𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐃 | 𝐣𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐣𝐢

𝐈𝐈. 𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐧

Roni shook the can of spray paint once more before pressing her finger against the nozzle. The paint fizzled at first, but after a moment a steady stream of red stained the wall. A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she finished her "masterpiece". Did the artwork happen to be an image of the principal depicted as the devil? Maybe. Of course, there was just one last thing needed for it to be complete. With a flick of her wrist, she signed her initials.

Most people didn't leave their name behind at the scene of the crime, but she had an ulterior motive to her action. She always did.

The smug grin on her face only grew wider as she was escorted down the hall by the school's security. Already in her mind, she had started to tally up her list of offences: vandalizing and destruction of school property, and if she remembered properly, she just earned her last unexcused absence.

As she was forced into the seat placed in front of the principal's desk, she crossed her arms and leaned back in the chair. Principal Bentley sighed as he looked over the charges then back up at the student.

"I thought I wouldn't see you in this office 'til at least noon, Miss Parrish."

"Please," Roni scoffed, "I think we're past the formalities, Bentley."

Principal Bentley nodded his head in agreement; however, he didn't follow her example of informal behavior. "It says here that you were caught spray painting the wall just outside the classroom you were meant to be attending, Miss Parrish."

"Does it?" Roni asked with a false innocence.

"You want to know what I think?"

"Not really—"

"I think," he interrupted her as he closed the file, "that you wanted to get caught. We're both aware of your record and that most schools either suspend or expel a student after the list of offenses you've committed this semester."

"Oh, really?" She feigned surprise and stood up from the chair. "I guess I'll just pack up my things..."

"Now wait a moment, Miss Parrish." He shook his head. "I said most schools, fortunately, we aren't most schools here at Brantford High."

She raised an eyebrow and turned her attention back toward the principal. "So, you're not going to punish me?"

He shook his head. "I didn't say that either. We'll start with a week of detention." Roni looked at him unimpressed as if daring him to up the stakes. "Additionally, you'll be serving your sentence by making repairs to the pieces of damaged property as well as cleaning every bit of graffiti from the school."

He'd succeeded as an outraged look crossed her face. "That's not fair! I didn't even paint half the graffiti around the school though—"

He interrupted her before she could start to rant. "I suppose you'll see how damaging the product can be then and hopefully learn from your mistake."

She glowered at him but didn't argue anymore. Instead, she crossed her arms and stormed out of the room. She muttered a few curses under her breath as she made her way down the hall toward her next class. To clear a bit of her own frustration, she knocked into the closest kid and his books scattered around the ground. He looked up and glared at her but said nothing. The frightening look of rage plastered to her face must've scared him out of complaining. She scoffed and turned on her heels to continue on her path. Although now seated in class, the only thing she focused on was how to get out of serving her sentence.