It was one of those mornings, he thought, as he walked through the courtyard of Gray Chapel Preparatory Academy, listening to the raindrops set a steady rhythm against his umbrella. He was cautious not to step in any of the puddles that had formed on the sidewalk. His shoes were made of Italian leather and much too expensive to be ruined because Mother Nature had chosen to be unpredictable.
He walked briskly across the campus, wanting to reach the safety of his office. His two hundred year old office with a mahogany desk just as old as the building was not unpredictable. It was shelter against rain, the noise cause by his rambunctious pupils, and the dangers of a changing world that he no longer understood.
Why, he thought as he slipped into his plush, leather chair behind his desk, look at what he had to deal with that morning as an example! The aftermath of a rebellious girl who decided rules need not be followed. It was the biggest scandal Gray Chapel had experienced since he had become headmaster. Irrefutable damage on their historical landmark campus, the disruption of the strict learning environment, and, most regrettably, an unexplained death.
"Sir?"
The quiet voice of his secretary jostled him out of his deep thought. The elderly man stared at the mousy young lady, silently signaling her to speak.
"She's here."
"Ah, yes. Send her in."
He imagined the meeting would be quick. She would accept her wrongdoings, he would expel her, and they would both go their separate ways.
As the dark-haired girl walked into the room, he noted she did not look up from the floor. She felt guiltier than he thought. Maybe he would even be able to get out early enough to play a round of golf at the country club. It only needed to stop raining.
"Gray Chapel has a long history of providing students on the brink of serious disciplinary action the chance to explain themselves," he began, not capable of disguising the bored tone in his voice. "I am giving you that chance right now."
He watched as she played with the hem of her plaid skirt. She still refused to make eye contact with him. "Thank you, but I won't be needing it."
"Miss Chase, I'm curious about what happened that night. Everyone is. You nor anyone else involved will speak of it. Why?"
She scoffed. "You want to know the truth, but you wouldn't believe it, Sir."
"Please, Miss Chase, I need to know exactly what happened. This is my school, after all."
The girl let out an exasperated sigh before finally looking up, her green eyes suddenly filled with a spark. "Alright, Sir. You want to know what happened? I'll tell you. But you should get comfortable. It's, quite literally, a Hell of a story."