Thank you, Nashi

Chapter 3

Lucy could not even begin to describe how she felt. After receiving a phone call from the school that Nashi had injured another student, Lucy had bolted out of the house, almost forgetting her shoes. Lucy was now standing in front of the principal's door, debating if she should even bother opening it. Lucy had never imagined being in this situation. Nashi was a good girl and she couldn't even fathom the idea of her hitting another student.

Let's just get this over with, she thought to herself. Without any more hesitation, Lucy turned the doorknob and opened the door.

Lucy looked around the small office space to find a desk where Nashi's principal, Mrs. Ando, sat. She had thick, brown hair pulled back into a tight bun. She wore a grey dress suit with a pearl necklace around her neck. In front of her desk were two chairs; Nashi sat in one of them. Nashi and Mrs. Ando turned their attention to the open door and Mrs. Ando greeted Lucy with a smile. Nashi just sunk lower in her seat.

"Miss Ashley, it's an honor to meet you," she said, extending a hand. Lucy walked forward and gave it a firm shake, "I'm a fan of your book. It's one of my favorites."

"It's nice to meet you too. It's a shame we had to meet under such circumstances," Lucy said sitting down on the chair beside her daughter. Mrs. Ando nodded her head and cupped her hands together.

"Indeed. You are aware of what happened today are you?" Mrs. Ando questioned. Lucy whispered a yes, eying her daughter who turned away from her mother's stare. "However, I am confused," Lucy said turning back to the principal, "I understand she smacked a child, but isn't a conference with me a bit extreme?"

"Yes, under normal circumstances it is a bit extreme," Mrs. Ando, said, opening one of her desk drawers and pulling out a file folder. Opening it, she skimmed over its contents, "however, according to the nurses examination of Haruto, she concluded that his injury had the severity of a third degree burn."

Lucy stiffened upon hearing the description of Haruto's cheek. Glancing at Nashi, Lucy began to wonder what else she could have inherited from her father. Mrs. Ando put the file back in its prober drawer and leaned forward on her desk.

"Since this is Nashi's first offense and it was Haruto that started it, we are letting her off with a warning. But if this issue were to arise again, Nashi will receive punishment." Lucy nodded in understanding.

"Thank you Mrs. Ando. It won't happen again." Said Lucy as she rose from her seat to take her leave. Nashi stood as well; ready to get out of this embarrassing situation.

"Wait just one moment," the principal said, digging through another one of her drawers. Lucy turned to Nashi, silently asking her if she had done anything else wrong. Nashi shrugged her shoulders. Looking back at the principal, the mother and daughter face palmed when Mrs. Ando held up her copy of Seeking the Clock, "Could you please sign this?" Lucy chuckled and took the book from her hand. After signing it, she handed it back to its owner and led Nashi out of the office.

The two walked out of the building in silence. Nashi could not think of a good enough way to apologize to her mother for her actions. The stillness was broken when Lucy decided to speak up.

"Nashi," she said quietly as the two walked home along the dirt road, "I know you and Haruto don't always see eye to eye, but did you really have to hit him? I thought we talked about ignoring him this morning." Nashi's face fell to the dirt beneath her feet.

"I know, and I tried, but then he brought you into it," Nashi whispered. Lucy's breath stilled. It seemed that there was a specific subject that messed with Nashi more than she thought, her family.

"What did he say?" Lucy didn't know if she wanted to find out.

"He said you lied to me about Daddy, that you didn't want me to feel bad about chasing him away, and that it was only a matter of time before you-," Nashi's sentence suddenly went dead. Lucy waited to see if she would finish, "Before you leave me too."