I am Chloe

Chapter Seven

Hey guys! My summer course starts tomorrow. I really hope I'll be posting pretty often and most of all I hope you're all satisfied with my story!  (Criticism is highly encouraged!)

Wishing you a LONG summer vacation, unlike myself.

**********

Uh-oh. Baldie pulled my shirt and guided me to his office, kids stared and 'oo-ed' at the scene. 

He yanked the door open to his office.

"Sit down!" he ordered me. I plunged down on one of the faux-leathered chairs facing his desk.

"We're trying to get hold of your father but he isn't picking up," he said. Mr. Greg was in Baldie's office as well; looking at me with disgrace.

"Yeah he's usually busy," I said, truth is I might've given them the wrong number. Might.

"Never mind, we'll get in touch with him soon. Now, Mr. Greg has told me about what you had said back in class, do you have anything to say about this?" Mr. Gray asked angrily.

I was staring at his shiny, bald head. How on earth did it get its shine?

"Umm, no," I reply.

"You better speak up, you might be facing suspension, right now it's mainly detention." 

"Honestly I don't think I did anything wrong, people don't punish you for punishing yourself, right?" I said, they looked at me with confused expressions.

I wanted them to think that I told myself to go die; therefore I'd just face the school counsler-slash-psychologist and skip detention altogether.

"Come again?" Mr. Greg said.

"Well I mean that you have the right to punish yourself and tell yourself to do stuff, right?" I repeated.

"Yes?" Mr. Greg and Shiny Baldie answered.

"Then why are you punishing me when I told myself to do something?" I asked, secretly praying my plan would work.

"Wait, you didn't tell Mr. Greg to go...die?" Baldie asked, confused as usual.

"No, I told...myself. I'm still mad for getting the lowest grade in class." 

Mr. Gray raised an eyebrow, Mr. Greg looked like wasn't buying it.

"I mean I did study really hard, and it hurts to see a big, no offense, fat D on my paper." 

"Ms. Henderson, can you please wait outside while Mr. Greg and I talk this over?" Mr. Gray asked.

"Sure," I opened the door, hiding my smile, and left the room.

That was wrong, Chloe.

No Dr. Chloe, that was sheer genius.

I bit my nails in nails in frustration and looked at my watch, five minutes till Lunch was over, I should sue them for that. But they'd probably win the case, I mean it's going to be Henderson versus Gray and Greg, with their names together they'd make a butt-kicking law firm.

"Chloe, you may come in," Mr. Greg said while opening the door.

I felt as if I had a million pterodactyls in my stomach. I opened the door and sat on my chair.

"So Mr. Greg  and I have of course talked about this," Mr. Gray said.

Oh really?

"We're sending you to the school counsler but we'd like to meet with your father first, we've written him a letter," Mr. Greg said, handing me the sealed envelope.

"Oh yeah sure," I said, trying not to burst out into fits of laughter at their stupidity and naiveness.

 "You're excused, Ms. Henderson," Mr. Gray said.

"Thanks," I replied and sped out of the room. I pursed my mouth in a self-satisfied smirk.

*

I bit my apple and zipped my plain, boring white backpack open on the kitchen counter.

The envelope was in the first pocket of my backpack, I usually signed the letters with a forged signature.

But this time, I wanted Dad to see the letter for himself. 

I wasn't scared of the consequences. Dad never disciplined me, he never 'raised' me, and he sure as hell never hit me. So why be scared?

Dad entered the apartment on time with his afternoon coffee in hand.

"Hey, Dad?" I said, turning to him on the rolling stool.

"Yeah," he replied, checking the newspaper while taking a sip of his coffee. Typical grown-up.

"I got a note today from the principal, I think you should check it out," I said, handing him the envelope.

He looked at me suspiciously and tore open the white envelope.

I bit my lip, studying his facial expressions as he read the letter in the envelope.

"They're setting me up with the school councilor," I explained whilst looking at the floor.

"Umm..I'm lost here," Dad said, looking quizzical.

"It's a really long story but they think that I'm prone to suicide." 

"What?" Dad asked, still confused. More confused that concerned.

"They just think that because I'm not social enough. Just sign the letter, please," I said.

I wanted to slap myself for getting him involved in this. Slap, not kill.

Dad grabbed a pen from my black Eastpak pencil-case and signed the envelope.

"Anything else I need to sign?" Dad asked, while taking his last sip from the coffee before throwing the Starbucks cup away.  

"Nope, just this," I said.

Oh the things you had had to sign, Dad...

Dad took off his navy blue sweater and revealed his gray shirt, and black necklace underneath. His necklace had a moon charm on it, I didn't know why he wore it but he wore it all the time.

I wondered if he included it in his will. 

Or if he included me in his will.

Dad waved his hand in his hair, he was a good-looking man. I wouldn't say handsome because that word would sound so wrong. We both share the same sloped nose, and the same lips. Our eyes were different, my cheekbones were more prominent than his, my hair was a bit lighter, but it showed that I was his daughter. 

I knew zip about his private life, I didn't know if he actually dated anyone after my mother. 

Maybe it was because of me.