The Cliché Club

One: The Danger Zone

"This behaviour really needs to stop."

I rolled my eyes. He'd told me enough times.

"I'm serious, Jade. You need to think about your actions, and how they affect the people around you." He tried again.

I still wasn't listening. Instead, I began to focus on the huge pimple he had right in the middle of his nose. It was extremely noticeable.

"Now, if you could just make some alterations to your lifestyle..."

All his words were a blur of "you can do better"s and "I'm so disappointed"s, but I wasn't even listening, just staring at the pimple.

It seemed almost... Orange in colour.

Hm. That's new.

"Jade. Are you listening to Principle Oak?" Cathy asked.

I glared at her briefly enough to show my contempt. Why was she trying to tell me what to do? She wasn't my mother. I was so tired of everyone trying to make my own decisions for me.

She was the reason I behaved like I did. It was all to get away from her. Her, and everything she stood for.

But stupid social services demanded that I have a social worker, and that I lived in a stupid care home until I was 18.

They seemed to ignore the fact that I was perfectly happy with living on the streets.

"What even provoked you to write such a nasty comment on the wall of St. Valentine?" Principle Oak said with a huge sigh, knowing he was getting nowhere.

"You can't prove it was me." I shrugged.

"Come on Jade, you think we are stupid?"

Cathy always felt the need to butt in.

I smiled sweetly, and replied "You really don't want me to answer that"

"The spray paint read 'I can't wait til you all burn in hell -a message from Jade Stone'!"

I glared at her again. "Stay out of this, it has nothing to do with you."

Cathy didn't looked shocked. Just tired. I think we were all tired.

"Jade, you hid the spray paint cans in your locker." Principle Oak said, trying to prove his point.

"So what? I have a hobby. Doesn't mean I did it."

"You wrote your name on the message!"

"I am 100% sure I'm not the only Jade Stone in the world. Ask her." I shrugged,looked around as if to see if anyone could hear us. Then whispered. "I think she lives in Samoa."

Principal Oak sighed again. He does that a lot when he's with me.

It's not very polite.

"Jade... We have a video from the CCTV camera of you spray painting the message on to the wall of St, Valentines private school, which has seemed to be your prime target lately. Explain that."

I scowled. Those rich kids got what they deserve.

"You don't know it was me. It could've been my twin." I said.

"You don't even have a twin!"

"I do. Everyone does. You just have to find your exact lookalike... Mine just happens to be incredibly gorgeous and bent on getting me in trouble." I paused and gave Principal Oak a big smile. " I feel sorry for whoever your twin is sir... They have your face." I said, insulting him and burst out laughing.

Cathy gasped and Principal Oak turned a dark shade of pink.

"That's it!! Jade, I've taken pity on you enough times. All evidence points to you, especially since you have openly admitted to messing with the kids of St.Valentine before. I just can't cover for you because of your past anymore."

I shrugged. I didn't need his pity.

"You have two choices. I can either expel you right now, or you can take the idea that the school board and I have been discussing. You really need to get over this hatred you have for the wealthy... So, the alternative is that you shall attend St.Valentines for the next year. You will take classes there, clean up all the mess you've made, and just be a student until next year, when you shall be free to attend here for your last year of high school."

It took me a while to understand what he was saying.

They expected me to go into the place I hated most? And for a year?

Oh hell no!

"I think it would do you some good to be exposed to them. It may make you realise that all rich people aren't the same." Cathy said, touching my shoulder.

I flinched away from her touch and completely ignored her words.

"Expel me." I said, looking straight into the Principals eyes.

Trying to ignore that mammoth pimple.

"She will go to the school." Cathy corrected me.

"Excuse me?" I said calmly. She was in no place to make my decisions for me.

I had nothing to do with her. She's just some woman that followed me around.

"You need to do this Jade, if you get expelled just before some of your crucial exams, it's a pain to get into a new school and start it up again. You may have to repeat a year. Doesn't this just sound easier?"

I scowled, sinking further into the comfortable leather seat, and playing with my hands.

I knew she was right.

But I didn't want her to know that.

"So what? I don't care. Expel me. Don't have any reason to stay here anyway."

Cathy shook her head.

"Principal Oak, I'm very sorry for Jade's recent behaviour. She's a very angry girl, and we need to change that. We'd like her to go to St.Valentine for the next year. Maybe it will make her change her ways." She gave me one last look of exhaustion."That's our final decision."

"Okay then." Principal Oak nodded.

"NOOO!" I shouted, determined to be heard. They couldn't do this!

"I'm sorry Jade, but I'm afraid it's your social worker who makes the final call. You are going."

He took some papers and started filling out a form, giving it to Cathy to sign, and I just scowled as my name was written down, determining where I would be for the next year.

I hated Cathy more than ever.

There was nothing I could do.