The
Last Day
“But Miss” Zac complained, “It’s the
last day of school!”
“Yes, it is!” Mrs Linndell
replied, “Thus it is your last chance to learn! Now please pay attention.” Mrs
Linndell, as per usual, was teaching her leaving student mathematics. It was
good practice, she thought. If only her students would listen, like Catherine
for example, who was staring out the window, thinking hard on something the
teacher would never know. Normally Mrs Linndell would tall her off right away,
but now, it was different. And it wasn’t because it was the last day of school.
“As I was saying, the cylinder
has the height of 5cm…” Some of the girls in the corner started giggling.
“Clair! Of all people, what are you laughing about?” Mrs Linndell’s face was
starting to turn red.
“Come on Miss! I’m the highest
scoring student in the class. I don’t need…” Mrs Linndell cut Clair off with a
laugh. “Oh you think so. I know for one thing that one student scored
significantly higher then you in all but one test. Which you both got the same
score.” Mrs Linndell smiled.
“What! Who?” Clair was shocked.
“Well, if you’re so smart, why don’t you work it out your self?” Mrs Linndell
said coldly. That was harsh!
Catherine thought. The conversation caught her attention. Mrs Linndell was
scanning the class with her bright eyes.
“Actually, if anyone can find
out who the top student is, I will let the entire class out early.” The
classroom went up in a buzz. Well that’s
going to end well. They’ll find out the top scorer in ten minutes flat. There
are only 30 people in the class and they only need to read out one of their
scores.
“All right! Hey everyone!” Zac
was standing up on his desk. “Read out your scores to Clair and see who scored
above her! I’ll start! In English I got…!” Zac rattled on, drowning out the
screams of the teacher telling them to stop. Uhhh, I’m going to sleep. I can’t stand all this chatter. How are you going to get to sleep if you can’t
stand this noise?
Catherine smiled. I have no idea. I just
do.
* *
*
“89% in Mathematics.” Sarah
asked Clair. “No, no, no , no , NO! No one so far has even touched my scores!”
Clair was infuriated. “Oh for God’s sake! I’ll just tell you then! You are
taking far too long!” Mrs Linndell gave up at shouting at the class and sat
down on her desk. She knew this would happen. She knew that this student would
never care about her scores and would most unlikely help, or would be aloud to
help out the class.
“NO!” Zac yelled, “You said if
we could work out who the top student is, then we could go free early! I am not
giving up this chance! Tanami! Read out your scores!” Before Tanami could read
out her scores there was a knock at the door.
“It’s time for her to see the
principle.” One of the secretaries told Mrs Linndell. “Alright.” Mrs Linndell replied.
“Catherine Alander. Catherine Alander!” shouted
Mrs Linndell. Catherine snapped out of her daydream.
“Sorry.” She said.
“That’s all well and good but the principle wants to see you.” The
teacher replied. Catherine was stunned. She would not pay attention in class
sometimes but never, would Mrs Linndell go as far as taking to the principal.
She packed up her books and walked out of the classroom, trying to avoided her
peer’s eyes and snickers. Mrs Linndell walked out with her. “Catherine.” She
started, “I would like you to know that I am very proud of you. Actually, this
entire school should be. And I also want you to know that I am proud to be your
teacher. Well off you go. You shouldn’t keep the principal waiting.” Mrs
Linndell walked back into the classroom. Okay. This is weird. Mrs
Linndell was nice to me? I must be dreaming again. I need to
pinch my self.
“Ouch!” She pinched. Okay so I’m not dreaming. But if I
not dreaming, then… how… why?
Catherine knocked on the principal’s door. “Come in. Ah! Miss
Alander. Here you are. I would like to congratulate you on your success.”
Principal Rodgers put a big hand on her shoulder and smiled a toothy smile.
Catherine was confused.
“Success? What success?”
“Of course! You are yet to know. You see, we received a letter
from, well… I’ll let you find that out, addressed to you. Though, you can’t
open it until you get home, you understand. It may be addressed to you, but you
are not to open it in school” He said with a smile. “Yes Mr Rodgers.” Catherine
said back in a monotone voice still very confused.
As Catherine left the principal’s office she started to wonder
about the letter she had just received. Uh,
hello? Voice in my head. Can you hear me? Yes I can hear you. Great. For starters, what
the hell is your name? I kind of find it annoying calling you “Voice in my
head” all the time. I thought you would never ask. My name is Eustin the Red, but you
may call me Eustin. Right, Eustin. Do, you by any chance know what this is? What, what
is? Oh, I don’t know. Maybe this letter I
just got from the principal of this school? Hmm? Well. It’s a letter from a
school. What school it is, I… Wait! Turn it over. Let me see the writing. Catherine did so, herself looking at the letters printed in gold
ink. Just
as I thought. I’m sorry, but I must leave you alone on this small thing. I will
speak with you again when the time is right. And just like that, the voice was gone and Catherine was standing
outside her class.
“Who is it? Surly it is one of us! Miss Linndell can’t be lying!”
Zac was still trying to work out who this mystery scorer was. Catherine turned
to Miss Linndell, who winked at her and nodded. Wait! I don’t know what my scores are! Maybe I’m the highest scorer!
Catherine walked up to Miss Linndell and the class hushed. “Miss Linndell. I
don’t actually know what my scores are. Would you by any chance know?”
Catherine could feel the wait of Clare’s eyes stabbing into her back. Maybe this was a bad idea. “Of cause
Catherine! Actually, would you mind reading them out to the class?” Miss
Linndell was smiling, almost laughing as she passed a piece of paper to
Catherine. “No need! I’ll just humiliate you for you!” Zac said as he snatched
the paper from her hands. He snuck up on the pair as they were talking. His
eyes widened. “100% for English, same for Science and S’n’E. 98% in Drama, 95%
in Sport, 100% in Maths. She’s basically got perfection in… In EVERYTHING!” Zac
exclaimed. Clair’s mouth dropped in surprise. “This isn’t happening… Alander
beat me. Of all people, ALANDER BEATS ME!” Clair screamed a spun around to look
at Catherine and her eyes turned to slits. “I am so going to get you for this.”
Clair said angrily.
“Catherine is the mystery high scorer of the class!” Josh shouted!
“We’re going out EARLY!” screamed Sarah. “Yes, yes. Well done everyone. You
found out that the girl you all have been trampling on for the last 9 to 11
years is better then you. All of you. Maybe you might want to treat others with
respect. She might become the President of the USA. Who would be laughing
then?” Mrs Linndell became very serious. Then she suddenly smiled. “You may
go.” She said as she sat back down. Zac and Clair were shocked by what they had
just heard. No teacher had ever stood up for a bullied student in the past. It
was how things were. That’s what made Catherine a better bully victim and the
fact that she never told anyone made it safer, but still. Zac never thought
that anyone would stick up for her. It made him feel like the teacher was
bullying him, and he finally understood what it was like to be the victim whose
work would end up wet in the drink fountain or whose dairy ended up pasted
around the school. With no one there to help you get up from all that pain. And
Catherine did that all by herself. That made her seem stronger then him, even
brave. Zac stood up and walked over to Catherine knowing that Miss Linndell and
Clair would be watching him. “Sorry for… You know…” Zac stumbled out his words,
trying to find something that made sense. Catherine did no and she nodded. Zac
nodded back and opened his bag and took out a dark grey book. Catherine eyes
widened. It was her dairy from three years ago. Zac looked at her again and
said.
“Sorry.”
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