Chapter Three: Undercover Cousins
On the other side of the small town, living in a homy duplex, a young man was informed of unfortunate events involving his younger cousin. A few days ago he received a phone call from his aunt and uncle asking him to take on a great responsibility, due to what had happened, the young man's cousin needed to be relocated to the care of another relative for her own safety. So, that night, there was a light knock on the door, and just as expected, an eight year old girl with neck length ginger hair stood there with a huge duffle bag. Over the course of the last few days in order to prepare for her arrival, the young man was given the money to at least give her a good start at a new life. He already enrolled his cousin in the elementary school in town so she could immediately start the next morning and not have to miss anything. The girl looked very tired after traveling for such a long time, but her face immediately brightened when she saw her older cousin.
"Timmy, thank you for letting me live with you until my parents are safe again." She began, spreading her arms out for a loving hug as her older cousin knelt down to receive it, "I honestly can't tell you exactly what happened, it was too much of a blur."
"It's all right, Casey, your parents gave me all the details they could before going into hiding." Timmy reassured his younger cousin, placing hands on her shoulders. Timmy brought her luggage into the house and got her set up in the spare room that used to be his home office. Now he had to make due with using a corner of the living room for his computer space. During dinner that night, he gave Casey a heads up on what was going to happen the next day.
"I've already enrolled you in the elementary school here in the third grade class, though based on the constant buzz going around, they had to go through a lot of different teachers." He told her, "I didn't get a very good look at what the third grade class would be like but from what I heard the other students are not cooperative at all."
"I've always been taught from my parents that if you're going to go to school, you're there to learn, if not you can go home and waste your time there." She replied over a warm spoonful of mashed potatoes, and Timmy just smiled at his younger cousin, she was so bright and her parents raised her well.
The next morning was about a week or so after Tecna started teaching the third grade class, and once Timmy brought Casey in and signed some final paperwork to have her enrolled in the class, Principal Unix took the two cousins down to the classroom. The principal knocked on the door, and a greeting of approval to enter came from the other side. Timmy's eyes widened at the chaotic mess of the classroom and the principal's obvious nonchalant response to it. The room was cluttered with the students' belongings, coats were on the floor, cellphones out in the open, some being used by kids despite the fact that the principal of the school himself was present. Spitballs and tissue paper wads hung from the ceiling, practically dropping down in to Tecna's hair from time to time, that of which she tried desperately to ignore by simply flicking the ones she noticed out with her fingers, and as for the ones unattended, unfortunately she didn't seem to spot them until they ended up stuck to her pillow that night. The poor woman had to stay there for hours after class let out just to scrape the dried up spitballs off the ceiling and restore the classroom to its rightful order for the next day, only for it to be in vein within just seconds the next morning. Timmy continued to look around the room at the disorganization and lack of discipline that was clearly demonstrated, the principal didn't even say a thing to bring order to the class, and he was the highest authority there was. However this did not deter the young man from leaving his cousin in this situation, knowing Casey was brighter and much more passionate about learning than any of these other kids. Timmy was fairly confident that she wouldn't be torn down by their lack of respect. However, just for a split moment, the ginger haired man's eyes met the teacher's gaze, and she could sense the heat of embarrassment rush to her cheeks. Her face, hair and clothes were completely covered in spitballs and, to his astonishment, egg yolk. Her hair was tangled, her clothes were filthy and there were dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep. And Tecna could guarantee that there was no doubt in her mind she smelled to high hell from only having one or two showers since the first day she was held hostage. The most distressing thing, by the brief glance Timmy gave her, was that he could see she was obviously being starved, the look in her eyes told him that she was fighting desperately to keep her strength up and to not collapse right in the middle of teaching her lesson.
"Good morning Miss Logiqua, students," Principal Unix addressed them with complete obliviousness to what was going on around him, "There will be a new student joining your class, I'd like you all to meet Casey." The young girl just waved in response before looking up at her cousin with an uncertain expression on her face.
"Excuse us, may we talk in the hall for a minute before I leave?" Timmy asked the principal casually, but there was nothing casual about this situation at all. Principal Unix approved as the two cousins departed from the classroom momentarily. Once out in the hallway, they weren't sure who was going to say anything first.
"Did you not see the disorganization and chaos in that room?" Casey protested, "You can't be serious leaving me with those other students, can you?"
"I know, and when I enrolled you, I did not expect this either," Timmy admitted quietly, " Something is definitely wrong with this picture, did you see how the teacher looked, there is no way a normal school would ever allow a faculty member to look so unkempt, and the principal didn't even say a thing. Listen Casey, I want you to be my eyes on the inside, tell me everything that went on today when you get home. We might have to handle this situation very delicately."
"But Timmy, why are we getting involved, I mean what if there is nothing we've can do?" Casey inquired.
"You and I both know that the way this woman is being treated is not right, and possibly against the law. If we can get proof that she is being abused, if we can speak up when no one else has, we'll be giving her back her dignity." Timmy explained, and with a quick nod of understanding, the cousins returned to the classroom.
"Please find a seat there Casey." Principal Unix instructed kindly to her, she found a spot near the front so she would be able to watch Tecna closely, both for her own purpose of learning, and to be Timmy's spy on the inside. As she sat down, though, she immediately got up to pick off a disgustingly fresh wad of chewing gum off the seat of her pants.
"Gross." She whispered to herself while Timmy left with the principal, and the lesson resumed.
As the ginger haired young man was being escorted back to his vehicle in the parking lot, he had the burning urge for ask the principal the question to start all questions.
"Weren't you going to do something about those kids, they were clearly misbehaving," Timmy began, "and do you think that Miss Logiqua is obviously being abused, and you're just going to allow that?"
"Young man, you just concern yourself with your cousin," the principal insisted firmly, with a slight hint of darkness to his tone, "what happens to Miss Logiqua behind closed doors is none of my business, if she can't manage those students, that really isn't my problem."
"You're the principal of this school, don't you think you should be a little concerned about how your classes are being kept?" Timmy felt the need to probe just a bit more, Principal Unix's blatant disregard for his concerns made him scratch his chin with puzzlement.
"I think you should leave now." The principal just spoke evenly without a raised tone, "Your constant questioning is going to cost your little cousin a spot in this school, so I suggest you stay out of this." Did the principal of an elementary school, someone who is suppose to be looking out for the education and wellbeing of children, just threaten him? Obviously no harm has been done to the students of the third grade class, so it wasn't like Casey's safety was at stake, but her education was definitely on the line, and Timmy did not like the look of this situation one bit.