An Arranged Pregnancy with a Jerk

Chapter 7

Chapter 7: School Days

"I can't believe she did that!" Jennifer shouted. Several passing people glanced in their direction but Allison shot them a warning look and they glanced away. Allison and her campus friend, Jennifer, were on their way to AP Biology and Jennifer had just heard the story of yesterday's dinner. One of the reasons she liked Jennifer was her loud personality, but of course her voice was a little much to handle sometimes. She was already popular around the campus, but when Jennifer accidentally let it slip that she was pregnant with her one year fiancee in the bathroom, she became even more of a freak show.

"Shh!" Allison hushed her quickly. "I know, it was awful. And it took me forever to get all that pie out of my hair!"

Jennifer laughed. "And I think you missed a spot." She reached over and plucked a blueberry out of Allison's hair and dropped it in her mouth.

"Ew! You're crazy."

"Not as crazy as Connor's mom. Why would she even do that? What kind of crazy person shoves a pie in the face of her daughter-in-law?!"

Allison laughed, but it was dull and lifeless. "The kind that think their son should get married to a complete stranger. Of course, I knew she wasn't right in the head when I visited her house and it was painted black with a pink roof."

"But that still doesn't explain why," Jennifer said quickly as she glared at a passing senior.

"Because. Connor said that she wanted to 'make a point' and claimed that it was 'the only way to get it through the thick piece of concrete between my ears that I call a head.' Or at least, that's what I heard."

Jennifer laughed loudly but it sounded more like a bark. "Uh-huh, that's what I thought. She's a real nut job, that one is."

Before Allison could respond, they entered the East Building. As they crossed the threshold of the Biology room, Allison felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around and shooed Jennifer away with a wave of her hand. As she left, Allison saw her slip a note into her back pocket. It was Mr. Jenderson, the most evil dean.

"Yes?" Allison said quietly and irritatingly. 

Mr. Jenderson smiled a thin-lipped smile and put a bony hand on her shoulder. "We need to talk."

He walked from the doorway and out the door. Allison looked around and she decided to follow him after a moment of people staring at her again. She had to sprint to keep up with the long, quick strokes of the dean, but at last they reached the Main Building. He walked to the elevator and stepped inside. As Allison sighed and began to step in,  he put his hand out and shook his head. "Students take the steps." The doors closed and Allison cringed at his  awful smile and beady little eyes, and ran up the stairs as quickly as her out of shape legs would take her. She made a mental note to get a treadmill. 

She entered his office as the elevator doors swung open behind her. Mr. Jenderson said nothing about her sweaty hair and merely gestured to the green velvet chair facing his desk. Allison slumped down and mopped her forehead as he pushed in his chair.

After shifting a few papers and pens, he finally looked up and met her eyes. "So. We seem to have a dilemma."

Allison gave him a mean look but tried to look confused. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I assume you still want to become a vet?"

Allison repressed an eye roll but decided to be polite. "Yes, I do. Is there something wrong with that?"

"No, not at all. This is simply a matter of your tuition."

Allison sat up straighter now. "My tuition?" Her parents paid her tuition, seeing as how she had no money. 

"Yes," Mr. Jenderson said with a grin spreading across his face. "You see, a Miss McHartey called today to tell me that your tuition was no longer being paid by her and that it won't be paid until you-" he picked up a post-it note from his desk and read it with an arrogant-ness that made her toes curl- "start acting like an adult and do what your mother says."

He put down the note and stared at her through his thin-rimmed glasses. "Touching. But that sill leaves a matter of payment. Payment that is due next week. And if I do not receive the money I was promised, no matter how much the parent gives in donations each year, you will be thrown out of the school. Have I made myself clear?"

Allison held back tears and nodded. "Yes, sir. I'll talk to her, she's just overreacting."

Mr. Jenderson nodded understandingly. "Yes, women tend to do that, don't they." ALlison gritted her teeth and stood up.

"Well, if that's all you need, then I must be going. I do still have classes to go to, unless I'm going to have to leave the campus with a security escort, right?" 

Mr. Jenderson smiled but did not answer. 

She left the room slowly,taking her time, but as she passed through the door, she took the elevator down and dialed Connor on her way there. He didn't pick up the first time but when she dialed again, he answered with an exasperated, "Hello?"

"IT's me," Allison choked through tears.

Connor went somewhere quieter and calmed down. "What's wrong? Did my mother call?"

"No. Was she going to?"

"No, no no," Connor said quickly. "Then what happened?"

"Mr.- Mr. Jenderson said my mo-mother isn't pay-paying the tuition! She to-to-took it ba-back!"

Connor sighed deeply and responded, "I thought she might. You know, if she wants to play hard ball, we an't really hit back, can we? So maybe you should just tell her and pretend it was her idea!"

Allison stopped walking to her car and looked up at the sky. "I'm sorry? We can't play hard ball?" She kept talking over Connor's beginning of a protest. "Yes we can. I have a great idea...  I'll see you at home and fill you in."

*******

Hey guys!

Thanks so much for fanning and reading and voting and whatnot! I'm so sorry I've been busy, I've had exams, homework, and a lot of other stuff in between! I haven't been able to thank you for fanning, and I"m so sorry! I'll try to do better;) Hope you guys are still awesome! 

-SnazzyReader