Chapter 3: A warning

Sighing to myself for the umpteenth time today, I was thinking that this is going to be a regular school year for me. In other words, I hope that I will pass this year without getting any call to the office for some reason that they conveniently find its way to blame what a fool I am, for thinking that this wouldn't have happened someway or another.

"Well, look who's getting in trouble the first day of school. What did you do to head to the Dean's office ?" questioned the man as I had to sigh and look at him.

Mr. Griba is currently the person in charge of people's disciplinary actions and a snake to the boot. There are plenty of times when he does something unethical yet the Dean turns a blind eye to what he does.

"I have been called up to the Dean's office, Mr. Griba, now if you can let me just pass." As I said this, I attempted to go around the stocky form of his. Only to be stopped by the second security guard.

'Mr. Aldin, can you escort Ms. Achi to the Dean's office. We got to make sure that she doesn't cause any trouble now." said Mr. Griba as he turned away whistling a jaunty tune as he walked away.

Grinding my teeth in frustration, I wanted to lash out for all the times that someone calls me a troublemaker when I'm not! Many do point out that hostile actions against me are unwarranted, yet some people don't care! Griba is an example of this as well as Lernae who is considered another representative and both seem to have a particular joy in bringing me up to the office for the smallest of reasons.

I soon got out of my musings when I realized that I have been standing there for the last five minutes, glaring at the spot where Mr. Griba has left. "Ms. Achi, come this way," said making me blush as I followed him, apologizing quietly for making him wait.

Heading up to the Dean's office was an easy thing to do considering the fact that she has been forced to walk the route so many time that it has become a habit. It is situated on the first floor and is surrounded by several offices that all answer to the dean.

The dean of this school is what you can call both a president and a principal when it comes to the thirteen campuses. He runs everything with brutal efficiency, some even say that nothing can be done without his say so. Unfortunately for me, I managed to get a huge target on my back once I enrolled here leaving me in pickles such as these.

Sighing one more time, I look back to see leave me in front of the door to the Dean's office. Watching him turn the hall, it looks like I will be in the clear to proceed back to my classes, but I know better. Although he left me here, I could tell that he is standing by the corner, ensuring that I won't be able to run back to my classes and act like nothing happen. I would know, he did this several times to me already.

Huffing out a breath of annoyance, I closed my eyes and counted to ten before knocking on the door.

"Come in," call a smooth dark voice that made me shiver in fear when I always hear it. Now some of the others may say that the dean of the academy is a serious man who wants the best for the bright minds entering his campuses. There are others, such as I, who believe that this is a front that he produces. For what purpose, we don't know, but there is an unexplainable feeling that something is very wrong whenever I meet him. As you can tell, this either quickly gets me irritated or fearful depending on how long I stay in the room with him.

Entering the room, the school's sigil is found on the top of his desk displaying the pride the dean has in this school. His office is more like a study than one would expect, especially as the walls were covered in dozens of books on different subjects. The main attraction though is the desk in front of me. It is made from mahogany, with silver going around it until they all connect to the top. Although most would be amazed as to the collection and the looks displayed by the office, there are those who find it a sham. The reason for this is the idea that the Dean doesn't really care about the school itself, instead, he appears as instead as someone that the rich people can relate. Hence the donations that keep coming from the donors of many families.

Dr. Manse, the dean of the school, doesn't look older than twenty-five the first time I went here. But even then, I can sense that something was off about him. I don't know what, but the moment I laid eyes on him, I knew that something was very wrong.

"Ms. Achi, do you know why you are here," he questioned, breaking my musing.

"No, sir," was my response as he looked at me.

"I have some...concerning reports of your behavior last year. It seems as if you haven't learned a single thing since you have been to this school." He said as I had to suppress the urge to scoff.

"Yeah right. Those reports should be taken with a grain of salt since the people write clearly have a bias against me." I thought silently, as I forced myself to appear blank. It would not do if the man in front of me can see how much those reports bother me.

"Sir. I have been improving where I can. It doesn't make sense for me to do this since I'm on a scholarship." I eternally winced as that fact still bothered a few of the staff to this day. Sadly this also includes the dean since his eyes alighted with a fury of a thousand suns.

"Ahh yes, the scholarship." He said unconsciously clenching his teeth. "You don't need to worry about that since your disciplinary records display your current ineptitude for our school. In fact, your scholarship can be rescinded by the end of the week due to your lack of care."

This froze my thoughts as the realization that he finally meant hit me. He only needed enough to kick me out of this school and he did this utilizing his tricks.

"Is that what you called me to tell me, sir?" I said as I kept the venom from my voice. However, my previous attempts at keeping my face blank prove to be for naught as my face started to flush red in anger,

"Unfortunately, the people in charge of the scholarship are skeptical as to the reports stated on your disciplinary actions. As a result, they have sent a new somebody to keep an eye out for either proof or falsifications." He said, looking at me dead in the eyes as I lit up and a grin slowly slid up my face.

"So this person has to observe me in order to make sure that I follow the terms of my scholarship?" I said innocently even though we both knew it was far from the innocent tone I gave it.

"Yes, now believe me when I say this. One step out of line, and you're done. It doesn't matter what occurs but if the evidence points to you., then you're gone. Understand?" He informed me as I nodded my head as my smile melted from my face.

"Good, here's the pass to ensure you don't miss your next class." He said, as I silently took it and walked out. Although, we knew that his veiled threat means much more than what he stated. What we didn't know that it is foretelling of the future events that were to come. And I wasn't ready for it.