This Is Where I Want To Be

3. They Are Going To Meet

Chris

No matter how old I was, I never got used to being called into the principal's office. That Tuesday morning was no different... I was nervous when the older man sat behind his desk and watched me for a moment. There could've been a million reasons why he would summon me. Not knowing what it was about, my thoughts were a nervous mess. Maybe she reported me. She had been acting differently since I invaded her space. Or even worse, someone had noticed my unnatural interest in a student.

When he started talking, and it wasn't at all about my sins... I relaxed, sitting back in the chair, and exhaled slowly. I didn't register what he was saying. It only sank in when I left the office. Giving me the task of fundraising wasn't at all bad, considering. He had told me about one of the families of the school that was well off financially. I was tasked to approach the kid for help. The bleachers needed a revamp or even replacement. It was a significant expense the school would probably never be able to afford without outside help. I didn't understand how he thought approaching the family's child would be the best course of action, but there I was on my mission... Searching for the daughter of that family.

Wouldn't it have been better if the principal did his own marketing? Shaking my head, I walked to the receptionist's desk to find out what class the kid was in at that moment. At least he said he would step in if I couldn't get anything done. Maybe that was his strategy all along. Playing me to do his dirty work and prepping the family for a call from the principal. In that case, I gave him credit. It wasn't like I could say no.

Miss Lucas was behind the counter, sliding the paper across to me. All it contained was a name and a schedule for the day.

"Juliet Farrow," I read out loud.

"Yeah, she is at her second language class with Mrs. Barton." Miss Lucas answered with a very nasally-sounding voice. I thanked her and made my way there.

Walking into the class a few minutes later, I asked Mrs. Barton if I could briefly talk to that student. She called out to Juliet, but no one stood up or raised their hands. I quickly scanned the room with her. Nothing. We looked at each other simultaneously. "Is she in another period, maybe?"

"No, she was just here."

A kid raised his hand and spoke at the same time. "Mrs. Barton, Juliet was called to the office just now." I recognized the student immediately. Carl was that girl's close friend. He was in my computer class.

"Oh, yes, that's right. Juliet hasn't come back yet."

Irritated, I thanked her and walked towards the door.

"Sorry, she left about twenty minutes ago... I must have forgotten."

I turned. "No worries. I just came from there. We must have missed each other."

Mrs. Barton smiled, and as she did, the bell rang for the next period. I muttered under my breath. I couldn't stay there waiting for her... I didn't want to take a chance. I had a class of my own. I took the second option. The kids began peeling out the door, and I grabbed Carl by the collar and pulled him aside. "Are you seeing Juliet in the next period?" I asked, pulling him even more out of the way of the traffic of kids. It was loud from all the chatter in the hallway, so Carl nodded.

"Could you ask her to come and see me?"

The boy in front of me was taller than I was. I hadn't realized just how big Carl was. Whenever he sat in my class, I wanted to ask him about his friend. It had bugged me for weeks. All I had to do was take one step closer, and I would find out her name. I was determined not to make a stupid mistake and never asked anyone about her. While I waited for Carl to respond, another student joined us. I recognized Charlene immediately, too. She stood a little to the side, behind him. She also took my class with Carl. Charlene was that girl's best friend. Or so it seemed to me. The three of them were always together. Charlene was a little shorter than me. She was almost as beautiful as her friend, but nothing special about her. Staring at her, she smiled at me while another thousand thoughts ran through my mind. I finally glanced back at Carl because he was laughing. "What's so funny?"