Do you feel apart from the rest of your schoolmates, different or utterly dissatisfied with your midterm results" There was a pause for effect before our principal continued " Then Come to my office that's always open for all and receive guidance"
Students snorted collectively around me, some even laughed at our principals attempt to act like a guidance counselor when it was clear your complaints would be going straight to the ears of your parent's.
The whole block was littered with students with one or two things to complain about. it wasn't often but we had been taught to keep shut and move on.
Channing Farring wasn't reputable for it's discretion in handling student affairs which was why no one, not even an unsatisfied student would get within three feet of the principals office. The man was a mugwort and a slimy snail but minded his business and made sure everyone imitated that trait.
The halls where peaceful, a fight rarely broke out and the seniors minded themselves like they had ADHD including the boarding students who were always a bit rampant.
Pulling on my blazer, I closed my locker and walked towards my classroom ignoring everything around me, it wasn't hard to drown out the noises with the bigger issue circling around my head.
One turn down the hallway and I was pushing open the door to my classroom which was empty. I settled in beside the window and placed my hands on my desk so I could rest my head and stared outside at the garden.
My father had waltzed back home after being AWOL for the past few weeks, dropped his bags in his room and rather than his scarce appearance which we were barely graced with when he was around, he'd spoken.
It had been unusual to hear him demand earlier this morning before we'd left that Sarah get rid of her braids and hair colour before leaving the house. Keelan and I who had been on the stairs had Frozen in shock.
Sarah who had been standing next to him, defiantly struck out her chin before running back up the stairs brushing past the both of us.
He'd then politely ordered us to eat breakfast with him as a family. Keelan had snorted before storming out the door in anger dragging me behind.
He'd given me one look before flagging a cab " Did all what I said to you the other night fall on deaf ears"
He didn't wait for a reply before entering the cab alone and off to his tutorials, leaving me alone.
"Let's begin students" Mr Bill entered the classroom and I raised my head, dragging out my notebook from under the desk and immediately he began scribbling on the board and opening the discussion about homeostasis the door was pushed open by a girl with a shaved head, her eyes cut across the room untill it rested on me and I felt bile rise up the back of my throat.
Sarah.
She looked pale, and her eyes were puffy. Her uniform was wrinkled like someone had dragged her and forced her to do something she didn't want to do.
This wasn't how I'd left her at home.
She walked towards me and slammed her hands on my desk and the whole class stilled as they watched this unfold.
"Don't do this here" I mummured quietly staring into her eyes. She raised one brow in mockery before peeling out a scream and I slammed my hand over her mouth to muffle it standing up of my seat and dragging her towards the entrance.
Mr Bill gave me a short nod, smiling tightly at the both of us before making a shooing gesture with his hands.
I bowed my head in apology, my hand still clamped tightly around Sarah lips who was clawing pinching and hitting my hand.
Dragging her behind the staircase, I removed my hand from her mouth and she screamed again, tears leaking out of her eyes.
My fists clenched in anger. There had to be an explanation for this.
"You'd left without me and I couldn't jump out the window" She choked out, closing her eyes and placing her head on my shoulder. "I didn't want to but he held me down while Mom cut it off".
"Goddamn them both" I swore inwardly wrapping my hands around her. Keelan would flip if he saw her this way. They shouldn't have messed with Sarah.
"Did you mark attendance" I asked knowing if she didn't we'd have two issues on our plate. Principal Gates would literally slit her throat if she missed one day of class.
She nodded on my shoulder. "I was so embarrassed to walk into class and mom wouldn't allow me wear a wig"
"She dropped you off" I asked thinking about the suitable way to file for child abuse for a fourteen year old.
Sarah nodded again.
"I shouldn't have left without you" I muttered as another fresh wave of sobs cut through her. She shook badly crying more.
I sobered up, willing myself not to give into the tears biting the back of my eyes. This was a rare occurrence but had still happened. if only I hadn't let Keelan drag me out the house.
After standing there for a while, doing nothing more than rubbing a hand slowly up and down Sarah's back, she withdrew, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.
"Get back to class, sorry for disturbing you" She sniffled turning to walk away but I caught her hand
" Don't"
She nodded and I let my hand drop. She walked up the stairs and waved before running ahead.
Her classroom block was behind the fountain on the other side of the small garden between it, the second floor hallway linked the two buildings together but the chances of running into a teacher in that hallway were high.
I walked back to class, noticing the wet spot on my blazer but doing nothing about it.
Whispering to myself, I prayed, wishing for something i should've asked for years ago.
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