"You worked very hard, Drake," she said softly, looking up at him. "Almost everything is correct and even the ones that aren’t, you still tried your best. That’s what makes Teacher proud."
Drake bounced on his heels, his cheeks glowing as wide excitent spread across his face. "Really? I did good?!"
She picked up a sweet from the box and placed it in small his palm.
The mont the candy touched his palm, Drake’s eyes lit up like lanterns. "Yessss!" He pumped his fist in the air before grinning at the others, clearly showing off his reward.
"Next, Boo," Alina said.
The little ghost zood forward, holding his notebook upside down. "Teacher, look at Boo’s beautiful work!" he announced proudly.
Alina turned it the right way and stifled a laugh—half the sums had doodles instead of answers. For 3 2, Boo had drawn three bananas plus two bananas. For 4-1, he had scribbled four circles and crossed one out dramatically.
"Boo..." Alina pinched the bridge of her nose. "You didn’t actually write numbers."
"But teacher!! It’s the sa!! Banana plus banana equals banana family!!" Boo protested, spinning dramatically in air.
The whole class giggled.
Alina sighed but her smile betrayed her. "At least you tried. Here’s your sweet."
"BOO WINS!!" he howled happily, flipping upside down before darting back to his seat.
Next ca Vlad Jr., walking with all the dignity of a young prince. He held his notebook out with two hands like it was a royal decree. "Teacher," he said seriously, "mine are flawless."
Alina flipped through. To her surprise, most of his answers were indeed neat and correct—though he had also written a little poem in the margins about how dreadful subtraction was.
"Very good, Vlad Jr.," Alina said warmly, handing him a sweet.
He bowed slightly before striding back, hiding his proud little smile behind his handkerchief.
Then ca Sable, walking forward slowly with his book clutched to his chest. His big eyes blinked nervously as he handed it over. "I tried..." he whispered.
Alina crouched to his level, flipping through the notebook. The handwriting was shaky, so answers wrong, but every page was filled with effort. Her heart lted. "You did wonderful, sweetheart." She gently pressed a sweet into his hand.
Sable’s lips curved into the tiniest smile as he hugged it close, whispering, "Thank you..." before running back.
Rocky shuffled up next, his notebook balanced on his stone-like arms. He hadn’t written much—only numbers here and there but the effort was visible.
Alina nodded. "Good job, Rocky. You did your best."
Rocky blinked his soft blue eyes and smiled shyly as he tucked the sweet into his pocket.
Kelpie followed, practically dripping water in excitent. His notebook had wavy lines and smudges where his wet fingers had blurred the pencil marks, but he had managed to solve most of them.
"Good job, Kelpie," Alina said, patting his head as she handed him a sweet.
"Yaaay!!" Kelpie clutched it happily, droplets flying everywhere.
Luna stomped forward next, cheeks puffed. "Teacher, I finished first, so give two sweets."
Alina raised her brows. "One sweet only, Luna. Let’s see your work."
Luna crossed her arms but still handed the notebook. To Alina’s amusent, the handwriting looked like it had survived battle but the answers were correct.
"Very good, Luna," Alina said, handing her one sweet.
Luna tried to hide her smile as she strutted back to her seat.
Finally, Lucien and Felix ca together.
Lucien’s notebook was beautiful—numbers written like calligraphy. Alina’s eyes softened. "Lucien, this is perfect. Wonderful job." She handed him a sweet, and he gave the tiniest shy smile, ears pink.
Felix had answered everything correctly too, and Alina smiled warmly. "Very well done, Felix!" she praised, handing him a sweet.
Every baby looked so excited after they were handed their sweets, little hands clutching the sugary treasures like they had just won a great battle.
Drake was bouncing in his seat, already licking the sweet as if the sweet might vanish.
Boo zood around the classroom with his prize held high above his head, shouting, "Boo is champion of numbers!!"
Luna tried to act like it was no big deal, but her cheeks puffed happily as she sneaked a quick lick at hers.
Vlad Jr. looked very dignified as he carefully ate his sweet.
Sable sat with both arms curled protectively around his Sweet, smiling to himself in quiet joy, while Rocky simply held his sweet and stared at it with wide blue eyes as though it were the most precious gemstone.
Kelpie giggled with wet cheeks, his sweet already half dissolved from the water he dripped on it. Lucien tucked his neatly into his pocket, waiting patiently to enjoy it later, and Felix sniffed his with suspicion.
Alina clapped her hands gently, her smile soft. "Alright, everyone, five minutes break before language class starts."
"Breakkk!!" Drake shouted, throwing his arms up.
"Five whole minutes!!" Boo spun upside down in the air.
The room instantly burst into happy chaos as the children ran, floated, or waddled off to their favorite corners. So sat hugging their plushies, others traded giggles over who had the shiniest sweet, and Luna dragged her beanbag closer to the sunlight with a little huff. Alina leaned against her desk, watching them with warmth blooming in her chest.
Alina was sorting through her papers when she noticed a small shadow by her desk. She looked up and found Lucien standing there, his hands fidgeting with the hem of his sleeve, his eyes lowered but glimring with sothing shy and important.
"Yes, sweetheart?" Alina asked gently, setting her pen down so she could give him her full attention.
Lucien hesitated, his lips parting and closing again, before he finally leaned closer, his voice so soft she almost had to bend down to hear it. "Teacher... tomorrow is my birthday."
Alina blinked, her heart lted at how he said it like a little secret, as if trusting her with sothing sacred. She smiled warmly, keeping her voice just as soft so the others wouldn’t overhear. "Really? Tomorrow?"
Lucien nodded quickly, his cheeks turning pink. "And... I want to invite you and the whole class"
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