K-12: Legacy

The Principal

The principal wasn't exactly a bad person, but he was a bit dumb. He let the teachers manipulate him, and that was probably why he forced the pills on us. Maybe he wasn't as bad as the first principal, but his greed drove him to do some nasty shit. 

Rosalie and I were sitting on the pink sofas outside the office, listening to an older boy slurping something that looked like glue, which got on my nerves but I ignored it. There was bad music playing in the background, and to my annoyance, a button was missing on the sofa across from me, causing my OCD to kick in. I glared at the spot.

I was not in a good mood, but I realize I shouldn't have lost control like that. Rosalie wasn't a bad person, she was just projecting her insecurities onto me. 

Suddenly, the doors swung open and the principal- my father- strode out, barking orders to his minions, who flocked around him like birds to loose bread. 

The teacher went, "What about those girls and their behaviour?" 

"Let them go, I have more trying matters at present."

"Let them go?! But sir-"

"Let them go. It isn't worth it to punish them- it won't get us richer." He sounded bored.

"But-"

"I believe, Miss Murdock," the principal sighed, "That this conversation is over."

"Girls, you may go. Try not to kill each other," he said, waving us off. We exchanged glances but left. We didn't say a word as we wandered the halls, but then Rosalie pulled out her phone and started talking to the principal.

"Greedy, sneaky, money-seeking..." she ranted. It was true, the principal was greedy and money seeking, and he didn't give a shit about us as long as he got money. But he didn't actually harm us the way the first principal of K-12 did. My father didn't kill anyone, unlike his father. My father was dumb and spoiled, but he wasn't evil. And besides, he was my father.

Rosalie was being dramatic, as always.

----Days later----

There was talk of getting the principal fired. I heard the rumours, first in whispers, then in quiet conversation, then outright uproar.

I got even more looks from my classmates because everyone knew I was the principal's daughter, and everyone also knew that I received zero special affections from him. He never said hello, or even bothered to wonder what I was doing.

But somewhere, beneath all the indifference, the demanding of coffee from nervous interns- there must be some sort of fatherly affection.

Social workers came into the school one day, and Rosalie's pawns were taken aside and asked to testify against my father. They whined and whined and whined, saying how my father only cared about money- which was true, but he was my dad.

(A/N I'm referencing how Elliott is desperate to see some good in her dad, and that he's different, which is what many people with toxic parents do. They justify their parents' wrongdoings and pretend that everything is alright.)

Athena had begun to avoid me, choosing to hanging out with some dumbass boys. I bet she was straight. I felt cheated, even though I knew she had never liked me.

I wandered around the hallways of K-12, looking at the paintings and crystal chandeliers, the gold wallpaper and the red carpets. 

Then I remembered something I had forgotten in all the mayhem- class. I hurriedly checked my watch. 10:58. Class started in two minutes, and her classroom was all the way in the west wing, at the other side of the school!

I sprinted through the halls, knowing Ms Carley's punishment for tardiness. 10:59.

I tripped over my shoelaces and had to gather my pencils and pens, frantically looking up and down the hallway for any rabbit doctors or sadistic teachers.

I skidded to a halt in front of her door and tentatively opened it. Inside, everyone was already seated. The kids had their lips twisted up in a grim imitation of smiles. Their doses were obviously increased dramatically. Abby, Bahari, and Athena were in other classes. I was on my own because everyone in this class hated me. I saw Kim in the back row, grimacing like the rest of them, but there was a crease between her brow.

I looked at the chalkboard, and felt a tightening in my chest. "Show and Tell" was written in big letters.