"Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes, doesn't mean he lacks vision."
Stevie Wonder.
"So this is how I go down..." Sanders whispers, a stoic expression on his face and ocean-blue eyes ever so distant. "This is how the great Tony Sanders is demolished, eliminated, obliterated. His soul, his pride, which is now bound by the hands of cruel fate, destined to become smithereens. The scarce remainder of my being- of what was a once so incredibly wholesome, so commendable man-disregarded and thrown away as if it were a piece of waste."
Seventeen girls stand on the left side of the Principals' office, hands clasped in front of them and heads bowed as if we were uttering a silent prayer. Befuddlement and agitation depicted upon our countenance, each of us take deep breaths, wanting to clear our minds. A minute or two passes and we remain where we are, holding our prayer intentions in our hearts whilst the clock ticks habitually.
Maybe it is an invocation, an invocation to whatever is beyond this world, universe or life, to impart us mercy, and bestow adequate judgement upon our teacher. Perhaps, it may be a request to hope, beseeching that it triumph over evil. Then again, it could be the voice of doubt, cackling over the fact that from the beginning, their was already one pre-existing plan; failure.
Yet as the Headmistress' strawberry-red heels tap against the floor rhythmically, and her sharp gaze thoroughly examines the people inhabiting the room, I permit myself to relax a little, and focus on the scene unravelling in front of me.
Rolling her eyes, Miss Havisham proceeds to sit at her chestnut-brown desk, opposite the P.E. Coach. There are a few sighs here and there, as well as the stare you may receive when someone can barely identify you. But most importantly, there's a story.
Between the two adults seated before the seventeen girls, there is an element of recognition and tiredness. Two entities, which have stood side by side all this time, however they cannot acknowledge each other. Given the current circumstances, it is more difficult for them to comprehend one another. Although, it can be surmised, that this has always been an obstacle in their relationship.
For the women, the incapability of maintaining a healthy relation with the person across from her, takes the shape of a frown and a tear in the corner of her eye. Despite trying to hide this with a strong, independent character, the signs of a failed reconciliation are still there, along with the sadness of not being able to rectify the errors, which jeopardised their connection.
For the man, the turmoils of their relationship take the shape of a long, intake of breath, and the feeling of disbelief. In spite of the annoyance and frustration he chooses to portray towards the person in front of him, he too wishes that things were better, that she and him could've lived in peace.
"Or you're just over-analysing everything," my inner voice sniggers. 'But hey, I would too if I saw two adults stare at each other and not get to the f*cking point."
"I never thought the voice in my head could be so obnoxious and demanding!" I complain.
"I'm your voice of guidance," is the reply. "It's kind of what I do."
Turning my attention to Miss Havisham, I listen as she prepares to say the next remark.
"I'm surprised you didn't take up a more...theatrical profession, Sanders," she chuckles weakly. "Ever since we were young, you'd always be so dramatic. Even Clarissa was persuaded by your feeble attempts to play the victim."
Grinning from ear to ear, Mr Sanders shakes his head, wagging his fat index finger in the Headmistress' face.
"You see," the Coach begins, "you say 'feeble attempt' yet the truth is, everyone believed me and not a single person believed you. When we were younger, it was I who was seen as the most likely to succeed."
Eyeing the Principal with a frown on his face, the P.E. teacher then resumes his sentence.
"Somehow, you managed to beat me. I don't know how, but you surpassed me and proved everyone who doubted you wrong."
"Yes," Miss Havisham agrees. "Yes I did."
"You proved everyone who doubted you wrong," he reiterates. "And then...and then you bought us all to this hellhole everyone calls Crescent Towers!"
Running his hands through his greasy hair, a look of exhaustion emerges from the Coach's face.
And his eyes land on me.
"You," he spits, pointing at me. "It was you, wasn't it?"
"Sanders, this issue does not concern Valentina," Havisham says.
"Oh yes it does!" Sanders exclaims, raising his voice and standing to his feet so abruptly,that the chair he had currently been sitting on, topples over. "It does concern her and you wanna know why? Because this piece of sh!t didn't know how to mind her own business!"
"Don't you dare say one word against Valentina!" Serenity shrieks, already wanting to attack him.
Grabbing my friend's arm, I urge her to stop and take a step back.
"It's not worth it," I mumble. "Don't."
Reluctantly, Serenity does what she's told and regains her composure.
"Out of all the people," Sanders laughs. "Out of all the people I thought who would catch me- the boys in my class, Mr Williams (the Head of the P.E. faculty). Hell, I even suspected Miss Havisham but you? I was not expecting you."
"Where is this going?" One of the girls ask.
"Out of all the people I thought who'd catch me," the Coach giggles hysterically, "it was Valentina Blue-Rose! Crescent Town's number one social reject. The queen of all rejects!" He bellows.
"Queen of all social rejects," I think. "I mean it does have a nice ring to it..."
"Mr Tony Sanders, I'd like to remind you that this discussion is about your inappropriate behaviour as a teacher," the Principal cautions, speaking at a rather gradual pace. "You are meant to guide students into the right direction, and encourage them to invest their time and effort in your class."
Kissing his teeth and rolling his eyes, Sanders then asks:
"Are you saying that as a teacher, I've failed to do my job?"
"Yes," Havisham answers, "that's exactly what I'm saying. Your inadequacy, your incompetence within this profession, is clearly evident."
"Yeah. So?"
"So," the Headmistress mocks, "I'm afraid that I'm going to have to report this to the school's governors."
"School's governors?" A girl inquires. "Who are they?"
"People who govern the school," one girl replies. "Duh."
Serenity, fighting back a massive grin, can't help but let out a small giggle as this statement is being made. I too, after seeing her embrace the amusement, smile and afterwards, quickly calm myself.
"The school's governors are the people who are responsible for providing a good quality education for all pupils," Havisham retorts. "They are the ones that promote efficient ways of learning and teaching, when setting the school's aims and policies."
"So if they care so much regarding these aims and policies," I say, "then surely a situation like this will interest them, due to the fact that not one, not two but sixteen girls' safety have been put at risk."
"And Coach Sanders has violated those policies!"
"Yes," the Principal confirms. "What Mr Sanders has done is illegal. Reason one, being the fact that it's p*dophilia since you are all minors, reason two, being that it is forbidden to have a romantic relationship with a student and reason three, being that the illustrations he's drawn could serve as child p*rnography."
"But then that means..."
"That means," Serenity interjects, "that 'The Great Tony Sanders', has gotten himself into a sh!t ton of trouble."
"How dare you use your voice to utter a single insult towards me!" The P.E. Coach screams, his eyes as wide as a rabid animal. "This is disrespectful! This is a dishonour to my name! This is...this is..."
"This is justice," Miss Havisham concludes. "Justice to all the girls who you've made suffer, and all the girls that could have suffered at your hands if Valentina had not intervened."
Flailing his hands in the air in exasperation, Sanders exhales deeply, turning his back to us. Then, out of nowhere, he bangs his fists on the wall. Panting heavily, he then remarks full of disgust:
"And it all comes back to the queen of all rejects. I don't know how anyone -and I mean anyone-can stand the mere sight of you. You, Valentina Blue-Rose, are an abomination! A disgrace! The very definition of socially unacceptable, an antonym for beauty! You are..."
"Silence, Tony!" Havisham interjects. "You have no right to judge her! It's people like you, who should be seen as the socially unacceptable. People should be ashamed to breath the same air as you, to be in the same setting as you. Yet, for some idiotic reason, society picks on poor Valentina, who has more merits that you ever will!"
"But..." Coach protests.
"Let me finish!" she says. "I can't believe I almost confided in you and to think I was about to reconcile with you, sends a nausea so immense, it makes me want to throw up!"
Lowering her head, Miss Havisham then says the next words which shock us all.
"I can't believe, I was about to fall for the act of 'the obedient and loyal cousin' again..."