Impromptu Appearance

"Are you sure!?" A hesitant voice reached my ears. "You want to go with me?"
"Yes!" I replied hurriedly, shifting my bag onto my shoulders. I turned around to exit the room after her.
Mrs. George seemed quite shocked to see us coming out of my room together. Her hair was hastily thrown up into a messy bun as usual, as she hurriedly descended the stairs, jogging towards the kitchen to prepare breakfast for her children and husband, who were enjoying a few extra hours of sleep. Her red apron was smeared with food items that had jumped out of the pan, and she held her trusty weapon, the flipper, in her hand.
"What's going on?" She asked as she served the dish of omelette on the table.
I gave a sudden pat on Sania's back, encouraging her to keep going when her mother inquired about her impromptu appearance with me. Taking a seat, I tried to appear nonchalant. After she settled into her chair, I pulled out a chair for myself.
Mrs. George had been standing around the corner of the dining table, eagerly awaiting an explanation. Her eyes, still showing signs of sleep deprivation but not neglecting her duties, now focused on me as if expecting an explanation for this mystery.
"I heard that there's a vacancy at their school. So, I thought of going there to get more information about it," I explained, leaning forward to pick up the jug of fresh juice.
"Oh, is that so?" Mrs. George inquired, turning her gaze in Sania's direction. I could see her nodding nervously out of the corner of my eye.
"Oh, that's great," she continued, a hint of relief in her voice. "So, you'll be teaching at our kids' school now. That'll be of great help to them."
"Yeah," I smiled, quickly shoving another spoonful into my mouth.
"But how will you manage your time?" she asked, raising the question I had been dreading. It was obvious she knew I was studying myself, making it technically and logically impossible for me to teach during the same hours as my own classes.
"Well, they need an arts teacher for extracurricular activities, which will be after school hours. I think I'll be able to make it to the school for the job after my college classes end."
"Oh, that'd be great too," Mrs. George cheered. "Sania, you'll be participating in extracurricular activities from now on."
"Okay, Mum," Sania replied obediently.
"Where's Rix, by the way?" I asked before Mrs. George could retreat behind the kitchen walls.
"He's still upstairs, sleeping. I think he's going to miss school today, not feeling well. You know," she said, turning to vanish into her chores.
I turned my head to find Sania looking at me, a momentary but unmistakable look of relief on her face. It was a small victory, but it meant a lot to me. Today, I was going to start fixing things for her and for myself.
The school corridors buzzed with activity as students hurried towards their classrooms, their backs bowed under the weight of heavy textbooks. I felt Sania's sweaty hand slipping from mine repeatedly, a sign of her nervousness and fear.
"Are you sure you wanna do this!?" She whispered anxiously as we entered her school, pulling me down by my hand.
I shot her a determined look before straightening up. "Honey, I'm absolutely sure. And you don't need to worry about a thing. Got it!?" I reassured her, gripping her shoulders firmly.
It was crucial for me to instill confidence in her, even though I was grappling with my own doubts. I understood the difficulty she was facing because I was experiencing it myself.
"Take me to him!" I commanded, and she nodded obediently, leading the way.
As we made our way through the school grounds, we encountered a throng of students gathered around the basketball court. It resembled the anticipation of a showdown between two legendary athletes, with everyone eager not to miss a moment of the action.
As I peered over the heads of the smaller kids, I could see two figures locked in a heated fight. Fists flew, kicks were exchanged, and the air was thick with shouts and curses. Despite the chaos, nobody dared to intervene; instead, they seemed to revel in the spectacle.
Sania tugged at my hand again, her voice trembling. "That's them," she said.
I immediately straightened up and pushed my way through the crowd, using my elbows to clear a path to the boys. Gripping one of them by the collar, I could see their faces flushed red, blood trickling from various wounds, their uniforms in tatters. Yet, they showed no signs of relenting, locked in a battle neither seemed willing to abandon.
"Leave me!" one of them protested, pushing against my grip.
"Hey, boys! I need a word with both of you," I interjected firmly. "Stop this fight at once, or I'll take you to the principal."
One of the boys beside me seemed to calm down, while the other was helped to his feet by two classmates. With the confrontation defused, I ushered them away from the crowd, Sania slipping away unnoticed to attend her class. She understood the gravity of the situation and didn't want to exacerbate it with her presence. Having learned the reason for their feud, I decided to speak with them away from prying eyes.
"Here, have some water," I offered, handing them cold bottles as we settled under the shade of a nearby tree in the garden. The bell rang, signaling the start of classes as students filed into their classrooms.
"Who are you?" one of the boys finally asked, curiosity mixed with suspicion in his tone.
The boy I had grabbed by the collar was the first to speak up. It didn't take me long to identify him. Sania had briefed me about him briefly. He was a senior, and he harbored feelings for her, despite her affections lying elsewhere, with a boy from her own class.
Their verbal spats over her were a common sight in the corridors, near the gates, during breaks, and so on. However, the situation took a darker turn when I read the letter she had shared with me that night. It detailed how he had escalated from mere verbal confrontations to issuing real threats against her.
Understanding the gravity of the issue, I knew what needed to be done.
"I'll tell you something, boys. Listen carefully, and forget about who I am," I spoke with authority, locking eyes with the boy whose gaze burned with fury, anger, and a determination to win her over at any cost, even if it meant tearing down anyone who stood in his way.
The other boy, his face badly bruised from their scuffle, kept his gaze fixed on the ground, venting his frustrations on the water bottle I had given him. He didn't bother to look up at me, but I could sense the simmering volcano of rage brewing inside him, mirroring the emotions of his adversary. It all boiled down to the primal force of male ego, where nothing else mattered but asserting dominance.
"What's the issue?" I pressed, ignoring his attempt to deflect.
"What issue?" he responded defensively.
"The one between you two," I clarified.
"Miss, that's our personal matter!" he retorted firmly.
Leaning in closer, I whispered in his ear, "Well, it's not just your personal matter anymore. So, you better tell me before I make you do it the hard way."
"Who are you, and why are you asking us this?" he countered, his tone tinged with suspicion.
"It's none of your concern," I replied firmly. "But do you have any idea how your actions are affecting a girl? How your ego is hurting her, her life, her innocence?"
"Excuse me!" he stood up, facing me directly now, his anger palpable.