Wretched Power | 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐏𝐎𝐄𝐓𝐒 𝐒𝐎𝐂𝐈𝐄𝐓𝐘 (BOOK ONE)

| CHAPTER TEN |

Mr Perry stood face to face with Neil, who shuffled uncomfortably as they waited for the chapel grounds to be empty before Mr Perry began talking. 

     "Neil, I warned you once and I'm warning you for the final time; I don't want you hanging around with that Paradis nonsense." 

     "But, Father... she's my friend." 

     "What kind of boy wants that girl as a friend? Devil worshiper?" Mr Perry shook his head in disbelief as he stiffly paced in front of Neil. 

     "Father, what they're saying isn't true. She's not like that!" 

     "Until we know differently -- you stay away from her. Don't even look at her. I don't want you getting caught up in her antics. If Mr Nolan informs me that you have stepped foot near that--that girl--" Mr Perry took in a deep breath to compose himself. "When you've finished medical school and you're on your own, you can do as you please. But until then, you will listen to me, do you understand?"

     Neil looked at the floor. "Yes, sir. I'm sorry."

     Mr Perry turned without further comment and walked off. Neil looked after his father, feeling overwhelmed with frustration and anger. Why did he always let his father get to him like that? 

Mr Nolan finally took a seat at his desk and stared at the five students standing before him. It was clear that he was outraged. The students waited patiently for Nolan to say something, but every time he opened his mouth, he shook his finger and closed it again. 

     "What monstrosity is this?" He asked, pointing to the newspaper. "Who was involved in this?" No one spoke. "Miss Paradis, I have to ask, did you write and publish this article?"

     "Why on Earth would I write something like that about myself?" Lana answered back immediately. 

     "Because whatever background check the culprit has done on you had paid off. Taking the rights away from students? Insulting teachers? Worshipping satanism? Miss Paradis, if you have things to own up to, I would do it now."

     "What do you want me to say? Do you want me to say that I worship satan? Do you want me to say that I summon demons and ghouls in my dorm room while everyone else is asleep? What do you want from me, Mr Nolan?"

     The boys stared in shock as they watched Lana talk to Mr Nolan. Seeing her degrade a teacher and challenge him about his tactics and teaching abilities was one thing, but seeing her argue with Dean Nolan, with no sign of hesitation, guilt, remorse, or fear on her face -- made them think just how much anger she had left in her system, and they didn't want to stick around to find out. 

     "I want the truth!" Nolan shouted at her, grabbed the newspaper and put on his reading glasses, and then began to read from the article once again. "Do you admit to truanting?" Mr Nolan asked. 

     "Yes," he circled the allegation in the paper. 

     "Do you admit to being disrespectful towards teachers?" 

     "Yes," he circled the next one

     "Do you admit to being dishonest with us?" 

     "Partially," 

     This continued until Mr Nolan reached the final allegation. He circled the ones she said yes to and struck out the ones she said no to, writing any other answer given on a piece of paper. 

     Do you admit to being confrontational towards teachers about their teaching ability? Yes. Do you admit to being confrontational towards teachers about their doctorates? Yes. Do you admit to insulting teachers? I think the previous two questions answer that one. Do you admit to discriminating against the idea of equal rights at this school? I discriminated against the idea that we have no equal rights at this school. Do you admit to discriminating against the idea of kindness? No. Do you admit to worshipping a homosexual? What counts as worshipping? And then followed with a; no. Do you admit to worshipping Satanism and supernatural beings? No. Do you admit to trying to take away students' rights? No. Do you admit to disarming the help of those who are trying to make you a better person? You wouldn't give me the help even if I did want to change who I am.