True Beauty lies Beneath the Skin (Phan)

Tonight We Are Victorious

Tonight we are victorious
Champagne pouring over us
All my friends were glorious
Tonight we are victorious

Parent-Teacher conferences were always one of the things that Dan dreaded the most about parenting. He wasn't even sure if the parents of the other students would be meeting up with their children's teachers as well, or if Bella's teacher had only contacted Dan for a certain reason. He'd been to Bella's school a few times on the rare occasions he had to pick her up for some reason, and the teachers always looked at him like he was a freak. He understood that some of the older people may find the tattoos and piercings to be off-putting and he looked quite young to have a daughter Bella's age, but it still annoyed him.

Dan had received multiple emails over the past few months from Bella's teacher about problems she'd been having in school before being diagnosed with ADHD, and her progress after she began to take her medicine, but this was the first time Dan had been asked to meet with the teacher to talk in person about Bella, and he was extremely nervous.

Bella's teacher was relatively young, which was good because the young ones tended to not be quite as judgmental. She shuts the door to her now empty classroom and goes over to her desk that Dan was sitting across. She goes over to her desk and sits.

"Are you meeting with any of the other parents too?" Dan inquires.

"A few, for certain children," Ms. Spring says, "How have things been at home since Bella has started taking her medication?"

Dan blinks, "Fairly well," He says, "She still gets distracted now and then, but that's just because she's a six-year-old and has lots of energy."

Ms. Spring smiles, "That's a good way of putting it," She says, "However, if you don't mind me asking...is it just you and Bella at home? No one else?"

Dan gives a nervous chuckle, "Um, yes, it's just the two of us."

"Is this a recent development?"

"No. Well, yes, but...why do you ask?"

"Bella has mentioned her mother passed away, and I was wondering if maybe that was part of what may be affecting her school work."

"Oh," Dan says, "Well, that was two and a half years ago, she barely remembers it...She never really put the pieces together that her mom had actually died until recently though..."

Dan then sighs and throws his head back, "And this is the first time I'm on my own with her...After her mom died, she lived with my parents for a little while until I could get back on my feet; I only got full custody of her a few months ago. She's happy, and we're very close, it's just been...a lot for her to handle over the past couple of years, I guess."

"Well, Mr. Howell, Bella is improving; quite extensively, actually. You should be proud. However, she is still struggling, and school isn't going to get any easier, I'm afraid."

"What are you suggesting?"

"I would say maybe look into getting a tutor for her."

Dan sighs; another thing that would cost money he didn't have.

"You've got an amazing daughter, and she's very smart; she just needs a little extra help to get her grades up a bit more."

Dan nods, "Understood."

They talk a little while longer, then Dan walks out to where Bella was sitting in her cubby in the hallway, doing her homework. She looks up at Dan.

"Are we going home now?"

"Yes, but I'll have to go back to work as soon as we get there."

Bella pouts.

"C'mon," Dan says, extending his hand to her.