A Ticket Out of Life

Chapter Thirty-Three

Mr. Skinner took a couple steps towards me and put his hands behind his back as he glared at me. I can tell you don’t like me. But it evens out because I don’t like you either, I thought as I returned his glare. Hearing my mom talk about me like she actually cared about me really pissed me off. She can act like the perfect mom in public and she can talk a good talk, but she will never be able to back it up. If I can get the people in this room to see that, I can win. I grabbed at that small hope and clung to it.

“Ashley, when you went to Bards, you were the top of your class. Are you still the top of your class at Saint Albert’s?”

“I can’t say for certain,” I answered. “I wasn’t there when the test results came out because I was taken back to my parents.”

“I have your test results here,” Mr. Skinner said as he walked back over and picked up a piece of paper. So why ask me a pointless question if you already knew? I thought bitterly. “You are now second in your class.”

“Then I’m second in the class,” I said as I shrugged my shoulders. Stay calm, stay calm.

“Could this be because you are not taking your studies seriously anymore because your aunt is more lenient?”

“I make time for studying. It just means that someone scored higher than me.” I glanced at Mr. Haynes and saw the smile that was crossing his face. It was the same with Aunt Maggie too; she was getting a kick out of my sarcasm.

“How focused were you on studying when you were with your parents?”

“I studied every day when I lived there,” I said.

“I have witnesses that said you would go to a café and study, and then return home and study some more. Do you deny this?”

“No,” I said as I narrowed my eyes at him.

“And when you were at Saint Albert’s, you participated in cheerleading and spent time with friends after school. Do you deny this?”

“No,” I growled. I hate him. I really, really hate him. I glanced into the crowd and noticed Dr. Bryn’s eyebrows were raised. Oops. I forgot to tell him that.

“So education wise, do you think it’s beneficial for you to stay with your aunt?”

“I don’t think second place is bad,” I said as I raised my eyebrows. “When I lived with my parents, I didn’t really have a social life. When I lived with Aunt Maggie, I had one and I was able to keep up with my studies. So I think it is beneficial.”

“Why did you not have a social life?” Mr. Skinner said. “Was it because you just didn’t want to engage in talking to people because you were busy?”

“I didn’t really have a choice in the matter,” I said and I heard someone clear their throat and I knew it was my mom. “There were several rumors going around, as Mrs. Bearings said, and because of that people didn’t care to talk to me. Hence the reason I studied so much.” Another reason was because I had that stupid hope that my parents would recognize me. What a joke it turned out to be.

“Since you were diagnosed with STX,” Mr. Skinner said as he walked back and forth. “Your condition has gone downhill. Which place has your condition made a turn for the worse; your aunt’s or your parents?”

“That’s a hard question sir,” I said looking down. “It’s true that the conditions weren’t positive when I was with my aunt, but I was never sent to the hospital like I was a week ago when I was with my parents. I’d have to say the kidney was the worst of it all.”