Thank you to Harliquinn for beta editing!
Happy Readings
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Skye got to school the next morning, and the Dean was at the door welcoming the students when he saw her.
"Your father told you that we are going to talk today?" Mr. Fields asked.
"Yes," Skye said.
"Come, let's do that before class starts," he said.
Skye went with him to his office, and they both sat down.
"So, what really happened at lunch yesterday?" the Dean asked.
"Can we just say I handled it, and let it go?" Skye asked.
"No, because to me, it seemed like if I hadn't shown up you would have been hurt," Mr. Fields told her.
"Let's say that's true, and I tell you. She will be suspended, giving her more of a reason to want to hurt me," Skye said.
"Skye, I need the truth," Mr. Fields said.
Skye sighed. "She is the one who put the note in my locker."
"Okay, did she give you a reason why she wanted you to prove you have these abilities?" Mr. Fields asked.
"She thinks I'm lying. She wanted the proof before she beat me up. I guess she figured without the abilities I wouldn't be able to defend myself," Skye said.
"Why did she want to hurt you at all?" Mr. Fields asked.
"Does it matter?" Skye asked.
"Yes, because if I can arrange a mediation so you two can work out the problem. I will," Mr. Fields said.
"I don't think it will work," Skye said.
"Why not?" Mr. Fields asked.
"She is angry at me for something she thinks I did. I didn't do it, and I tried to tell her that. But she doesn't believe me. So, if she won't even believe I'm telling the truth, she will never forgive me and never get passed it. And, had I done what she thinks I did, her anger would be valid. I hoped by covering for her yesterday she would see that I'm not the type of person to do what she thinks I did, and she can just move on," Skye said.
Mr. Fields nodded. "What does she think you did?"
Skye groaned. "I really don't want to say."
"Tough, I'm not giving you an option," Mr. Fields said.
"It's nothing that happened at school. It happened before I even came to this school," Skye said.
"Okay. But, whatever it was, has led to a problem at school, so I need to know," Mr. Fields said.
Skye let out a breath. She knew, if she didn't tell, she would never get out of this office. "The last time I ended up in legal trouble, I was forced to give up the names of the other people who had been with me but took off running before they could be caught by the police. However, there was one person whose name I didn't give. It turns out he is Carly's cousin, and someone else gave up his name. He is now in juvie," Skye said. "along with the people whose names I did give up. Since I'm the only one who isn't, Carly assumes I am the one who gave up her cousin."
Mr. Fields sighed.
"It was months before I came to this school," Skye said.
He nodded. "I believe that. Now can you explain why you left school after lunch?"
"I was overwhelmed. I left school, technically, at lunch intending to come back, but I just couldn't. I'm sorry, it won't happen again," Skye said.
Mr. Fields understood that.
"Okay, well I'm going to let it slide this one time. Go to class. We will deal with the issue with Miss Nelson at lunch."
Skye nodded, got up, and grabbed her bag from the floor. She left his office and went to class.
At lunch, Skye was called back to his office. Her guidance counselor and Carly were both already there.
Carly was sitting with her arms crossed and sunk in her seat with an annoyed look on her face.
Skye sat down in the only open chair.
"I have spoken to both of you, and I have let Ms. Ellis know about what is going on. We both agree that this problem needs to be dealt with, so there are no more issues going forward," Mr. Fields said.
"No matter what is said, I will never forgive her for sending my cousin to jail," Carly said.
"I didn't give his name," Skye said.
"That's bullshit. Why aren't you in a jail cell, if you didn't narc on everyone?" Carly asked.
"I admit I gave names, but I didn't give his. I didn't end up in jail because I got lucky. I know that. But I didn't give his name," Skye said.
"Someone did," Carly said.
"I believe that. But it wasn't me," Skye said.
"I don't believe you. If you left off a name, and they found out, you would have been busted for it," Carly said.
"I got off easy because of my connection to people who are well-liked by the city. I didn't get off because I gave names," Skye said.
Carly shook her head. "Maybe that was part of it, but why would you leave his name off when you gave everyone else's?"
"Because he had covered for me in the past, " Skye said. "I returned the favor."
"You're lying about having powers. Why should I believe you?" Carly said.
"I'm not lying about having abilities. Just because I haven't shown you, that doesn't mean I'm lying," Skye said.
"I don't get why you just wouldn't show me," Carly said.
"Because I'm not allowed. Think about your cousin's record. I have a similar one. Do you think it was easy for me to get into this school? Do you think there aren't stipulations about my acceptance? I don't want to get kicked out. If I used my abilities and got caught, and I likely would, I would be kicked out," Skye said.
"She's correct," Mr. Fields said.
"Okay, so you can't show me at school. What about after school off school grounds?" Carly said.
"Well, I'm not supposed to use them at all outside of self-defense and training. Yeah, away from school I wouldn't be kicked out, but my dad would kick my butt if I did," Skye said.
"Excuses, all excuses. Your dad probably isn't even whom you are claiming," Carly said.
Skye sighed and looked up at Mr. Fields. "See, this isn't working. This is pointless. She won't ever believe me."
"Carly, she isn't lying about who her dad is," Ms. Ellis said.
"Fine. But, just because he is her adoptive father, doesn't mean she has his abilities," Carly said.
"Not just adoptive, biological," Skye said. "It's a long confusing story that brought me to ending up with him."
Carly sighed. "Fine. but that doesn't mean you didn't give up Tucker."
Skye sighed. "No, that on its own doesn't mean I didn't. But I didn't, and I bet, if you asked Tucker, he wouldn't think I did."
"Because Tucker is stupid and has a blind spot when it comes to you," Carly said.
"Or, because he knows that I have his back the same way he always had mine," Sky said.
"Maybe he has had your back, but you didn't have his," Carly said.
Skye sighed. "I don't know what else I can say. I didn't give his name. But I can't make you believe me."
"I don't believe you," Carly said.
"All right, well it seems we are at an impasse here," Mr. Fields said. "So, I know in life there are going to be people you don't get along with, and I can't make you two get along. But I can tell you that any interactions you two have need to be civil. Consider it practice for adult life, where you will have people you don't like that you have to coexist with civilly."
"I can do that," Skye said.
"If I have to, I can also," Carly said.
"Great, because if either of you don't, you will be suspended. Miss Rogers, you can leave," Mr. Fields said.
Skye got up and left the office. She went to the cafeteria and sat with her friends.
"Where were you?" Lily asked.
"Dean's office for mediation with Carly," Skye said.
"Did it end well?" Anna asked.
"She will never believe that I didn't do what she thinks I did. We both agreed to be civil when we have to interact," Skye said.
"What does she think you did?" Ivy asked.
"Not something I'm going to talk about," Skye said as she poked at her food.
"Excited for the mall this weekend?" Anna asked, trying to change the subject.
"I can't go. I'm grounded," Skye said.
"Why?" Ivy asked.
"Because I left school yesterday and didn't tell anyone, causing people to worry," Skye said.
"Damn," Lily said.
"Yup," Skye said.
"Well, why don't we put it off till next weekend?" Ivy suggested.
"I can't do next weekend," Anna said.
"No, it's okay, you three go," Skye said. "We can arrange another weekend I can go."
Ivy, Lily, and Anna nodded.
Lunch ended shortly after. Skye packed up her barely-touched lunch before going to her first class of the afternoon.