Resilience - Ackley Bridge Fic

Chapter 5

As they walked towards Miss Carter's office, Dyln's anger continued to smoulder beneath the surface. 

Dyln kept her head down, her emotions a turbulent storm within her.

Miss Carter's office door loomed ahead, and Mr Bell pushed it open, gesturing for Dyln to enter. 

As Mr Bell and Dyln entered Miss Carter's office, a gasp escaped her lips as her eyes fell upon the shocking sight of Mr Bell's bloody nose. "Oh my god," Miss Carter exclaimed, her hand instinctively reaching for a box of tissues on her desk. Concern etched on her face, she extended the box toward Mr Bell, her voice filled with worry.

But Mr Bell quickly reassured her, his voice somewhat strained yet determined. "I'm fine, I'm fine," he insisted, grabbing a tissue from the box with a faint, albeit strained, smile.

However, the diversion was short-lived. Mr Bell's attention refocused, his voice now firm as he directed Dyln. "Sit down," he instructed, gesturing towards a chair beside Miss Carter's desk. With a sense of urgency, she complied, taking her seat.

Miss Carter's shock gave way to a stern determination. Her gaze moved from Mr Bell to Dyln as she addressed her next question to the bewildered student. "What on earth happened?"

After a prolonged silence, Mr Bell elaborated. "Mr Simpson and I were on break time duty when I glanced over, and there's Dyln, throwing a bloomin' punch at Chloe!" 

Miss Carter's eyebrows shot up, a mixture of concern and sternness now etched on her face. She exchanged a glance with Mr Bell before refocusing her attention on Dyln. "Is this true, Dyln?" 

As she questioned them about the altercation, Dyln's defences went up. She was tired of explaining herself, of justifying her actions. "She was winding me up! She was practically asking for it."

Mr Bell's gaze held a mixture of concern and frustration; his attempts to reach her met with resistance. He sighed, his tone firm. "Dyln, you don't just punch people."

Dyln's eyes flashed with annoyance. 

They were interrupted by the arrival of Mr Qureshi, his presence a reminder of the seriousness of the situation. Mr Bell and Mr Qureshi exchanged a look, their unspoken understanding evident.

Dyln's frustration bubbled to the surface, her annoyance at being caught in the middle of their concern evident. She crossed her arms defensively; her tone edged with irritation. "She was saying stuff about my family. So I hit her."

Miss Carter sighed, her expression softening slightly. "I understand that, but that doesn't excuse your behaviour. Violence is a serious matter, and we need to address it."

Dyln's frustration reached a boiling point, her emotions a swirling storm beneath her surface. She clenched her fists. Her voice laced with defiance. "I told you, she was taunting me, saying stuff she shouldn't have. I reacted. End of story."

Mr Qureshi's gaze remained steady, his concern evident. "Dyln, you can not react with violence. We need to find a better way to handle your anger."

Dyln's resolve wavered, her anger momentarily giving way to the realisation that they might have a point. But she quickly pushed that thought aside, her defences back in place. "Yeah, whatever. Can we just get this over with?"

Miss Carter exchanged a glance with Mr Bell, their unspoken conversation a mix of concern and determination. "We'll need to call your guardian and discuss this further," Miss Carter finally stated her voice firm.

Dyln's jaw clenched even tighter, her anger pushing against her restraint. She didn't want her uncle involved. Hell, she didn't even know if he was still in Ackley. But the weight of the situation was pressing down on her, and she realised she had little choice in the matter.