The Twist In Life

Chapter 2_ Bowing to Hilda? I think not!

I was lost in my childhood memories, with my eyes closed, when I heard the door bang. I quickly opened my eyes and straightened myself.

"Come with me, Mandy," said Miss David sharply.

"It's Mary," I corrected.

"Whatever," she snapped back.

I shrugged my shoulders and followed her to the principal's office.

"Keep standing outside till I call you in," she ordered.

She walked into the office as if she owned the place.

As soon as the door closed, I glanced up and down the corridor, leaned against the door and pressed my ear to the keyhole.

"What brings you to my office today?" asked the principal politely.

My school principal Mr. Collins, is always polite. He is the one of the softest men I know. Actually, he is the only soft man I know, besides my father of course. I think my father was soft. I don't know for sure. And uncle.

"I wanted to talk to you about Mandy," said Miss David.

"Mandy, who's Mandy?" Mr. Collins asked in a surprised voice.

"In my class," said Miss David impatiently.

"Do you mean Mary?" he asked.

"Yes, Mary. I am very worried about her. She comes late to the classroom and sometimes she just doesn't bother to come. She doesn't concentrate on her lectures and cheats during tests. She also never completes her homework on time," said Miss David in fake sorrow, as if worried about me.

"Oh I see! We should certainly do something about it," said Mr. Collins, sounding genuinely worried.

What a liar Miss David is. I never ever skip school. Why would I skip school? I like to spend any second I can spare outside my house. And I always complete my homework on time. The only truth she spoke was that I don't concentrate on the lectures because it looked like it. Even though I was listening to her. And I have enough troubles to think about without worrying about the lectures too.

I was fuming inwardly at her lies that I didn't hear her get up from the chair or walk towards the door. She pulled open the door and I stumbled inside. I steadied myself and twisted my fingers trying to control my emotions. My face was red with embarrassment.

"See," said Miss David, pointing at me. "She even eavesdrop."

"I ...," I tried to say something.

"Tut, tut, tut. I don't know what the world is coming to, now a days," said Miss David, moving her head from side to side in expression of fake sorrow.

"Please, Miss David. Can you give us a little privacy?" Mr. Collins asked her to get out, politely. He should have said get lost.

I looked at Mr. Collins.

"Sit down," he said softly.

I obeyed.

"Mary ...," he began.

"Miss David is a liar. I never skip school. I complete my homework on time. You can also check the attendance register and my notebooks. I don't even eavesdrop, but today I knew that Miss David would lie to you about me and so I decided to hear what she had to say. She hates me because Hilda hates me and she sucks up to Hilda because Hilda is rich," I said in a rush.

"Last but not least, Miss David is such a fraud." I flung open the door and in flew Miss. David. She fell onto the carpeted floor of the office.

"Oh, I see!" said Mr. Collins.