Braxton Academy

Chapter 7

I left Mr. Davis' office feeling even worse than I did last night. Not physically of course, but he definitely reminded me of the emotional guilt I felt after exchanging words with Mr. Patry. As I said before, I was always a good child. At least to my understanding since I was rarely in trouble with my parents. I'm still not entirely sure as to why I said what I did. I guess I was just so outraged that the one thing that had actually made me feel welcomed here. Pity is not something that I accept willingly, but last night it definitely could have helped my situation.

Sometimes I feel like the Administrators forget my situation; and the situation of everyone else here. There are actually a lot of really nice students here but they have external factors affecting them. Like Sarah, her parents are so wrapped-up in their own lives that they rarely realize they have a teenage daughter. I remember when they brought her here, I was sitting in Mr. Davis' office, not surprisingly being scolded for something that I did, and they barely even looked at her. They didn't even say goodbye when they left. I guess we based our friendship on that similarity.

Before I could even muster up a rehearsed apology I found myself standing at his door. Mr. Jim Patry, that brass-platted box in the center of the door indefinitely served as a harsh reminder that you're here for two reasons; to be reprimanded or to be released.3 Bracing myself and standing tall, I knocked on his door. There was no answer, but I reluctantly knocked again.

"Darn." I whispered to myself.

The apprehension was growing in my stomach as my head began to process the fact that I'd have to try this again hours later. I turned around and started heading back to my room, lunch wasn't for a few hours and I could really use a nap but I know I won't get that lucky.

I skated past the boys corridor and decided to take the long way, hoping the walk would clear my head. No one was around today, which was strange because it wasn't the weekend and it was storming outside. I wonder where everyone is.

Before I could reach the door adjacent to the staircase that would lead me to my room, I was startled by a loud thwack as the door in the opposite corner burst open. It caused me to jump frantically and I found myself pressed against the wall flinching. I turned slowly to see Mr. Patry with Sarah, who looked as if she had swallowed her own tongue. Her parents sent her here to steer her away from smoking but by the looks of Mr. Party's body language I would say she hasn't been persuaded.

"Move along Naomi." He said with his large hand cupped under her upper arm.

Before she was forcibly brought into Room 115, otherwise known here as the penalty box, she shot me an impacting look of sadness. It was called that because you can spend hours and even days in that room. I adverted my eyes from her desperate look, she was internally screaming for help but there was nothing I could do.

"Where's she going?" I heard a shrill voice whisper behind me.

Katie came from the staircase. She was the youngest at the Academy, only eleven years old but she spent so much time on the streets you would never have guessed. Apparently she was sent here because she is 'disrespectful and does not respond to authority in an appropriate manner'. The Administrators curved that real quick and she has turned entirely timid.

"To the penalty box." I answered while turning back the door only to see that it was shut.

"What's that?" She walked by my side.

"The worst room in the Academy: the center of punishments. Has either of the Administrators threatened to use force if you resist a punishment?"

"Yeah. Mr. Davis has." She looked down, reflecting on a frightening memory.