Ch. 7: Preview #4

Turns out she’d spent the past week growing even faster.  Holy hell, she … was so … big … How in the--!?

Jen interpreted Mr. Walker’s reaction as a scowl; that same infuriating arrogance he always showed.  Great, she fumed.  So he hasn’t changed.

“Hi,” she said brusquely, feeling the clock ticking.  “I’ve missed a lot of class, I know.  I’ve been busy – which I’m sure you heard.”  She hadn’t told him about the show in advance, but certainly he must know by now.  If even random people around town knew about it, then probably every student here would too.  And the teachers – especially her own.

Brett blinked.  Heard?  Heard what?  His life didn’t revolve around his students’ – even if some lately seemed to think the entire world revolved around them …

“Look,” her gruff voice rumbled.  “I don’t wanna dwell on that.  Just tell me what work to make up, and I’ll be on my way.”

A chill ran down Brett’s spine, as the towering girl’s fists planted on her hips and her lat muscles expanded into a ‘V’.  Dear god.  In a saner world, he would’ve found her discourteous tone objectionable, even writeup-worthy.  But he had to be a realist now; and a realist might be wise not to piss her off.  … And yet, he couldn’t just allow another student to walk all over him!

“Work to … make up …” he replied very, very slowly, biding his time as his mind raced to come up with a response.  “Hmm …”  He put a finger to his chin as if in deep thought.

Jen’s eyes narrowed when her teacher dithered and dithered.  Seriously?  He’d made her wait forever just to gain his attention, and now this?  Couldn’t he tell she was in a rush?!  Another five seconds went by, then ten …

“Mr. Walker!” she belted, way louder and brasher than intended.  Oh shit – the small man’s face went pale as he drew back.  She had to be careful: he had the power to fail her, which would screw up her ability to graduate!

But the thought of being held back a year in this shitty, small-minded school set her off again.  “Mr. Walker,” she repeated much quieter, albeit through gritted teeth, “if you just tell me what assignments I missed … I’m sure we can work something out.”  There.  Not so bad, right?  She thought it sounded actually civil.

Brett quite literally began to shake in his shoes.  The low tone, the intense stare from two feet above … she was threatening him, right?  She had to be.  ‘Work something out’ sounded all too much like something Blaire would say – but even more terrifying coming from her!

“I, uh …”  His grade book was right on the podium in front of him.  He saw no good alternative but to open it, still biding his time.

His cheeks flushed, when he ran into a problem.  “… What’s your name?”  Embarrassingly, he honestly couldn’t remember it.  She’d been so forgettable before, and he honestly hadn’t tried very hard to—

The girl sucked in a breath.  “Are you--?!” 

‘Fucking kidding me?’  He swore he could almost see the words on her lips.  He openly trembled now.  You just … you have no idea how BIG this girl looked!  … And angry …

Jen felt any respect for her teacher crumble away into nothing.  This far into the summer semester, and he didn’t even—Rrrrghh!  He’d overlooked her as bad as her classmates had!  He was just as shallow and closed-minded as all of them.  Or more.  She could literally hear the knuckles cracking in her tightening fist, as she impatiently, imprudently reached right over his shoulder and jabbed a finger at her name on the page.

“J-J-Jen Atwater,” he stammered.  “R-Right … of c-course.”

His voice was cracking badly, but now she was honestly too fed up to care.  She just wanted to get off this stupid campus, away from this dumb-ass school and all its awful people and—“Well?” she demanded, unable to hold back anymore.  Classmates would flood in at any moment now.  “Come on!”

Brett began to rapidly lose control, his emotions fraying.  Those titanic legs beside him; her oppressive, intimidating closeness – he’d never felt so small in his life; so impotent.  This scene was becoming all too eerily familiar.  He could already see where this was heading.  And no matter what this girl did to him, no matter how Blaire-like she was (or worse!), he could not even write her up.  Not when doing so would literally cost him his job – a job he desperately needed, to just barely stay ahead of his bills.  The utter unfairness of it all was just too much!  Powerless, with no tangible authority, he felt his life slipping even more completely out of his control…

And so, he wept.  And couldn’t stop.

Jen gasped, shocked.  “M… Mr. Walker?”

“F… First Blaire,” came his sob-wracked mutter, “a-and now this!”

Jen felt the earth shift under her feet.  The name … The connection … It brought everything home for her in one deafening roar.  Blaire Davis was the total antithesis of what Jen wanted to be – but once again Jen was acting just like her!  Letting anger and loathing get the best of her, blinding her to whatever was really happening here.  She was better than this!

With a gasp, she acted abruptly.  Maybe brashly.  Hustling to the door and sliding the lock into place.  Again, she failed to anticipate how her teacher would perceive this – he seemed about ready to pass out, like Dad! – but she waved her hands hastily to dispel this.  “No!  I just … They’re about to come in – they can’t see you like this!”  She ventured entreatingly forward, arms out.  “I didn’t mean it, I swear!  I didn’t mean to act like … Blaire.”

Brett wavered.  The total reversal in this girl’s demeanor; the pure disdain with which she mentioned Blaire.  Had he misread her?  Maybe she was an ally.  Or at least … sympathetic.