crime & punishment

A Story by Courtney Rose

this isnt based on me =]

My high school was one of those fancy all-girls boarding schools you see in the movies, complete with daughters of senators, diplomats and famous businessmen. There was an actual princess. But I was a day-student, meaning I didn't live there. I lived in a little factory town about twenty minutes away.
I was sort of popular by my junior year. I think the technical term was "weird but cool." It was a small school and I was the school clown, and somewhat of a daredevil. I played soccer and was on the school paper staff and did lots of activities, but most of my creativity went towards breaking rules.

My friends would dare me to do things, like go buy a "Playgirl" magazine or moon the opposing soccer team. I was always the one asking for cigarettes at the 7-11, cutting class, going up to guys, making jokes in class, writing an anonymous parody of the school newspaper. I snuck into school and stayed up all night with my friends.

One time after an away soccer game, I found the team jacket an opposing player had left behind. I wore it around, showing off to my teammates like I was a hunter and I'd shot a rhinoceros.
Next time we played that school, one of my teammates dared me to get another trophy. After the game was over I snuck into the opposing team's locker room, like I had to use the bathroom. Then I looked around in the open lockers, found a team sweatshirt and snagged it. Score! Then I ran back to the bus all adrenalinized. We giggled like maniacs in the back seat.

In the morning I was still pretty amused by the previous day and I decided to wear the sweatshirt to class. My first period class was French Conversation. Tant pis! The teacher happened to also be the Athletic Director for the school. Later that day, after the 10:06 snack, she came up to me.
"Um, what's up?" I asked. Suddenly, wearing the sweatshirt didn't seem so funny to me.

"Where did you get that sweatshirt?" she said.

I attempted to lie my way out of trouble but I was busted. Next thing I knew I was the star of an emergency session of the Disciplinary Committee.

I sat in a dimly lit room with eight other people and listened to speeches about how bad decisions can affect the rest of your life.
"You understand this will go on your permanent record," said the Headmaster.

Then I was sent out into the hallway to wait.

In the hallway I stewed in my own idiocy. Why did I wear the sweatshirt to class. Why did I let myself get caught. I was much more upset about getting caught than about having stolen something. I made a little list of bad things that could happen:
1.ill NEVER get into collage!
2.ill get expelled and have to go to a new school!
3.ill be branded as a thief for the rest of my life!
4.ill lose my scholarship!
5.what is i have to go to jail?!
6.

I was working on number six when the door opened and I was summoned back inside for my verdict.

For the next two weeks I was on house-arrest, avoiding my angry parents. One of my homework assignments, ironically, was to read "Crime and Punishment." I got a lot out of it.

Finally my suspension ended and I went back in school, disgraced but happy to be out of my house. I'd been kicked off the soccer team so I had a lot more free time. But I still did all my other activities.

By senior year, I was back to normal. I'd been made the editor of the school newspaper and the head of a bunch of clubs. I developed some elaborate and totally legal pranks. I got into college. I graduated without further incident, as they say.

But I didn't really learn the lesson they wanted me to learn. I learned that this "permanent record" that parents and teachers and coaches were always talking about didn't scare me. I wasn't trying to become a politician. I just wanted to grow up, go to college, make my own mistakes, become a writer. And that's what I did

THE END