MINA [#Wattys2014]

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

She slowly strolled out of her classroom to get something to eat...just a little snack since she had missed breakfast. It had taken a week for her celebrity status to wear off since she had gotten her job back. It had initially been hard to keep her students from getting distracted; to avoid the questions about what she had been through in her former life and; the extra attention over all. But it had worn off progressively and now everything was back to normal, well sort of anyway... but she could live with the pace it was at now.

"Miss Santra!?"

Someone broke her out of her reverie.

She looked to her left, from whence the sound came and saw Principal Jefferson beckoning to her in her peripheral vision.

Sighing, she glanced meaningfully in the direction of the teacher's lounge before making the unwilling detour to the Principal's office.

"You wanted to see me Principal Jefferson?" she asked as she closed the door behind her.

"I promise not to be long." Principal Jefferson sat behind his huge desk and motioned for her to sit as well. Rather than object, and prolong this any further she just sat. "This is a matter of an issue that has now come to my attention and could not have been avoided, or I would have if I could have..."

Mina wanted to scream at him to get to the point, but she did not. She just sat there and pretended the patience that she did not really feel. She just wanted something to eat...

"You remember Mrs. McKenzie...she has recently brought it to my attention that she has no intention of ever coming back..."

At this Mina's restless mind stilled and she cocked her ears, and narrowed her eyes in interest and admittedly, anticipation.

"Before you say anything, you have every right to tell me to go to hell but I would be delighted if you would agree to fill the vacancy..."

"Why?" naturally she was skeptical about the offer.

"Well since you are already here and from what I see, you're doing an excellent job...it saves us the trouble of putting out ads and having to put each applicant through a trial and error temporary period."

"So you're asking me because it's more convenient to you, than to go through the process of finding a good enough replacement?"

Her face was a closed mask, and gave nothing away of her emotions. But deep inside she was thrilled, whatever his reasons.

"That's one reason," he tugged uncomfortably at his tie. "But you are as competent as they come and you already have the experience of working here, and managed to build a rapport with the kids who take to you as it is..."

She could have listened to him spoon feed her compliments all day, just to get the answer out of her that he wanted. What he did not know was that her answer, without a doubt was yes. She just enjoyed seeing him sweat though.

"...and of course you will see a raise in your payment in due course befitting of the head of the department."

"I beg your pardon..."

He smiled a small smile, "As you are, or should have been aware, Mrs. McKenzie was the head of the department. Though when she was on leave we had both come to the decision not to put an acting Head of Department in place. However due to the sudden turn in events, and since she will not be returning, that post is now vacant as well."

"And you want me to fill it?"

He simply nodded.

"But there are more experienced and...well...more experienced Senior persons in the department who have been here far longer than I have..." she was shocked. The permanency she had expected, but Head Of Department? That was a lot to take in.