The Billionaire High School Bully

13 - Not everything we get is for free

She smiled but then it became quiet. I heard the sound of water being poured out of the French-looking porcelain kettle into my teacup. Everything here looked so exquisite and high-end. So far I hadn't seen anyone wearing a crumpled uniform, have dirty or used shoes. Even their umbrellas looked so fancy! And the school equipment looked pretty expensive as well! Teachers were all dressing up in formal attire. Not like jeans and T-shirts as at my old school.

"It seems that you have not listened to the French teacher yesterday. The issue has been brought up during the emergency meeting she has called for today's morning." Miss Kirchoff started speaking after a while I was staring into my teacup, looking at the steam coming up without each of us saying anything. I was still silent. I didn't know what to say. Did she really have to make such a huge deal out of it? I only said I wouldn't listen to her whims because it sounded as if she was just trying to show me how powerless I was. She was trying to show off her power as a teacher. But that's not the way people should behave! Teachers should earn their respect from us students, not require it!

"It looks like you haven't started your relationship from the good end of things. She was very upset about you, let me quote her, disobeying her directories. She didn't really say what exactly she wanted from you. But she said that she had given you a task during the class and you have not completed it, you ignored her and refused to listen to her. Is that so? I'm asking you here, just between the two of us. I never like to listen just to the teacher's side of the story, whatever it may be, but also to my students. Therefore I would like to ask you, miss Reed, what is your side of this story?" She put down the teaspoon next to her teacup and took a sip of the orange-looking liquid. I took up the cup and took a sip as well. This doesn't look like I can explain too easily. I sighed. This was going to be a big hassle.

"Well, from my point of view, during the French class the teacher had asked me to come to her office later after I was finished with all my classes, for an additional test in the language. She didn't think my level was high enough to take the advanced class with others. However, I kindly asked her to give me the test at a different time as I had to finish my art class assignment after classes. If I had to come to her office, I would either not be able to do the assignment or I would miss my last bus to the city, which was the only possible means of transport for me to get home." I finally took a deep breath. I was telling the whole story without taking proper breaths.

"Go on. I believe there is more to it. She also complained that she personally went to fetch you for the task she had given you..." Miss Kirchoff put the teacup back on the saucer with a clank! It seemed she was getting upset. She was upset either with me or with the French teacher. But I had no idea, which it was.

I slowly inhaled, preparing for what was to come.

Benjamin

"I believe this food could use some improvement. What do you think, Charles?" I turned to him while we were having our lunch in peace at the student council room. Charles took a bite of the thing he had in front of him. I have no idea what it resembled, but it looked a bit more edible than what I had in front of me.

"Well, it could get a bit better. Should I get information about the chefs and ask some other people for recommendations? The menu could get changed around as well. We have been eating similar things for the past two years and they are making us eat the same in our third year, too. This is just getting too much. Maybe we could bring up a complaint to the academic senate, what do you think, Nathan?" Charles looked at our know-it-all. He nodded. His plate still looked quite full as he was just pushing the food around.

"I think we all share the same opinion. What about you, vice-president?" Rex took the initiative to speak to him this time. He wasn't eating much of the food on his plate, either. Even though they prepared a buffet for us with heated food options, the only edible stuff were the salads. At least they didn't taste all the same every single time.

"Well, I think that we should be thankful for the food we are getting. We are paying for it, and it isn't really cheap, either." He kept chewing the bite he just put in his mouth before Rex managed to ask him. But even though he said such a thing, Michael didn't look happy with the food options, either.

"Look at him, lying so well! He will become a politician in the future easily!" Rex took up Michael's head in his elbow-lock and started messing his hair while chuckling. Well, it was better than having to eat this awful food.

"No, just let me go!" Michael was now trying to get out of Rex's strong lock. But instead, he looked like a bug that somehow managed to flip on his back and was kicking the legs and arms around.

"Look at him, trying so hard!" Charles was laughing out loud next to me. Nathan's mouth corners were twitching as well. But he was still managing to keep his usual poker face. As he always said, the only thing that would make him smile or laugh, was a well-written book! The last time I saw Nathan laugh was when he was reading some demonic story. He was either laughing at the characters or pretending to be the devil or demon himself. I swear I could see a dark aura forming around him, swallowing up all the light that time!

"Let me go! Rex!"

"For a second year you're too daring, don't ya think?" Rex kept messing with him and his hairstyle.

"Alright, alright! We draw a petition for food!" Michael finally gave up. At least something positive today, which made us all laugh!

"Nathan, you know what to do." Charles stood up from the table and went to Nathan to help him with writing things down. I pushed the plate away from me. I'm not eating more of this weird stuff anymore. I need a change of palate.

Sophia

"Well, I went to work on my assignment in our art classroom, when the teacher came up and she required me to come with her. So I asked her if she could give me the exam right there at the spot, as I needed to finish the assignment and catch the bus. But she then changed her mind saying I didn't listen to her. She also asked me to go to the headmaster's office with her because of it. The conditions in her office AND in the classroom would be all the same! I didn't have any materials, which would let me cheat! So I don't know WHY it had to be HER WAY, miss Kirchoff!" I was getting mad once again. Just remembering the story was making me fired up once more.

"I understand you quite well, but the problem we are facing here is, that she is quite in right to ask her to her office to examine you there. There is no rule that says she can't do that anywhere else, though. However, you basically disobeyed her request and ended up in a conflict with the school rules. The meeting ended up with putting you up for some volunteer work here. I'm sorry for that, as I know that it is not really your fault. However, school rules and regulations need to be kept, no matter." She sighed, putting the teacup exasperatedly back down to the saucer.

"So what will I have to do?" I asked, hoping I wouldn't have to clean the corridors, classrooms, bathrooms... Or weed the gardens! That would be the end of me! Me and flowers and plants are next to sworn enemies!

"You are to help in the kitchen with making the afternoon tea club refreshments. This way the staff can take a bit of a break. Also, it is a better punishment than having to weed the gardens or take care of the stables here..." She looked out of the window, overseeing the vast back gardens of the school grounds.

"You have horses here?" I exclaimed. I hadn't seen a live horse before.

"Yes, we have an equestrian club as well. However, to the next issue. Your work was also submitted to the Art Committee if I heard correctly... Just how many issues are going to be there with you here, really? We have our hands full and there have been already so many problems for you being here for two days only!" She exhaled sharply, taking another sip of tea to calm herself down.

"I'm sorry about that. However, I didn't infringe my painting! I didn't ask anyone else to do it! It's all mine! But the students asked for the Art Committee to have a look at it. I don't know why they do this, either, miss Kirchoff!" I looked down at my hands, which started squeezing the hem of my skirt. I felt quite down, being called fake or a cheater. I wasn't either of them.

"I understand. Yet, I can't do anything about this. I am called off the Art Committee as the judge this time as I am your homeroom teacher. There could be a bias, so I am there just as a person, who can offer their opinion. The rest will be up to others. Also, the committee will decide this afternoon if you are allowed to continue working on your canvas, or if they will take it for analysis-"

"But that would mean I won't be able to get a grade for it!" I spoke louder than I had wanted.

"Yes, I am well aware of that. So I will try to speak to your contemporary art teacher about this matter at hand. I can't promise you anything, though. And try to keep your voice lower than what you have been doing until now. If this happened with other teachers, you'd be in big trouble, miss Reed! You have read our rules of conduct, I believe? You need to keep your composure at all times when speaking to teachers... Now dig in. Your lunch break will be over soon." Even though her words were sometimes like sharp daggers just trying to dig in your body, she did care about others. Otherwise, she wouldn't bring the food for me nor told me to eat. Miss Kirchoff wasn't really too bad, just the way she was speaking was scaring everyone away. I believe she has to have a warm heart under all that weird clothes and sharp tongue. 

"Thank you," I answered her with a low voice and took a piece of sandwich in my hands. I bit into it. A feeling of joy spread throughout my whole body. It's so good! I never had anything this good before! I took another bite, a bigger one. Who could have known that sandwiches could be this heavenly?! I kept eating more and more. When I was finished with this piece and wanted to take another one, I peeked at the teacher in front of me. She was still sipping her tea, a little smile showing on her lips.

"Don't hold back, help yourself!" I gulped. I took another sandwich and ate it fast. No matter how slow I tried eating, it was just impossible. The sandwich was so good!

"I'm glad you like the food our kitchen staff makes. We are all bored with it already. We've been eating the same things all the time. Everyone is growing tired of the food here. I hope that during your time in the kitchen you'll help them come up with new recipes or ways to prepare food!" She sounded too enthusiastic.

"But I can't cook that well!" 

"Well, then take it as a good challenge and self-improvement in cooking! A young lady like you should know her ways in the kitchen!" She smiled, taking the last sip of her tea before placing the cup on the saucer in front of her. It was finally empty. But my mind was full of thoughts! How am I supposed to help in the kitchen when I can't even cook that well?!

Next time: The challenge in the school kitchen!