Braxton Academy

Chapter 40

NAOMI'S POV:

I haven't crossed Mr. Davis yet this morning; he wasn't at breakfast and I, unfortunately, was assigned to restocking the pantry in the kitchen so I was mostly isolated from everyone else. I was hoping we'd run into each other this morning so I could gauge his mood, which would determine the severity of my punishment. 

Yesterday keeps replaying in my head; taunting me as if it were trying to engrave itself into my brain. I've read about characters in my books who've had breakdowns, giant moments of pressured emotions coming down on them all at once...but I never thought something like that would happen to me. I like to think of myself as a pretty well-put together person. 

My dad is an alcoholic and my mom would starve herself from the stress she suffered. Neither of them made their vices abundantly noticeable in front of my brother or I, but they also did not do a great job at hiding it. I once saw my mom vomit from her insecurity of planning my grandma's birthday celebration. Both of them did a great job of assuring me that I was someone who had a bright future, someone who was going to make everyone proud, to be someone worthwhile....

But this bitter coldness I feel now is consuming me, and I fear that it will stick with me forever now. 

"Naomi." Mr. Patry said somewhat loudly as he emerged from around the corner, leaning his shoulder against the door frame. "Are you finished in here?" 

I nodded, "Yes sir." Putting the last box on the shelf, I turned to face him. 

"Mr. Davis is asking for you, you better head up there." He motioned upstairs, giving me a lifeless look 

"Right." I said quietly, more to myself than to him. 

I scooted myself past him, trying not to look into his stern demeanor before I was about to be confronted with another. Everything in the Academy seemed dark today, as if it were under a lingering spell that haunted us all. Or maybe that was just my perspective of it now. 

I can't stand to be here on my own. I can barely sleep at night because I try so hard to not forget what my parents' voices sound like. The same question prowling through my dreams: Is there nothing I can do to make it better?

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MR. DAVIS' POV:

I have to make sure my words mean so much more than they did before. I won't let Naomi leave my office until she is somewhat at ease. For months I've been asking myself if there was something I can do to start the healing...there has to be. She can't hear the truth, she's not ready for it yet and I am not ready to render that to her. 

*Knock, knock*

"It's open." I tried to say clearly. 

She opened the door, her attention shifting immediately to my desk where I normally sat, but this morning she found me instead by the punishing bench. Not surprisingly, she did not look as eager as I was to begin. She looked frail and compromised, her eyes were red from her crying and there was a light that disappeared from her persona. 

"Good morning Naomi, did you sleep okay?" I asked sincerely. 

She nodded, clutching the bottom of her blouse in her shaking hands, causing it to crinkle. "Yes sir."

"Let's begin, shall we?" I asked nonchalantly, watching as her discomfort turn into utter fear. "I don't think I should have to tell you that by forging my signature, you lied because you did not tell me the truth, and you lied to your teacher because he believes that I signed it."

 I pulled out a guest chair and took a seat, maintaining eye contact with her as I rolled up my sleeves and spread my knees. 

"M-Mr. Davis, please don't..." She began to cry, but I interrupted her plea immediately.