For Good

Chapter 14 - To Listen

"What are you doing here?" Skie snapped as soon as she got over her shock.

For once, Nikki seemed to be speechless. Skie felt a rush of anger and took hold of Nikki's shoulder firmly. "Come with me."

The head girl all but dragged Nikki down the hall with her, anger coursing through her. I knew she was a brat, but I never thought she'd purposely eavesdrop on me. God, why did she have to hear that?

Skie squeezed her eyes shut as she marched towards the discipline room, making Nikki almost have to run to keep up. She's going to tell everyone.

The two girls finally reached the room and Skie held the door open for Nikki before closing it behind them and turning toward the younger girl, eyes blazing. "Explain yourself."

"S-sorry." Nikki mumbled.

"Sorry is not an explanation!" Skie snapped.

Nikki looked up at her, and Skie was taken aback. Rather than the defiance or sullenness she'd gotten used to seeing on the girl's face, Skie saw a new emotion.

Fear.

Skie paused and took a deep breath, reminding herself of her talk with Raven. She'd be damned if she sounded like him again.

"Sit down, please, Nicolette."

Nikki carefully sat down on the sofa. Skie sat next to her, and noted the way Nikki edged away from her slightly. Dammit. She really is scared.

"Why were you outside the office, Nikki?"

Nikki's eyes met hers again, and she looked surprised at the use of her nickname. Skie gave her what she hoped was a comforting look; not quite a smile, but calm all the same.

"I saw you go in there."

"Were you trying to eavesdrop?" Skie kept her voice calm.

"Yeah. Clearly." Nikki muttered.

Skie actually felt a bit relieved that Nikki was being petulant again, she really didn't want to terrify this girl. "Why?"

"To get you back."

"For punishing you earlier?"

"Yeah."

Skie sighed. "Nikki, I'm sorry I was short with you, but you deserved that punishment."

"No, I didn't."

"Yes, you did. As I told you, cheating-"

"I didn't!" Nikki stood up and stomped her foot hard.

She's such a brat-

Skie stopped.

Is she really a brat? Or is she just a little girl who never learned to express herself properly?

Skie took a deep breath.

"You didn't?"

Nikki crossed her arms, a few tears in her eyes from her outburst. "I didn't cheat."

Skie's mind began racing. Had she really punished the girl for nothing? That would explain her outbursts, certainly.

"Nicolette, please tell me exactly what happened." Skie sat back, watching the girl carefully.

Nikki glared another moment, then sighed. "In class yesterday, my teacher told me to stay after. She said it in front of everyone too, so I had to put up with everyone looking at me and whispering. When I went over after class, she started shaking my quiz at me and talking about how I must have cheated, because there's no way someone like me could've gotten it all right. I told her I didn't and she yelled that I shouldn't talk back. I yelled at her to listen and she went off and then dragged me out to the hallway when you showed up."