Fan Fiction ❯ Once in the Night ❯ Fun in the Principal's office. ( Chapter 5 )

The only thing she heard was the inescapable ticking of the clock counting down the seconds until her doom. She sat plastered to the uncomfortable chair in the stifling entrance to her principal's office. The secretary, an overweight, heavily powdered woman, sat at the front desk gnawing on her gum like a starved hippo. Nara rolled her eyes at the woman's disgusting manners but she refused to look anywhere else for a very good reason. On her left, there was a young boy of about 12 who looked like he never saw more than 200 calories a day. He also seemed to have this strange, disturbing need to stare at her like some warped native observing his own private goddess. Praise she liked but this was unnerving... she had visions of herself as a lab rat being studied by this mini nerd-scientist.

“This must be some new form of torture,” Nara mused to herself. “They think that if only they get us as near to death from heat exhaustion and paranoia as they can before we actually see the fat- ass-with- a- God-complex, it will be that much easier to manipulate us… unbelievable.”

The little slime ball's staring was starting to really get to her. She tried to distract herself by picking at her nail polish, fiddling with the loose arm rest of her chair, and even twining her blue-black hair into intricate braids. She happened to glance over once; to her horror, she spied a string of drool forming at the corner of his gaping mouth. That did it.

“What in hell is your damn problem, kid!?! Why do you keep staring at me?! Well?!? Spit it out already!!” she hissed as quietly as her frustration allowed.

“You're pretty….I like your hair.” the youngster replied in a whisper, continuing to stare at her with those adoring, mindless eyes.

“Well...that's nice to know. Umm…. thanks, kid.” Nara muttered. Oh, she could feel her eye starting to twitch under the strain… bloody perfect.

“My name is Max, ma'am. And….you smell nice” the boy said grinning at her madly. Oh God, had he been smelling her hair?!?!

She half expected him to light incense and starting chanting at her feet. If his eyes got any wider, they would be rolling around on the floor… this kid definitely had obsession issues.

“Nara Avery, the principal will see you now.” the secretary whined out, and so unwittingly rescued Nara from her would-be acolyte.

Nara sighed with relief… a relief that died rapidly as she approached the heavy wooden door to her principal's office. She knocked lightly on its grainy surface, crept in as it swung open, and awaited her fate.

Her principal was a man who would have been impressive, even awe-inspiring, had it not been for the flaws that made him so utterly despised.

His frame, at 6ft 4 inches, was huge and powerful, but it was slightly soft - a muscle builder who had let one too many donuts slide past his full-lipped mouth. His short auburn hair was spiked in a juvenile style that seemed out of place with his collared shirt and dress pants. A very handsome man, who could have been a bright light in this dismal prison of a school ; he had been transferred from a European school and the youth had hoped that with him being somewhat closer to their generation, he would become a companion in arms against the old, blustering teachers that dominated the staff. His manner of speech and the way he carried himself only added to his exoticism which thrilled the unsuspecting public even more.

However, his reputation hadn't come to light until it was too late.

An icy demeanor scratched the pretty surface of his appearance raw until you could see the ugliness underneath. Denied something dear in his past, her principal, Mr. Rayest, had become a bitter and cold man. He ruled the school with an iron fist, brooking no tolerance for miscreants or misunderstood innocents. He was rumored to be talented in the art of shredding the confidence and dignity of his prey to bits, causing many a young girl and boy running out of his office in tearful hysterics.

This clash of characteristics was a painful pill to swallow as the student body accepted the fact that this relatively young, would-be savior was in fact a curse; this being said, he inspired fear and hatred throughout the school. His face, a chiseled perfection if it wasn't so gaunt, was expressionless as he gazed coolly at his latest victim.

His ice-blue eyes pierced her heart from where she sat in her chair from behind his dark-rimmed, wire glasses.

Nara defiantly put on a face that said she couldn't care less about what he had to say to her… her quaking knees spoke otherwise.

“Miss Avery, it seems we have had some complaints about your behavior this afternoon in the cafeteria… care to explain?”. He spoke softly, but that did nothing to hide his scorn.

Nara opened her mouth to speak, but Rayest cut her off.

“ If I heard your teacher correctly, you were found attempting to beat the life out of a fellow student… Jessica, I believe? Tell me, Miss Avery, are you so stupid that you disregarded that fact that every teacher is present in that cafeteria during the lunch hour? How dare you act like such an animal in my school… did you think I wouldn't hear about it? Did you actually think you had the means to get away with your little temper tantrum? Your idiocy astounds me… can you at least tell me what was the cause of this massacre? Or do I need to file you for a trip to the guidance counselor for rage control as well?”

All of this was said in a soft tone that bit into Nara more deeply than any bellowing rage ever could.

“Well, Miss Avery? I am waiting for your answer… not that I think anything you say will change the fact that you are a pathetic, useless, weak slip of a girl who goes into a fit every time something does not go her way… but it will be amusing to hear you try.” he said with a shadow of a smirk on his lips.

Nara could only bow her head, shaking with rage and humiliation. It was unreal; usually, she could take anything adults threw at her. She would listen to the same tired complaints and demands and then walk off without a scratch. She could argue and fight with the best of them and usually emerge victorious. But against Rayest she was powerless. The damned man defied any resistance, squashing her utterly with his overbearing presence and chilling voice. There was no room for her to maneuver and avoid the truth as to her reasons for hating the tramp without being found out, so she said nothing. The silence drummed in her ears as she avoided his gaze.

“Clearly, you have nothing to say in your defense. Therefore, I will grant a punishment that will express, without any doubt, my displeasure at your behavior. You are to be suspended for one week, and then you will serve detention for a month… with me. Oh, and just for fun, I will throw in a conference with you parents. How does that sound?”

Nara was stunned. In one foul swoop, this bastard had destroyed her life. There was no way she would be able to recover from the truckload of work she would miss while on suspension… and then she would have to spend every single evening writing at her desk…. with him. On top of that, she was as good as dead when her parents found out she was fighting in school… and when they learned the reason she punched the little bitch and their turbulent history together she would never see the light of day again..except perhaps from behind the windows of the local convent. She wished the floor would open up like some apocalyptic earthquake and swallow her whole. Rayest's voice broke in on her thoughts once more.

“You will report here starting next week. I suggest you do not keep me waiting, Miss Avery. As I think I have demonstrated, I am not a man gifted with patience. You are dismissed.”

Nara grabbed her backpack and calmly turned to leave the room with as much dignity as possible. She hadn't taken more than two steps when she was stopped again by Rayest's calm, cold voice.

“Oh, and Miss Avery? Some advice… next time you want to punish the bitch, I suggest you do it off the school grounds and away from prying eyes. It saves you a lot of unnecessary questions and complications, wouldn't you agree?”

Nara spun around and gaped at her would-be jailer in shock. Had she heard him correctly? She almost fell over when she caught the faint glint of amusement in his eyes as he gazed at her from behind his steepled fingers. A trace of that same arrogant smirk still played about his mouth.

“ Feel free to beat the stupid child to a bloody pulp if you must… perhaps it will bring about the desperately needed reality check the flighty girl needs to get her back on track.” He paused and the amusement vanished from his face.” However, Miss Avery, a word of caution… do not rebel against the rules I set in this school again. Make no mistake… if our paths cross in this manner a second time, I will crush you.” Again, his behavior did a complete 180 in front of her eyes. For the first time, a brilliant smile lit his face, and Nara's heart beat a little faster. “Have a nice day!”

Nara trudged down the block, reliving her encounter with the spawn from hell known as her principal. His encouragement of her violence was vastly disturbing. Honestly, what adult actually wants a child under their care to beat the piss out of another child to teach a lesson? What disturbed her even more was her reaction to his smile.

“What in hell is wrong with me? Going weak in the knees over my executioner?!? Bleh! That has to be some sort of textbook definition of mental insanity.”

She continued this line of futile questioning until she came to the crossroads between the market district and the metro. “Well…there is no way I'm going home.” Nara muttered. “How do I keep getting myself into these messes?” she berated herself again as she turned towards the bustle of the crowds

Nara strolled through the doors of her favorite eatery, found her table, and unceremoniously plopped into the booth. Tossing her bag to the side, Nara grabbed up the menu without any real intention of looking at it. She already knew exactly what she wanted.

“I think cheesecake and an apple pie are called for in this situation” she thought as she glanced around for Maggie, the fiery, warm-hearted waitress who Nara had befriended years ago. She always was willing to lend an ear to her troubles and give sound advice. Nara loved her for being one of the very rare adults she could talk to without worrying what she could and could not say. Nara spotted her across the way as she came around the corner with a heavy tray. Maggie gave a big smile as she passed and signed that she would be right there.

“Hey there, hon. Long time no see! It's about time you came for a visit…and you look like you need some cheering up. What can I get for you, love?” Nara threw her arms around her friend's slim waist for a quick hug before continuing with her order.

“Well, since silver plated pistols are out of the question, how bout a big slice of cheesecake and apple pie with a big thing of hot chocolate? I am in serious need of comfort food, Maggie.”

Maggie pushed back a stray strand of blonde hair as she scratched down Nara's request. “I'm so sorry you are under the weather, sweetheart. How bout you stick around so we can talk if I can get away for awhile?”

“That's alright, Mags. You're busy, and I know you are worried bout Matthew. How is he? Does he still have the flu?”

“Yes, he does, but he asked to be read to this morning so I hope he is feeling a bit better. Thanks for asking, love. I'll be right back with that comfort food.”

“I'm going to get so fat…” Nara stated out loud, resting her head on her hand. Maggie chuckled as she strolled quickly back to the kitchen.