BEVERLY HIGH; And The Secrets That Lies Within

Chapter 4

After classes at the end of the day, Asia walked slowly to the principal's office. It has not been a pleasant day.
In the first class, the teacher, Mr Sid, came in and stopped short at the sight of her.

'Who are you?' he barked.
She stood up and said, 'I'm Asia woods, sir,' in her best lady-like manner, the way girls at her former school were taught to speak.

'What are you doing here?'

'What.... excuse me sir, I don't understand.' Asia was confused.

'Are you supposed to be in this class?.

'Ye...es.'

He gave a snort and ignored her for the rest of the class.

Each teacher kept saying the same thing:

'What is your name? You are new?
Until she thought she would scream. The maths teacher, a portly middle-aged woman added, 'I suppose you know what being in this class is all about? Said the maths teacher.

They didn't like her because new students didn't normally come into the school at the senior class. They thought she might lower their results. They must have thought she was a bird brain who had managed to buy her way in.

What could she answer to that?

The students giggled or whispered and nudged each other. Now, she was supposed to meet the principal and she wasn't looking forward to what she had to a say.

Mr Alex was seated behind his table piled with bulky but neat files. He wore small glasses.

'Miss Woods, you know why you are here?' he began abruptly.

Yes, because my mother gave this school an endowment, she said to herself.

'It was difficult for us to accept you and register you for this final year, but we took some factors into consideration. You are a straight-A student and your former headmistress gave you a glowing recommendation, even though she had to expel you.'

Asia bowed her head a little.

'I find it difficult to believe an obviously intelligent young girl like you could....'

Asia knew where this conversation was going and decided to take drastic action.

'Oh sir', she said quietly.
She tried to make her voice as meek as possible.

'I'm not a bad girl. I'm really not. I was going through a rebellious phase. I promise you I'll never do anything to make you regret taking me here.' She sniffled a little, hoping it sounded real.

The principal stared at Asia. There was something that was not quite right about her, but he could not decide what it was.

'You are under probation for this term. We will be watching your marks closely to know if you can cope and you are to meet the guidance counsellor once a week. Good luck in Beverly High.'

"Thank you,' Asia said and went out.

Once outside, she dropped the meek act. She found a shady spot beneath a  tree and leaned against the rough bark. The school grounds were deserted now a small flock of grey and black pigeons strutted and fed on the grass not far from where she stood. Mr Alex hadn't been too bad, though she would never have thought he would speak to Mrs Aiden, a large woman with a gruff, friendly voice so different from thin, stuffy Mr Alex. The principal hadn't want to expel her.

Suddenly, she couldn't help thinking of her former school, She thought of her friends and clubs, and the busy life she used to lead.

I was a fool, she thought. I only hurt myself. A tear trickled down her face and, suddenly overcome by regret, she burst into tears. The pigeons, startled by the noise, took to the air in a flurry of flapping wings.