The Lies He Spoke

TWO

To say she felt lost was an understatement.

And for some reason, everybody was staring at her. Olivia self-consciously looked down at her uniform and wondered what the problem was. Despite all her grumblings, Elijah was right - she was pretty sure she was wearing the same thing as everybody else.

Except for one thing.

The tights.

She had been so sure that the tights listed under the dress code were optional - after all, who wore tights with skirts when it was a hundred degrees outside? - but after seeing dozens of girls all in black tights under their skirts, she was starting to think that maybe she should've worn them anyways.

She dropped her stuff in her locker and made it to first period after taking a few wrong turns. She took a seat in the back, fanning herself with her notebook.

Hate this goddamn weather.

"Alright, class, quiet down, you can finish talking to each other sometime else," came a voice hardened by years of teaching. Olivia's first teacher was for English, an older woman with gray hair tied back in a bun so tight that it seemed to be pulling the skin from her face.

"Before we begin, I've been told we have a new student this year."

Olivia cringed. This was why she hated small, close-knit schools.

The teacher's gaze landed on her. "Olivia Powers, would you mind standing up please?"

She hated the new last name the protection program had given them too.

"Class, please make Miss Powers feel welcome. I understand she's also new to the area so help her out if she needs anything. My name is Ms. Rivera, and I will be your English teacher for the year."

Her gaze dropped disapprovingly down to her bare legs. "And Miss Powers...see me after class."

The rest of the class turned in their seats to look at her and snickered until Ms. Rivera told them to quiet down.

It had only been a few minutes and Olivia had already made a mistake. She slid back down into her seat and sighed.

*****

After class, she stayed back to talk to Ms. Rivera as she asked.

"Olivia, I know you're new here, so I understand if you don't know the dress code policy."

She tried not to give Ms. Rivera the chance to lecture her and said quickly, "I'll remember the tights tomorrow."

Ms. Rivera looked relieved. Maybe her students were always putting up fights, but Olivia wasn't interested. She wouldn't be at the school for very long anyways.

"Good."

Olivia let out a sigh of relief.

"But you'll still have to speak with the principal after school. Just so she can explain proper behavior to you."

Her relief was sucked right out of her. "Ms. Rivera, it won't happen again-"

"You are not in trouble, Miss Powers, it's just part of the policy. Now, all you need is take this pass-" She ripped off a pass for her next class. "And I'll let the principal know you will be coming in the afternoon. How does that sound?"

Ms. Rivera smiled like she was Mother Theresa having done the world a great service.

"That's fine," Olivia made herself say. She pulled the paper from Ms. Rivera's fingers, slid out of the chair, and ran out of there.