Triplets
Louise
"Louise, please stay behind." I was startled out of not paying attention to my English teacher by the mention of my name, something which I dreaded whenever someone decided that they needed to mention my name and direct it to me.
Staying behind after class was always terrible because it was either so the teacher could scold you for something or to make you do extra work because you're not keeping up with the school's reputation. Of course, the downside to a boarding school is that the teachers can make sure you do their work because you don't go home for the majority of the year. I always hated staying behind after class even before I came to this boarding school, mostly because I hated being alone with any of my teachers. They just creeped me out and I didn't want to be in the room alone with them when I hated their guts as well, just in case I said something that they didn't like – and the chances of that are high, trust me.
For the five minutes remained of the class, I tapped my nails on the desk and watched the clock slowly tick closer to my impending situation. I'd just planned on going back to my dorm as this was the last lesson of the day but apparently my teacher had other plans to occupy my time with and it's not like I had any say in it because I'm a student and therefore I have to do as I'm told if I'm told to do something by one of the teachers in the school, even if they're not one of my actual teachers, something which I've never truly understood because if they're not my teacher why should I have to listen to them? If I'm not their student, they're not going to recognise me thus there would be no familiarity between the two of us which would make me less likely to stop and listen to them should they stop me in the hallway. I'd even have trouble doing that with my own teachers.
When the bell went, I sighed and ran my hand through my hair before leaning back in my chair and waiting. I watched all the others leave the class before the door closed shut behind them and left just me and the teacher alone. He cleared his throat and turned to me.
"You didn't turn in your creative piece the other week," he said and I just couldn't help but roll my eyes.
I did tell him that he probably wasn't going to get that piece but all he did was laugh because apparently he gets told by many of his students that they're not sure if they can do the homework but they always manage to in the end. Now that I hadn't, he probably wasn't happy about it.
"That's because I didn't do it," I told him.
He leaning against his desk and folded his arms, looking at me with a firm look. "You don't get to decide what work you turn in and what work you can't be bothered doing, Louise. That's not how school works."
"I think I know that," I muttered.
He looked at me incredulously. "Excuse me. Don't you take that tone with me."
I could see where this was going. The conversation wouldn't end well and he'd use his power to send me down to the headteacher's office and through that action alone, I'd probably get weekend detentions as well as my father being notified about what had gone on because apparently a grown man can't take a teenage girl talking back to him.
"Now, explain to me why you didn't turn in your creative piece."
"Because I didn't want to do it so I wasn't going to write it."
The whole issue about the creative piece was that it was supposed to be a personal piece of writing about your family, which is one of the reasons why I hate English because the class seemed to think it could pry into personal family life and then be all offended whenever someone decided not to share that information with them – and by that, I meant the teachers.
"And why is that? Did you have trouble with the topic?" he pried, trying to work out why someone in his class would ever dare not to hand in work that was set for a specific date. Compared to the public school I used to attend, this school rarely ever had a student in one of my classes not hand in their work but I think that had more to do with the fact that they stayed in the dorms on campus rather than going home every day.
I rubbed the corner of my eye in frustration. "If I say yes can I go?" I implored.
"I want to understand why you felt that you couldn't write about that topic, and also why you felt you couldn't explain the reason to me before."
"Because I hate every aspect of the family topic and everything that happens outside of the time I'm at this school has nothing to do with anyone here, so why should I talk to anyone about it?" I explained, not at all willing to expand on what I'd already given him.
"Ah, yes, your file does mention family issues that haven't been specified. But you must understand we don't know what's going on in your family so unless you make us somewhat aware of them, we cannot understand why you won't do certain topics. Do you understand?"
For my sake, I nodded. Just because I wanted to leave and go back to my dorm, not because I was registering what he was saying or even cared about it.
"You can go now but remember to come to me if you have any more problems," he lectured as I stood from my seat, slung my bag on my shoulder and walked out of the class. I was so glad to be out of there and away from him. Some teachers just sprout a lot of bullshit and he is one of them. But that's not really surprising considering he teaches English.
I sighed as I walked out of the school building and off towards the dorms. Rachel was still my roommate but I found that I didn't mind, especially as this year was seeming to be better than last already.
Staying behind after class was always terrible because it was either so the teacher could scold you for something or to make you do extra work because you're not keeping up with the school's reputation. Of course, the downside to a boarding school is that the teachers can make sure you do their work because you don't go home for the majority of the year. I always hated staying behind after class even before I came to this boarding school, mostly because I hated being alone with any of my teachers. They just creeped me out and I didn't want to be in the room alone with them when I hated their guts as well, just in case I said something that they didn't like – and the chances of that are high, trust me.
For the five minutes remained of the class, I tapped my nails on the desk and watched the clock slowly tick closer to my impending situation. I'd just planned on going back to my dorm as this was the last lesson of the day but apparently my teacher had other plans to occupy my time with and it's not like I had any say in it because I'm a student and therefore I have to do as I'm told if I'm told to do something by one of the teachers in the school, even if they're not one of my actual teachers, something which I've never truly understood because if they're not my teacher why should I have to listen to them? If I'm not their student, they're not going to recognise me thus there would be no familiarity between the two of us which would make me less likely to stop and listen to them should they stop me in the hallway. I'd even have trouble doing that with my own teachers.
When the bell went, I sighed and ran my hand through my hair before leaning back in my chair and waiting. I watched all the others leave the class before the door closed shut behind them and left just me and the teacher alone. He cleared his throat and turned to me.
"You didn't turn in your creative piece the other week," he said and I just couldn't help but roll my eyes.
I did tell him that he probably wasn't going to get that piece but all he did was laugh because apparently he gets told by many of his students that they're not sure if they can do the homework but they always manage to in the end. Now that I hadn't, he probably wasn't happy about it.
"That's because I didn't do it," I told him.
He leaning against his desk and folded his arms, looking at me with a firm look. "You don't get to decide what work you turn in and what work you can't be bothered doing, Louise. That's not how school works."
"I think I know that," I muttered.
He looked at me incredulously. "Excuse me. Don't you take that tone with me."
I could see where this was going. The conversation wouldn't end well and he'd use his power to send me down to the headteacher's office and through that action alone, I'd probably get weekend detentions as well as my father being notified about what had gone on because apparently a grown man can't take a teenage girl talking back to him.
"Now, explain to me why you didn't turn in your creative piece."
"Because I didn't want to do it so I wasn't going to write it."
The whole issue about the creative piece was that it was supposed to be a personal piece of writing about your family, which is one of the reasons why I hate English because the class seemed to think it could pry into personal family life and then be all offended whenever someone decided not to share that information with them – and by that, I meant the teachers.
"And why is that? Did you have trouble with the topic?" he pried, trying to work out why someone in his class would ever dare not to hand in work that was set for a specific date. Compared to the public school I used to attend, this school rarely ever had a student in one of my classes not hand in their work but I think that had more to do with the fact that they stayed in the dorms on campus rather than going home every day.
I rubbed the corner of my eye in frustration. "If I say yes can I go?" I implored.
"I want to understand why you felt that you couldn't write about that topic, and also why you felt you couldn't explain the reason to me before."
"Because I hate every aspect of the family topic and everything that happens outside of the time I'm at this school has nothing to do with anyone here, so why should I talk to anyone about it?" I explained, not at all willing to expand on what I'd already given him.
"Ah, yes, your file does mention family issues that haven't been specified. But you must understand we don't know what's going on in your family so unless you make us somewhat aware of them, we cannot understand why you won't do certain topics. Do you understand?"
For my sake, I nodded. Just because I wanted to leave and go back to my dorm, not because I was registering what he was saying or even cared about it.
"You can go now but remember to come to me if you have any more problems," he lectured as I stood from my seat, slung my bag on my shoulder and walked out of the class. I was so glad to be out of there and away from him. Some teachers just sprout a lot of bullshit and he is one of them. But that's not really surprising considering he teaches English.
I sighed as I walked out of the school building and off towards the dorms. Rachel was still my roommate but I found that I didn't mind, especially as this year was seeming to be better than last already.