Guarding Margaret D.

Father Figures

His hands were in her hair. Stirring her senses with each shared breath. The smell of potent lemon permeated the space, no doubt a product of the freshly cleansed bathroom tiles. It was as if time had spun itself clear out of existence. Then...

"Oh! Oh-My! Lord have mercy!" Sister Claudia looked up to heaven, muttering something under her breath, something resembling, "What did we expect, putting girls and boys together like this?" 

So the two found themselves seated solemnly in paired confining office chairs. Rob opened his mouth, as if to say something. But after observing Margaret's crossed arms, slumped shoulders, and furrowed brows, he decided against it.  

"Margaret Delaney." 

The words resounded, sending shivers down her spine. She slowly edged out of the seat, flashing Rob an icy glare. He smirked, but not before she whipped her head back around. 

"I presume you're aware of why you're here Ms.Delaney." Sister Ruth had a skeleton face, hollow features and dull eyes that shown a watery gray; they looked almost pained. 

Margaret nodded in a ceremonious fashion.

"Given you're track record I'm perplexed as to why you would display such a blatant lack of respect for the rules. Skipping class, frolicking about performing feats reserved for marriage. Now I woud expect this kind of behavior from Mr.Campbell, never from a young lady such as yourself."

Margaret stifled her retorts to Sister Ruth's sexist ideaolgies. Breathe. She reassured herself. Deflect.

"Sister, I have no idea what came over me." She pinched her knee to force the tears. 

"It-It might have to do with things at home. You see, my father, the drunk bastard, he spends all day at the bar. We have to come up with rent on our own, and-"

"Poor child." Sister Ruth offered her handkerchief.

Margaret took it, blowing violently between her next syllable.

"We barely have enough to get by and I-I just." 

"Alright-Alright. Seeing as this is your first infraction and you're a top student, we can let this one slide."

Margaret beamed, attempting to return the handkerchief.

"Oh, no, child. Keep it." 

~

After school, Margaret stood infront of the vacant parking spot, the one their car customarily occupied. 

"I'm going to kill her!" She yelled with an exasperated sigh. It was clear Betty had seized their only form of transportation to cut class and parade around the shops with her friends. 

Margaret turned to her left and sure enough, there he was. 

"I really can't deal with you right now." She brushed him off, heading in the direction of her neighborhood three miles down the road. 

"Hmm, you seemed perfectly capable of dealing with me earlier." Rob grinned, leaning close into her ear.

"Tell me- just where did you learn to do that with your tongue?"

She blushed, red shades permeating her pale complexion. 

"You're quite the gentleman." Margaret scowled, looking back at his self-satisfied expression. 

"I do recall you saying that I, and I quote, amaze you. I know, quite cliche really. Oh, and that I do so more than all the people you've ever known."