Masked By Madness

2. Grayson's Insanity

Jane stood impatiently outside the principal's office. She knew that she was about to hear yet another loud and long degrading speech. Her curiosity continued to dwell on the thought of that asshole Grayson and his ugly smile.

The principal, a pencil skirt wearing, grey haired woman with creases around her eyes, opened the door and called Jane into her tidy office.

Mrs. Rikely didn't wait for Jane to get situated into one of the hard wooden guest chairs before beginning her rant. "Jane, I have reviewed your class records for this semester and you seem to have no interest, or mind, for graduating this year." She folded her hands atop her desk and glared daggers at Jane. "You have missed more classes than I can count on one hand, you've failed nearly every test yet excelled in group projects."

She snatched up a paper from her desk and waved it in the air. "Have you even bothered to look at this? You are failing all but three classes, Jane, and in all the other classes you have D's! Now I need an explanation from you. And so help me it better be good or I might just expel you right here and now!"

Jane didn't know what to do except to stare at her scuffed up shoes and stay silent, excepting any and all punishment and judgment that may be offered.

"Don't ignore me. Give me an answer!" she snapped angrily, standing from her chair.

Jane turned her head to avoid the principal's raged glare. Embarrassment pulled her head lower as the voice in her head screamed louder than Mrs. Rikely. But the voice only shouted truth; that Jane was a failure who could never get good marks. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't keep school in her thick skull. No, her mind had exploring to do. Exploring that didn't involve school.

Mrs. Rikely fully engaged herself in giving Jane a big, boring lecture. Jane was already lost in her thoughts.

She tapped her foot subconsciously as she worried over whether or not she'd fed the many animals waiting for her at home. 'I have fed the dog, cat, and I know I got the cow too, but I can't remember if I fed the baby parrot or not. I wonder if-'

Mrs. Rikely coughed to interrupt Jane's worrying and to get her attention once more.

"Listen to me, I want your grades to jump higher than the sky next semester or you will be repeating the grade!" Jane felt her stomach drop. She wrung her hands as she sweat nervously. Who would pay for her to repeat a year of school? No one, that's who.

Mrs. Rikely sagged back down into her chair, exhausted from dealing with Jane. Again. "Go back to class, Jane."

Jane stood from the uncomfortable chair she had been sitting in and left the principal's office. She walked silently across the hall and plopped down on the first stair leading to the school's doors. She always wanted to make everyone happy but she so often failed to make herself happy. She crossed her legs and sat on the stairs for a while.

She didn't know how longed passed before Lance planted himself next to her, stretching out his legs before tucking them against his chest.

"Where the hell have you been?" He nudged her shoulder in an attempt to get her to answer him. Jane tilted her head towards him, revealing clouded eyes and red cheeks.

Protective switch flipped on, Lance grabbed her hand and demanded, "Tell me what happened, Jane." He was her only true friend in the entire school. He'd been there and believed in her since the beginning even though they didn't share many classes and mostly hung out at lunch.

Eyes lowered back to the ground, Jane muttered, "I have to pass this semester. If I don't, I'll have to..." She sobbed, "I'll have to repeat the worst thing that has ever happened to me!" She bit her tongue in a desperate attempt to stop the tears.

Lance felt a pang of sorrow and quickly came up with a solution, albeit a temporary solution. He stuffed his hands in his jean pockets and pulled out a half empty pack of strawberry gum. He flipped open the top and offered a silver wrapped piece to Jane.