Sᴇᴘᴛᴇᴍʙᴇʀ 16, 2024
"Look at this!" The principal snaps, pointing aggressively at the dent in the metal tray Alessia has in her grasp. "How hard did you hit her?!" My daughter! He wants to add, but forces himself to keep it professional.
"Hard enough to break her nose and sprain her neck, sir."
His angry eyes homes in on the girl. He didn't expect her to answer. She always seemed like the quiet type. Everything that's happening now is too sudden. His eyes flit to Amanda sobbing in the sofa in his office, facing his desk. She has a rag at her bloody nose and a hand massaging her neck, but the nurse is out getting more medication and hasn't checked her yet... He looks back at Alessia, astonished and still angry, of course. She knew what she was doing when she hit my child...
"Aren't you the new student I received the other day?" He grunts, slightly sneering. He says it as is being new has a specific meaning otherwise from being new. Should she act a certain way because she's new?
"Is that suppose to define my behaviour?" She retorts, question to question.
"You have a lot of back talk." The principal states lowly. She didn't used to have much talk...
"I am only defending myself, sir."
Her face is a blank slate and he's mostly irritated that she isn't the least bit intimidated by the consequences she might have to face. He takes a minute to breathe, calming himself down in order to handle the situation as fairly as possible.
First, he'll hear Alessia's side of the story—although she damaged school property on his daughter's face—and then Amanda's side. She had barged into his office screaming, "Daddy!" bleeding tears from her eyes and nose, wanting Alessia Moskal to receive an immediate expulsion. The nonchalant girl must've known she had done something wrong because she walked in on her own three minutes later, holding the evidence.
He sighs. After hearing everything, he'll decide whether this needs to be passed on to the school board or dealt with right now. "What do you have to say for yourself, Alessia Moskal?" He asks. "Tell me what happened."
Not that she would've complained if she didn't get a chance to plead her case. Her respect for Mr. Welsh goes up plus one.
Amanda looks up like a gaping fish at her father, then she rolls her eyes and closes mouth, looking back down at the floor. "Here comes the sob story." She sulks.
"Apparently," Alessia begins with her hand holding the tray twitching, before she drops the tray to focus on the man, "it's a crime to be unknown at this school, sir. My life is private and should be kept that way. However, your daughter (and a few other irrelevant students) think it's okay to pry no matter how much I show them that I don't want to be involved with them." She feels sarcasm itching at her throat and with her emotions not fully back in check, it comes out morbidly, "It's because they're rich and privileged, right? HAha, they won't be so rich and privileged anymore in a morgue."
Mr. Welsh's face loses colour and Amanda stiffens.
"I-Is that a threat, Alessia? Do I need to report you?" He asks after his heart picks up. She's so composed too...
She continues, "I'm supposed to be a calm, leaned-back person, sir. I was just on edge today and your daughter thought it was a good day to trip me up. My action was purely emotional," she almost looks sad, "and I have no excuse. I humbly apologize and will pay for the expense of her care." A tight smile stretches across her taut face.
The principal grimaces, noting mentally that she's probably one those. A kid of the underworld. He's not surprised 'cause she's not the only one at the school.
"I'm not threatening anyone, sir. Take it as a warning instead." She adds when he doesn't respond.
"M-Miss Moskal, I can tell...you're still angry, yes?" He mutters with a failing voice, while his daughter shrinks in her seat. He doesn't notice the thoughtful look that has claimed Alessia's facial features.
She says, "Maybe I've always been. It's just starting to show."