adjusted the beaker, her mind racing.

“W-Well, I guess it’s better than snake vibes, right?” she blurted, forcing a nervous laugh as she tried to sound casual.

Kim chuckled, seemingly oblivious to Madelyn’s internal panic. “Fair point. Snake vibes would definitely be creepy.”

Madelyn managed a weak smile, though her pulse was still pounding in her ears. She forced herself to focus on the experiment, praying Kim wouldn’t ask anything else suspicious. By the time they finished, Madelyn had barely regained enough composure to help write the final report.

As they packed up, Kim smiled at her. “You’re fun to work with. See you next time, Madelyn.”

Madelyn nodded stiffly, offering a quick “Yeah, see you,” before practically fleeing the room. Her mind was still spinning as she searched for Sarah in the hallway, clutching her books tightly.

Madelyn spotted Sarah, her arms crossed dramatically. “So, how was the other best friend?” Sarah teased, her grin wide.

Madelyn grabbed Sarah’s wrist and pulled her to the side, her voice a hushed, panicked whisper. “She knows!”