Before It Rains

“So you’re Sam?” Asia asked as soon as we were out the door, leaving the cafeteria in its entirety behind us.

“Yeah. And your Asia,” I said. It wasn’t a question... after all, I already knew her name anyway.

“Mhm, Asia Callaghan at your service,” she told me with a little bow. “I’m from Iowa, but I’ve been coming here for the last three years. And you?” I told her how I’d ended up here, about all my brothers and sisters, about my parents, and everything that had led up to this point. After about ten minutes of that, I stopped suddenly.

“I’m boring you, right?” I had gotten so caught up in my life story, I hadn’t even thought to ask her anything about herself. Rude much?

“No, no. Actually, I think it’s fascinating. I’m an only child, so it’s cool to meet someone like you. Your brother’s here too then?”

I nodded. “I’d take you up to meet him, but I heard you aren’t allowed in the boy’s dorm. Kelsey someone or other kindly informed me on our way to lunch.” I noted with sarcasm. She just rolled her eyes.

“How ‘bout I take you by the headmaster’s office then? Something tells me you’re going to have different rules than the rest of us. You can get all those straightened out with him.” Good idea. I hadn’t even considered it really.

We walked to the building I had been in last night with Ruben, noting as we entered the same exact lady was behind the desk. Was she a serious coffee drinker, or did she take caffeine pills, I wondered. This time I hung back as Asia walked up to the desk, but before she could say anything, the lady smiled at me and spoke.

“Ah, Miss Prindle, nice to see you again. We were hoping you would be by today. Mr. Boroughs would like to see you, actually.” She turned to Asia. “And Miss Callaghan, nice to see you as well. I’m afraid you’ll have to wait out here though.”

Asia shrugged as if to shrugged as if to say “no problem” and leaned over to me. “I’m gonna go back to the dorms now... catch you later!” She turned and left as the secretary ushered me through a door on the left hand wall.

The room I entered looked like any principal’s office, but it was more spacious. I guess I had kind of pictured a “headmaster’s office” like Dumbledore’s in Harry Potter, but I was sadly disappointed. There was a big wooden desk at the center of the back wall, and a table in the same wood over to the side a bit with some comfy looking chairs surrounding it. There was only one window, also on the back wall, and various portraits of what I assumed to be old headmasters staring at me from each wall. I didn’t get a chance to take note of the rest of the room really though, because the secretary pushed me towards the desk. Only then did I actually realize there was someone sitting at it.

“Miss Prindle! Thank you for coming!” he said. He wasn’t very old, maybe in his forties, and was tall with dark hair and dark, friendly-looking eyes. He then turned to the secretary. “Thank you, Elaine. I’ll page you if I need anything.” And she left, closing the door behind her. He looked back at me and came out from behind his desk, gesturing to one of the chairs at the table.

“Sit,” he commanded, doing so himself. I sat across from him. “My name is Mr. Boroughs, and you, I presume, are Samantha Prindle.”

“Call me Sam,” I told him. Might as well get that straight right now.

“Okay Sam. I’m sorry for the inconvenience, but your mother was desperate, and it was the only arrangement we could make work.” I rolled my eyes. I was probably starting to look like Ruben. If he saw me, though, he didn’t say anything.

“I guess all I really need to do is go over the rules that do not apply to you here, and inform you of new ones that do. Once we have those straight, you are free to go.” I nodded again.

“All right then. You have the same curfew as everyone else. Nine o’clock you have to be back in your dorm... B. Eleven on weekends. The other students are allowed to hang out in other rooms after that if they choose. I don’t want to cut your privileges completely, so you may do the same until midnight, and only if your brother is with you. Yes?” Sure. I nodded for a third time. I was starting to feel like a bobble head.

“You are the only girl allowed in the boy’s dorms, but you are allowed in the girls dorms as well as long as you are back to B by eleven, as we already discussed.” We didn’t discuss it, you discussed it, Boroughs. Okay, so I didn’t say it out loud, but whatever.

“You will go to all the girls meetings, and you will be treated the same as everyone else with exception of those dorm rules. Any questions?” I shook my head. Nope, nada, zip. It was about what I had expected. He pushed his chair back and led me over to the door. “Make sure you come back if you have any questions. I don’t bite.” He smiled again. I smiled back. Okay, so it was a little fake... a lot fake.

“Thanks, Mr. Boroughs. I’ll keep that in mind.” And with that I headed back over to the boy’s dorms.