Behind Her Smile

Chapter Five

Chapter 5: Stressed Out

First comes in Ms. Whalen. Also known as the drama teacher who Dex stole the costume from.

"HARRY!" She comes in with her orange curls wildly around her face as if she just had ran down here straight from her classrooms. Dex grumbles under her breath something about snitches get stitches. Ro frowns and shushes her. "Someone stole the Michael Jackson outfit for ACT 4 and I don't know wh-"

She stops herself as she finally noticed who else was in the office, particularly Dex who had her stolen outfit on. Out of reflex, Ro puts a hand in front of Dex to protect from the teacher's wrath. Not that would do anything, but it is the thought that counts.

Ms. Whalen gasps as she gets a good look at Dex's face. "You?! I should I have known if was you! You art kids have no respect for the drama kids do you?!" She whirled to the principal not even noticing Dex trying to sneak out of the office. "No respect I tell you! And now my lead actress can't perform!" The Principal winces at her shrill tone.

Meanwhile Dex was trying to literally moonwalk out the door, in order to try to escape the wrath of the overexcited drama teacher, while Ro shook his head in disbelief. Right when she is almost home free she was pushed back into the room by someone yelling at a more impressive and ear shattering volume than Ms. Whalen.

"BARROW!" Bellowed the giant beast "One of those northerner’s college kids took my dinosaur again! I swear if they harm my Danny I will TP their beloved statue again. I swear th-"

"EXCUSE ME! I WAS HERE FIRST!" The head football coach finally took his eyes off the Principal's shocked face to look at Ms. Whalen. Finally he catches sight over her shoulder and zeroes in on Ro who is doing the perfect impression of the deer in headlights look.

Like a bull who has spotted red, he marches past Ms. Whalen and grabs Ro by the collar of his mascot suit.

"Well, well, well! What do we have here?! Stealing from your own school! Huh?! What do you have to say for yourself?!" Ro looks like he is about to pee his pants as the Coach screams in his face.

He doesn't wait for an answer as he nearly throttles Ro. "Silent now aren't we?! Well I’ll show you what happens when you cause trouble in my school!"

Ro looks helplessly at Dex for help as he is being dragged out of the office, but Dex just smiles at him and even had the audacity to wave at him goodbye. Ro flushed red as he glares murderously at her until he is forced out of the office and the door slams behind the pair.

Not one to miss the opportunity to see Ro in an embarrassing position, Dex takes her phone out with the intent to follow them, only for her plans to be cut off as someone took her by the elbow and yanks her back inside.

"Where do you think tour going, missy? I am not done with you." she hisses in Dex's ear.

"Dios mio! Let me go already. You can have your costume back as soon as I change. Okay?" Dex says back as calmly as she could and attempts to continue her escape plan only stopped again on her way out. "Oh no you don't. I'm still missing a key character in my play because of you! What are you going to do about that, huh?"

"Isn't that what understudies are for?!"

"SHE WAS THE UNDERSTUDY!"

"BUENO. THATS NOT MY PROBLEM ENTIENDES?!"

"BOTH OF YOU BE QUIET!" A much stressed-out principal exclaims as he tugs his hair until it looks like it is about to come out of his skull.

He grabs a water bottle while popping two aspirin in his mouth. "For god's sake, both of you sit down and act like dignified ladies!" he snaps when he sees the both of them still standing and gaping at him with open mouths. Dex and Ms. Whalen plop down without another word in protest. It is not common for Mr. Harold Barrow gets mad, but when he does, he is a force to be reckoned with.

"Now." He said once they were quiet. "I see the solution to be glaringly obvious. Ms. Domingo needs a punishment and you, Ms. Whalen, need a student to play a lead..." he trails off waiting for them to see where he is going with this.

Judging by the blank stares, they haven't. He sighs. "The way I see it, you have two options." The Principal says while holding up two fingers to Dex.

"Option number one is that you do ISS for three weeks then three more weeks of community service around the school."

Dex wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Eww no. I’d rather do math. Actually never mind, I wouldn't do that either. In fact I don't rem-"

"Option two!" Principal Barrow interrupts startling her out of her rant. "You will join Ms. Whalen play and play the lead character until she can find a replacement."

"No! She will ruin everything I have worked for! Besides the opening is too soon, I cant find a replacement so soon. Ill rather cancel!" Ms. Whalen sniffs as she looks down her nose at Dex.

Principal Barrow raises an eyebrow at her. "Ms. Whalen, please be reasonable. As far as I can see, this is the most advantageous option for the both of you providing Ms. Domingo decides to cooperate." He looks pointedly at her.

"Ugh fine!" Dex exclaims. "Not like you left me much of a choice, but I'll fill in for the stupid play or whatever you are doing."

"And?" Principal Barrow prompts.

Dex rolls her eyes. "And...I promise to be on my best behavior and not purposefully bump people off the stage." She just wanted to end this conversation as quickly as possible so that she could go back to Ro.

"Good. But you still have detention for two weeks after your classes."

Dex eyes bug out in outrage at the Principal. "But that wasn’t even an option.

"And now it is." Ms. Whalen quips. Dex had to fight the urge to stick her tongue at her.

"You need to clean up your mess that you made for Professor Noetal classroom. I got your schedule and you can do Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday after one. Is that understood?

"Ay no, si ya tengo que trabajar con esta loca que no parar de gritar como uno gallina en la mañana ahora tengo que estar mas horas en la escu-"

"Miss Domingo, do I have to add another week." he threatens.

Dex mumbles something in Spanish that should not be translated before opening the office the door behind her. Before exiting, she send the Principal a smile so sickly sweet, you can get diabetes. "No thank you, sir."

"Good then that settles that."

12/1/17