The Night Star (ABANDONED)

Chapter 9

"Mr. Grayson, welcome. I'm Headmaster Simmons. Please, have a seat," the headmaster said, welcoming Dick and Mar'i into his office.

Dick was taking Mar'i in to meet the headmaster of Gotham Academy to see if she'd be enrolled. If they didn't accept her there, she'd have to go to public school in Blüdhaven.

"So, I understand that you are interested in enrolling your daughter here?"

  "Yes, that's correct," Dick said. "It's such a fine school and I want Mar'i to have the best education she can get."

Headmaster Simmons smiled. "Why, yes it is a fine school. Thank you, we like to take pride in that here. Now, Mar'i, tell me a bit about yourself. What do you hope to gain here at Gotham Academy?"

  "Well," Mar'i started. "I'm very eager to have a real learning experience and—"

"Real learning experience?" The headmaster interrupted. "If you don't mind my asking, what do you mean by that? Is it that the education at your other schools has been less than satisfactory? Because," he chuckled, "we have heard that a lot."

Mar'i glanced nervously to her father. Should she have not said that?

  "What she means," Dick said, "is that she was homeschooled before and she'd like to have the experience of being in an actual school."

Mar'i sighed a breath of relief and the headmaster nodded, understanding.

"Oh, well, in that case you've certainly chose a wonderful place to start your school years! It is an easier transition from homeschooling to private school rather than to public school. Now, tell me Mar'i, besides academics, what else interests you about our school? What kinds of clubs or activities would you think of doing?"

  "Um..." Mar'i paused. She looked to her father and he nodded encouragingly. "To tell you the truth, sir, I'm not sure. I've never taken part in any extracurricular activities before."

Headmaster Simmons looked at her, quizzically. "Oh?"

  "It's only because she just moved here," Dick said, hurriedly. He then cleared his throat, out of awkwardness. "Mar'i is... from another country. She moved to live here with me just recently. They, uh, have different activities where she's from."

"Oh," Headmaster Simmons became intrigued. "How interesting. Where are you from, Mar'i?"

Mar'i and Dick glanced at each other, panicked. What did they just get themselves into?

"Uh... Y-Yugoslavia..?" Mar'i said, almost uncertainly.

"How fascinating! Are you from there as well, Mr. Grayson?"

"M-Me? Oh, no. I'm from Blüdhaven. Mar'i, uh, lived there with her mother."

"Ah, I see. So, not much to do in Yugoslavia, I take it then?" He chuckled and Mar'i feigned some light laughter.

"Yes, that's right. Not much to do there.."

  "Well, not to worry, Gotham Academy offers plenty of clubs and activities for students to partake in. If I may, you look like a very athletic young lady, perhaps a sport or cheerleading may be a good suggestion for you?"

"I'll look into it," Mar'i nodded.

"I certainly hope so, we love our students to be involved here. I'm sure you'll find something you enjoy," Headmaster Simmons said.