The Girl With Tattoos • Original Version

The Girl With Tattoos (34)

I sat in Sam's office, pissed off, tired and slightly bloody. Rebecca's nails dug into my arm a couple of times and who would of thought a fake nail could poke a hole through skin.

Sam's office was practically the mirror image of Mrs. Larson's room, all but the personal items, but the more I glanced around the barren room, the more I realized there's nothing here besides papers, drawers, and miscellaneous office materials. There were no pictures of family or friends, no drawings people made for him, no other items occupying his desk other than his computer, and the wallpaper was just him at his college graduation with no one beside him. It all seemed weird because you usually see their kids or their partners or maybe even just a dog but this was not the case. Either Sam had no one to frame or he didn't want the world to see his entire life in his school office and I was hoping it was the latter.

"Gracelyn, I know you might think you're in trouble but you're not, I can promise you that," he said in a slightly soft tone but still had on his signature stone face. My shoulders relaxed as he reassured me I wouldn't be suspended, which I honestly wouldn't mind, but I was not about to be expelled again, especially since I've been here for over three months already. Plus, with being expelled from about 11 schools, I probably wouldn't be accepted anywhere else after the number was raised to 12 and like 3 more fights littering my documents. College was out of the question too. My guidance counselor got it through my thick skull the first time I was expelled and 10 more schools later, any college would be happy to invite a person with a 2.5 GPA over a girl who's been to many different schools over the past 2 years.

I slowly nodded moments later and he leaned forward, his mysterious eyes studying me. "I know none of this was your fault but because you intervened with the fight today, Mrs. Larson wants me to ask you some questions. Would that be fine?" He asked while pulling out a clean notebook and a red pen, looking up at me when nothing happened. He opened his mouth to speak but I cut him off by snatching a pen from his desk along with a piece of paper. Making an impatient face at him, he clicked open the pen and stuck it to the paper.

"Do you have any idea why the fight might have been started?" I was ready to shake my head no but I remembered what she said and scribbled words onto the copy paper, and passed the message over. He scanned the words and wrote them down on his own paper. "Do have any idea who her boyfriend might be?" I gulped and hesitated to write down the name that immediately popped up into my mind. He read it and confusion stretched across his face.

"Bann? Are you sure?"

I shrugged and wrote down exactly what he told me himself; they used to date and when they broke up she was like a leech that never popped off. She says they're still dating but in actuality, it's complete bullshit.

He laughed silently, writing down nonsense and leaned back in his chair, blowing out air. 

"So you have no connection to the two fights this week other than breaking it up?" I nodded slowly and he did so too and clicked off his pen and throwing the notepad down on the empty desk. He rolled towards his computer and typed swiftly across the keyboard and stopped seconds later to proof read and started up again. My mind traveled to other places as I waited for him to stop and talk again. The boredom started to eat me alive as I listened to the clicks of the keys and the squeak of his chair as he occasionally moved around from place to place. "Okay," he spoke out minutes later, or what seemed like years, and I lifted my head up to see him already looking at me.

"You're dismissed," Nodding, I grabbed my stuff and stood up, ready to leave the cramped space. "Oh, and Gracie," I turned back around to watch him stand up also and walk toward me, something tucked inside his hand. "Here. You can thank me later," he placed the item in my own hand and sat back down, ushering me out. Smiling, I finally exited and looked down at the blue paper crumbled in my hand from me grabbing it too hard. I flipped it over as I left the office and read it slowly, laughing slightly.

'I looked at your record and saw you missed a weeks worth of detention and I thought since you did something good, I might as well lie and say you attended them. Don't make me regret for ever being nice to you Grace.'

Maybe he isn't so bad after all.

✦✧✦

The rest of the day went by pretty sweetly. The entire school was slightly buzzed over the news of Rebecca being suspended for seven days and when the final bell rang, all I could hear was how much fun people were going to have tomorrow since Miss Bitch wouldn't be here.

I couldn't agree more.

Some people were quite pissed at me for breaking up the fight because I guess two girls fighting were their only source of entertainment. Just go on YouTube guys. I also got a lot of shocked looks throughout the day and a few folks asked me why I even bothered to stop the fight and I just shrugged every time and slowly, I found myself asking the same question.

Sitting under the tree in the back of the school, I leaned my head against the rough bark and closed my eyes softly, enjoying the song of the birds echoing through my ears.

But of course people ruin everything.

"Gracie! I've been looking all over for you!" A cheerful voice squealed. Prying open my eyes, I sighed at the sight of Tiki twirling her curly hair around her pointer finger. My first guess was that she was going to ask me stupid questions for the yearbook but when she plopped down beside me, I sat up quicker than I ever had and looked over at her. Her pink streak in her black hair popped under suns bright light and if I was being honest, she was pretty. Her dark skin shined under the sun and the floral dress she wore hugged her waist softly. To add to everything, her dark eyes shimmered and highlighted her freckled nose. She would be a great friend if she didn't speak like every girl in every movie ever.

Tiki smile sweetly, a camera hanging off her neck. "So, you might be thinking, "Oh no! Crazy yearbook lady is here!" Something along those lines, yes, "But today, I am the crazy school news lady," she giggled at her joke but it died down when she noticed me staring at her, eyebrows raised. Clearing her throat, she maneuvered her legs around and tucked the end of her dress over her knees, leaning on her hand. Her head leaned to the side as she asked me a simple question;

"Can I film you for the school TV?" Her smile seemed so innocent but under her cute and simple act, I smelled the evilness. The little devil wanted to film me for some unknown reason and was using her innocent nature to persuade me to do it. Hell no Satan, not today.

I shook my head hardly and grabbed my stuff ready to get away from this hellhole, literally, but a little hand stopped me from going any further.

"Please!" She pleaded as she spun me around to face her. "I need one more interview and who better to do it then you."

I don't understand.

Shaking my head again, but slower this time, she huffed and frowned, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Do you want me to get an F?" I shrugged and also pushed her hand off me, watching her slowly becoming more annoyed. "Why does no one want to be filmed!?" She asked to no one in particular.

"Because everyone looks like shit today," Bann said beside me and Tiki spun around with a wide smile.

"Bann! You wanna be interviewed for the school TV?" Bann rolled his eyes and tucked his hands inside his jean pockets.

"Everyone includes me," I chuckled, feeling his steady eyes on me.

"Noo! You look fine," She smiled even bigger, her eyes squinting as she stared at Bann like he was a slice of cake.

Oh, I get it now.

She likes him.

"Tiki, look, I know you really need this interview but I said no and you can beat it now," Tiki sighed sadly and walked away, her leather backpack bouncing on her back as she climbed the stairs away from us.

"Thanks," I whispered lowly and he smiled in return, his long arm wrapping around my shoulders as he led me to the front parking lot.