Pretty Head

Chapter 4: My Apocalypse

        As expected, the news spread like a wildfire in our home. Mom and Dad were standing at the doorway, with such taciturn expressions on their faces.

        "I think you guys have heard the news," I grimaced as I went inside and slumped myself in the couch.

        "You want us to throw a party over the news?" My mom asked sarcastically. I just looked at her morosely as I waited for dad's anger to erupt but he just stared at me blankly.

        "What did I tell you Page huh? What did I tell you from the very first start?" she taunted.

        "Lindy, I think it's not yet final because the school admins have not yet finalized if she's going to stay or not," my dad chimed in.

           "I don't care if it is final or not! The point is, she isn't listening to us!" My mom thundered.

        I actually didn't expect that from mom—on how she reacted about the news. I was more expecting it from Dad, most likely. But dad just stood stiffly there. I didn’t know if he was just holding his anger because we just patched things up or he was just complacent that the school board hadn’t finalized their decision.

        "I'm so sorry," I finally mumbled.

        "Well we feel sorry for you too Page, and we might be feel more sorry to you because from now on, you're grounded, no phone, no car." My mom deliberated.

        "Now gimme your phone and your car key," she barked with stern look.

        "Mom!" I yelped turning to look at dad.

        My pretty head was starting to have wrinkles in this stressful day, full of bullcrap and injustices!

        "Sorry Page, that's your punishment," Dad curtsied.

        I just did as I'd been told wearing Squidward's signature frown face as Mr. Gobler's usually did every time he faced some students in the detention room.

          Now, my pretty head was dying and slowly slipping into a coma. I just lurched upstairs and sulked in my room.

        How was I going to live with everybody's damn prying over my pretty head and its little ugly demons inside?

        Page Rickard. Soon to be expelled. Grounded. No cellphone. No car. This was hell.

        I couldn't get my disappointment and rage out of my system. I hate everything. I wanted to let out my rage but I didn't know how to. Never did I talk back to my mom and also to my dad, and I would never do that, no matter how incorrigible they might be sometimes.

        It was all my fault. But what I couldn’t accept was they ganged up on me, they conspired against me! They could had just lunged at me and slurred something at me, gave me b***h slap, strangled me, put a frog on my locker and other disgusting stuffs that would scare the hell out of me, instead of this! And what did he say lately? He had been observing me? Wow, such a creep.

        I logged in to my SNS accounts and as usual, nothing held my interest over the news feed. But if they found out that I might get kicked out in Northville, sure as hell, even the tarantulas in the science lab might get freaked out. Nothing fascinated a Northville high schooler unless it was all about me.

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        I dreaded to go to my classes today. I didn't budge an inch as I sat frozen in tracks when dad pulled up in front of Northville High.

        "Won’t you have any plan on getting up?" Mom asked brusquely.

        With heavy steps, I stepped outside the car. I looked over my tie-dyed shirt and my black skinny jeans which had a hole in the right knee. My black Doc Martens kicked some stone as I paced toward the school's lawn with fleeting students. I looked around wearing a look of desolation. I'd probably miss this place. I ushered my parents toward Mr. Gobler's office and turned away from them.

        I saw Ashley and her group whispered at each other when I passed by them.

        I didn’t know how many days were left until I get expelled. What would I do now? I walked absent mindedly thinking about these train of thoughts when out of a sudden, Rescy Mc Larsen, the pimply face in the video hollered at me.

        "Are you happy now?" I asked acidly.

        "I just came here to say sorry," she said full of remorse.

        "Likewise," I curtsied.

        "Listen Page, you might think that we conspired against you but you're wrong about that,"

        What the f**k, it didn't make sense at all.

        "Yeah? So what the hell was that Rescy? Who was the mastermind of that f*****g video?" I snapped, throwing her a venomous look.

        "Language, Ms. Rickard," chastised the registrar who overheard me.

        "Shut the hell up," I muttered under my breath.

        "I can't tell you Page, I'm sorry but we didn't intend to harm you, we're just a bunch of losers who was forced to do that because it's consuming us; all the vile turmoil in our chest, that video became our virtual shell to let out all these negative feelings about ourselves."

        "Oh yeah and you losers have chosen to pick on me?" I taunted.

        "Because you are the queen meanie of this school Page, we were under on Rehab Program for Bullied Pupils matter-of-factly, so we are tasked to do some video clip regarding our painful experiences in being bullied, and it happened that your words were what harrowed us the most,"

        "What about me? What do you call with all of these? Don't you think it's Cyber Bullying?!" I countered angrily.

        She just threw me a remorseful look.

        "Anyway, I so pity you people, even if I get kicked out in this school, y'all still losers!" I taunted and sauntered off.

        "What the hell? She even had the guts to say that? Well, we'll see about that b***h!" The fat ass gothic girl in the video chimed in.

        Perpetual sore loser she was. What a great comeback, they were all still losers even if I get kicked out in this freaking school, and me and my pretty head was still the same--stunning, gorgeous and oh-so feisty anywhere I’d be.

        After what seemed like an eternity, my first class had ended. I walked up to Shanty who seemed to be flirting with Justin, the quarterback in the football team. She leaned closer to him and threw her arms around his neck.

        What the heck. I needed a friend right now and she was the only one I could lean on right now. I heard her soft moans as they kissed, I wanted to toss a razor boomerang in her butt just to yank her away.

        When they disentangled, I quickly walked up to her and flashed a cheeky smile at Justin wearing a tacit expression. He then cowered and planted a kiss on Shanty's rosy cheeks.

        "Page," she greeted amicably as she fixed her hair.

        "I was here all the time," I said, rolling my eyes.

        "Oh really? I'm so sorry you should have called me."

            "Yeah? I don't think so." I retorted with a sour grin.

        "Uhmm, so what now? Would you like to come over at my house later?" she pressed.

        "I can't, I'm grounded." I grunted.

        "Err so was it because of the rumors that you're going to be expelled? I don't believe them anyway," she scoffed

        "I don't know," I replied cryptically as I stared impassively at the hallway.

        "What? Don't tell me it's true?" She chortled and eyed me dubiously.

        Then, I launched into the story as we sat by the bench. As expected, she burst out laughing when I told her about the video. I also told her that Rescy Mc Larsen approached me lately and the stupid program they were on.

        "That was so bullshit! I bet Mr.Gobler forced them to speak something against you for the making of that goddamn video,"

        "Yeah, I think so. That Squidward is bastard to the core." I slurred clenching my fist, grounding my teeth.

        "Oh easy girl, he got an eye like a hawk, he has a strong radar when it comes to you," she hissed.

        "Whatever, I'm gonna get expelled anyway." I mumbled wryly.

        Shanty pressed my hands and flashed me a cordial smile that I always love d about her.

        "Whether you're gonna get expelled or not, you still got me," she assured heartily and gave me a bear hug.

        This was what I love most about her; she was sweet and she was someone that I could lean on when it came down to crunch. She was my first friend here in Northville High and apparently, the only one who didn't judge me despite of my devil-may-care attitude. On the other hand, Mara was some girl I had met way back in middle school, she was the prettiest girl then. But she was more of a reserved type. She asked me if she can seat with us at lunch. Shanty and I welcomed her and since then, we had this clique. But things would never be the same now, Mara betrayed me and lure Mason away from me.

        "I haven't seen Mara these past few days." I piped, looking among the group of people filed in the rowdy hallways.

        "Haven't you heard of the news?"

        Oh what news? Why do I feel like I was always outdated with the buzz here? I just shot her a confused look.

        "Err what news again?"

        "She is now homeschooled," Shanty stated.

        "Really? Well …if I were in her shoes, I’d rather get homeschooled too."

        "Yeah, I remember you saying that homeschool is for freaks only," she bantered as she cast her glance toward the odd students trooped around, doing outlandish stuff like scrunching their nose and the like. Quickly, I followed her gaze and giggled.

        "Yeah, but being pregnant ain't freaky in some case," I retorted.

        "I wonder what Mara will look like when she is already five months pregnant, I now imagine her looking like ..." she trailed off and frozen in tracks when she saw Mr. Gobler pacing toward us.

        "s**t the apocalypse is here!" I hissed frantically at her.

        "Page Rickard, now at my office," he admonished. I quickly followed him and threw Shanty a backward glance.

        My heart was sputtering. This was it, I didn't know what to expect. I didn't know if my ears could bear to hear the deliberation. My blood was singing in my veins. I knew my parents were still there waiting for me, and I could now imagine the same disappointed look they have been wearing since yesterday. I bit my lip and stared impassively at the detention door and anticipated for my fate.

        My knees were shaking as soon as I stepped inside the detention room. It felt like I was in Antarctica. It was gelid inside and I could hear the thrumming of the airconditioner though I didn't know if it was the chilly ambiance or the ice-cold look that my parents were wearing.

        "The board had deliberated Ms. Rickard and I hate to break it to you, but you're now expelled in this institution."

        #%%*! Profanity was ringing circles in the tip of my tongue.

        "No," I countered with my hoarse voice.

        "Yes," Mr. Gobler asserted with an air of finality.

        With that, I fell into a dead faint....

        I woke up in a familiar place, I tossed and turned just to confirm on what I was seeing right now. I rubbed my eyes and saw my picture frames hung around the pink painted walls with white daisies murals. I darted my eyes at the left corner of my room wherein my band posters were posted sporadically in every corner.

         What happened? I was in detention office lately, right?

        Suddenly, a soft knock broke off— Mom and dad must had sensed that the sleeping beauty was finally awake.

        "Come in," I beckoned.

        Mom entered the room. Oh right, not now Mom, don’t school me when I just woke up.

        "Hi Mom," I greeted feebly, pretending to feel hazy.

        "You passed out in detention, we brought you to the clinic and afterwards, we just took you home. Don’t worry, we asked permission slips to your teachers."

        "That’s okay, I am now expelled anyway." I retorted.

        "Page, didn’t you feel any remorse on the year you had wasted?"

        "Look mom, I’m sorry. I honestly don’t know what to say. I couldn’t wrap my head around it, I’m still shocked but promise I’ll do better next time. I don’t want to overthink where will I transfer but if it’s a beauty school, then consider me overqualified." I jested, grinning a playful smirk.

        I saw her smiled for a fraction of seconds. Whoa, finally she smiled at me! How I missed her cracking a smile.

        "I know what was done was done. You have learned your lesson the hard way. Well, here's the thing Page, your dad and I were planning to send you to Philippines and you’ll start your senior year there in a clean slate," she deliberated.

        "Cool," I said, pleased by the idea.

        "Page, me and auntie Emma were inquiring about some highly-accredited schools that you could transfer into. We might fly back there by next week,"

        "Next week? Isn’t it so quick?”

        "Yup. And there's this school she's prattling about which has a great review and the teachers there are insanely focused in honing the holistic skills of the students. I think that school got a PAASCU accreditation three because of their systematic style of education, even if they only have a few enrollees. But there's something about this school which held my interest, I had already checked their website and I was impressed by the feedbacks of the parents about that school."

        "I thought you’re still searching?" I asked with my knitted brows.

        "Yeah, we're still looking for other options, but I do think that school would be great for you," she chirped.

        "Okay, how about dad? Have you mentioned about that school to him?"

        "Yes, and he seemed to be fine with that school. Actually, we already prepared for that possibility, but we hadn’t chosen one. We’re still weighing our options. I hope it didn’t surprise you.”

        "Not at all, you know Mr. Gobler and Dad are close." I cringed.

        "Uh huh but here's the thing honey, your dad and I had already mapped it all out, knowing your core. We wouldn't be that surprised."

            Seriously?

        "I don't know if I'll be insulted or be pleased by your readiness huh." I bantered.

        "Page, you know from the very start, that we didn’t stop guiding and reprimanding you. But no matter what happen honey, we're here for you." She assured and pulled me into a maternal hug.

        "I'm sorry mom if I am such a pain in the ass,"

        "I know but that won’t deter me in guiding you, and that won’t make us love you any less. The most important part in your situation right now is, you had learned your lesson. So, you already knew what to do the next time around," she retorted.

        "I’ll try mom," I jested.

        "Hmpp. Just do it Page, please."

        "Okay I'm just kidding Mom, relax. Yes, I had learned my lesson, but that doesn't mean I’d change who am I.”

        “What redeeming qualities do you have Page? Pretend that I’m the school admin of your new school.”

        "Well, I am feisty and bold. I am courageous and I like standing up for what I believe in.” I crowed, flipping my hair.

        "Uh yeah I agree, but somehow, you went overboard with such attitudes Page. Use those qualities without inflicting any harm on others, okay? We are all vulnerable of being hurt, you’d never know how those hurtful word could affect their well-being.”

        "Ughh mom, you sound like Mr. Gobler. Besides, I already apologized to Rescy." I said, rolling my eyes slyly. Did I really say sorry to her?

        "Why don't you apologize to everyone you had bullied?"

        "Mom, it’s mind-boggling, a day isn’t enough!" I bantered.

        She just pinched me and clucked her tongue.

        "I miss you mom," I chirped

        "I miss you too honey," she beamed.

        And with that, Mom and I patched things up and I promised to be better next time. My heart smiled fervently again.