East Side Academy

by K. E. Woodward

  “Her grades haven’t suffered because the classes are pedestrian for her in comparison to what she had to deal with at West Side,” Steve says. “It’s why she has more time on her hands to sneak over…”

  “As long as she gets high enough grades to do what she wants after high school,” Laura interrupts, “then I don’t care.”

  “I don’t want to control her or her life,” Steve says. “But I don’t want something to happen and then I regret not having done something earlier.”

  "It's the struggle of being a parent," Laura says. "How much freedom is too much freedom? How strict is too strict? I think we just have to love them, do our best and remember that there is only so much we can do to protect them. Some things are out of our control, and out of their control as well."

  “I know you’re right,” Steve says, and then leans back on his pillow, closing his eyes. “Why couldn’t we have sons instead of daughters? It would be easier.”

  “How so?”

  “With a son, I would only have to worry about one penis,” Steve says, opening his eyes and putting his index finger up. “With a daughter, I have to worry about everyone’s penis.” He moves his finger in a circle and they both laugh.

  Chapter 33 – Evil Woman

  “Ha, ha, woman, it's a cryin' shame / But you ain't got nobody else to blame / Evil woman” – Evil Woman, Electric Light Orchestra

  No POV

  “Just look at her!” Lisa complains to her two friends at her locker. She gestures towards where she can see James and Arya standing very close, talking, smiling, laughing. It sickens Lisa. “She just comes here, out of the blue, and steals him away from me!”

  "You guys were never together," Paulina says to her friend who is delusional to think that she still has a chance with James.

  "And now we'll never be with her here, flipping her hair around him, touching his arm, acting all 'cute' around him," Lisa says irritated. "I don't trust her!"

  “Someone’s jealous,” Isabella, captain of the girls’ soccer team, says, overhearing the conversation of the young Grade 11s as she’s putting her books in her locker.

  Lisa turns immediately at the voice and marches straight over to Isabella. “Well did you hear the guys saying she’s the hottest girl on the soccer team and the best player?” Lisa says because she knows it will ignite anger in Isabella, the popular, pretty soccer star of Grade 12.

  She slams her locker at Lisa’s comment angrily. “Shut up!” she says in rage. This is not the first time she’s heard something like that said about this Grade 11 who has been nothing but a pain since she stepped foot in that locker room. “She shouldn’t even be on the soccer team!”

  "What do you mean?" Lisa asks, curious about any gossip about Arya.

  “She just transferred here from West Side,” Isabella says. “You’re supposed to wait a year to play any sport that you played at your previous school, but I guess they made an exception for her!”

  “Why?” Lisa asks.

  "I don't know?" Isabella says annoyed. "I've asked girls from West Side about why she left and none of them know. They just say that one day she was there, and then the next day she and her sister were gone. When anyone asked her about it, she just said she needed to leave the school and gave no explanation. No one there knows why either of them left, and if anyone does, they’re not sharing.”

  Lisa never dug into the mystery of why Arya came to East Side although she always thought it was weird that she came here. And now, hearing that even the West Siders don’t know why she left is even more suspicious. Lisa stares at Arya and James together, happily laughing with one another. ‘What are you hiding, Arya?’ Lisa thinks to herself.

  ***

  There’s something important to know about Lisa. She’s not like all the others at East Side. She could have easily gone to West Side if she wanted to, she comes from a very rich family and she’s a science whiz, even Diana has trouble keeping up with her. But, despite all this, she still chose to go to East Side. The idea of Religion class and wearing a uniform didn’t appeal to her, even if academically West Side is the better school. For her, going to the ‘cooler’ school would be more fun, and what’s fun about uniforms and Religion? And she’ll never admit it, but it’s much easier for her to stand out at East Side.

  She has to find out about the real reason Arya left West Side. Isn’t it odd that no one knows? But someone has to know for sure why she left. The person that would have made her leave. The principal.

  Lisa steps through the front doors of West Side Academy. She gets some looks from students passing by because she is the only teenager there not wearing a uniform. She makes her way to the principal’s office to see if she can find out something about why Arya left this prestigious school.

  "Hello," Lisa says to the young woman at the front desk, Ms. Pince, who continues to type on her computer.

  “Yes?” Ms. Pince says, never looking away from her computer screen.

  "I was hoping to talk to the principal?" Lisa asks.

  “Not in right now,” Ms. Pince says.

  “Do you know when he will be back?” Lisa asks.

  "He's still in a meeting for the next 15 minutes," Ms. Pince says, her tone of voice never changing.

  “Would it be okay if I wait in his office until he comes back?” Lisa asks. Ms. Pince finally looks away from the computer screen to look at Lisa.

  “Do you even go here?” Ms. Pince asks, seeing Lisa is not wearing a uniform.

  "I'm his niece," Lisa says quickly.

  “Nice try,” Ms. Pince says. “Mr. Filch doesn’t have any nieces.” And then she turns back to her computer.

  “Okay,” Lisa says. “I’m honestly just here to find out about a girl that used to go here. Arya Secord?” The name doesn’t faze Ms. Pince at all, she just continues typing at her computer. “Do you have any idea why she left this school?”

  “No,” Ms. Pince says flatly.

  “There must be something in her file?” Lisa asks. “Her transfer form must give a reason.”

  "A student's file is not something that just gets shared with strangers," Ms. Pince says. "Now if you don't mind, I have work to do."

  "Please, Ms. Pince," Lisa says as she quickly looks down at Ms. Pince’s name tag on her desk. "It makes no sense why Arya would leave this school. She and I have become good friends at East Side, but I worry for her. And she won't tell me what's going on."

  Ms. Pince gives Lisa a side glance. "She had some relationship issues with another student or students."

  “Can you be a little more specific?” Lisa asks sweetly.

  “That’s all I know,” Ms. Pince says. “Now please leave this office while I’m still in a good mood.” This is a good mood?

  But Lisa can sense that Ms. Pince knows more than what she lets on. She knows the exact reason Arya left. She’s the principal’s right hand. Lisa just has to get the information somehow. One thing Lisa has learned from her business tycoon father is that everyone has a price. It’s just finding out what it is that’s the key. Lisa looks at the young Ms. Pince. She looks like she’s in her early twenties. What could a woman like her want? Lisa sees her typing hands and finds exactly what she is looking for.

  “That’s a beautiful engagement ring,” Lisa comments, leaning over on the desk.

  “Yes,” Ms. Pince says smiling down on it and rubbing her fingers across it.

  “When is the wedding?” Lisa asks.

  “This Fall,” Ms. Pince says. “October 27th.”

  “Wow,” Lisa says. “Do you have a wedding dress yet?”

  “No,” Ms. Pince says longingly. “I’ve been looking around and nothing is right. I can’t seem to find ‘the one’.”

  "That's a shame." Lisa smiles to herself. "Getting a dress designed for yourself is the only way to find the 'perfect' dress."

  Ms. Pince laughs. “As if I could afford that.”

  "I might be of some help," Lisa says and Ms. Pince looks straight at her. "One of
my mom's favourite designers could easily create a beautiful dress for your wedding day at a very good discount." Ms. Pince raises an eyebrow at her, knowing that this offer is not a gift. "All I ask for is the real reason why Arya left West Side." Lisa can see Ms. Pince considering her offer. She plays around with her engagement ring, which is a good sign. "You only get one wedding day, Ms. Pince. You deserve to feel like the most beautiful woman in the room."

  Ms. Pince stops fidgeting with her ring and turns to her computer. Ms. Pince never liked Arya. Ever since she purposely ran into her, causing her to spill her coffee that ruined one of her favourite shirts. She also knows the 'fire breathing dragon' comments and whispers started from Arya. Why should she let the girl that has annoyed her since her Grade 9 year stop her from getting the wedding dress she wants? "Meet me at the Starbucks downtown at 4pm."

  Lisa smiles to herself. “Perfect.” And then she walks out of the school, happy as a clam.

  Chapter 34 – Secrets

  “Tell me all your secrets / Tell me what I'm supposed to do / Days are getting longer / Nights are getting painful too / I've been feeling restless, oh / Feeling like I just can't sleep / So tell me all your secrets / 'Cause you already know 'bout me" – Secrets, Faouzia

  Arya

  “We’re going on a hike Saturday morning if you want to join?” Diana says to me at our lockers, as we organize them for the day.

  “Who’s we?” I ask.

  "The girls," Diana says. "Sarah, Eleanor, and me. So, you in?"

  "I start work at 10am," I say.

  "We can make it an early morning hike," Diana says, turning to her phone to let everyone know the details.

  “I’m sure Eleanor will appreciate that,” I joke.

  “She’ll survive,” Diana says, dismissing my comment with a wave of her hand. She looks at me when she puts her phone away. “Arya, there’s something I wanted to ask you about.”

  “Shoot,” I say, not looking at her.

  “From the party last Saturday,” Diana says. “There was this guy that came up to me. Tall, chestnut shaggy hair, blue eyes.” She’s waiting for a reaction from me, but I give her none, even though I know exactly who she is talking about. “He said he was a friend of yours.”

  I turn to her. “And?”

  “Something was just off about him, Arya,” Diana says. “He said you guys had a disagreement before you left West Side.”

  "There are some jerks at my old school," I say. "He's one of them. Don't worry about it."

  “He told me to tell you something Arya,” Diana says seriously.

  “What?”

  "He said, 'Tell her I'm glad she's enjoying East Side and her new boyfriend James. And that she looked beautiful tonight. I always think she looks best in green.'" Diana says, looking for a reaction from me. He's letting me know that he's keeping tabs on me, he hasn't forgotten me, and that he's still watching me. He saw me at that party. "He said you were avoiding him."

  “Don’t worry about him,” I say. “He’s nothing.”

  "You can tell me, Arya," Diana says. "I know Malcolm had mentioned a West Side boytoy…"

  “No,” I say sternly. “I told you he was talking shit.”

  “Arya,” Diana says.

  I take a deep breath, I shouldn't be getting angry with Diana, she's done nothing wrong. "I kissed…" I think about it. "I made out with the hockey captain at West Side before I left. That's what Malcolm means when he says 'boytoy'. It's doesn't matter, because it was a one-time thing and it's over."

  “And…”

  “And this guy that approached you is a completely different guy who is a jerk,” I say. “Don’t worry about him. He just likes to get underneath people’s skin.”

  “You’re sure?”

  "I'm positive," I say. "Now, hike Saturday?" Diana gives me a look. "Please, believe me, Diana, it's nothing."

  “Fine,” Diana says unconvinced. “How was making out with the hockey captain?” Diana smiles at me.

  “He’s a very good kisser,” I say. “But unfortunately for him, I kissed James and now I don’t want to kiss anyone else.” I wink at her.

  “You are the luckiest girl at this school,” Diana says. “Hockey captain at West Side, soccer star at East Side. Who’s next?”

  “No one!” I say. “I just said I don’t want to kiss anyone else. And give me a break, my first kiss was February this year with the hockey captain. I think I deserve a good kiss after waiting so long for it.”

  Diana laughs. “Was he trying to get a repeat this past Saturday?”

  “Yes,” I say. “He did not take the news of me having a boyfriend too well, but we are in a good place now.”

  “Did James beat him up?”

  "No," I say. "They barely spoke. Best to keep them apart."

  “Little player, aren’t we?”

  “Uh, no,” I say. “I made out with Lexi at the beginning of February and then started dating James, like, six weeks later. No overlapping.”

  “I’m only joking,” Diana says. "We're going to watch a movie Saturday night as well at my house if you want to join. Unless someone is too busy with a…Mr. Fox?" Diana says suggestively and I just roll my eyes at her. "Come on, Arya!" Diana pleads. "I already told you that I'm living my dating life vicariously through you! You have to keep me in the loop!" I turn to my locker, ignoring Diana and her pleas. "Are your parents home this weekend? Are you going to bring him over for another 'sleepover'?" Not if James values his life. "Engage in some more heart-racing activities?"

  "Diana, stop!" I say in a hushed whisper, trying to silence her, knowing that I have to make her stop before she says too much. I love Diana and I have told her a lot about James and me, the details seem to flow out of me when I talk to her.

  “What?” Diana says. “You don’t want him in your bed again, with his perfect body, and wrap yourself around him and dig your claws into him like a savage beast?”

  "I beg you to stop," I say to Diana.

  “What about feeling his biceps and running your hands through his hair as he firmly grabs you and presses you into him?” Diana goes on.

  “Diana!” I say more loudly.

  "Hey, Diana!" James says happily, coming up from behind Diana to stand with the both of us, with a huge grin on his face, obviously from the conversation that he's just overheard. Diana is so shocked by seeing him and looks at me to give me apologetic eyes. I respond with eyes that sarcastically say, 'It's perfectly alright that you discussed me making out with my boyfriend and he heard you'. "Sorry to interrupt your conversation," James says as if we had been discussing something important and he wasn't just standing behind Diana to soak up the compliments while I begged her to stop.

  "Didn't interrupt anything," Diana says, still in a slight state of shock which rarely ever happens to her.

  “Good,” James says and then turns to me. “I was just coming to ask if you wanted to come over for dinner tomorrow night? Grace and Rachel have both been asking when you are coming over next.”

  I’m glad to hear that Grace and Rachel still like me coming over to the house. “Of course!” I agree.

  "Great!" James says to me. "I'll pick you up at 5:30 pm." And then he turns to Diana, "I'll see you in Biology, Diana. I hope me sitting in front of you won't be too much of a distraction." And then he winks at her before walking away.

  Diana leans back against her locker, closes her eyes, and slowly bangs her head against it. "It wasn't that bad," I say to her.

  She turns her head towards me, still leaning it against the locker, and opens her eyes. "I said, 'dig your claws into him like a savage beast'."

  “He won’t tell anyone,” I assure Diana with a friendly hand on her shoulder. “He’ll never let you forget it, but he won’t tell anyone.”

  “Kill me now!” Diana shouts to the ceiling.

  ***

  Even with our busy schedules, James and I always made sure we made time for our friends. Surprisingly, these past couple of weeks of us being to
gether is probably the most time James has spent hanging out with his friends in the past two years. Instead of making excuses to not hang out with them or bailing on them, he continually seeks to spend any free time he has with them, as limited as his free time is. And I continue to hang out with my friend group as well, always making time for them and always saving Friday night for game night with them, which James has joined in on twice so far. One thing James and I agreed on is that we would always have lunch with our friend groups, which seemed to be a perfect balance. It seemed perfect, like a dream you didn't want to end.

  "My mom made fudge for anyone that wants a piece," Teddy says as he lays out a block of fudge cut up into squares at the center of our table. Everyone greedily goes in and grabs a piece and quickly starts eating it.

  “So good!” Eleanor says, licking her fingers.

  “I’m going to grab my water bottle. Forgot it in my locker,” I say, getting out of my chair. “Be right back.”

  And then I run into her in the middle of the cafeteria.

  “Arya!” Lisa shouts. “Just the girl I’ve been looking for!”

  I give her a weird look, confused as to why she would want to talk to me at all. “Why?” I ask.

  "I just found out some very interesting news about you," Lisa says with a smile on her face.

  “And what would that be?” I ask, curious to see what she says, crossing my arms.

  "I know why you left West Side," Lisa says in a whisper so that no one else can hear, not that anyone is listening to us.

  “You think you know, do you?” I ask, trying to be confident in myself. There’s no way she could have figured it out. Who would have told her? It can’t be what I think. Someone must have lied to her. At least that’s what I hope. I want her to tell me a lie, a rumour that someone came up with so that I can deny it because I couldn't bear it if the truth came out of her mouth right now.

  "I do," Lisa whispers smugly. "So should you tell them, or should I?" Lisa gestures to the entire cafeteria.