Author's Note ~ Life is so short so get as much as you can out of it~
Sorry for the delay I had a lot of work! Special thanks to Fantaji!!
"Nosedive", said Mrs. Wilkins, "Can I see you after class?"
"What did I do?"
"No its nothing like that, just see me after class okay?"
"Yeah sure."
The entire class time Nosedive was wondering what he had done to make Mrs. Wilkins his language teacher act so gently towards him. And it scared him that he didn't know why he was being held over. Whenever a teacher needed to see him after class it never had good news. It was always something bad, always. Either the teacher had found about a prank he pulled, or a teacher wanted to discuss his behavior, or the educator wanted talk about his bad grades, or he would receive a detention slip. He wondered what it was this time.
Finally after class his questions were answered.
"Nosedive", said Mrs. Wilkins, "Is everything all right at home?"
The question completely through Nosedive off guard.
"What", asked Nosedive.
"Is everything okay at home?"
"Come again?"
"How are your parents treating you?"
"Fine why?"
"Because you have seemed somewhat off lately."
"What do you mean?"
"Well Nosedive I want you to go to this lady after lunch, you can miss the rest of the day. I just want you to stay with her okay? She works in this school and here is her office number."
The teacher passed Nosedive a slip that stated a number and a woman's name on it.
"What's this for", asked Nosedive curiously.
"You'll see when you get there. Good day Nosedive."
"Bye Mrs. Wilkins and props for getting me out of class!"
Nosedive rushed out of the room towards the cafeteria wondering who Mrs. Jones was.
The bell for lunch rang. Lunch was over but Nosedive exploration on who Mrs. Jones was just beginning. He followed the numbers of the classrooms until he found a hallway where the rooms were no longer classrooms.
Two were psychiatrist's room, one was a lounge, and three more were Guidance rooms.
One of the rooms was labeled Mrs. Jones, and than above her name was Guidance.
"She sent me to guidance", cried Nosedive aloud, "What in the world did I do to get sent here?"
Nosedive shrugged and entered the room. The office was nicely decorated, and cozy. Light poured into the small room from a huge window. The furniture, and carpets were cozy.
"You must be Nosedive", said the woman, "I'm Mrs. Jones. Please sit down."
Nosedive sat down in the seat across from her desk.
"Hi", said Nosedive.
"Do you know why you are here", asked Mrs. Jones.
"Not really. I didn't do it! Whatever it is I didn't do it! And if this is about the sudden disappearance of our science lab's frogs, well that was not my fault it was actually a-"
"That's not exactly why you are here", chuckled Mrs.
Jones, "I am here to talk to you about your parents."
"Again with that? Mrs. Wilkins was talking to me about hat too."
"Do your parents hit you Nosedive, are they mean to you when they shouldn't be?"
Finally the point of everything grasped Nosedive. Nosedive was sent to Guidance because his teacher thought that he was being abused by his parents.
"Oh my gosh", cried Nosedive, "Is that what you think?
No! My family is great!"
"Nosedive please don't get so upset I'm sure we can work whatever the problem is out and than you can-"
"I shouldn't be here. I'm wasting your time. My parents love me, they don't do mean stuff to me!"
"I'm glad to hear that. So they don't hit you than?"
"What?"
"It's a yes or no question, do they hit you?"
"No of course not!"
"Not ever? Not even when you're in trouble. Tell me the truth we're just here to talk."
"Well", stammered Nosedive, "Yeah they have hit me, but that's because I have messed up, they love me! I'm their son!"
"Nosedive please get control of yourself. I'm sure your parents are very nice people loving caring people."
"They are!"
"Well than I'll just tell Mrs. Wilkins not to worry anymore."
"Huh?"
"She suggested that you come see me."
"Why?"
"She thinks your parents might not be so nice to you."
"Mrs. Jones I have seen more things than most people will ever see in their lives. I have been to different planets, I was part of an elite team of agents. I'm not stupid, and I know you think that my parents are abusive, but they're not!"
"Guess you're right. It's just that Mrs. Wilkins was worried that it might be the case."
"Why?"
Mrs. Jones smiled. She had seen many things too in her lifetime, and dealing with abusive children was one of them. She knew that the children would never admit to themselves that there was a problem to another person. None of the students she had worked with had started out by talking normally and truthfully. First like Nosedive they would be outraged that anyone would be accusing them of their "normal" family of such atrocities. The children want to think that nothing's wrong, and they want to think that their parents love them to death. But in most cases that isn't the case.
And although Nosedive thought he was getting out of her trap, for he had foreseen it he had actually walked right into it. She was going to get the child to talk, and she was going to do it without him even knowing it.
"Well", said Mrs. Jones, "Mrs. Wilkins told me you live in Park Avenue."
"Yeah so?"
"Well that's a very rich neighborhood."
"Sure why not, why?"
"Well you never have new clothes, and lots of your regular clothes are ripped. She assumed that your parents might have been neglecting their duties to you. You know not buying you clothes when they could easily afford it."
"I don't even know where to start to counter that."
But the truth was Nosedive wasn't allowed many clothes because his parents didn't like wasting money. They were cheap, they liked to save their money as much as they could. Therefore Nosedive did not go shopping.
"Don't worry", said Mrs. Jones knowing that the teenager couldn't respond to that, "I understand. Mrs. Wilkins had it all wrong."
"Yeah!"
"Well there were others misapprehensions too."
"Like…?"
"Well Mrs. Wilkins spotted some scars on your arm."
"That's from crime fighting, when I was with the team!"
"Hmm, no Mrs. Wilkins said they were fresh marks."
"Hockey!"
"But you just said that they were from crime fighting."
"But I uh. You got it all wrong! Mrs. Wilkins has it all wrong!"
"Hey easy there Nosedive. You're right and I'm agreeing with you. Don't worry now."
"Well that's one big lie in itself", thought Mrs. Jones to herself.
"Okay, can I go now?"
"Well sure, but stop by if you need anything."
"I won't need anything, there isn't a problem!"
"Good. I'm glad to hear that. Goodbye Nosedive here is a pass back to class."
"Thank you, bye."
Nosedive left the room, as Mrs. Jones started to furiously scribble things down onto a notepad. Than out of the closet Mrs. Wilkins stepped out.
"So", said Mrs. Wilkins, "What do you think?"
"Well I think you're right. There is something wrong. But I need another faculty member to report something before I ask to talk to him again. The next time if there is a next time I'm going to invite another Guidance member to come with me, it's always done that way. But this time I want the best we have. There are issues here; it's in his eyes. If there is another reported incident than the meeting with another member will be a little more harsh towards Nosedive. We'll play good cop and bad cop. You're familiar with that correct?"
" Yes of course. I'm a teacher what do you expect? So you believe me than?"
"Yes, unfortunately yes."
~*~**~*~**~*~
"WildWing", said Canard, "You know that presentation that Nosedive is doing?"
"Yeah what about it", replied WildWing.
"Well everyone is talking about it. It's a huge thing, all of the county's hockey teams are supporting this thing. Everyone is going to be there. They are going to show it on T.V. and everything and use some of the quotes."
"Wow, hope Dive isn't nervous. I'm sure he'll do fine, good for him."
"You're missing the point once more."
"What?"
"We both Nosedive, can he really deliver such a speech that is being expected by everyone?"
"Yes he can, he's my brother and he can do it."
"WildWing is anyone helping him with this thing?"
"Not that I know of."
"Well maybe you should."
"Why?"
"Spend time with him."
"Wait what? What are you trying to get at?"
"Spend some time with the kid, you guys always used to do that."
"Hey! We still do hang out. Besides I thought you didn't like that."
"I don't, but I have heard some talk from Duke."
"Yeah what talk?"
"Well Duke makes a lot of arrests down at that bar call The Grocery."
"Yeah so?"
"Well Nosedive was spotted there."
WildWing spit out his water.
"What?"
"While Duke's friends was making an arrest they saw the kid, and they know he is under aged but they didn't say anything because they were too busy making the other arrests. But this isn't the first time someone has spotted him there."
"My brother at the Grocery? You mean that filthy club with the drinking, and dancers, and the disgusting people?"
"The one and only."
"Man. Yeah something is up, I'll talk to him don't worry."
"WildWing your brother is not headed in the right direction."
"Cool it, I don't want to hear it."
Canard sighed knowing it was impossible to prove anything to WildWing when he was like this. He knew whatever he was saying was going to be blown off because the next time WildWing would see Nosedive would be at the presentation, and it would only be a happy occasion. However he was so wrong.
Author's Note ~ Sorry again!
Sorry for the delay I had a lot of work! Special thanks to Fantaji!!
"Nosedive", said Mrs. Wilkins, "Can I see you after class?"
"What did I do?"
"No its nothing like that, just see me after class okay?"
"Yeah sure."
The entire class time Nosedive was wondering what he had done to make Mrs. Wilkins his language teacher act so gently towards him. And it scared him that he didn't know why he was being held over. Whenever a teacher needed to see him after class it never had good news. It was always something bad, always. Either the teacher had found about a prank he pulled, or a teacher wanted to discuss his behavior, or the educator wanted talk about his bad grades, or he would receive a detention slip. He wondered what it was this time.
Finally after class his questions were answered.
"Nosedive", said Mrs. Wilkins, "Is everything all right at home?"
The question completely through Nosedive off guard.
"What", asked Nosedive.
"Is everything okay at home?"
"Come again?"
"How are your parents treating you?"
"Fine why?"
"Because you have seemed somewhat off lately."
"What do you mean?"
"Well Nosedive I want you to go to this lady after lunch, you can miss the rest of the day. I just want you to stay with her okay? She works in this school and here is her office number."
The teacher passed Nosedive a slip that stated a number and a woman's name on it.
"What's this for", asked Nosedive curiously.
"You'll see when you get there. Good day Nosedive."
"Bye Mrs. Wilkins and props for getting me out of class!"
Nosedive rushed out of the room towards the cafeteria wondering who Mrs. Jones was.
The bell for lunch rang. Lunch was over but Nosedive exploration on who Mrs. Jones was just beginning. He followed the numbers of the classrooms until he found a hallway where the rooms were no longer classrooms.
Two were psychiatrist's room, one was a lounge, and three more were Guidance rooms.
One of the rooms was labeled Mrs. Jones, and than above her name was Guidance.
"She sent me to guidance", cried Nosedive aloud, "What in the world did I do to get sent here?"
Nosedive shrugged and entered the room. The office was nicely decorated, and cozy. Light poured into the small room from a huge window. The furniture, and carpets were cozy.
"You must be Nosedive", said the woman, "I'm Mrs. Jones. Please sit down."
Nosedive sat down in the seat across from her desk.
"Hi", said Nosedive.
"Do you know why you are here", asked Mrs. Jones.
"Not really. I didn't do it! Whatever it is I didn't do it! And if this is about the sudden disappearance of our science lab's frogs, well that was not my fault it was actually a-"
"That's not exactly why you are here", chuckled Mrs.
Jones, "I am here to talk to you about your parents."
"Again with that? Mrs. Wilkins was talking to me about hat too."
"Do your parents hit you Nosedive, are they mean to you when they shouldn't be?"
Finally the point of everything grasped Nosedive. Nosedive was sent to Guidance because his teacher thought that he was being abused by his parents.
"Oh my gosh", cried Nosedive, "Is that what you think?
No! My family is great!"
"Nosedive please don't get so upset I'm sure we can work whatever the problem is out and than you can-"
"I shouldn't be here. I'm wasting your time. My parents love me, they don't do mean stuff to me!"
"I'm glad to hear that. So they don't hit you than?"
"What?"
"It's a yes or no question, do they hit you?"
"No of course not!"
"Not ever? Not even when you're in trouble. Tell me the truth we're just here to talk."
"Well", stammered Nosedive, "Yeah they have hit me, but that's because I have messed up, they love me! I'm their son!"
"Nosedive please get control of yourself. I'm sure your parents are very nice people loving caring people."
"They are!"
"Well than I'll just tell Mrs. Wilkins not to worry anymore."
"Huh?"
"She suggested that you come see me."
"Why?"
"She thinks your parents might not be so nice to you."
"Mrs. Jones I have seen more things than most people will ever see in their lives. I have been to different planets, I was part of an elite team of agents. I'm not stupid, and I know you think that my parents are abusive, but they're not!"
"Guess you're right. It's just that Mrs. Wilkins was worried that it might be the case."
"Why?"
Mrs. Jones smiled. She had seen many things too in her lifetime, and dealing with abusive children was one of them. She knew that the children would never admit to themselves that there was a problem to another person. None of the students she had worked with had started out by talking normally and truthfully. First like Nosedive they would be outraged that anyone would be accusing them of their "normal" family of such atrocities. The children want to think that nothing's wrong, and they want to think that their parents love them to death. But in most cases that isn't the case.
And although Nosedive thought he was getting out of her trap, for he had foreseen it he had actually walked right into it. She was going to get the child to talk, and she was going to do it without him even knowing it.
"Well", said Mrs. Jones, "Mrs. Wilkins told me you live in Park Avenue."
"Yeah so?"
"Well that's a very rich neighborhood."
"Sure why not, why?"
"Well you never have new clothes, and lots of your regular clothes are ripped. She assumed that your parents might have been neglecting their duties to you. You know not buying you clothes when they could easily afford it."
"I don't even know where to start to counter that."
But the truth was Nosedive wasn't allowed many clothes because his parents didn't like wasting money. They were cheap, they liked to save their money as much as they could. Therefore Nosedive did not go shopping.
"Don't worry", said Mrs. Jones knowing that the teenager couldn't respond to that, "I understand. Mrs. Wilkins had it all wrong."
"Yeah!"
"Well there were others misapprehensions too."
"Like…?"
"Well Mrs. Wilkins spotted some scars on your arm."
"That's from crime fighting, when I was with the team!"
"Hmm, no Mrs. Wilkins said they were fresh marks."
"Hockey!"
"But you just said that they were from crime fighting."
"But I uh. You got it all wrong! Mrs. Wilkins has it all wrong!"
"Hey easy there Nosedive. You're right and I'm agreeing with you. Don't worry now."
"Well that's one big lie in itself", thought Mrs. Jones to herself.
"Okay, can I go now?"
"Well sure, but stop by if you need anything."
"I won't need anything, there isn't a problem!"
"Good. I'm glad to hear that. Goodbye Nosedive here is a pass back to class."
"Thank you, bye."
Nosedive left the room, as Mrs. Jones started to furiously scribble things down onto a notepad. Than out of the closet Mrs. Wilkins stepped out.
"So", said Mrs. Wilkins, "What do you think?"
"Well I think you're right. There is something wrong. But I need another faculty member to report something before I ask to talk to him again. The next time if there is a next time I'm going to invite another Guidance member to come with me, it's always done that way. But this time I want the best we have. There are issues here; it's in his eyes. If there is another reported incident than the meeting with another member will be a little more harsh towards Nosedive. We'll play good cop and bad cop. You're familiar with that correct?"
" Yes of course. I'm a teacher what do you expect? So you believe me than?"
"Yes, unfortunately yes."
~*~**~*~**~*~
"WildWing", said Canard, "You know that presentation that Nosedive is doing?"
"Yeah what about it", replied WildWing.
"Well everyone is talking about it. It's a huge thing, all of the county's hockey teams are supporting this thing. Everyone is going to be there. They are going to show it on T.V. and everything and use some of the quotes."
"Wow, hope Dive isn't nervous. I'm sure he'll do fine, good for him."
"You're missing the point once more."
"What?"
"We both Nosedive, can he really deliver such a speech that is being expected by everyone?"
"Yes he can, he's my brother and he can do it."
"WildWing is anyone helping him with this thing?"
"Not that I know of."
"Well maybe you should."
"Why?"
"Spend time with him."
"Wait what? What are you trying to get at?"
"Spend some time with the kid, you guys always used to do that."
"Hey! We still do hang out. Besides I thought you didn't like that."
"I don't, but I have heard some talk from Duke."
"Yeah what talk?"
"Well Duke makes a lot of arrests down at that bar call The Grocery."
"Yeah so?"
"Well Nosedive was spotted there."
WildWing spit out his water.
"What?"
"While Duke's friends was making an arrest they saw the kid, and they know he is under aged but they didn't say anything because they were too busy making the other arrests. But this isn't the first time someone has spotted him there."
"My brother at the Grocery? You mean that filthy club with the drinking, and dancers, and the disgusting people?"
"The one and only."
"Man. Yeah something is up, I'll talk to him don't worry."
"WildWing your brother is not headed in the right direction."
"Cool it, I don't want to hear it."
Canard sighed knowing it was impossible to prove anything to WildWing when he was like this. He knew whatever he was saying was going to be blown off because the next time WildWing would see Nosedive would be at the presentation, and it would only be a happy occasion. However he was so wrong.
Author's Note ~ Sorry again!