Blind to Beauty

Chapter Fourteen

“Sometimes you can't see yourself clearly until you see yourself through the eyes of others. ” ― Ellen DeGeneres

     I sat in the principal’s office, my arms crossed over my chest. Ms. Barley (the principal) paced her office back and forth, trying to make her lecture suspenseful. She did this every time. Whether it was to lecture you about how great you’re doing in school or how terrible you’re doing. Ms. Barley liked to throw her weight around… and she had a lot to throw around. I swear she had to weigh a thousand pounds. I don’t understand how her legs could support her frame. Well, maybe she didn’t weigh a thousand pounds but it was close.

     She kept pacing back and forth and I just rolled my eyes and silently sighed. How long was she going to keep doing this? The poor floor was probably going to give out.

    “Celeste!” she screeched.

     I winced at the sound of her voice. It resembled a screeching parrot. “Yes, Ms. Barely?”

     “Do you know why you’re here?” she snapped, taking a seat at her desk, making the seat sink down.

     “No, ma’am.” I knew exactly why I was there, but if I played dumb I’d get off the hook a lot easier. I’d learned being smart or aware of yourself in front of Ms. Barely was not smart at all. She’d think you were being disrespectful.

     “Are you aware that skipping class is against school policy?”

     I was tempted to roll my eyes. I wasn’t one to really hate anyone, or want to be disrespectful or mean to them, especially adults, but Ms. Barely was an exception. I wanted to oh so badly yell at her, but that would mean a call to my parents and I didn’t want to worry them with something this pointless.

    “Yes ma’am. I wasn’t feeling well—“

      “I didn’t ask for an explanation,” she growled, in reply, “I was going through your file…”

      Oh great, now she was going to bring my grades into this and how I’m not in an extracurricular activity. This is just how I wanted to spend my lunch period. Sense the sarcasm?

     “I see you haven’t turned in your volunteer hour form yet. May I ask why that is? The deadline is next Monday.”

     “I’m working on it,” I told her, trying to not grit my teeth, “I have the form at home I forgot it today.” I was lying. I hadn’t even had Seamoore sign it yet, so I didn’t forget it but it was at home. I’d have to have him sign it when I saw him later today.

     “I hope you do,” she lectured, standing up again making the chair spring back to its original height, “there’s only so many weeks until you graduate. You don’t want to do be held back do you?”

     “Of course not,” I said evenly.

     “Good, now please send in your friend, Ms. Larson,” she ordered, dismissing me.

     I stood up from the chair and made my way to the door. Lacey wasn’t going to take very kindly to Ms. Barely today. She was already in a bad mood and having so overweight hag lecture her on missing class was not going to put her in any better of a mood.

     As soon as I saw Lacey she was already looking irritated. I knew that the meeting wasn’t going to go well and she would probably end up with detention for the day.

     “Twenty minutes! Twenty fucking minutes she had you in there!” she whisper-screeched at me, “what the hell did she have to talk with you about?”