56 I Wish I Could Turn Back Time

"Excuse me. Have you seen a pretty young girl with long reddish brown hair around?" Cynthia asked the first school guard that she saw who was patrolling the academy grounds.

"Sorry, Ma'am," the guard replied as he shook his head. "I didn't see any girl that matches your description. Is she lost or anything?"

"No, but the Dean is looking for her," Cynthia said while trying to hide the panic in her voice. "If you see her, please tell her to go to the Edelweiss Building, Room 3B. Tell her that the proctor reconsidered and will now allow her to take the exams."

Although the guard was surprised by her words, he still nodded his head in understanding. "Understood. If I see the girl, I will tell her your message."

"Thank you very much!" Cynthia was about to leave when she thought of something that might assist in her current predicament. "Please, pass the message to the other guards as well. It seems that she has a close relationship with the Dean. If anyone finds her, tell them that Cynthia Thompson will reward them handsomely for their effort!"

The guard's countenance changed when he heard the words "close relationship with the Dean" and "reward" from the teacher in front of him. It was impossible not to be moved since the possibility of getting a promotion and a reward was at stake. The guard decided to ask his colleagues for help, but keep the information about the rewards to himself.

He would just buy his friends a drink or two if they find the girl. As long as it was kept under wraps, no one would know.

"Very well," the guard said with a smile. "I will ask my friends for help."

"Thank you!"

Cynthia didn't waste anymore time and resumed her search. Now that she managed to find helpers, finding the girl would be a lot easier, right? Is what she thought, but after running around the academy for twenty minutes, she still didn't find Kate!

The once proud teacher of the most prestigious academy was now on the verge of tears. Now she understood the meaning of the phrase "Regret always comes in the end." If there was a medicine for regret, Cynthia was willing to buy it in bulk. If she only had shown mercy, if she had been a bit more compassionate then all of this wouldn't have happened.

With a heavy heart, she decided to go to the one place in the academy that had served as her sanctuary for the past five years. A place where she went when things got tough and she had to clear her mind in order to make the right decisions. It was none other than the Garden of Saint Claire Academy.

Her weary footsteps fell on the familiar cobblestone pathway. The familiar subtle fragrance of lilies, freesia, orchids, roses, and Camelia trees assaulted her nose. Although the burden in Cynthia's heart was still there, her anxiety lessened a bit. She understood that things were no longer in her control and resigned herself to her fate.

She headed towards the center of the garden, where the fountain was located. The fountain had a nickname within the academy. It was known as the "Wishing Fountain'. The students would throw a coin in the fountain and pray that they passed their exams. It had been a tradition of sorts. Every three years, the coins would be gathered and donated to charitable institutions all over the country.

Cynthia had also thrown a couple of coins in the fountain as well, especially when she had just become a teacher in the academy. She laughed a hollow laugh as she fished a coin from her pocket. She unceremoniously threw the coin on the fountain and closed her eyes.

"Just this once, I wish that I could turn back time," Cynthia muttered as a single tear streamed down the side of her face. "If I am given a second chance, I promise that I will strive to become a better person. I promise that I will be more merciful, more compassionate."

"More...human." she added after a pause.

A sigh escaped her lips as she finished talking. "Cynthia you're already this old and you still believe in this nonsense."

Although she berated herself, her heart also found a moment of peace. She knew that there was nothing more that she could do and what awaited her was a bleak future. There were only five minutes in the allotted time that she was given and she had already given up.

"What will come will come," Cynthia smiled wryly. "This is the consequences of my actio--"

Cynthia wasn't able to finish her words because sitting on a bench right across her was a familiar girl with long reddish-brown hair. Her pretty face was looking at Cynthia with a neutral expression. There was no anger on the young girl's face, but there was a sadness that emitted from her entire being.

Cynthia's hands trembled as she looked at the young girl that she had wronged. She could see the redness in her eyes and knew that she must had cried. The proctor could also see the girl's resigned face as she stared back at her.

Cynthia bit her lip, but she had to ask. She needed to confirm whether this was really the girl she was looking for. "Are you K-Kate Williams?"

Kate didn't reply, but she nodded her head. There were no words that were needed to be spoken between the two of them. One was the oppressor, the other the oppressed. There was no need to say that the two of them parted on bad terms.

Cynthia felt her body moving forward. She was too overwhelmed by emotions to even speak, but her will pushed her to walk forward. She opened her arms and hugged Kate. Her action caught the younger girl by surprise. Kate tried to push her away, but the older lady seemed to had been possessed by something and wouldn't let her go.

"I'm sorry. It was all my fault," Cynthia said as the tears that she had been holding back burst freely from her eyes. She wept and drowned Kate with her bitter tears. Kate felt awkward at her current situation.

'Why are you crying?' Kate thought in her head. 'I'm supposed to be the one crying and not you!'

Even Stella was perplexed by this sudden turn of events. She still haven't forgiven Cynthia for preventing them from taking the exam. However, the proctor's current disheveled features made it impossible for her to berate her.

[This makes us look like we are the ones that bullied her,] Stella said with a complicated expression.

Kate could only grimace as she felt Stella wiping her nose using her dress. The only thought that was coursing through her head at the moment was "Can someone tell me what's going on?!"

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While waiting for the next chapter of YWCMS, feel free to read my other story "Go! Go! Summons!".

[Fantasy Romance, Female Lead, Comedy, Slice of Life, Adventure]

Warning: This story might give you diabetes! You have been warned!