When Kat Came Back

Chapter 27

"It won't be so bad," Patricia said. Ashlynn frowned at her.  "It won't. You'll see."

"I'm sure the press will go completely unnoticed," Ashlynn said.

"You have your phone, right?" Patricia asked. Ashlynn nodded and brandished the phone Patricia had gotten her. She'd finally set it up.

"Okay. So you have Patrick's number. And mine. And Dad's, and Megan and Kevin. You can message us any time, okay?"

Ashlynn started typing on her phone. Patricia's phone dinged. She looked at the message and then at Ashlynn. 

"Very funny," Patricia said. The text read 'I'm uncomfortable. Can I go home?'

Ashlynn smiled a rather sly smile.

Patricia helped Ashlynn out of the car and handed her her backpack. She'd gone out and gotten Ashlynn binders and pens and paper. Everything she could think of that the kids had used in high school.

"Okay. We're early enough, you shouldn't be late for class," Patricia said. "Let's go get you registered."

Patricia smiled, Ashlynn sighed. She didn't want to start school here.

Leaning on her cane, she followed Patricia into the school.

Early students stared at her as she looked around the entry way while Patricia tried to remember where the office was. 

"Could it be under that sign that says 'office'?" Ashlynn asked, a little snark in her voice.

"Smartass," Patricia smiled. Ashlynn limped along behind Patricia and into the office.

"Good morning!" The secretary said as they walked in. "What can I help you with?"

"This is my daughter Kaitlyn, I mean, Ashlynn Stumph," Patricia said.

"Ashlynn Stumph?  Not the girl in the news? Who'd been kidnapped as a baby?"

"I'd rather be known as Ashlynn, thanks," Ash grumbled.  The secretary was taken aback for a second. But her smile came back to her face.

"Welcome to Glenbrook High School," the secretary said.

"We'd like to get her registered," Patricia said.

"Of course!" The secretary said, typing on her computer and presumably opening a file.

She took Ashlynn's information and her old school name.

They got a timetable set up for her and it looked pretty close to her old one.

"I guess you get a pass from PE for a while," the secretary said, looking at Ashlynn's cane.

"Lucky me," she muttered.

Once everything was set up and finalized, Patricia gave Ash a hug and told her she'd be back at 2:30 to pick her up. Ashlynn reluctantly followed the secretary out of the office and into the school. She hadn't bothered to listen to the woman's name.

"Okay, Ashlynn, your first class is English with Mr. Peterson. I'll introduce you and he'll get you settled. Okay?"

"Sure. Yeah. Whatever," Ashlynn said, following the annoying woman down the hallway and into a classroom.

"Mr. Peterson, I'd like to introduce you to Ashlynn," the secretary said brightly. "She's new and will be in your class."

"Welcome to Glenbrook," Mr. Peterson said. "What happened?"

He indicated her cane.

"Don't you watch the news?" Ashlynn snarked.

"I don't watch a lot of TV," he said. "Why?"