He wants her to be a better teacher

“You should… be a more kind and helpful teacher!” he said as he struck her hand just as she was opening her palm to look at the dice.

The dice tumbled from Miss Harding’s grasp and clattered to the floor, landing with an audible thud. The number 11 stared back at them, and Lucas held his breath.

Miss Harding froze. For a moment, her face contorted with confusion as though she were fighting an invisible ****. Then, her features softened.

Her brows unknit, and her lips, pressed into a thin line just moments ago, relaxed into something almost resembling a smile. She bent down, retrieving the dice from the floor, and straightened up, holding it out to Lucas.

“Here,” she said, her voice markedly calmer, with an unfamiliar warmth laced into her tone. “You shouldn’t bring toys into class, Lucas. But I suppose I can let this slide, just this once.”

Lucas stared at her, stunned. The same woman who had just struck him now held out the dice like a peace offering.

“However,” she continued, “that doesn’t excuse your earlier behavior. That suggestion was… inappropriate, to say the least.” She frowned, though it was more out of concern than anger. “Lucas, I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but if you’re struggling with something, you can always talk to me. Punishment isn’t the only solution, you know.”

Lucas cautiously took the dice from her hand, as though it might shatter the spell.

“Just, think before you speak, alright? I’d hate to see you get yourself into more trouble.” Miss Harding’s lips curved into a gentle smile, though it was laced with a motherly sternness.

Lucas could only nod, still reeling. The dice worked, just not in the way he’d hoped. But as Miss Harding returned to her desk, her demeanor now a far cry from her usual authoritarian self, Lucas couldn’t help but smirk inwardly.

“Ummm, Miss Harding, could you please call Megan back to class? I need her help to understand what I’m doing wrong.” Lucas said shyly, unbeknownst to the teacher, he had a plan in mind.

Lucas's heart raced as Miss Harding pulled out her phone. He couldn’t believe it, she was actually doing it. He had framed the request as something reasonable, and she didn’t even hesitate. As she dialed Megan’s number, Lucas’s mind buzzed with possibilities.

Does it work on two people at once? He wondered, his fingers absentmindedly turning the dice over in his hand. ‘If the dice really let me alter anyone, what’s stopping me from trying?’ He found himself thinking.

He glanced at Miss Harding, who was patiently waiting for Megan to pick up. The strict, almost fearsome teacher he’d known was nowhere to be seen, replaced by someone nurturing and pliable. It was almost unsettling, almost.

Her calm, earnest expression made Lucas realize just how deeply the dice’s influence ran. Soon, he heard Miss Harding speak; it seemed that Megan had picked up the call and was being asked to return to class by her teacher.

Miss Harding ended the call, slipping her phone into her pocket. “Megan’s on her way,” she said with a gentle smile, almost maternal in tone.

Lucas nodded, suppressing a grin. “This is working better than I thought”.

When Megan walked into the classroom moments later, her confusion was palpable.

“Uh, Miss Harding? What’s going on?” she asked, her gaze flicking between Lucas and their teacher. Her dark eyeliner made her raised brow all the more pronounced.

“Lucas asked for you,” Miss Harding replied. “He thought your support might help him reflect on some of his choices.”

Megan’s mouth opened slightly in disbelief. She shot Lucas a look, silently demanding an explanation.

Before she could voice her confusion, Lucas took a deep breath, gripping the dice firmly. If he wanted to test its true potential, now was the time.

“I have a lot to teach you two,” Lucas said loudly, his voice filled with newfound authority. “I should be the teacher in this room, and both of you should be my students.”

The dice flew through the air, bouncing off the floor and skittering to a stop. The number 19 stared back at them like a divine decree. Lucas felt his pulse quicken as a strange energy seemed to ripple through the room.

Miss Harding froze mid-step, her eyes wide as her hands shot up to cover her mouth. “Oh my… What am I doing sitting in the teacher’s chair?” she stammered, her cheeks flushing crimson. “Luc– Sir, I-I’m so sorry. That was terribly presumptuous of me.”

Without another word, she hurried to the front row and slid into a desk, her usual confident posture replaced by a meek slump. “Good afternoon, sir,” she added softly, staring at the floor, as though trying to earn his forgiveness.

Megan, on the other hand, stared at Miss Harding like she’d just sprouted a second head. Then, a sly smirk spread across her lips. “You’re sitting there now? Damn, Caroline, didn’t think I’d see the day.”

Miss Harding seemingly flinched at the casual use of her first name but said nothing, her gaze fixed firmly on her folded hands.

Megan chuckled and sauntered over to sit next to her, leaning back in her chair with an air of casual defiance. “Well, I guess you’re not the boss of me anymore, huh? Afternoon, sir,” she said, giving Lucas a genuine smile.

Lucas couldn’t hide his grin this time. The sight of his strict teacher cowering like a scolded child and Megan treating her like a joke was almost too much to take in.

It actually worked, he thought, the dice warm in his hand as he picked it up off the floor. Two people at once. What else can I do with this?

Lucas leaned casually against the teacher's desk, surveying Caroline as she squirmed in her seat. Something about the sight of her there, a picture of timidity in stark contrast to her usual strict, polished demeanor, was both hilarious and deeply satisfying. But there was one glaring inconsistency that needed addressing.

“You know,” Lucas began, a smirk tugging at his lips, “it doesn’t really feel right, Caroline.”

She glanced up at him nervously. “What doesn’t, sir?”

“That you’re dressed like a teacher,” Lucas said, feigning a thoughtful tone. “We can’t have that. If you’re going to sit there like a student, you should at least look the part.”

Caroline’s face turned crimson, but she nodded meekly. “You’re absolutely right, sir. I… I should’ve thought of that.”

Lucas turned his attention to Megan, who was lounging in her seat, clearly enjoying the scene. “Megan, you always carry extra clothes, don’t you?”