The One Who Ran Away

Chapter Eleven

"Thanks for doing this, Scarlett. I really appreciate it."

"Not a problem, sister! I know you didn't start that fight. I witnessed it," Scarlett reassured Jo. Jo agreed and told Scarlett her instructions again.

"Clear?"

"As glass, Jo. You've told me at least six times." Scarlett flashed Jo a smile, ensuring her she wasn't upset.

Jo nodded and inhaled deeply, breathing in the scent of teenage rebellion and body odor. She exhaled with a whoosh, pushing the air through her nostrils, expelling the rancid air. She rolled her shoulders a few times, loosening the stiff joints. She cracked her neck, listening to the little pops, and mentally slapped herself. Plastering a cheery, yet fake, smile on her face, Jo grasped the silver handle and entered room 2001, Mrs. Illsen's Government class.

Mrs. Illsen was seated at her desk, her spectacles balanced on the end of her nose, her eyes pinned on Jo as she entered. For the first time, Jo noticed the older woman's eye color. A golden brown color, similar to honey. They were beautiful looking eyes. It was a shame they were hidden behind dainty spectacles.

Jo's smiled never faltered as she marched up to the desk, emitting confident vibes - or so she hoped.

"Ms. Hall," Mrs. Illsen addressed Jo. "I'm happy to see you are not late. Take a seat in the front row, middle desk." With a pencil in hand, she pointed towards the designated seat. Jo had no intention of sitting. The woman looked back down and continued to write whatever she had been working on before Jo waltzed in.

"Laura; may I call you Laura?"

"No, you may not." The teacher didn't bother to look up.

"Mrs. Illsen, ma'am, I think we both know I shouldn't be here."

That caught the woman's attention. "Oh? And why is that, pray tell?" she inquired as she raised her greying head to stare down Jo.

"Because I haven't done anything wrong. I may have retaliated, but the fight was started by Mr. Michaels. Did you not witness the entire exchange?" Jo resisted the urge to cross her arms over her chest, keeping her voice level and sweet as sugar while she spoke.

"No, fortunately, I did not. However, I saw enough to know the both of you were shouting obscenities at each other." Those honey eyes held Jo's green ones.

"Yes, ma'am, we were. No offense, though, but I do not believe you are one hundred percent correct in punishing both of us equally, ma'am. I was merely defending myself from his onslaught of abusive words," Jo appealed to the teacher. One of Mrs. Illsen's fuzzy, black eyebrows raised up in question of Jo's news. Jo nodded earnestly.

"I have someone who witnessed the incident from start to finish," Jo stated. At her cue, Scarlett walked through the door frame, shutting the open door behind her. Scarlett flounced up to the oak desk, smoothing her bright, white skirt. Her neon pink blouse matched perfectly to her pink flats. Jo had a hunch that the redhead's favorite color was pink, but it was just a hunch.

"Ms. O'Malley?" Mrs. Illsen queried. Her honey eyes narrowed in confusion. Jo realized she had never asked about Scarlett's last name. The girl was Irish, a fact that now seemed brazenly obvious.

"Mrs. Illsen," Scarlett said with a nod. "I'm here to tell you what happened when you weren't in the room."

Mrs. Illsen made a motion as if to say, "Go on."

"Jo here had walked in with that goose egg on her forehead as you can see." Scarlett pointed to the bump on Jo's forehead, drawing a scowl from Jo. "Anyways, I asked Jo if she was okay and she complained of a headache. I offered her my water and some Advil for the pain which she gladly accepted. She then laid her head down on the desk. Moments later-"