The Unknown

Trouble

"Mike, I have one of your girls in my office and I need you to pick her up immediately," Dean Banfeld sighs and shakes his head, not happy he has to make this phone call.

Mike's pov

"I'm on my way, Jim, I'll be right there." Great! Just great! What did one of my lovely daughters do now? I wonder, as I rush into the locker room wiping the sweat from my face. Crap! I realize I forgot to put a set of clean clothes in my gym bag as I rummage through it. I can't go to the school like this. My t-shirt is drenched in sweat. Maybe Shane can run to the school instead. Come on, come on, pick up Admiral. Shit, straight to voicemail. I'll have to stop at the Center and change first.

I arrive at the Center right after the girls' bus drops them off from school. I walk in and see Julie, Stacey and Lisa talking in the lobby.

"What are you doing here?" I ask the girls. "Dean Banfeld just called and said I needed to pick one of you up from his office."

"Does it look like we're in his office?" Stacey sasses. "We're clearly standing right here."

"Yeah we're not holograms, Mike," Lisa smarts off as well.

"The three of you better stop disrespecting Mike," Shane says, overhearing the conversation as he approaches the girls, having just arrived at the Center. He swats Julie on the bottom.

"I'm literally the only one standin' here with my mouth shut. Haven't said a word," Julie says incredulously.

"I'm paying it forward," Shane replies, smirking.

"No, no you're not. Paying it forward is repaying a kindness by doing something nice for someone else. You're doing the opposite, you're like paying it backwards," Julie complains.

"Hey, how come you didn't answer your phone? James Banfeld called that we need to pick up one of the girls," Mike asks Shane, completely unconcerned with Julie's whining.

"Oh sorry, my phone's dead. I forgot to charge it last night," Shane replies. "But the girls are here anyway so it doesn't matter. Right?" Shane asks.

"I think you're both forgetting about the mastermind of mayhem," Lisa interjects. "Carrie," she states, in response to the blank looks from Mike and Shane.

"She didn't come home on the bus with you?" Mike questions.

"Do you see her standin' here?" Stacey asks with attitude.

"What did I tell you about mouthing off to Mike?" Shane asks sternly, as he smacks Julie on the behind a second time.

"Once again, literally have remained silent during this entire exchange," Julie says bewildered, as she rubs her stinging bottom.

"I guess we better head to the school and pick up Carrie," Shane says, ignoring Julie and looking directly at Mike.

"Okay, just let me change clothes real quick," Mike replies, rushing to his room.

At the school

Mike's pov

Shane and I arrive at the school, wondering what Carrie could have possibly done to land herself in this much trouble. Dean Banfeld's secretary ushers us into his office. I didn't really believe it until now as I'm seeing it with my own eyes. Carrie is in tears sitting in Dean Banfeld's office looking very ashamed and incredibly guilty.

"Carrie what happened?"

Carrie's pov

I immediately look away upon seeing the surprise and disappointment on both their faces. I'm so ashamed.

"Gentlemen, please have a seat," Dean Banfeld says to Mike and Shane, as he points to two chairs next to mine. "Carrie was caught with four other students defacing school property this afternoon," Dean Banfeld states, in his eerily calm yet incredibly pissed off tone.

I see Mike's jaw drop upon hearing the accusation against me. Shane's eyes narrow as he shoots me a look that could kill. I hang my head even lower in shame if that's possible. I wipe the tears from my cheeks as they continue to fall. I hate that I've disappointed them.

"Carrie, is this true?" Mike asks softly, the sadness in his voice is unmistakable. He looks at me with pleading eyes, just begging me to deny the accusation put forth by Dean Banfeld.

Seeing the hurt in his eyes breaks my heart. I don't think he's ever been more disappointed in me.

"Mike asked you a question Carrie, now answer him!" Shane's trying unsuccessfully to mask the anger in his voice.

Just seeing his cold glare causes me to gulp and swallow hard before I timidly reply, "Yes sir."

Mike's face pales upon hearing my confession. I start sobbing now. I'm crushed seeing the disbelief and hurt look on Mike's face.

"What did she do, Jim?" Shane's anger level is rising by the minute.

"I wouldn't have believed it myself, gentlemen, if it wasn't captured on the video surveillance cameras." Dean Banfeld presses his lips tightly in a thin line as he gives me a disapproving glance before continuing, "Take a look." He turns his computer screen towards Mike and Shane, showing them the video of me and four other kids essentially destroying the chem lab. We smashed dozens of beakers and glass flasks, threw several test tubes out the window, and destroyed most of the Bunsen burners.

"Oh my God!" Mike can't believe his eyes. "Carrie, how could you?" He turns facing me. I can't look at him though, it's too hard.

"DAMMIT, CARRIE, ANSWER HIM! ANSWER HIM RIGHT NOW!" Shane is on his feet now, hands on his hips, pacing Dean Banfeld's office like a caged wild animal.

"I don't know," I sob, lowering my face into my hands. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I did it. I'm so sorry." I continue to cry uncontrollably. I feel horrible for what I did.

"You'll know for sorry when we get home, young lady." Shane is visibly shaking, he's so enraged. 

"I'm so sorry, Dean Banfeld, for her destructive behavior. Obviously we'll pay for the damages and I assure you Carrie will be facing serious consequences for her disobedience when we get home. Shane and I do not tolerate vandalism nor insubordination." Mike focuses his angry glare on me.

"Carrie, please wait outside. I'd like to have a word with your guardians in private."

"Yes sir," I practically whisper, as I rush out of his office.

Dean Banfeld's pov

"I didn't want to say this in front of Carrie because I didn't want to downplay the gravity of the situation, but Carrie's role in all this was actually quite minimal."

"We saw the tape, Jim, that was clearly her," Mike says, not understanding what I'm getting at.

"Yes, but what you saw was it. Carrie broke two beakers, nothing else. She and one of the other girls really didn't cause much damage. For that reason, and the fact that this is Carrie's first time ever being sent to my office, I'm recommending one week of in-school suspension as punishment for her and the other girl who played a minor part in this fiasco. I would hate for her to have an out of school suspension on her permanent record. As far as the damages are concerned, I'm still recommending they be divided equally amongst the five perpetrators. You'll be receiving a bill in the mail shortly."

I stand and button my suit coat before continuing, "Don't misunderstand me, gentlemen. What Carrie did was inexcusable but I trust the two of you to handle her misbehavior with the appropriate disciplinary response. Am I correct in my assessment?"

Shane and Mike both respond, "Yes sir, absolutely."

"Thank you for your time, gentlemen." I escort Mike and Shane out of my office to collect their wayward daughter.