If she had been alone before, Melanie certainly was now. Each day she would turn up to college and head straight to the library where she would be found whenever she didn’t have a lesson. Infrequently, she would make eye-contact with Beatrice and the smile would be wiped off Beatrice’s face long enough for Melanie to know that perhaps she missed Melanie too, but soon after she would flick her hair in that arrogant way that only the “cool kids” do and turn away so all Melanie could see was her back. Beatrice’s exit from her life had left Melanie’s portrait dark and dull.
March turned to April and Easter was on the horizon but the pain she felt for her lost friend was immeasurable. Things weren’t all bad, Jackson would appear every few days and as the weather warmed up they would go to the famous cliff side. Where they would sit and watch the world go by, laughing, joking and yes, there was kissing too.
Although things on the Max-front weren’t going well. His behaviour had gone from excellent to appallingly bad. At home he was starting to answer back and he left his stuff strewn about the house. But one day in mid-April Melanie was busy revising for her rapidly approaching exams her phone started to buzz. She didn’t recognise the number so she let it ring out in silence. However, it rang again so she thought it must be important.
“Hello?” Melanie asked in an uncertain voice.
“Is this Melanie Whyte?” asked the very authoritative voice on the other end of the phone.
Melanie was hesitant. Who could this be? She thought. “erm… this is she”
“This is St. Brigid’s and we have Max in the reception, he’s been in a spot of bother and the principle would like to talk to you in regards of Max’s behaviour”.
Melanie was gob-smacked. She knew Max was being difficult at home but she had no idea his behaviour was getting to the extent that she had to be called in.
“I’m not sure if I can get there right now” Melanie replied. Which was true. She had another lesson yet that day and it was important that attended it. Did no one understand the importance of exams?! Plus now was not the right time for her to slip her attendance.
“I’m sorry Miss Whyte but we cannot attain him here for much longer.”
Melanie was not impressed, but she sighed and politely replied “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Once she sent an email of apology to her teacher she grabbed her things and hastily walked to Max’s school. She got there in record time and made her way to the reception area.
Max looked up as she entered, he looked slightly afraid that she had been called in but not afraid enough to have the ordacity to put his feet up on the coffee table.
“Max? Look at me? What’ve you done?” but before the reply came a door to the left of them flew open and they were called in and were told to sit down.
“Miss Whyte, you’ve been called in on account for Max’s behaviour. He refused to work over and over again despite Mrs. Low’s several attempts at trying to get him to pick up his pencil and do some work. Then he stood and walked out of the classroom. We don’t tolerate behaviour like this at this school, but as this is Max’s first offence we will let it slide, ok?”
He didn’t wait long enough for an answer as he began to resume what he was saying.
“For now we ask that you take Max home and we’ll start again tomorrow.”
“Thank you, sir” Melanie said as she left the room.
Once out of the building Max asked “what did you say ‘thank you’ for?”
His tone did not please Melanie in the slightest “Max! Look I don’t know what has gotten into you lately, I said thank you because you got off lightly, alright? So let’s forget about it and go home.”
That was not the last time Melanie sat in the reception of ‘Saint Brigid’s’. over the next couple of weeks she was called in repeatedly. She was called in as Max was refusing to work; he was throwing pencils across the room, emptying paper on to the floor, the whole nine yards. This meant she was called out of college more than she could be happy with. Max’s struggling behaviour and Melanie’s broken relationship along with the looming exams was causing her a great deal of stress. If only she could solve why Max was acting the way he was. If only her dad was around to do this instead of her.
Then one Wednesday afternoon Melanie got a very distressed call from the over-familiar voice of the receptionist. Once at the school she was asked to go straight to Mr Garroway’s office. She approached the well-known ‘HEADMASTER’S OFFICE’ and entered feeling a knot of dread in her stomach. She saw Max, his head bowed, sat in front of a humongous oak desk. She took the seat next to him but max didn’t look up.
“Miss Whyte thank you for coming. Today is the last straw. We have been patient with Max, at first we could ignore the small things but it has escalated beyond that now.”
Melanie looked at the concern-full face of Mr Garroway, she felt wrong, like she had failed in some way. She had promised to take care of Max, he was her responsibility and now he was falling through the gaps, like she herself was.
“Maxwell took his behaviour to another level today. He and another boy, Jimmy Wetherton, were playing football when Max started to hit him. Violence is not tolerated here, and last time I saw you I told you Max was on his last strike and that he would be suspended. So Max, Max look up at me, you will be suspended for the rest of the term, is that understood?”
“Yes sir” Max mumbled. They stood up and went to leave when Mr Garroway gave Melanie and Max one last thing to ponder “if Max’s behaviour does not improve, you’ll need to start looking for a new school to send Max to.”
“Thank you, Mr Garroway.”
Hey, so this is the tenth chapter! That means double digits. I am so impressed at how well this strory is doing so thank you everyone for the reads.
Sorry that Melanie's life seems slightly depressing but I promise it will get better!
No Jackson Hughes-Taylor in this chapter :/
If anyone has suggestions for what her and Jackson get up to next I would gladly appreciate feedback :)
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A Portrait of Whyte
Teen Fiction"She could jump; she had done it before, a simple movement that even three year olds can do. She stretched her leg, feeling the force of the wind. And then, still with her leg out, she held her breath and lent forward..." Melanie's life is a grey...
