The Girl Next Door

Chapter 32

BAY VIEW HIGH SCHOOL - DAY
The red brick building from the photo. It sits on a busy city block. No sprawling lawns here. Beyoncé pulls into an overcrowded lot. She takes a deep breath and goes in
Beyoncé sits across the desk from PRINCIPAL HELEN BRODIE, 60.
PRINCIPAL BRODIE: Kehlani was a gifted teacher. Young, energetic. The students loved her.

Beyoncé: Did she ever mention having difficulty with a student named y/n y/l/n? Brodie's eyes become alert although her voice was a little shaken

PRINCIPAL BRODIE: Y/n ...

Beyoncé: You must remember her . She was here through her junior year. Before transferring to Wilkerson Prep

PRINCIPAL BRODIE Oh, yes. A wonderful student. Very bright, as I recall. Top of her class.

Beyoncé: I'm sure. But I was hoping to talk
to you off the record.

PRINCIPAL BRODIE I beg your pardon?

Beyoncé: She has been a problem at
Wilkerson. She's been extremely aggressive. Sexually. Toward certain female faculty members.

PRINCIPAL BRODIE: I can assure you we experienced no such problem with her.

Beyoncé: Oh really.
She thrusts the photo of Kehlani at her.

Beyoncé: I found this on her computer. There are hundreds more. All of Kehlani.
Principal Brodie stares at the photo, her mind calculating.

Beyoncé: She e was stalking her --

PRINCIPAL BRODIE Oh, this doesn't --

Beyoncé: -- and I suspect there was
something going on between them.

PRINCIPAL BRODIE :Absolutely not!

Beyoncé: Perhaps you were unaware.

PRINCIPAL BRODIE
Mrs.Knowles, I run a tight ship here.
I certainly would have been alerted to any such impropriety.
Just then there is a quick knock at the door and RHONDA SALAZAR, 27, fresh-faced but plain, enters.

RHONDA:
Helen, I have those figures you --
Rhonda sees Beyoncé and the distressed look of both women.

RHONDA: Oh, I'm sorry. I'll come back ...

PRINCIPAL BRODIE: No, no, Ms. Salazar, that's quite all right. I'll take them.
As Rhonda hands some papers to Principal Brodie, her eyes travel to the photo of Kehlani on her desk. Rhonda blanches, then looks to Beyoncé , who meets her gaze.

Beyoncé(to Rhonda): Are you a teacher here?

RHONDA: I'm a guidance counselor.

PRINCIPAL BRODIE Mrs. Knowles --

Beyoncé: Did you know Y/N?

PRINCIPAL BRODIE:  Mrs. Knowles! You will direct your questions to me. (to Rhonda) Will you excuse us, please?
Rhonda hurries out. Principal Brodie turns to Beyoncé .

PRINCIPAL BRODIE:
Let me be absolutely clear. While
it's possible that this young woman harbored some kind of schoolgirl crush on Kehlani , I can assure you nothing ever came of it. And I will not allow you to disparage the memory of one of Bay View's finest teachers, not to mention the reputation of this school.
She stands abruptly and opens the door.

PRINCIPAL BRODIE : Now if you don't mind ...