Author:
PTBvisiongrrl
Title: Ranger's Little Girl
Rating: PG-13; may
change
Spoilers/Warnings: None.
Disclaimer: I only borrow, I do not own….
Chapter Nine
Although Stephanie had picked out several dozen outfits to stock Ana's closet with, Ana had obviously brought her own clothes- clothes that Marta had probably not seen before. High heeled silver sandals, then legs encased in very tight, very low jeans slowly descended from the second floor, followed by a tight, low cut, midriff baring white blouse with a black bra beneath it. Long dangly earrings hung down past Ana's shoulders, and her face was painted in garish lipstick and thick eyeliner. The clothing and make-up was so inappropriate- change the jeans to a skirt and it was a distraction outfit- that Stephanie was considering sending Ana back upstairs to change when heavy footsteps sounded behind her. A purely mental "Oh, shit," and several deep breaths later, Steph found the courage to turn around and look.
Ranger's eyes had widened and his mouth was set in a thin, grim line. His arms were crossed in front of his broad chest, his legs were set in a no-nonsense, wide legged stance, and Steph could positively see the gears turning in his head- and the steam coming out of his ears. As he and Ana engaged in a stare-down, Steph mentally counted to ten, and then ten again. When the silence and the tension continued to build, Steph concentrated on Ranger, hoping his ESP was still working. DO NOT YELL, went the mental chant. The ESP must still be working on some level, because the yelling didn't start, but she felt Ranger's internal struggle against his first response. Giving the rainbow changing shades to his skin (heavy on the red and purple), Steph had a momentary fear that Ana might actually give Ranger a stroke before the end of this year.
Feeling the need to step in before the tension in the room suffocated them all, Stephanie pitched her tone neutrally and spoke. "Well, looks like we're all ready. But maybe I should have mentioned that the school you will be going to has a uniform."
Ana crossed her arms in an unconscious mirror of Ranger's stance. "I said that I wanted to go to a public school. Public schools don't wear uniforms."
"Maybe not in Miami, Ana, but here in Jersey, most schools do." Stephanie started up the stairs, brushing past Ana gently. "You will be attending Rosa Hernandez Memorial Charter High School. The uniform is hanging up in your closet."
Ana stared at Steph for a long minute before following back to her bedroom; she then stared longer at the crimson blazer, long khaki skirt, and knee socks Steph pulled from the closet, as well as the maroon and white saddle shoes Ana had not noticed before lurking in a dark corner. "You must be kidding."
Steph put a hand on her hip. "It's a hell of a lot better than the plaid jumper I had to wear to Catholic school. And it won't kill your father, like that outfit you're wearing now."
Straightening the blouse and tugging a little at the low waistband of the jeans, Ana shot a glance in the full length mirror. Then she stared again at the uniform. Stephanie saw the battle beginning and stepped in to cut it off. "No matter what public school you go to here, you will have to wear a uniform. Most are khakis like this. If you want to be able to dress like more like that"- she indicated the current get-up- "you will have to attend one of the more liberal private schools in the area."
Fingering the polyester blazer and holding the khaki skirt against her waist and seeing it fall at least two inches below her knee, Ana wrinkled her nose. "Did you do this on purpose, Stephanie? Pick the school with the ugliest uniform so that I might agree to a private school?"
Stephanie smiled broadly. "Sweetie, when I'm plotting against you, believe me that it won't be so obvious." She laughed. "This school situation just happens to work out well for me. But the choice is up to you. If you go for private, there's a very nice Quaker school not far, and I'm sure it would still upset you father. Quakers are pacifists."
Ana didn't reply, just continued to stare at the uniform. Steph turned to go out the door. "I'll give you fifteen minutes to decide. Public, put the uniform on. Private, change your shirt."
Walking down the hall, Steph smiled to herself.
Ranger was pacing at the bottom. "So?" he asked Stephanie as she descended the staircase.
"She doesn't like the public school uniform." Stephanie headed towards the kitchen for another cup of coffee. "REALLY doesn't like it. So I have her considering a local private school with a less strict uniform policy."
Ranger turned the corner of his mouth up in his subtle Ranger smile. "Babe. I knew you could handle her."
"Don't congratulate me yet. She's got fifteen minutes to decide." Ranger caught her arm and pulled her into a quick but tight embrace. She was lost in it, the smell of Bulgari filling her nostrils and the feel of his muscles against her working on other parts of her anatomy. Ranger broke away first, slinging his arm over her soldiers and following her into kitchen. They exchanged triumphantly silly smiles over bagels and cream cheese until Ana reappeared. The midriff was replaced with a less outrageous pull-over shirt in a dark purple.
Steph grabbed her keys and purse. "Private it is," she stated before the Manosos followed her out the door.
Charter schools are essentially licensed by the state and local school districts pay the charter school what the public school would have spent to educate each child enrolled (minus a small administrative cost.) However, the charter is completely separate from the school district, being run by private entities- setting up their own uniforms/rules, curriculum, discipline policies. Charter schools tend to be much stricter and it is easier to expel a child from a charter than from a public school.
