Gifted (Camren)

Chapter 3.

/M

The next morning on the school bus, I watch as we continuously  make the routine stops to pick up all the kids. I watch as the bus comes to a stop at Ben's house, he steps onto the bus with his project. I can see he's put effort into it, it's got plenty of animals on it way too big of a display if you ask me, but it's also pretty freakin' awesome. He's struggling a bit to get to an empty seat and thats when some jerk older kid sticks his foot out into the isle and trips Ben making him drop and destroy his project, everyone laughs. 

"Look out, look out. Your little animals are escaping. Dumbass." the jerk says

"You should not be laughing!" I yell at the jerk "You did a mean thing to a little kid!"

"What are you gonna do about it?" He challenges

I think for a minute, I then grab the hardcover book the girl sitting across from me was holding and I make my way to the jerk and hit him across the face with said book. He deserved it.

/L

I was called to Mary's school today....again. I'm walking into the entrance from the parking lot and notice a boy and his mother walking out. Kids got a bloody nose and a bloody stained shirt, I ...she wouldn't?

I hurry into the school and see Mary sitting in the office. I quickly make my way to her.

"You ok?" I try to observe her, her face, her clothes "You good? Alright."

"How do we resolve this? You know she could be expelled." Principle Mendez says

"Well I hope not, but if every first time offender was expelled I guess fair is fair." I say sarcastically 

"Are you going to take this seriously?" Mendez says

"Sure. You don't bluff me I won't bluff you."

He huffs, "Ms. Cabello believes that your child is exceptional , she has skills that our curriculum can't even begin to challenge. It just so happens that I'm good friends with the Dean of Admissions at the Oak Academy for gifted education, he's always said if I find the one in a million-" 

"And the one in a million has a thirty thousand dollar tuition." I interrupt 

"Ms. Jauregui I can get your daughter a scholarship. A full ride. I wouldn't say it if I couldn't do it." He counters

I sigh in my seat and nod my head. "I realize putting that girl in that setting. Ninety nine times out of one hundred it works, it's what you do. Oaks is a good school I looked into it....but this family has history with those schools, and the last thing this little girl needs is reinforcement that she's different. Trust me she knows, so I think...I think Mary's gotta be here." I readjust in my seat "Look, today was a bad ending believe me. You don't hit people but a twelve year old bullies a seven year old and she stands up, do you  know how important it is to me that she did that do you know how proud of her I am. Aren't you?"

"Ms. Jauregui, your daughter  shattered that boys-"

"I know, you can't hit people. That will be made very clear I get that but Mr. Mendez if we separate our leaders, if we segregate them from people like you and me, you get congressman so I'm sorry I wish I could take your offer but Mary stays, unless you kick her out."

"This is a mistake, we will never able to raise this child to the level of education she deserves."

"Well, just dumb her down to a decent human being...then everyone wins." I then get up and leave the office. 

/C

I'm stunned given everything I now know about Lauren and Mary...and Taylor I get where Lauren is coming from. Damn Mendez looks heated though, he definitely doesn't like to be told no.