"Little Girl" - lrh

09

It's been about two weeks since the entire incident with Alice while Bethany was here. We haven't spoken. Not because she doesn't want to, but because I can't bring myself to. I love her, more than anything, but she can't keep acting like this.

"Mr. Hemmings?" The principle catches my attention as I'm sitting in a chair in front of his desk. "Mr. Hemmings, did you hear me?"

"I'm sorry, I don't believe I did," I respond, straightening up in my seat.

"I said that I'm concerned about Alice's behavior. She has been skipping a majority of her classes, saying you've been picking her up," my eyebrows come together. "and by looking at you I can already answer my own question you haven't the slightest idea what I'm talking about."

"I just don't understand why you believed her?"

"Our secretaries aren't exactly the most caring of our students. But, we also took into account that Calum Hood was missing classes the same time as Alice," my jaw clenches. "do you know who he is?"

"He's best friends with my daughter," he nods, looking through some papers I'm assuming were records of absences.

"It just caught our attention so rapidly because she is hardly ever absent. I mean, she's had perfect attendance for 3 years straight," I nod, biting the inside of my cheek.

"Is she here?"

"Yes, she's sitting in the detention room; Her and Calum both are."

"I think it's best if I see just Alice."

"I understand," he gets up and exits the room. The first thing I want to do is yell at her, then I want to beat the shit out of her for how she's acting, then lock her in her room until she goes to college.

I rub my temples, closing my eyes as I count to 10. I hear the door open again and foot steps. I open my eyes to see Alice sitting next to me, staring at her lap.

"I hope you at least had fun," I deadpan. She winces. "I had to leave work for this."

"I'm sorry," she whispers.

"No, you're gonna be real damn sorry when we get home," the principle clears his throat and we both look at him. I forgot he was here.

"Uhm, Mr. Hemmings, we are willing to overlook this if she just comes to a Saturday school and continues to keep coming to class."

"What if she continues?"

"Well, then she would be suspended for 10 days. Then, if it continues, she will be expelled," I look back at Alice. Her face is pale and eyes bigger than the moon.

"Mr. Finch, if you don't mind, I'd like to take my daughter home for the day."

"That's fine. Thank you for coming in," he stands and offers a hand. I shake it then pull Alice from her seat and drag her out of the building.

"Let go," she squeaks.

"Why? So you can skip out with Calum?" I spit, looking back at her, stopping in front of the car. "Do you seriously have any idea how infuriated I am with you?" She shakes her head, looking at the ground. "Get in the car." I jerk the door open and practically throw her in. My dad instincts are kicking into overdrive and part of me wants to run back in and pummel Calum into the floor.

"Owh," she grimaces, holding her arm. Ignore it, even though it kills me, and get in the car. "I said I was sorry."

"Fuck that," I growl, pulling on the road and almost speeding along the asphalt. "I don't know what the hell has gotten into you, but it needs to go. You behaving like a drama queen when Bethany here was ridiculous, then you're skipping school? Do you have any idea how stupid that is?" I look over at her for a moment then back at the road, making too fast of a turn. "I swear, it's like you're acting out on purpose. What's wrong, Alice? Do you think I'm not paying enough attention to you? Is that it? Are you fighting for all of my attention? Because now, you definitely have it. If you think I'm letting you leave the house for anything other than school or work, you're out of your damn mind. Not that you're even going-"