Life is Better

Chapter Eleven - Principal's Office

"Now, I know today was difficult for everybody, but I'm so proud of the way Blackwell pulled together to save a young girl's life. Of course, you're quite a hero for getting Kate to come down, Max, Ronnie" Principal Wells said. "I didn't do much" Max said. "Yeah, me neither" I added. "She's modest. Like a real hero" Jefferson said. "Yeah. "Real hero."" David said annoyed. "Fuck you, David! You're just all pissed up because you couldn't save Clare!" I snapped at him. There was a little pain in his eyes. I saw it, but I could also tell he didn't want anyone to see it.

"As principal of Blackwell Academy, I take my duties seriously. I take the well-being of every student more seriously. What happened today should never happen in a hall of wisdom and knowledge. Mr. Madsen, as our head of security here, those roof doors should always be locked. That's just standard operating procedure. They were not. And that is indeed your responsibility. Mr. Jefferson, I know you can't be expected to know what your students are going through, but Kate has assisted you in class, so you should've known something was amiss. Mr. Prescott, since you are responsible for the Vortex Club parties, and since Miss Marsh did attend your last party, you'll have to answer some more questions. Miss Caulfield, Miss Bowers, why exactly were you on the roof with Kate Marsh? Did she tell you her plan? Or anything at all? Please, tell us everything." Principal Wells said. 

"Yeah, Miss Bowers, why don't you?" Nathan asked, leaning over to me. "Because if I would speak up, your ass would be on fire" I said, leaning over as well. "What's your goddamn obsession with me!?" Nathan asked. "Well, you are the one obsessed with me, and drugs" I said "It's no problem for you to get them to drug an innocent person, in this case, Kate" I said. "So you are blaming me!?" He asked. "No, I'm blaming all three of you!" I said. "Mister Security Guard Fail should haven't have been so fast to judge, shouldn't have gone up her ass like he did. If he would have just left her alone, she would have been a step further away from the edge of that roof!" I said and turned to Jefferson.

"And you! She came to you for help, but you told her off. Telling her it was nothing! She was clearly upset, yet you didn't care!" I said and turned to Nathan "And you most definitely drugged her! She was at one of your parties, it's only obvious that you drugged her for one of your sick games. I don't know fucking know!" I said. "I saw Mr. Jefferson talking to Kate right before our class... then she ran off crying..." Max told them "That's exactly what I just tried to tell you!" I said to Wells. "Mark, I do know that Miss Marsh has assisted you on class events" He said. 

"Kate... Miss Marsh... has been very withdrawn lately. And I assume this awful video was the cause. I hated seeing the students laugh at her" Jefferson said. "Yet you didn't do anything! You just watched as she ran of crying. You knew exactly what she was going through, but you didn't care! You didn't even try helping her!" I said. 

"She told me Max was the only one who believed her, would take her calls and actually listen to her" Jefferson said, ignoring everything I had just thrown at him. "She shouldn't have asked to be on video macking with some dudes..." Nathan said. "Well, you shouldn't have drugged her then!" I snapped at him. "You ass. She didn't ask for any of this..." Max yelled at him. "No, on the contrary. Max was right to bring this up. Now, I wanted to help, but I guess I was too late..." Jefferson said. "Did you?" I asked, getting up walking towards him "Because from my point of view it looks like you gave a shit about Kate, about any of your students!" I said. "Ronnie, I was trying to help her!" Jefferson said. "By telling her that she is overreacting!?" I asked him "What is going on in this fucked up head of yours?" I asked him, taking a step closer to him. "I know I made a mistake!" Jefferson said, but I didn't buy any of his shit.

"Well now, this is problematic. The publicity is rising and perhaps... you shouldn't represent Blackwell at the "Everyday Heroes" contest in San Francisco..." Wells said. This was the first time he actually say something that mattered. 

"Are you serious?" He asked, while I took my seat in the chair again. 

"I am. We don't need any negative press about that event. And we need to involve the Academy in possible disciplinarian measures for you" Principal Wells said. "I understand. There are bigger things at stake than me. The life of a young girl for one..." Jefferson said, acting like he understood, but I knew better. I just knew he was saying shit.

"Alright, Miss Caulfield, Miss Bowers, please sign here to confirm what you've told us. I'll continue this investigation from there" Wells said and lied a document in front of us. Max looked at me and I nod, telling her that I want this to stay the way it was. We both signed it, then handed it back to Wells. "Well, I think we know less now than when we started. We'll be assisting the police with further inquiries. I know this has been a stressful day... I wish I had the power to change it all for the better... So, thank you for coming in" He said and all of us left the office. "I'm going to find Warren. See you then, Ronnie" Max said and walked off.

I took a deep breath and wanted to leave as well, but Nathan held me back. "What the hell was that in there?! Trying to rot me out? You are the one that's banging the local drug dealer!" He said "If it was my fault, it would have been his' as well!" Nathan said. "No, no it wouldn't have been! He is the supplier, not the abuser!" I said. "Yeah, like he doesn't smoke some of that shit himself!" Nathan said. "Why do you even care? Jealous or what?" I asked him. "Why would I be jealous?" He asked. "Because he was closer to the love of your life than you would have ever gotten" I said and walked off, leaving him behind.

Clare Price, leaving with a bang. My newfound specialty.