“Tell me, Ms. West, why did you hate us?”

Much like Mr. Douglas, Ms. West froze there for a moment with her body trembling under the effect of the words. She was clearly fighting against Cassie’s influence. Just as Cassie wondered if she should get in the armor, the woman started talking. Started confessing.

“Why did I hate you? Of course I hate you! All of you!” Her voice suddenly grew very emotional. Cassie was taken back at the outburst. “I hate you because you have such bright futures...and meanwhile, I am stuck in my fucking mess of a life!”

“When I was in high school, my parents were conservatives! They were so fucking old-fashioned! If I as much as wore short-sleeved shirts to school, I would be spanked when I get home for dressing inappropriately! I wanted to be a singer! A singer! But guess what? I couldn’t, because my parents didn't want it! In fact, the only reason I’m a teacher now is because my parents think that’s what I should be! And by the time I’m out of their control, it’s too late...”

“Ok, a teacher then. So I tried to be a teacher. I took all the tests and got all the certifications, but the pay for this job is crap! So while spoiled brats like you can get allowances from your wealthy moms and dads just by asking, I have to work my head off every day just to feed myself! And don’t even mention my credit card debt that is multiplying quicker than a pack of fucking rabbits!”

“Even the work as a teacher...it is so damn stupid! I am dealing with teenagers who don’t know a damn thing about grammar and writing! Like...what is going on in their minds? Year after year, it never changes. I’m constantly stuck in this cycle of teaching the same content to different but equally ignorant students. Students who don't show me an inch of respect! Honestly, if there is hell, this is it.”

Ms. West paused as she took a deep breath. Her eyes deviated to the door.

“A few years ago, I met someone. A single father with a son. His wife ran away or something...I never asked about the details. We met and eventually became married all but in name. I thought I could be happy for once. For once, I thought I had something to look forward to. Someone to lean on.”

“But things didn't go well. They never go well for me. I don’t know why, but one day, he decided to shoot himself in the head. He killed himself...I never found out why. Maybe he was depressed. Maybe he had had enough with this fucked up world. We grieved, and by the time we’re done grieving, I found myself with another mouth to feed.”

Cassie finally realized who the teenager that opened the door for her was. The twenty-something year old that looked like crap.

“Caleb graduated from high school years ago. He has ADHD, so the university is a no-show, not that I could've afforded it. He can’t get a job either, so he stays home every day, playing his games like a damn loser!” Ms. West sighed. “And I’m stuck with another mouth to feed. I can leave him since we are technically not related, but…where can he even go? What can he even do?”

As Ms. West mentioned Caleb, Cassie swore she saw a look of kindness in Ms. West’s eyes. Even when she swore, she felt more disappointed than vicious. It was something Cassie never expected to see from the woman. Then again, human beings were complicated 3D creatures, fully capable of a wide range of emotions and actions. No one was always indifferently vicious to everyone around them. Even the worst people can occasionally show kindness.

Ms. West continued her confession as Cassie listened.

“So you ask me why I hate my students. I hate them because they have everything I don’t have. They have their youth. Their beauty. They have their whole lives ahead of them, and they are destined for bright futures. And me? All I have is a growing credit card debt and a pathetic job.”

As she finished, Ms. West became silent once again. As she got out of Cassie’s command, the teacher could still remember what she said. Cassie hadn’t altered her memories yet. The room was quiet for a while. Ms. West bit her lips and tried to conceal her fear of Cassie, the same young woman who could make her talk about her deepest, darkest thoughts without a single command.

Cassie stood there, unsure of what to do for a moment. When she came through the door, she expected to find herself facing a true villain. A sadistic monster who tortured her students just for the kicks of it. That was true, but this same monster was also an equally tormented soul.

Life took everything away from her, so who could blame her for taking out her hatred on other people? Cassie didn't know what she would do if she went through what Ms. West had gone through. If she was equally abused and depressed. If she didn't have her powers.

This raised an interesting question for Cassie. What should she do with the teacher? Unlike Mr. Douglas, Ms. West didn't do anything unforgivable, and there was no way Cassie was going to ruin her life the same way she ruined his. She couldn’t exactly change her financial situation either or somehow make her qualified for a job she actually liked. Her life was miserable, and even Cassie, with all her might, couldn’t change that.

Finally, the young woman made up her mind. She didn't know if it was the correct thing, but it was the best she could do.

“Look, Ms. West. I want to offer you my condolences. I really do. What you have gone through...it is truly unfortunate and I respect you for pulling through.” She paused, and her tone changed. “Alas, the fact remains that you are not fit for your position if you keep up what you have been doing. What you did to those under your charge is unacceptable. As such, I want to offer you a choice.”

Cassie tilted her head and Ms. West listened.

“First, you quit being a teacher and go pursue some other job. You are allowed to have bad days and you are allowed to be stressed out, but you should never be in a position to vent those feelings to your subordinates. I don’t care what you do...but if you choose this path and proceed to use your power to bully other people...silence will be the last thing you worry about.”

“Second option. I will allow you to remain in your position for a while. Consider this an opportunity for you to change and become a better teacher. A better, more responsible person. An actual adult that can control her emotions. At the same time, I will be watching you. If you prove to be beyond salvation...we will chat again, and this time I will be much more aggressive.”

“Your choice, Ms. West. In either case, you will retain your voice for now.”

For a few minutes, the teacher sat there, speechless and deep in his thoughts. A part of her still despised the idea that she even had to make a choice because one of her students said so, but the thought of her time as a mute, with her voice stripped from her by Cassie somehow...even as she could talk again, she still could feel herself shivering from that. What could she do as a mute? She wouldn’t even be able to go shopping!

So...choices. Once Ms. West got her head straight, making a choice wasn’t all that difficult. After all, she had little marketable skills, and as difficult as it would be to control her emotions during teaching, that seemed to be the only option viable to her.

“I will continue to be a teacher...please.” The teacher said quietly.

Cassie nodded gently. She was still cold toward Ms. West, but she was a lot less hostile after at least understanding where Ms. West and her actions were coming from. The woman had her youth and dreams stripped away from her and placed in a position that she utterly despised. The only person she really cared about committed suicide and as far as Ms. West knew, she was responsible for pushing him over the edge, or at the very least not giving him the help he needed. Cassie didn't condone what she did, but she understood.

With that situation solved, Cassie stood up and headed for the door. Before she left the bedroom, Ms. West called out one final question from behind.

“Oh, and Cassie!”

“Yes?”

“I promise I will not tell anyone about your...abilities. I swear it.”

Cassie paused. That was a problem she thought about already. She had the capabilities to erase certain memories from human beings. It was something she liberally did to people like Mr. Douglas and even Ms. West back in that bathroom. Unfortunately, she couldn’t do that to Ms. West now or she would defeat the whole purpose of this conversation. After all, Ms. West had to remember what happened for her to know to change.

In other words, Ms. West would know who Cassie was and what she was capable of, and she certainly was no friend of Cassie.

Nonetheless, Cassie was confident the teacher would be too scared to talk. Even if she did, who would believe her story? A teenage girl that somehow took away her voice? Anyone that heard Ms. West's story would most likely call her delusional.

“I hope you will stay true to your words, Ms. West...for your sake.”

With that final declaration, Cassie left the bedroom, walked by Caleb, who didn't even look up from his gaming pc, and left the apartment.

As Cassie left Ms. West’s residence, her heart was a lot heavier than when she first arrived. Most people didn't wake up one day and decide they wanted to be a dick or a criminal. Sure...a lot of people were simply sick or sadistic. Mr. Douglas was among them. His desire to see others. especially young women, suffering made him a criminal beyond salvation. Cassie was fine with offing him by accident, and she wouldn’t bat an eye if a hundred scums like him perish because of her. They desired it.

But Ms. West was the product of decades of unhappiness, suffering, and poverty. She represented a lot of people who turned to wicked behaviors or even crime without really having a choice. People like her deserved more chances than people like Mr. Douglas. That was the least Cassie could offer them.

Now, she just wondered which type of person the resource officer was and if the negligence of his duty was incompetence...or intentional.