Dream Schemes: A Novel

Chapter Four: The Slippery Slope

TW: abuse and violence during a particular scene in this chapter. It may upset some readers (even though the scene is critical to the story in a way). Readers discretion is advised.

For a month, Olivia would exchange coded emails that were pre approved by her mom.

But in April, things made a turn for the worse...
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"Okay, class. Here are the scores of your previous tests..." Olivia's English teacher Mrs. Payne said unenthusiastically as she set down some papers for the students to pass around.

But when Olivia's came, her heart stopped! I got a 64? She thought. "Man, I got a 72!" The student next to her scowled. "You're lucky, dude," Olivia said to him. "I got a 64."

But then Olivia got a note attached to the test that made her sweat profusely:

See me after class, Miss Green. This is serious business! And don't think that you'll be getting away with it this time!

After class, Olivia sat before Mrs. Payne, with her palms sweating and her mouth drying up. She hardly ever flunked any tests, and if she had, then her parents would be the first ones to know other than her teachers... but TODAY, she could be in for a LOT of guilt and shame.

"First of all, missy," Mrs. Payne began. "Why did you write 'Hector Spence is my hubby' on the bottom of page three?"

"Because he is! Well, we haven't actually married yet, but when I do meet him in person one day I'll ask him to marry me and I hope he will pull-"

"Okay okay, you perverted teen, you don't need to bore me with all the details. Just tell me if you even know this guy?"

"Of course I do. I wouldn't love him at all if I DIDN'T know him all that well."

Mrs. Payne let out a tired and irritated sigh as she opened her drawer and pulled out a stack of papers. "Now tell me, Miss Green, can you also explain why you wrote this semi-erotic scene in your short story assignment?"

"Because it was the most important scene in the entire story. It was supposed to be the ice-breaker for the main character because we both know that she had major trust issues. The only way that she can prove that she trusted him no matter what was to allow him to give her-"

"WHATEVER!" Mrs. Payne bellowed. Her voice was so loud that it seemed like the desk shook a little (at least, that's what Olivia saw). "Sorry, I didn't mean to get so aggravated." She shrugged. "But the point is that your grades are declining and your English assignments are getting more and more... how shall we say... umm... not safe for work..." With that, Mrs. Payne pulled out Olivia's short story assignment and tossed it in Olivia's general direction. "Read the notes inside once you get to lunch or something." Mrs. Payne seethed. "Meanwhile, prepare your parents for my call."

Olivia burst into tears as she realized that she would have to face a major punishment when she got home from school. "Please, Mrs. Payne! PLEASE don't call my parents! I'll be good from now on! I won't write explicit love scenes in my writing assignments anymore; I won't write 'mushy' love notes to Hector; I will give up being the straight talk person and become sarcastic if that will please you!"

"ENOUGH IS ENOUGH MISS GREEN!" Mrs. Payne bellowed again. "GET OUT OF MY CLASSROOM OR I'LL! GET! THE! PRINCIPAL!"

Olivia ran out of the room, sobbing and carrying her red-marked assignments. Once she got to her lonely lunch, she read the note that was attached to her assignment:

STOP WRITING ABOUT LOVE! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT!
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