Dedicating Every Day to You

Chapter Fifty-Three

"Now, choose a partner and speak with them, using some of the vocabulary you've just learned." Senor Rosario claps three times, an invitation for us to move our desks and find a partner. I turn to Betsy, a quiet girl who I know from Home Ec, and gesture to the empty desk beside me. She smiles gratefully and slides into the chair.

I straighten my worksheet on my desk, clear my throat, and turn to her. "Hola, amiga. Que paso?" Vanessa would be a little disappointed that I'm so slow with my Spanish, but I'm learning, bit by bit.

Betsy pushes a lock of blonde hair behind her ear and blinks. "Um...soy bien, y tu?" Her voice is soft, barely audible. Her lips quirk up lightly, petal pink, in a gentle smile.

"Bien, gracias. Que tal tu-" My response is cut off by the buzz of the loudspeaker. Everyone looks up, seeming interested.

"Kathryn Laurens-Hamilton to the principal's office, please, Kathryn Laurens-Hamilton?" Great. Now everyone's staring at me, and a few people are even doing that obnoxious 'oooooh' thing that makes it look like I'm in trouble. I sigh and gather my things, tucking my Spanish folder into my backpack and walking out of the classroom.

There could be perks to this. Even if I have detention or something, hopefully I'll be in the office long enough that I miss the rest of Spanish and can go straight to lunch. A free period might be worth getting a pink slip. I knock on the office door, sighing when I hear Principal Adams's voice. The two of us have never managed to repair the schism caused by the whole suspended-for-punching-another-student-in-the-teeth thing.

I turn the knob and walk inside, looking around nervously. I really hope no one's been making things up about me, or that the can of frosting in my locker has been confiscated- it was for a lunch science project with George. "Hello, Principal Adams."

"Please sit down, Miss Laurens-Hamilton." He straightens and nods at me, in a way that tells me this whole sitting down idea is not optional. I take a seat in the chair across from the desk, folding my arms and sighing.

"What trouble am I in now, sir?" I just hope John and Alex don't have to be called in again. Getting them to sign off on a low-scored test has never been a big deal. As long as I can show them where I went wrong, and as long as I understand what my mistakes were, it's alright. After last school year's fighting fiasco, if I gest suspended again, I can kiss all priveliges goodbye for the next century.

Principal Adams makes a little wheezing noise that I assume is intended to be a sarcastic laugh. "You're not in trouble this time, young lady. I actually wanted to talk to you about the student ambassador position you signed up for."

Vaguely, I recall jotting my name down on a pink bulletin board sheet- it was extra credit, and I didn't realize I would actually be called upon to perform any duties. "Yes, sir?"

"We have a new student who will be joining us tomorrow. She's going to be entering the ballet program at your level, and she's around your age. I was wondering if you would be interested in being her guide when she first arrives here." He leans back in his seat, as though I've already given my answer.

"What would that entail?" I must look at least mildly willing to comply, because Principal Adams doesn't seem quite as exasperated with me as usual. I sit forward in the awful, uncomfortable office seat.

He pulls a sheet of paper off of his legal pad and begins to write on it. "Just showing her around, helping her get to class, letting her sit with you at lunch...things you would do for a friend. Hopefully, you two will be friends. I do think you'll like her- in her interviews, she more than impressed us. That is all."