The Trust Test

Chapter Two

I had painted...The Tan Skinned Girl (again, not to be racist).

After class was dismissed, the girl came up to me and we talked.

"Hey, you're Charlia, right? The girl who drew me?" The girl beamed. "I'm Rosalind Verision."

"Yeah, I'm Lia. Nice to meet you."

"Right back at you. Nobody's been this nice to me before."

"Hey! What do you have next?" I asked, glancing at my schedule. I had Home Ed.

"Home Ed." Rosa stated, checking her phone. "You?"

"Same. Let's go to class together." I nodded. "So, tell me about yourself."

"My family is from Britain, but I'm from America, and so is my twin brother. My sister is from Brit as well. My ancestors originated back from Africa, but most of our descendants have either moved to Canada or America. Only my Dad's side stays in Britain. I'm sixteen, and I love art as much as you seem to. I live in Beldon, Eastern regions, fifteenth street. Tell me about yourself!" Rosa concluded.

"Okay, so I was born in Velician, but I moved to Eastern regions, Erinew, back when I was three. I left my grandparents in USA a few years ago, when they couldn't travel far enough. Then, just last week, I moved in here, Beldon. Eighth street. Is that enough info for you?" I laughed. "Class seems to be starting. I motion to the bustle of students trying to squeeze through the doors and into the class. The Home Ed. room was filled with cooking supplies, like a wok per counter, a stove, cutlery, and etcetera. Also, a line of sewing machines and thread. "I'm starting to like Home Ed."

I spoke five seconds too soon. The teacher walked in, 6 foot tall at least, and towering over me. "ALRIGHT, pupils, you will listen and obey me unless you wish for a detention slip. My name is Mrs Portman, and those who are new, please come to the front." The scary lady barked. Practically the entire school could hear her disturbing tone of voice. I cowered over, looking at my shoes.
Mrs Portman had a scrunched up and sour face with a plump tone to it. She had a mop of scraggly and wispy grey hair and she looked like she worked out every day.
"Aww, she's so tiny! And so are the REST OF YOU." Mrs Portman spat. I blushed profusely, and soon enough, I was an unrecognisable beet. or tomato. Or anything purple red that looks like the colour of blood gathering in your head after doing a headstand. I received snickers and sneers and Mrs Portman patted my head as if I was a little puppy. "You, my dear, need to catch up. In this school, we taunt, we tease, we," she made a point of crouching down and glaring right into my eyes. "We bully."

I could hardly gather the courage to talk to her when she asked me my name. "Ch-Ch-Charlia G-Garter."

"Well, Alia, JUST GROW UP!" Mrs Portman seethed. That was the last straw.

"Do you know that your BRAIN is COMPLETELY EMPTY?! And that if you dare to speak to me in that manner, or if you dare to call me ALIA ONCE MORE," I breathed in deeply and screamed at the top of my lungs. "I will do unexplainable and EXCRUCIATING things to you."

Mrs Portman just freezes, staring at me in awe. "Nobody's ever been so straight up to me before, not even my mother, not even my husband." She whispered, her bottom lip quivers. "You've stood up to me, shown your true colors...and they are flying. I'm truly proud, that I have come to be defeated and taken on by a mere sixteen year old." She turned to the class, beaming. "I pronounce my defeat, to this-this bold girl. She's an honor to teach." And with that, she did the most unexpected thing I'd ever think she would do. She kneeled right down in front of me and the entire class, and she bowed. She rose and dipped her head again. The moment felt like forever, and at that exact time, the principal of RA decided to walk in. My head whipped to face him.