Mr Hastings

A girl moves from Connecticut to California and is greeted with a drastic change in schools.

“All I ever wanted was to love and be loved, but in the end, the truth came out in ways I had never imagined.” I suppressed a giggle as Mr. Hastings madly scribbled away on his writing pad. Usually, our counseling sessions were predictable. I would put my utmost effort into concealing my emotions, and he would end the gathering with his usual spiel. Lately, Iʼve come to the realization that I have nothing else to lose. “How would you like it if I started from the very beginning?” I asked, shocking him even more. I took myself back to the days before Harry Winston and Chanel No.5. Before this town had destroyed anything I had resembling a moral compass.
6 MONTHS EARLIER...
Snickers and gossip filled the corridor. Index fingers pointed in my direction. It was the first day of school... for me. For everyone else it was time to ridicule and scorn the new girl. With my head held down, I tried to walk as fast as I could. Of course, I didn't notice the foot sprawled in my path. I soon felt my body flying upward, soaring into the air in front of me. Suddenly, all too fast, I was falling and hitting the cold, hard linoleum floor. Within minutes of my first day of school, I had already noticed the hierarchy. I had already realized what my life was going to be like for the next three years. In Green Valley Academy, if you didn't wear designer clothes on your back or sport the finest jewelry on your neck you were automatically shunned. Materialism was prevalent in this school, and I would have to learn to adjust to the ways of it. That night, I gathered everything that fitted me from motherʼs closet. From the Elizabeth Arden make-up set tothe neon leather shoes, I threw together anything that I could find. Finally, I stood back and observed my completed ensemble. As I gave myself a once-over I began to realize how much I resembled the photos of my mom in the 1970s. Tears welled up in my eyes and began to brim over. As my mascara started to run I rushed to wipe it off, only making it smudge more. “Wow!” I muttered bitterly to myself. I grabbed my cell phone off of the long ,shiny, mahogany desk that I had especially picked out. My fingers began punching in a familiar number. After ringing a few times, I soon heard a smooth, soft, sing-song voice, and cried harder realizing how much I had missed it.
“Hello..hello?” Haile vocalized. After swallowing my tears, I managed to spit out my whole situation in one sentence.
“Calm down!” she told me, somehow she made everything seem so simple. “Ever since you moved, I resorted to wallowing in self pity. I havenʼt once thought of how this might be for you, Iʼm sorry. Anyway, sometimes youʼve got to just close your eyes and hope for the best.Youʼre the new girl now, but it will pass. Soon, enough youʼre going to forget all about us.”
“ I can assure you that that will never happen.” I sighed. When I found out we were going to move, I remember it being the hardest to tell Haile. Haile, who had been there through the thick and thin. Haile, whoʼs been my best friend forever, and will hold that title for eternity. I closed my eyes as I heard the line go dead. Connection was bad from Connecticut to California. I kept my eyes shut hoping for the best...
“Do you know why youʼre here?” Mr. Hastings asked desperately. I hadnʼt been cooperating from the minute I walked in. What else did you expect? I had a terrible firstday, and now the school counselor was asking me, “How do you feel about that?” I should have known not to complain to my parents about yesterdayʼs ordeal. In their eyes, everything had a solution. Everything could be fixed with one phone call or purchase. Having nightmares? Instead of bedtime stories, hereʼs a white noise machine. I bit my lip and refrained from saying this. “Well, you are dismissed.” Mr. Hastings declared after I had zoned out during his speech about fitting in. Storming out of the room, I ignored the fact that I had lost my schedule, and didnʼt know which class to go to. My irate walk turned into a run. Finally, I arrived at the lost and found. I dug through piles of Burberry watches and Vera Wang jewelry. No schedule, just $5,000 dollars worth of items that were most likely going to be thrown away. I grabbed the marble box, and stared longingly at the objects inside of it. Just a few of these items would buy me endless admiration. Around the corner, two boys jeered in my direction.
“Hey Klutzy Claire!” one called out.
Enough was enough, I would keep my eyes closed no longer. And with that, I waited until they were gone to snatch the marble box and hurry with it to my locker.
With a broad grin on my face, I waited to see how Mr. Hastings was reacting to the news. When the school security cameras had proved me a criminal, I was expelled. After completing the semester, I would move on to another school in the area, no longer with a clean slate. I would be Claire Banks:The Thief. ”So, whatʼs my diagnosis?” I asked sarcastically. Mr. Hastings was now the one beaming. “Claire, I want you to visit my office once every week. You have a case of extremely low self-esteem ,and I am going to help you gain more confidence.” And just like that, all my hopes to escape the events of the last 6 months faded away, just as fast as my smile did.

Author's Note

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