The Garden of Eden || Canis Canem Edit / Bully [ #WATTYS2018 ]

Chapter Forty-Three: Dr. Crabblesnitch Part Two

Eden paused.

Her face was a blank slate, but her mind was anything but. Gary's pleading gaze was on her and hers was on Dr Crabblesnitch. His soulless eyes bored holes straight through her skull. Eden had demanded his attention and now she had to answer to it. She felt trapped; suffocating in the stagnant air.

Eden breathed.

Her mind flickered back home, a week before she arrived at Bullworth Academy. The warm glow of her father's desk light, casting shadows throughout his cosy study. A tang of sweetness lingering on her tongue, as the rich nutty scent of coffee floated through the air. Her back flush against the fine, diamond tufted armchair. Discussing the school's curriculum had become stale, and so her attention shifted to the headmaster.

'"Eden, before you attend this academy, you will need a full assessment of the headmaster."

"Dr Crabblesnitch?" I repeated, taking a swig from my mug.

"Yes now, he is the principal of the establishment and rules it with an iron fist. My sources have informed me that he is a self-righteous, pompous, condescending man and keeps a watchful eye on the academy. He views menial topics like bullying as 'school spirit'." Dad continued, the steam from his coffee floating in front of his face.

"To a certain extent, I presume?"

"That goes without saying. You need to be on his good side, Eden. So that if you were to find yourself in his office, which I sincerely ever hope is for good things alone- he will be on your side. Use that Milenko charm of yours, my dear. It's gotten us to where we stand today, use it." A smirk grew on his lips with every word he spoke.'

Eden dragged in a deep breath. She had all the tools she needed. It was showtime.

"Dr Crabblesnitch, I'm sure you'll agree with me on this, there is a fine line between bullying and playful banter." She began, poker face intact. "What Gary has done was merely raise school morale, play around with his fellow peers - show real school spirit. Perhaps their roughhousing may have gotten out of hand but as they say, boys will be boys. Furthermore, if it were to be deemed as bullying, it would only be preparing them for the real world. To quote Mr Burton, it would 'toughen them up, turn them into fine men'. Fine men that would be perfect additions to the long list of fruitful alumni of Bullworth Academy."

He was speechless. Stunned, to say the very least. His mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. Dr Crabblesnitch knew that Eden Milenko was intelligent, if her grades weren't a big enough indicator, then her parents surely were. He could distinctly remember her father, gushing over her during the enrolment process. Ivan Milenko's face showed it all, as he bragged how she was able to flawlessly deliver speeches, as she had done so at many wealthy gatherings and charity events. 

As Dr Crabblesnitch sat at his desk, the maroon leather sticking to him in the sweltering afternoon heat, he had no doubt in his mind. Given her reputation and how eloquently she spoke, he had no reason to agree with her. She had no reason to lie, he thought.

Eden on the other hand had many reasons to lie. One of which being the giddy ball of excitement sitting beside her, Gary Smith. He was already plotting away at the next course of action, being the mastermind he is. He was playing chess but Eden was playing dolls. Dr Crabblesnitch was her doll, her puppet. All Eden had to do was say the right words, tug at the strings just right and the headmaster was a malleable pawn, fitting nicely into the palms of Gary's hands. To do that, Dr Crabblesnitch needed to be broken down. Bit by bit, Eden would make him crumble.

"Your words seemingly hold an amount of truth to them." 

"Because they are the truth."

"I would expect nothing less coming from the daughter of Ivan Milenko." A pleased smirk stretched across his tight lips.