I meet the gaze of the man sitting opposite me. His eyes are bright but just a little bit tired, he's had a hard life. What, with his sick wife and being principle of a school made up of miscreants and future nobody's. Anybody could see he loves both though, he's done wonders with this crappy school and actually has kids leaving with passing grades which is a first for Seam and District High School in generations. He's broad shouldered and one of the only men I know who matches me in height. Which comes in handy when dealing with some of the idiots in this poor excuse for a school but it's taken its toll.
His wrinkles aren't all too pronounced yet but they're getting there and his hair is starting to grey at the temples. I'm probably responsible for most of that. I'm in this office more than I am in my lessons, if I decide to show up at all that is. Over the years we've formed some sort of ... I don't know, understanding, I guess that's what you could call it. He gets that most of the kids here have no expectations of their lives and does the best he can to encourage them to pursue more than that but there's only so much a push in the right direction can do. Principal, or Malcolm, Undersee loosens his tie and sits back in his chair, swinging side to side slightly.
"What can I do for you today Mr. Undersee?" I sigh
"Aside from the fact you've chosen to arrive after noon?" he asks sarcastically
"Slept through my alarm" I shrug, he purses his lips and nods slowly as if in contemplation
"I have time for you Gale, I really do, but truthfully if it wasn't for your exam results I'd have expelled you years ago and you know how much I hate doing that. You clearly have potential, a lot of potential. You could really go places ... if you started making a little effort. Maybe actually showing up here more than once a week? And handing in the work"
"I've got more important things to worry about than homework" I remind him
"I know and I can understand how the whole concept must seem completely pointless to you … but a student like you comes around once in a blue moon Gale. I'm willing to help you in any way I can if you'll just meet me halfway"
"What exactly do I have to do?"
"Just go to your classes, do the work you're given. It's no good having the best test results in the state if you haven't got the work to back it up"
"Fine, so I show up to lessons, do my homework and what? You won't call my mom?"
"Gale, you start applying yourself and I can guarantee you a full scholarship to any school you want" he says quirking an eyebrow "and if you carry on like this I'm really going to have to take you off the team" we stare each other down for a minute before he stands "do we have a deal?"
"I'll do what I can, I'm not promising anything" Undersee sighs and chuckles
"I'll take what I can get. Now shoo, I have lunch plans".
I stop short in the waiting room when I find it's not empty. Knee high socks, as if they weren't sexy enough, give way to sculpted and sun-kissed thighs. Barely covered by a navy blue and green tartan skirt that emphasizes a tiny waste. A fitted white shirt that highlights perfect perky little boobs. A navy tie I'd like to tug her closer with. A navy cardigan that contrasts just right with golden curls. Wavy tresses that fall to that tiny waist, two small strands pulled to the back of her head and tied with a ribbon the same color as the tie. When I reach her neck I'm just praying she's as beautiful as the rest of her body and I am not disappointed. Pouty lips, petite nose, big eyes, thick fanned out eyelashes. Shit! As if the uniform wasn't enough to get my blood pumping, she's got a lolly-pop in her mouth. She sucks at it gently, twisting it between her thumb and forefinger and a pair of black rimmed glasses perched on her nose.
I almost blow my load when she shifts and I see the cover of the text book she's reading. 'Mechanical Engineering'. A girl that can hold a decent conversation is particularly hard to come by these days, not that I'd be doing much talking if I got this girl alone.
She closes the book and fishes a magazine from her satchel, it was good while it lasted I guess. When I'm prepared to settle for a short, purely physical interaction with this girl she holds up the magazine and I'm convinced this is either a set up or a wet dream.
Before my dad died he had a subscription to 'Harley Davidson', it wasn't a necessity so we haven't had it in years but that doesn't mean I lost my love for bikes. She flips through until she finds an article and settles into her seat further. I have got to get this girls number, a name at least.
"I'm digging the catholic school girl look" she doesn't even look up, just rolls her eyes and flips a page
"Yes well, so do dirty old men" she deadpans, feisty is good, I like feisty. The mystery blonde tucks her hair behind her ear and it reveals an elaborate crest on her cardigan anyone would recognize. It's the school crest for Capitol, the all-girls boarding school in the next town over. Notoriously brilliant at everything and ridiculously expensive. They're known for churning out some of the most successful women in the country but as far as I know they don't teach mechanical engineering or engineering of any kind
"You're a little lost aren't you Capitol?" she sighs in exasperation and slaps her magazine shut ready to give me a good tongue lashing I expect but her jaw falls slack when she looks up at me. I love it when I have that effect
"Gale" she gasps, not what I was expecting. For a second I worry I've already met this girl and didn't call her or something but I know I wouldn't have forgotten her and I definitely would have called her. I also can't imagine her being at any of the parties where I meet my usual friends
"Uh ... yeah" I say lamely, raising an eyebrow
"Gale Hawthorne" it's not a question but I still feel the need to answer
"Yeah?" I answer, a question in my tone
"You don't remember me" she says with a small amused smile. I wouldn't have forgotten this girl, I wouldn't have. I'm not as much of a scumbag as people make out, neither am I a man whore but people talk
"Uh" she laughs and it's possibly the sweetest thing I've heard besides Posy singing that little nursery rhyme they taught her in play group
"Don't worry, I wouldn't expect you to"
"Ahhh now I feel bad" she grins and I sit beside her. I'm about to ask her name when Undersee's office door opens
"Oh, Gale you're still here" he narrows his eyes at me and glances quickly at the tiny gap between me and the blonde "didn't we just talk about you going to your classes?"
"On my way" I grin and salute him
"Sorry to keep you waiting Darling, I didn't know you'd arrived" Undersee kisses the blonde's cheek and I nearly fall off my seat. Undersee is not the type of man to have a 'squeeze' on the side and if he ever did he'd never parade it around. Then again if I'd just left no one would've seen her. No, Undersee is not a cradle snatcher and he's definitely not the type of successful older guy to go for a schoolgirl. He's a decent guy, a family man, he has a wife and kid. Holy Shit! A wife and kid, only she's not a kid anymore, she's about sixteen years of beautiful and she's stood right next to me
"Madge!" the exclamation's past my lips before I can stop it and I can feel my eyes bugging out of my head
"It's good to see you again Gale" she grins and it's kinda like staring at the sun
"Uh you too ... Madge" saying her name is weird, I never called her Madge, it was always Undersee or Princess. Remembering how much of a douche I was to her sucks, my chances with her just went from fair to dismal and I've never been this disappointed about it before. Undersee clears his throat and places a hand on Madge's back to guide her to the door
"Yes well, we're going for an early lunch. I believe you have a math lesson to attend, forty minutes of one at least"
"Yeah, right you are Undersee" both Madge and her father shake their heads at me as I leave. I can't help glancing over my shoulder and watching them go, she looks as good from the back as she does from the front. I'm reminded right then that sometimes the world is just cruel.