Chapter 536: Tree Hill High School
Thursday, February 23rd, Morning
Carefully she walked through the halls, today especially. It was game night, and she was wearing her cheerleading uniform. Later, she'll be standing on the baseline cheering on the girls for another game and hopefully another victory. It would be more comfortable in regular clothes; she always felt like she was on the menu in her cheerleading uniform.
Sawyer Scott came to the open classroom door. Looking into the room, she saw the teacher sitting at her desk. Sawyer nodded and knocked on the doorjamb. The teacher looked up and turned to the door.
"Sawyer, please come in," Dr. O'Brien said.
"You sent for me?" Sawyer asked as she walked into the classroom.
"I wanted to talk to you," Dr. O'Brien said.
"I read your paper on the Nineteenth Amendment," Dr. O'Brien said.
Sawyer nodded, "It wasn't my best work, but I tried my best," she said.
"It has a lot of merits; you're still a bit weak on your argument," Dr. O'Brien said.
"What is the weakness, Dr. O'Brien?" Sawyer asked.
"You argue as if the passing was a forgone conclusion," Dr. O'Brien said.
"Well, women have the right to vote, so it was forgone," Sawyer said.
"This is history, your story, Sawyer," Dr. O'Brien said.
"My sister likes to say herstory," Sawyer said.
"Either way, it's easy to argue backward; it presents a weak argument in history," O'Brien said.
"What do you mean by that?" Sawyer asked.
"The argument that Gettysburg was the turning point of the US Civil War. Assuming that misses out that the Capture of Atlanta by Sherman prevented a pro-peace candidate from sitting in the White House," Dr. O'Brien said.
"Oh," Sawyer said.
"Yeah, oh, Sawyer, I don't expect you to enjoy history, but at least use it to teach you how to construct a solid argument for your point of view," Dr. O'Brien said.
Sawyer nodded, "Didn't you go to high school with my brother?" she asked.
"Yes, and I graduated with your cousin and aunt," Dr. O'Brien said, "What's the point?"
"Just want to understand," Sawyer said.
Dr. O'Brien laughed, "So, that's your method; you deflect and confuse," she said.
"What do you mean about that?" Sawyer asked.
"Every Scott has a different method of dealing with conflict; yours is to try and dance out of it," Dr. O'Brien said.
Sawyer nodded, "You think you know me," she said.
"I've known you since you wore pampers," Dr. O'Brien said.
"You know little about me," Sawyer said.
"Shall I dispense with the basics?" Dr. O'Brien asked.
"Then this will be short," Sawyer said.
"You're the youngest, the oops baby, and as such a bit more spoiled than your sisters and brother. Your Aunt Brooke took a special interest in you because your middle name is her first name. You are close to your two oldest siblings, a sister and brother, especially your brother. Like most Scotts, you're a natural athlete and have an aptitude for art," Dr. O'Brien said.
"Is that all you got?" Sawyer asked.
"Three years ago, you gave up basketball as a promise to your mom," Dr. O'Brien said, "Right before your brother and his family moved into Leighton."
Sawyer shrugged, "So, everyone knows that," she said.
"It was because of a letter," Dr. O'Brien said.
"What? How?" Sawyer asked.
"Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, to be exact, you lost the genetic lottery and got the bad genes," Dr. O'Brien said.
"How did you know that?" Sawyer asked.
Dr. O'Brien shrugged, "As you said, I went to school with your older siblings," she said.
"That letter destroyed me," Sawyer said, "I said I could still play, come off the bench as my dad did. I was supposed to be Steve Kerr, the catch-and-shoot role player for the team. She wouldn't hear it and made me promise to give up basketball. My life changed, but my dad at least got me to be able to cheerlead. Dr. O'Brien, you don't understand; I was supposed to be forty-three," Sawyer said and snorted, "But I'm now trapped in a pleated skirt," she pinched her skirt and dropped it.
"You're alive, upright, and on the right side of the lawn, Sawyer," Dr. O'Brien said, "That's better than many people."
Sawyer shook her head, "What did you accomplish in high school?" she asked.
"I tutored with your sister-in-law and her right-hand woman, and I was the class president," Dr. O'Brien said.
"I always figured Izzy would be class president," Sawyer said.
"No, it was me," Dr. O'Brien said.
"Did it make you feel that you did something?" Sawyer asked.
"No, the letters before and after my name do," Dr. O'Brien said.
"What do you mean?" Sawyer asked.
"Life is a marathon, not a sprint, and high school is only the beginning. So, if you don't accomplish anything in high school, there's more time and more to life than high school," Dr. O'Brien said.
"So, why did you really call me here?" Sawyer asked.
"Finally, caught on," Dr. O'Brien said.
"What does that mean?" Sawyer asked.
"Don't worry; if it were your brother, I'd have to explain it to him in small words," Dr. O'Brien said.
"So, what is it?" Sawyer asked.
"You've been avoiding Gareth Reuter," Dr. O'Brien said.
"So?" Sawyer asked.
"He was your fourth musketeer, your D'Artagnan; what happened?" Dr. O'Brien asked.
"I've always considered myself the D'Artagnan," Sawyer said.
"It doesn't matter who is who; what happened?" Dr. O'Brien asked.
"Maybe, it's none of your business," Sawyer said.
"It was the fight, wasn't it?" Dr. O'Brien asked.
Sawyer shook her head, "Why would he get in a fight? I could handle myself, and Jackin is a blowhard," Sawyer said.
"I think Gareth has feelings for you," Dr. O'Brien said.
"Feelings? Why do people want to or even believe in that Disney bs? Feelings may open the door, but it's a grind; it destroys you, slowly. Life fades from you; it's horrible. Anyway, I'm not even sixteen; why do I have to find my happily ever after?" Sawyer said.
Dr. O'Brien shrugged, "I don't know, society?" she asked.
"What happens to the princess after the happily ever after?" Sawyer asked.
Dr. O'Brien nodded, "Now that's an emotional argument," she said.
Sawyer nodded.
Dr. O'Brien sighed a hall pass, "This should get you back to study hall," she said and handed it to Sawyer.
"Thank you," Sawyer said, taking the pass and leaving.
