The Sound of a Teenage Heart (Prologue and Chapter 1)

Chapter 2

"So," Principal Chuey stared at Vicky with half suspicion and half sympathy. Finding a student almost naked and crying on the floor of a janitor's closet was very rare. This is a disturbing first, Chuey thought. Even though Miss. Lamento had been in the office plenty of times, it was always because she caused trouble; poisoned apples on the teachers' desks, making out with boys in the stairways, selling and smoking weed on school grounds--and the most recent--hitting on the gym teacher, Chuey's husband. She was never brought to the office for crying naked in an empty janitor's closet.

Vicky's hair stuck to her face and her tears splashed against her thigh. Chuey tipped her glasses and leaned forward, "Uh, Vicky?" Vicky stared at her lap. Chuey reached out a hand, "Miss Lamento?" Vicky looked up, wild-eyed and sniffling. Her face was that of an injured child. Chuey felt a ping of sympathy run through her.

"What?" The icyness in Vicky's voice cut her.

"What happened dear?"

"I already told you--"

"You haven't told me a thing. I only know that I found you almost naked in a dark closet."

Vicky looked down again and bit her lip. She shook her head and met Chuey's almond shaped eyes. She opened her mouth but nothing came out. She had plenty to say, though, when she had found her.

"Get off me! Leave me alone! That's what I'm best at being anyways. Alone!" she repeated over and over again until the security guard plopped her down in the waiting room.

"Vicky," Chuey's voice was firm now. Vicky snickered.

"Do I amuse you?"

"You amuse me beyond words, chink."

"Now, young lady," Chuey pointed a finger at her, "Don't you ever call me that. That is racist and disgusting. Don't be rude."

Vicky shrugged and looked down again. "Please let me know something. I'm trying to help you--"

"Help me? This isn't helping at all." Principal Chuey exhaled slowly and slumped her shoulders. She remembered when Vicky was a sweet girl. Honors student, Glee Club president, and so well-known amongst the students and the staff. She used to wear giant clothes and participate in every talent show. Now she was barely passing her classes, she dropped out of Glee Club and hardly talks to anyone. She looked at Vicky's clothes: she was wearing a mini skirt with light blue sneakers and a tight and revealing tank top. The security guard made her wear a jacket over it, but it didn't do much to cover up anything. She studied Vicky's face. She looked tired, angry, spent.

Spent...

"What happened in the janitor's closet, honey?" Chuey leaned forward and reached out to touch her arm. Vicky pulled back as if she'd been burned, "Nothing!"

"Vicky, please!" Chuey pleaded with her eyes. She was honestly worried about Vicky, and she hoped Vicky saw that.

She didn't. "Look, Principal Chuey, I am not obligated to tell you anything, so don't act like I am. Send me home, suspend me, call my dad, I don't care. Just don't make me have to--" Vicky stopped. Chuey stared intently at Vicky.

"Did someone hurt you?" Vicky paused. She shook her head. "Someone obviously hurt you, Vicky. What did he do?"

Vicky's eyes got wide and she leaned forward quickly, "Who said it was a guy?"

Chuey fought the urge to grin. "You did. Just now." Vicky's face froze. Chuey knew what she was thinking; I need to try and hide what I'm feeling. I need to wipe it from my face so she won't know what's going on and so I won't have to tell her anything else. Vicky relaxed her previously horrified face and sat back in her seat. She raised her eyebrows, "Well. He didn't do anything. I don't want to talk about it. And you cant make me."