Chapter 3
Walking to Father Dom's office I couldn't help but wonder what he wanted to speak to me about. Mind you, this wasn't the first time that I had been summoned to his office on the first day of school. In fact, it was sort of like our own little tradition. But I was still puzzled, because Father Dom usually calls me into his office to give me a scolding, but I couldn't think of a single thing that I'd done wrong. I have been away all summer, and even if I had gone a little wild in New York (which of course, I didn't) there's no way that Father Dom would know about it. It was in this deep state of puzzlement that I ran into Kelly Prescott.
"Owww! Why don't you watch where you're going, freak!" hissed Kelly. The girl was such a complete wimp. I had barely grazed her shoulder. I couldn't help but be amused though when she realized who she had just called a freak.
"Suze, I didn't realize that it was you. But, you really should…." she stalled mid-sentence when she looked down at my clothes.
"What in the world are you wearing. Suze, I understand that you spent the whole summer in New York, but the whole NY grunge look is so five minutes ago, and in case you haven't noticed it's about a hundred degrees outside."
At that moment I just couldn't curb my anger. Who does this girl think she is?
"Kelly, instead of critiquing everyone else's wardrobe why don't you spend a little more time worrying about your own because if I'm not mistaken you wore that same outfit on the first day of school last year."
The look on Kelly's face was priceless, but I wasn't able to enjoy the moment for long because next thing I knew Sister Ernestine was headed our way.
"Susannah Simon, I would expect that after two years of attending school here you would have the sense not to stir up trouble on the first day of school." she reprimanded. "I'd send you straight to Father Dominic's office, but seeing as your expected there already I will have to escort you myself."
"But Father Dom, you should have heard what she said to me." I replied.
"Susannah, I understand that Kelly Prescott and you are not the best of friends, but you must both show each other some respect. I do not expect much effort from Kelly, but I expect more from you." rebutted Father Dom.
Father Dom could be completely clueless sometimes. Saying that Kelly Prescott and I are not the best of friends is like saying that Hitler and the Jews are not the best of friends.
(S/N No offence intended with the Hitler/Jews comment.)
"Will you at least promise me that you will try to be civil with Ms. Prescott?" asked Father Dom. But knowing Father Dom, this was more of a demand than a request.
"Yes. Sure. I promise to try. I can't promise that it'll work but I'll try really, really hard." I answered a bit sarcastically.
"Well, I'm glad to hear that Susannah. Unfortunately, I called you here to discuss something very serious. Have you met our new student Anthony?" he asked.
"Yeah. Me and about every other girl in the school."
"Yes, well then you know that Anthony is also a mediator. He has spoken to me about his concern for your safety. He believes that a powerful shifter intends to hurt you."
"Father Dom, I've had plenty of experience with homicidal maniacs. I think that I'm sufficiently prepared to handle this myself." I stated matter-of-factly.
"Susannah, I cannot deny that you have had plenty of experience protecting yourself against people who would seek to hurt you, but this is a completely different situation. We do not know what this shifter is capable of and I think that it would be in your best interest to remain at home at all times, with the exception of attending school off course."
OK. Wait a sec. Father Dom was taking this a little too far. Placing me under house arrest was extremely drastic. How awful would it be to have to spend my afternoons and weekends stuck at home with my three stepbrothers? If the whole school didn't already think of me as a complete freak, they certainly would if word spread of this.
"You can't be serious, Father Dom. This'll completely ruin my social life, which isn't particularly impressive…." I rambled on until Father Dom interrupted me.
"Suze! Please understand that this is the only way that we can prevent this shifter from being able to hurt you." he said, looking at me with those sad, pleading eyes of his.
"No way! I won't let a threat from some guy that we don't even know scare me into hiding. I know that you want to protect me, but I'll be fine on my own." and with that I sat up from my chair and walked out of Father Dom's office.