Priceless

Chapter 10:

"She did what?" I heard my mother shriek from the living room downstairs.

I winced at the sound of my name being yelled, I guess the teacher reported that I didn't go to the office for a referral.

I listened from my bedroom floor as my mother explained to my father what I had done. My gaze never left the wooden ceiling fan even as my parents continuously knocked and yelled from my bedroom door.

I wanted to tell them to go away but I couldn't move from the floor.

"Fine if you want to act like that you can, you've been suspended for two days."

...

The next morning I woke up as usual and got my stuff together for school. My parents were already out at work and I was getting into my car, coffee thermos in hand.

I pulled into the parking lot and walked into my first class, bracing myself for the conversation I had rehearsed in my brain.

"Karla?" My English teacher Mr. Maguire called out to me.

"Yes?" I replied keeping my voice steady.

"Uhm the attendance says you're not supposed to be here."

"Well I'm here." I said absently continuing my notes.

"Okay." He replied, knowing very well this wasn't a discussion he wanted to have.

He went on with the lectures, and the class went on with the whispering behind my back.

...

In my second period a school security guard asked me to step out of class.

I dug my nails into my palms as I stood up stiffly and walked out the door.

Once out behind the closed door the guard started the scolding "Do you know that you've been suspended from classes? You are not supposed to be on campus or in any classroom, it is a disruption to..."

"No," I cut him off, " You are a disruption. Pulling me out of class to tell me not to be a distraction. I am on the verge of finals and graduating. But I cannot pass my finals or graduate if I am missing class because of an idiotic suspension. You are interrupting my education to enforce a suspension from a teacher who could not control the harassment I was facing in his class. The only distraction was the comments I was receiving then for trying to do well in school. So you can go tell the office that if they want me out of class during the most important review times they can try and drag me out themselves."

I caught my breath and looked into the security guards shocked face. Not a word came out of his open mouth.

I turned on my heel and walked back into class like nothing had happened.

...

"We have a bad ass over here!" Bradley shouted playfully from our lunch table as I neared.

"What are you doing here?" Aria and Samantha asked simultaneously.

I ignored them, setting down my plate and taking my seat.

They were quiet for a minute as I picked the cheese off the school supplied turkey sandwich.

"Hello, earth to Karla!" Samantha called waving a hand in front of my face.

"I'm here to go to class and learn." I snapped.

The table went silent again, only the neighboring tables conversations filling the quiet.

"Weren't you suspended? That's three days off campus and..." Aria began timidly.

"You know Aria some people don't care about rules," I laughed angrily standing up, "Especially stupid rules that want to affect my admissions to Harvard because I showed a little pride that I got in."

I got my stuff together and started heading to my locker.

"Karla wait!" Bradley yelled but I kept going.

I dumped my lunch into the trash, I had lost my appetite. Then at my locker the whispering wouldn't stop so I sat in my car crying until it was time for 5th period to start.

Eye drops in, books in hand, I needed more coffee.

...

The look in my eyes kept everyone away and not talking to me. Even my 6th period teacher who had given me the referral and ultimate suspension wouldn't make eye contact.

Finally out the door I went to the local Starbucks and threw myself into my work. Math equations, essays, study guides.

Two coffee cups later at 9 pm I was ready to go home.

I got home, parked, and walked through my front door quietly.

"Karla?" My mother called from the kitchen, "Is that you?"

I ignored her calls and went straight to my room, dumping my stuff at my desk and laying on the floor.

My phone vibrated for the fiftieth time today and my mom knocked at my bedroom door but I kept my gaze up on the ceiling fan. I felt.. gone.