"Rhiannon Thompson! My office now!" The booming voice of Rachel Mason, the headteacher of Waterloo Academy, shouted in surprise. Rhiannon slung her backpack onto her shoulder and dragged herself to Miss Mason's office. The dark corridors seemed to be staring down at her as if to say, 'you got caught, well done.' The office door squeaked as it was opened, Rhiannon stood in Masons office awkwardly for what seemed like forever until Miss Mason stomped through the door. "I have never been more disappointed with one of my students in my whole career! Assaulting another student AND verbally insulting a member of staff!" Rachel Mason turned around and presented a disappointed face staring towards Rhiannon. "Now I want the truth and the whole truth right now. What brought on your attack and why did you feel the need to yell abuse at not only a teacher but your sister in law?"
Rhiannon's face burnt with shame as she recalled the days incidents. "I...I don't know what came over me, honestly. One minute I was doing my work then the next I'm here,...." Miss Mason sat down. " Rhiannon I know you well enough to know that something VERY severe must have triggered this attack and I want to know what this is. I know what you are worried about, that I'll tell Mrs Thompson everything. This isn't something that I would tell anyone Rhiannon; you don't need to worry. I'm here for you." Rhiannon was taken aback by this, could she believe her? Thompson found out about everything anyway so could it hurt to just admit it?
"The only one who knew was him. I trusted him! He started gossiping and soon everyone knew and I just flipped and... He was laying face down on the floor and I hated myself; why? I felt proud and happy but I knew that was wrong. I feel like a narcissist. Then Thompson got involved. I couldn't stand her knowing and poking about so I just—lashed out..." Miss Mason looked into her eyes, a look of sympathy glistening prominently. " These are natural feelings, you aren't alone. But I need to know the full story. What was he talking about? Who is he? And what did you say to poor Miss Thompson?"
Rhiannon dropped her eyes to the floor; she couldn't bear to look at her teacher any longer. Her cheeks burned with shame and her hands grew heavy with nervous sweat. " HE is my ex-boyfriend James Williams. I trusted him with everything; I even told him everything. It's not that I don't trust you miss it's just it's embarrassing... Too embarrassing to admit let alone spread about verbally." " Whatever it is Rhiannon I need to know. You can trust me."
Rhiannon glanced around at the various flyers around the office: Staff Meetings, School Clubs, Pastoral Care and a Fire Drill Manual. "I have been having these feelings, that I shouldn't have. Feelings that other girls don't have. I don't want them either and James knew that. He spoke as if I chose to have them. He told everyone he could and I didn't want him to. He told everyone that I liked girls- not just boys. He said I was greedy and a filthy slut, that I was unnatural." Mason's face dropped as she began to look horrified.
"Thompson couldn't know; I wouldn't let her. So I told him to shut up and just piss off but then he wouldn't. So I decked him; to be fair he did shut up. Then SHE had to get involved. I didn't mean any of what I said to her. I said terrible things; That she was a good for nothing waste of space and that the worst day of my life was the day I met her." Feeling the heat of the moment the girl burst out in a fit of tears, wrenching the heart out of the headteachers chest.
