by Jim Proctor
More than anything, she wished Angus would come along in his airship and pick her up. Together, they would find Terrin’s platform and throw him a rope, and then they would fly away on some grand adventure. She thought about sending Terrin a message telling him all about her trip, but she wanted to tell him in person.
She scanned the sky, hoping to see the lights of the airship, listening intently for the whir of propellers. Angus was probably at home now, petting Occisor or scratching Fluffy’s ears. A smile spread across her face. Running into her room, she picked up her tablet and opened the grocery store app. Bakery department… yes, here they were… She added a dozen cream puffs to the cart and checked out. Tomorrow evening they would arrive with their regular grocery delivery.
Chapter 5
Jazeen fidgeted in her seat. The ride to school had never seemed to take as long as it did today. At each stop, she was sure the other students were intentionally boarding the school bus slowly. She glared at the driver as he watched in his mirror, waiting for all the students to sit down before continuing. Her excitement grew as the bus pulled away from the last stop at the bottom of the hill. Now they would turn onto the highway for a quick trip to school.
Stepping onto the sidewalk, Jazeen looked up and down the line for Terrin’s bus. Seeing it pull away from the curb, she rushed into the building and hurried to his locker, anxious to see him.
“Hey, Terrin,” she said, stepping up beside him.
“Oh, hi Jaz. I missed you yesterday. Were you sick?” he asked.
In a whisper she said, “No, I wasn’t sick, but I told Father I was, so don’t tell anyone.” Her smile grew, and she began bouncing excitedly. “I can’t wait to tell you where I was.”
“Well, then, let’s hear it,” he said.
“Not now!” she exclaimed. “It’s much too big to tell you now.”
Terrin laughed. “Okay, keep your secret bubbling inside you until lunchtime. You can tell me then if you don’t explode first.” He kissed her, and then said, “Now we both need to get to class, and you have to run to the other end of the school.”
She looked at the clock. “Oh no, I’m gonna be late.” Turning, she ran down the hall.
Jazeen frantically opened her locker, pulled a notebook out of her backpack, then shoved the bag in and slammed the door. Dashing two doors down and across the hall, she ran into the room, and, sliding the last meter, dropped into her chair as the bell rang. She smiled angelically at the teacher.
Mr. Lorenzo smiled. “I’ll give that eight out of ten for style. Are you feeling better today, Miss Florence?”
“What?” Then realization hit her. “Oh, yes! Much better, thank you.”
“Good. I’m glad to hear it,” Mr. Lorenzo said. “I noticed you very conscientiously downloaded your missed assignments and uploaded your finished work last night. That’s more than I can say for some of your classmates who were here yesterday.”
Jazeen snickered softly and looked around the room to see who was looking guilty or embarrassed.
“Today we will begin talking about exothermic reactions,” the teacher said as their monitors displayed a page of text.
* * * *
As the morning wore on, Jazeen struggled to keep her mind on her work. Finally, the closing bell rang on her last class before lunch. Stopping at her locker to drop off her notebook and pick up her lunch, she headed for the cafeteria.
Terrin wasn’t at their usual table. She looked around the room to see if he was off chatting with someone. Not finding him, she sat and waited. A few minutes later, her friend, Serna, sat across from her.
“Hi, Jaz,” Serna said.
“Hi, Serna. Have you seen Terrin?”
“He went home,” Serna said.
“What?”
“He went home about an hour ago. He was sick as hell—threw up during third period. He could barely walk when he left for the nurse’s office.”
“Oh, no!” Jazeen said. “That’s awful.”
“That’s what the janitor said when he saw the mess he had to clean up,” laughed Serna. “Maybe he got what you had.”
“Oh, no, he definitely doesn’t have what I had yesterday,” Jazeen said.
“So what did you have?” Serna asked.
Jazeen gave her well-rehearsed answer. “I had a headache and upset stomach.”
“Could be the same thing. Maybe Terrin just has it worse than you.”
“Maybe,” Jazeen said. She wished she had brought her tablet, so she could message him. Glancing at the clock, she knew she didn’t have time to run and grab it now. I’ll take it to fourth period and sneak in a short message when the teacher isn’t looking. Hopefully he just has a stomach bug and will be back at school in a day or two, she thought. She wasn’t sure how long she could stand waiting to tell him her secret.
“Hey, Jaz, do you know anyone who can help me with my Latin homework?” Serna asked.
Jazeen laughed. “Yes. I can. Show me what you have.”
Serna passed her tablet across the table.
Jazeen studied the text for a moment and then nodded. “First-year Latin, no problem.”
“How much Latin have you taken?”
“Too much,” Jazeen said.
“Come on, how much?”
“Two years here, followed by three years at the university,” Jazeen said.
“You’ve taken college classes?” Serna asked.
“Yes. My father made me take them,” she said.
“Wow. You must know a lot of Latin.”
“Like I said, too much.”
While they ate, she tutored her friend in Latin.
* * * *
Jazeen held her tablet in her lap under her desk as Mr. Green began talking about the powers of the administrative branch of the national government. She hadn’t wanted to talk about her adventure in a message, afraid that her parents might read it. She’d send it now and figure out how to erase it later. She slid her chair back slightly and opened the messaging app. Waiting for her teacher to turn away, she began typing.
I missed you at lunchtime. I’m sorry you aren’t feeling well. I have exciting news I wanted to share with you in person, but I can’t wait. I met this amazing man—his name is Angus. He has an airship, and he flew me to his island! That’s where I was yesterday.
A shadow fell across her tablet, and she looked up into Mr. Green’s scowling face.
“Would you like me to read your message out loud to the class?”
Jazeen pressed send and then locked her tablet. “No, Mr. Green,” she said.
“Put it away. If I see it again, I’ll take it and I’ll require your parents to come and get it. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Mr. Green,” she said as she slid the tablet into her desk, and then added, “I’m sorry.”
Returning to the front of the room, Mr. Green resumed his lesson.
Jazeen tried to take notes, but all she could think about was getting out of class so she could finish telling Terrin about her adventure.
When the bell rang, Jazeen closed her notebook and headed for the door. Remembering her tablet, she went back and pulled it out of her desk. As she turned, it slipped from her fingers. With a gasp, she made a grab for it, bobbled it, and it tumbled to the floor with a crunch. The screen was shattered.
“Oh, no!” she said as she picked it up. She held her breath as she pressed the power button. Nothing happened. “Oh, no!” she repeated.
“That would not have happened had you been paying attention in class instead of messaging your friend,” Mr. Green said.
Jazeen felt the rush of heat to her face. “This is your fault,” she said.
“Miss Florence, you are a very talented student. However, you seem to have trouble accepting responsibility for your own actions. Now, your sister, Milla—”
“To hell with Milla!” she screamed. “I’m sick and tired of hearing about damned Milla!” She hurled the broken tablet at Mr. Green. He dodged, and the tablet flew pas
t his head and hit the wall behind him. “All my parents ever talk about is Milla, and I’m a damn prisoner in my home because of her!” She turned and ran out of the room.
“Jazeen!” Mr. Green yelled. She kept running.
Jazeen raced down the steps to the first floor. Turning right, she ran past the cafeteria and stormed into the main office.
“I need to see the principal, right now,” she demanded.
The school secretary motioned to a row of chairs. “Please, be seated. I'll see if Dr. Ardent is available.”
Jazeen folded her arms across her chest and glared.
The secretary picked up her phone and dialed. After a brief conversation, she said, “Dr. Ardent will see you in a few minutes.”
Jazeen paced back and forth across the office. Her anger faded, replaced by fierce determination. She knew exactly what she wanted to do now.
After several minutes had passed, the secretary's phone rang.
“Dr. Ardent will see you, now,” the secretary said.
Jazeen rushed to the principal’s door, opened it, and stepped inside.
“Hello, Jazeen. I just spoke with Mr. Green. I must say I’m very—”
“I’m withdrawing from school,” she interrupted.
Dr. Ardent stared at her for a moment. Finally, she said, “Jazeen, please have a seat and let’s talk about this. I’ll ask your guidance counselor to join us.”
“Good,” Jazeen said. “He can be a witness to this proceeding.”
Dr. Ardent picked up her phone and dialed a number. A moment later, she said, “Darren, will you step into my office, please? We have a little situation that needs to be resolved.”
A moment later, Darren Collins entered the office and closed the door.
Before the principal could say anything, Jazeen said, “I’m withdrawing from school, effective immediately.”
“Jazeen, let’s talk about this,” Mr. Collins said.
“There is nothing to discuss, Mr. Collins. It’s done. I am no longer a student of this school,” she replied.
“But Jazeen, there’s only three months left until graduation. Please, stay and finish,” Mr. Collins said.
Jazeen shook her head. “No. I’m done here.”
Dr. Ardent began, “I’ll have to contact your parents for—”
“No, you will not,” she spat. “You see, my father is a college professor. He goes on and on about how he can’t legally talk to the parents of his students without the student’s written permission. He can’t even acknowledge the student is in his class. I’m eighteen years old. I am informing you, Dr. Ardent, and you are a witness, Mr. Collins, I do not give you permission to speak to my parents, or anyone else, about me under any circumstances. Do you understand?”
Dr. Ardent looked at Mr. Collins. Finally, she said, “Yes, Jazeen, I understand. So, you are officially withdrawing from school. Is that right?”
“Yes, that is correct,” Jazeen replied.
“Effective immediately?”
Jazeen nodded. “Effective immediately.”
“Wait a minute, Jazeen. Let’s see what we can do. Dr. Ardent, pull up her records,” Mr. Collins said.
Picking up her tablet, the principal typed for a moment and then passed the tablet to Mr. Collins.
The guidance counselor studied her record. “Okay,” he said. “The only class you actually need to graduate is your foreign language class. You’ve met all your other course requirements. Let’s change your schedule, withdrawing you from all your classes except Delonian I. You’ll only have to be here for one hour each day for the next three months, and you will graduate.”
“What do you say, Jazeen?” Dr. Ardent asked.
“I have a question,” she said. “Can I get credit for a college course?”
“Well, if it’s applicable, we can give you credit, yes,” Mr. Collins said.
“I’ve taken three years of Latin at the University of Camden,” Jazeen said.
Dr. Ardent nodded. Taking the tablet back from Mr. Collins, she clicked a few times, and then passed the tablet to Jazeen.
“If you’ll fill out this form and sign it, it will give us permission to request your records from the university. If you passed at least one year of Latin, we’ll transfer the credit and you will graduate.”
It was a simple form that she quickly completed before passing the tablet back to the principal.
“If you’re sure your records will show a passing grade, we can go ahead and file your formal withdraw,” Dr. Ardent said.
“I’m sure,” Jazeen said. “Process the withdraw.”
“Very well. I’ll pull up the necessary document and you can sign it,” she said. After a few taps on the screen, she once again passed the tablet back to Jazeen.
Jazeen read the document. She scribbled her signature at the bottom with her fingertip before passing the tablet to Mr. Collins. He signed on the witness line and passed it to Dr. Ardent.
She signed the form, and said, “It’s official. You are no longer a student at this school. I’ll request your records from the university today. They usually respond within an hour. Once I get your records, I’ll process your request for early graduation. Do you want to participate in the commencement ceremony at the end of the year?”
“No. Just mail… can you have my diploma sent here? I’ll stop by to pick it up later,” Jazeen said.
Dr. Ardent nodded. “I’ll have it sent to my attention. I’ll message you when it arrives.”
“Then I’ll gather my things from my locker and wait outside for the bus,” Jazeen said.
“I’m sorry, Jazeen, but you won’t be able to take the bus home. Only students can ride the bus,” Dr. Ardent said.
“Fine. I’ll find a way home. I’ll clear out my locker and leave right away,” Jazeen said as she stood and left the office.
When she returned from her locker, Mr. Collins was waiting for her near the front doors. “What are you going to do now?” he asked.
Jazeen shrugged. “I’ll figure something out.”
“Come into my office. Let’s talk.”
She shook her head. “I’m not a student anymore, remember? You aren’t responsible for me.”
“Then come into my office for a chat with a friend,” he said.
She looked at him for a moment, and then shrugged. “Fine.”
“Have a seat,” he said as he walked around his desk and sat.
Jazeen put her backpack on the floor and sat across from him.
“What’s going on, Jazeen?” he asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Come on. I’ve known you for four years. Something is wrong,” he said.
“Really? Something is wrong? You’re just now figuring that out?”
“I’m sorry if I’ve missed something, Jazeen. If I can help in any way, I will.”
“It’s long past time to help, Mr. Collins.”
“Jazeen, what is going on?” he asked again.
“Did you know that ever since Milla died, I’ve been a prisoner in my parents’ home?”
Mr. Collins stared at her. Finally, he asked, “What do you mean?”
“A prisoner.” she said. “Like in a jail. I haven’t been allowed out of the house alone since her funeral nine years ago, except to come to school. Not once. Sometimes, my mother or father will drive me to a friend’s house, but only if I promise to stay indoors. It doesn’t happen often. They’re usually too busy to drive me anywhere.”
“I’m sorry, I had no idea,” he said.
“Right. And what would you have done, had you known?” she asked.
He shook his head slowly. “As long as you were a minor, they were legally in charge of you. Maybe I could have reported them for child abuse and let Child Services investigate.”
“And what would they have done?” she asked.
He thought for a moment. “Honestly, probably nothing. They might have counseled your parents that you needed to be out socializing with your friends,
but that wouldn’t have been legally enforceable. They probably wouldn’t even have mentioned it in your case file.”
Jazeen nodded. “And my parents probably would have restricted me even more, for fear I might tell someone else. They wouldn’t want anything to damage their reputations.”
Mr. Collins sighed. “So, what are you going to do now?” he asked. “Will they let you live in their home until you make other arrangements?”
“I’m not staying there. I’ll go home, gather my essentials, and leave,” she said.
“Where will you go?” he asked.
She looked at the floor for a while and then shook her head. “I don’t know. I’ll figure something out. I have a friend who might take me in for a while.”
“Terrin, I assume,” he said.
“No. Not Terrin,” she said. “I mean, if it were up to him, he’d take me in. But I doubt his parents would let me stay there knowing my parents will be looking for me and will undoubtedly fight to bring me back home. It could get ugly. They don’t need that hassle, and I wouldn’t ask them to go through it.”
“How are you going to get home?” he asked.
“I’ll take the municipal bus. They run every half hour,” she said.
Mr. Collins pulled a business card out of his jacket pocket and wrote something on the back before handing it to her.
“That’s my home phone number and my mobile number. If I can help, call me here during the day, or at those numbers any other time, even if it’s the middle of the night.”
“Thank you,” she said as she slipped the card into her pocket. “I think I’d better be going.”
“Jazeen, if you change your mind about school, call me. If you want to finish out the year with your friends, you can be reinstated. Just don’t wait too long.”
“Thanks,” she said. When she reached the door, she paused and said, “Tell Mr. Green I’m sorry.”