Can It Be US

2

Nerd life is so much better than regular life

~John Green

The next morning I woke up and followed my usual routine.

"Lyra." The AP biology teacher called as I we were finishing up with the quiz he had brought.

"Sir." I looked up only to see the school secretary standing beside him.

"The principal wants to see you." He told me.

"Ooh." The class gasped.

"Hush." The teacher hushed them.

"Did I do something wrong?" I frowned.

"That's for you to go and find out." She shrugged.

Trying to hide my panic, I got up and followed the secretary to the principal's office where I found my mother was already seated facing him and Mr.. Robertson.

"Take a seat Ms Colburn." The principal motioned me to the seat beside my mums. Cautiously, I took a seat. "I suppose you know as to why you are here right Ms. Colburn." He started.

"Not quite" I shook my head earning a glare from my mum.

"Well, you are here concerning the pending issue of your extracurricular activity." he stated "I'm sure Mr. Robertson mentioned it to you."

"Yes, he did." I nodded, nervously pulling on the sleeves of my jersey.

"I think it's unnecessary for my daughter to participate in any of your time-consuming activities." My mother finally spoke.

"But it is very necessary Ms. Thorn." Mr. Robertson argued.

"I know what's best for my daughter and this isn't it." She glared at him.

"And I'm her teacher, we don't deny that her grades are great, but she needs to participate in other activities like her grade mates."

"Like what, running around with a ball, creating scenes that will never exist in real life, I don't think so."

"For an intelligent woman you sure are closed minded." Mr. Robertson fired back pissing my mother off even more, if there was one thing my mother never liked in her life, ever, it was having her intelligence questioned, I still remember when she almost set my father's car ablaze all because he said she wasn't as intelligent as she presented herself to be, it was so bad the house staff had to pull them away from each other.

"And that's coming from a teacher, I'm more important to society than you will ever be-"

"I beg to differ." Mr. Robertson interrupted my mother's speech with a shrug.

"I don't care, I pay her tuition fee and get to choose what she does and doesn't participate in!"

"Then home school her, no school will allow you to do that, rules are rules and you agreed to that when you signed her administration form." Mr. Desmond the principal huffed. "She's already exempted from any sporting activities, University focus not only on academic aspect, but they also look at other aspects as well."

"This is absurd!" Mum yelled frustratedly.

"It's not absurd, it's the rules." Mr. Robertson mumbled in one breath.

"She's got the rest of the day off school-"

"Why-" I gasped at the words Mr Desmond had just spoken.

"So you and your mother can go home and talk about this and come to a decision, tomorrow you either come to pick your activity of choice or a transfer slip." he spoke so casually.

"Transfer slip, what for!" Mum growled angrily at the two men in front of her.

"So you can home school her under your rules or take her to a school that will tolerate and bend to your demands Ms Thorn." Mr Desmond stated.

"All because she doesn't want to pick a useless time-consuming activity!" She crossed her arms against her chest glaring at him.

"You mean you don't want her to pick an activity Ms Thorn." Mr Robertson taunted "Lyra, would you like to transfer to another school or pick an activity among the ones listed on the form I gave you?" He asked shifting his gaze from my mother to me.

I could feel my mum's death glare literally burning holes through me, she was like a lion circling its prey waiting to pounce on it the second it makes a wrong move sadly in this scenario I was the prey.

I pursed my lips and fumbled with my hands, I didn't want to transfer to another school, I had been here for barely 6 months, I wasn't ready to leave, not that I even had any friends but still, I had just gotten used to the environment, I didn't want to start that process all over again. I was getting used to being bullied here not that it was a good thing but the bullies at this school are far more bearable than others I've had encounters with in the previous schools I've been to. Plus I was graduating this year and I don't think transferring would do me any good.

"Ms Colburn, what's your answer?" Mr Robertson called snapping me back to reality and out of my thought.

"I-" I started but chocked on my words at the look my mother was giving me, it was the 'I dare you to say something stupid and embarrass me look' she gave me one every time we were at her fancy parties or in situations like these.

"Yes." Mr Desmond encouraged me to carry on.

"Well, I think," I took a deep breath "I need a little more time to think about it, I'll come to a conclusion tomorrow." I mumbled lowly hoping they had heard me.

"Alright then, you've got the rest of the day off, you can go home and think, real long and hard before making your decision." Mr Robertson told me and I just nodded in response.

"Alright then, I'll see you tomorrow." Mr Desmond wrote me a permission slip and dismissed us "Have a great day."

Nodding I got up and went to my class. I showed the teacher the slip before getting my stuff.

"Little Ms Einstein is leaving guys." Levin teased "She finally got her admission into the school of nerds." he added making the whole class laugh.

"Mr Jordan!" the teacher scolded.

"What." He scoffed.

"Have a good day Lyra." The teacher looked at me sympathetically.

I nodded again and left the room only to see Mr Robertson waiting by the door.

"Don't listen to your mum kid, you've got a lot if potential and you just need a different activity to make you the perfect candidate for any University, so think wisely about this OK, this one decision can have a huge impact on your life either in a good or bad way plus universities are very interested in those ECA than your academics." He patted my shoulder and walked off.

"Where were you!" My mum glared angrily as I approached her car.

"I was getting my stuff." I responded lowly and got into the car. The car ride was uncomfortably quiet, the tension could be cut with a blunt knife and only God knew how happy I was when we pulled up in the driveway.

"I've got a meeting, we'll talk about this later." Was all my mum said before the car drove out of the huge compound.

I was happy that my mum had left, that gave me time to evaluate my options and transferring wasn't on it. I removed the form where the activities where listed and I sat on my bed scrutinizing each option.