''Lets's get you home now shall we, Carrie?'' Miss Collins asked as she held Carrie's face in her hands. Carrie looked worried. ''I don't want to go home, Miss Collins.'' Miss Collins dropped her hands to her lap, slightly confused and concerned. ''Why? Is it because of your mother?''
Carrie bit her lip, slowly nodding her head. ''Carrie I know what your mothers like and Mr Morton told me I can't interfere with your mother's beliefs and I respect that, but if your mothers forcing you to do things that you don't want you should tell somebody.''
Carrie dropped her head and her hair fell to cover her face. Miss Collins tucked her hair behind her ear. ''If you talk to me, Carrie I can help you. I can't interfere with her beliefs but what I can do is listen and try to help you in anyway I can. I can help by taking you home with me. That way you can get a break from your mother and we can talk some more.'' Carrie took a few minutes to think about Miss Collins offer. ''What about my mama?'' She asked, worried about her mother. Miss Collins could hear the fear in her voice. ''You leave your mother to me, Carrie. I want to make sure your safe from harms way. Let me take you back to my place, sweetie.'' Carrie nodded her head. ''Okay.'' She whispered. ''Okay? Come on, Carrie let's get you up.'' Miss Collins stood to her feet and grabbed Carrie's arm to help her stand up. She kept a protective arm around Carrie's shoulders as they walked down the corridor. ''Just remember, Carrie. As long as your with me, your safe.'' Carrie smiled a little. ''Thank you, Miss Collins.''
''Thank you, Miss Collins.'' The women stopped in their tracks at the sudden voice that came out of nowhere. Miss Collins and Carrie stared at the end of the corridor and a woman walked into plain sight. Chris Hargensen revealed herself as the mysterious voice and stood with her arms crossed as she glared at Carrie and the older woman.
''Did you enjoy being prom queen, Carrie? I hope you did because it should have been me on that stage and not you, you skinny little bitch.''
''That is enough, Hargensen.'' Warned Miss Collins. ''Oh, but I'm not finished yet, Miss Collins.'' Chris smiled innocently but her smile dropped when the gym teacher marched toward her. ''Well, I say you are, Hargensen. One more word out of that pretty little mouth and I will knock you down, do you understand me?''
Chris glared at Miss Collins as she repeated the same words from before. Miss Collins looked down at her as she spoke calmly. ''I should march you down to Mr Morton's office right now and there you can explain why you, Billy and Norma did what you did to Carrie. But then again, Norma told me and Mr Morton what you had planned and how you manage to it before prom. We now need to know why you did it, Chris. We need to hear your part of the story.''
Chris continued to glare and Miss Collins. ''Not talking, Hargensen? Well, I'll get started for you. Throwing tampons and sanity pads at Carrie in the showers wasn't good enough for you was it? So you thought dropping a bucket of blood on Carrie in front of the entire school would be the perfect humiliation. Was it satisfying enough for you, Chris? Did you get the thrill you was looking for? Oh, wait, I guess you didn't because you couldn't resist coming back and causing more misery for Carrie, could you?''
''The bitch deserves it.'' Chris raised her voice a little. Miss Collins raised her eyebrows. ''Oh, she deserves it, does she?'' She intimated Chris last words which made Chris a little more tense. ''She does fucking deserve it because she got me banned from the prom.''
''Who's fault is it then that they got themselves banned from the prom in the first place?'' Chris scowled at Miss Collins as she continued to speak. ''Face it, Hargensen. You've only got yourself to blame. It's your own fault you got banned from the prom and nobody else's. Not mine, not Sue's, not Tommy's and certainly not Carrie's.''
Miss Collins looked down at Chris and saw her face build up tension. She spoke more softly. ''Now I want you and Billy, if she's still with you, to go back to the gymnasium and help Norma clear up that mess you've made. I'll be sure to check Mr Morton deals with you and Billy tomorrow and that you'll both receive weeks of suspension.'' She searched the anger in Chris eyes. ''Just remember, Hargensen. You brought this on yourself.''
Chris raised her hand to slap Miss Collins in the face but the gym teacher was quick to act and caught Hargensen's flying hand before it reached her face and Carrie jumped a little at the near assault. Chris gasped at Miss Collins quick thinking of self defence. ''Really, Hargensen? Do you think hitting me will make you feel better?''
''It made you feel better when you hit me, you bitch.''Chris shouted as tried to pull her hand away from Miss Collins grip. She shook her head. ''No, it didn't, Hargensen. You know the consequences of hitting a teacher. Do you really want to hit me, Chris?''
Chris scowled at her teacher and forced her hand away from Miss Collins grip. ''I didn't think so.'' Miss Collins wrapped her arm around Carrie's shoulders and escorted her down the corridor, leaving Chris stood on her own. She took a deep breath and turned around to watch Miss Collins and Carrie walk away. ''This isn't over, Miss Collins. This isn't over by a long shot, you fucking bitch!'' Chris shouted and cursed at the gym teacher. Miss Collins simply looked at Chris and back again and carried on walking down the corridor.
Carrie and Miss Collins walked through the fire exit doors and landed in the gymnasium and Carrie stopped and looked at where she and Tommy were stood. The bucket of red was still hanging from the ceiling and a member of staff accompanied Norma while she cleaned up the bloodied stage. Norma stopped was she was doing and turned to see Carrie and Miss Collins. ''Carrie?'' The gym teacher gently grabbed Carrie by her shoulders. ''Carrie, sweetie. Let's go. Let's get you home.'' Carrie stood for a moment as her mind went back to the incident and it replayed inside her mind. She started to slowly move her feet. ''That's it, Carrie. Let's get take you home.'' Carrie allowed Miss Collins to lead her out of the gymnasium, her head still looking back at the stage as she walked away. The next thing she knew she was inside the teachers car and she was driving them away from the school. All the other teachers cars were long gone as most of them had left after the prom was cancelled.
It was a slow drive to Miss Collins and as she pulled up outside the house, Carrie studied the little house on her side. It was a small house but big enough to hold a family of four, or six even but all the same she thought it was a lovely little house. Carrie was about the open the door when Miss Collins opened it for her and held it open. She quietly thanked the kind woman as she got out of the car and walked over to the house.
Miss Collins unlocked the door of the house and held it open to allow Carrie to walk inside. She looked over to the descent sized living room that was close to the kitchen. She had never seen a place looking so pretty and organised. Carrie gripped tightly on the sweater that was much too big for her and wondered into the living room. Miss Collins hung up her coat and watched Carrie for a moment. ''Can I get you anything, Carrie? A glass of water or a cup of tea?'' She asked as Carrie looked at her. ''Can I have a glass of water please?''
''Course you can. Sit down and make yourself comfortable. I'll be with you in a minute.''
Miss Collins went into the kitchen and left Carrie to inspect the spacious living room. She sat down on the wide space couch, still gripping the large sweater. She looked at the mantel that had countless picture frames and a small white candle of each end. She stared a picture which she thought to herself was a photograph of a young Miss Collins. It was probably taken when she was in high school. Carrie continued to study the picture as Miss Collins came back with a glass of water in one hand and a cup of tea in the other. ''There you go, Carrie.'' She placed the glass of water on the coffee table in front of them. ''Thank you.'' Carrie picked up the glass and took a sip as Miss Collins looked at the picture that caught Carrie's eye. She smiled to herself.
''That picture was taken when I was in high school.'' She explained. Carrie placed her glass on the coffee table. ''I was a pretty good runner and did well in gym class. That's what made me want to be a gym teacher. I just love the exercise and it always gets your heart going. That picture was taken just before a big run we did. I came second, which wasn't too bad. Could've done better though.'' She took a sip of tea while Carrie looked at the picture again. ''You look really pretty in that picture, Miss Collins.''
Miss Collins set her mug down on the table. ''Thank you, Carrie. I looked dreadful after'' She and Carrie laughed softly. Miss Collins looked at her, Carrie was still looking at the pictures.
''You've got a beautiful smile, Carrie.'' Carrie looked at her and then back, blushing slightly. ''Thanks.'' Miss Collins smiled at her shy reaction. ''You don't have to look away when your blushing, Carrie. That's your natural reaction and I respect that. I just want you to know you don't have to hide away from me.''
Although, Carrie was still blushing a little she forced herself to look at her teacher. ''I know. Thank you, Miss Collins.'' The kind teacher smiled again but then it dropped when something she wanted to ask came into her mind. She breathed deeply. ''Carrie there's something I want to ask you and it's okay if you don't want to talk about because I respect that but I was wondering you could talk to me about your mother. Maybe I could help if you talk to me.''
Carrie sat still for a moment, all the things her mother had done or said running through her mind. ''Carrie?'' Miss Collins called her name. 'Carrie whatever it is your struggling to tell me I promise I can help you.'' Miss Collins took Carrie's hand in hers as she saw her eyes dwell with tears. Carrie turned to look at the older woman and Miss Collins felt her heart break when she saw the tears in Carrie's eyes. ''What's wrong, Carrie?'' She gently squeezed Carrie's hand. ''Tell me.''
Carrie gulped, the feeling as though her heart was in her throat made her feel worse. She rolled her eyes to the floor just as a tear rolled down her cheek. ''My mama.'' She looked up at Miss Collins as she gulped again. ''My mama hurts me.''
