Faust knew very well that substitute teachers tend to get bullied. With less experience and less authority, they’re easy targets that students use to vent their frustrations. However, Faust was anything but easy.           

“Tammy!” Faust barked. He swiftly turned away from the board and pointed his chalk at the problem student. “Read the next paragraph.”

The instant the words left his mouth, Tammy sprung up from her chair and began reading.

Faust nodded after she finished with no mistakes. Whether it was teaching or his true calling, Faust knew that the key was intimidation.

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“Belle! Read the next one.” Faust spun again and pointed his chalk towards the loner sitting in the back.

“-Ah!” Faust exclaimed as the chalk flew out of his hand.

Most of the students couldn’t follow the tiny cylinder with their eyes, but Belle caught it between her middle and index fingers. Faust flinched as Belle fixed her eyes on him. He couldn’t tell if it was a glare, or her resting expression.

Belle flicked the chalk back to Faust at an incomparable speed. Faust moved to catch it, but the projectile slipped past his fingers. A loud thunk echoed through the classroom as the chalk embedded itself in the black board. Like an arrow in a target, the chalk stuck out at a ninety-degree angle and showed no signs of falling.

Belle stood up and began reading as if nothing had happened. No one raised any complaints, including Faust who had been struck silent. Suddenly, Faust realized why Belle was never bullied, despite being a loner.