Chapter 40

The Headache of MY world.

There was only twenty minutes of lesson time left. So Rachel decided to spend those last minutes going over the story, checking grammar and punctuation, and re-wording some paragraphs so they flowed better.

When she was happy she saved the file, connected to the schools wi-fi and posted an early update to the adventures of 'the Lost Child of Azarath' on her website.

Victor suddenly burst out laughing, the large man was holding a piece of paper in his hand. Garfield was trying to reach over the larger man to grab the paper back, but Victor effortlessly pushed him away. Garfield then glanced at Rachel and his cheeks began to blush, he looked terrified and leapt back on Victor trying to get the paper.

What had he written that made him so embarrassed? Rachel wondered.

She shrugged and left Victor and Garfield to fight.

Stella was still happily writing away with her pen and paper and Richard, by the look of it, wasn't writing at all, just doodling on his paper.

Rachel's attention then went to the other members of the class, and in the corner she saw a girl giving her an evil eye. Marya was such a bitch.

She was a goth like herself, but Marya wasn't nearly as expressive with it as Rachel was. She and her own friends James and Barry, a short lanky Brit and a heavy set boy who looked older than he should, were sitting in active conversation with the new girl Dolores.

Rachel didn't like the look of this. Marya was already a bad egg and now Dolores, a person who's personality screamed 'bad egg' was socialising with them.

Rachel hated Marya. She'd once tried to manipulate Rachel into turning on her friends. She tried to make her believe that they didn't really care about her, but Marya did. In reality Rachel now learnt, the bitch was trying to add her to her 'collection' of people she could control. Rachel learnt to hate people like that. People who convinced you there was a problem with your world and then installed themselves as the only cure. It also wasn't a friendship, you had no freedom with her. You couldn't talk back, nor disagree. She expected total obedience or she'd cast you out into the 'cold dark world' that she'd make the world outside her social group look like.

Rachel was certain that's how she'd wound James and Barry around her little finger, and frankly Rachel had given up trying to show them who Marya really was at her core. She didn't care about them, she only cared about what they could do for her.

Rachels eyes rolled to look away as Marya spotted her looking.

The bell rang, lesson was over.

"Ah! Thank you for a fascinating lesson." Doctor McCoy said, "I shall apologise to the teacher on your behalf for not teaching the lesson she intended." and he said under his breath. "Though frankly I question her motivation."

Rachel had already packed her laptop and books away and joined her four friends as they left class.

Garfield had finally snatched that piece of paper back away from Victor and was tucking it into his jacket pocket. He glanced at Rachel again, his cheeks still burning red. He looked away and flipped the hood of his own hoodie up to hide it.

What had he written? Rachel was getting curious. Was it something to do with her?

The large girl Dolores suddenly peeled off and headed in completely the wrong way. Science class was the other way, there was only the Maths department down there. What was she up to?

The next class was General Science with Doctor Hartnel. An elderly man of a great scientific intellect. He could be grumpy, but also playful at times. But he was also no-nonsense and a great scholar of science.

His classroom was really old fashioned. Models of the solar system, atomic nuclei, and plastic atomic structures were on display above the cupboards. Bunsen burners were stacked on one shelf, stands, lab coats and glasses were stored near the door. The benches were made of a solid wood that looked old and well worn but still functional.

At the edges of the class, around the benches were glass cabinets. Within each were several pots, each containing soil and each was growing a little sapling. This was their current science project about the germination of plants.

"Ah, good morning class." the elderly man said as he walked with a walking stick. He didn't look like he needed it, but he used it anyway.

Rachel and her friends sat around one table and got out their text books.

Suddenly Dolores walked into the room and quickly sat down, shooting Rachel an evil glance as she passed and sat down with Marya and her two stooges.

"Now, if you could turn to page 42 of your text books. We're going to continue our research into plant germination and growth." Doctor Hartnel said in a very stern tone that had everyone paying attention immediately.

Dolores's arm slowly raised up and waved to catch the teachers attention.

"Ye... Yes, miss...?" Doctor Hartnel asked.

"My name is Dolores!" she said in a biting tone. Doctor Hartnel looked slightly taken aback but let it slide.

"Yes, miss Dolores?"

"Dolores, not miss Dolores!" she bit back again. Doctor Hartnel started to show a hint of impatience with the girl.

"Yes? What is it? What do you want?"

"Well sir, I was just told about our projects here. I haven't begun mine, yet." Dolores said.

"Oh dear, quite right." He thought for a second placing his hand on his forehead. "It's too late to start another plant pot. So I'll allow you to pair up with one of the other students. But you'll have to write your own reports on it." He coughed. "Now... umm... yes... yes?" He muttered as Dolores put her hand up again.

"Sir, I just wanted to ask what you've taught about the research telling how plants can detect human emotions and react to them?" Dolores asked. There was a smirk on her face Rachel did not like, as if she knew what his answer would be and had already planned her reaction.

"Hmm... what's this? Plants can detect and react to human emotion?" Doctor Hartnel said in a disappointed tone. He raised an quizzical eye when Dolores nodded. "I'm afraid that is mere fantasy, my dear. Studies have already been conducted, and it has been demonstrated plants do not react to human emotions." He laughed. "Though the study did suggest plants liked classical music to heavy metal." He giggled, his eyes twinkled with an youthful enjoyment that clashed with his aged appearance.

Dolores's face fell and she stared daggers at Doctor Hartnel.

"But it isn't a fantasy, it is real!" she insisted, "Plants react to human emotions, their growth is stunted when you shout at, and bully them!"

Doctor Hartnels joyful mood fell and he looked unsure to what he was witnessing from Dolores. "And where did you come across this information, my dear?""

"Don't call me 'your dear!' and I have scientific studies that prove this!" Dolores said, grandstanding.

"Really?" Doctor Hartnel asked, "Do you happen to have these studies with you, mis...um... Dolores?"

"Of course, I'm not going to have them on me! I never expected to encounter such ignorance at this school." Doctor Hartnel was clearly offended by such an accusation, but the stern, old man held his nerve and his tongue from speaking what he really wanted to say.

"Where were they published then?" Doctor Hartnel looked like he was giving this girl a great deal more patience than he'd give any other child. "I shall make an effort to look them up."

"I can't remember, but they're real. Look in a science book. You're supposed to be a science teacher!" Dolores cried.

"Then perhaps you can find and bring them in tomorrow for me to look at. If indeed they are valid..." Doctor Hartnel began to say sceptically, but Dolores cut him off.

"I'm not here to educate you! It's your job, if you care about it, look it up yourself." Dolores said antagonistically.

"I don't care about it, my dear." Hartnel said bluntly.

"There is a school in Canada doing this!" She insisted back, "Two plants, one has nice things said to it, the other nasty things. The plant that was bullied grew less then the plant that wasn't, FACT!" Dolores said as if that settled the matter. She was upset when Doctor Hartnel burst out laughing.

"My dear, that was a proven fraud. The 'bullied' plant was put more in the shade than the other, and the other was fed fertiliser to help it grow better." He laughed again. "The differences in the plants were entirely physical, not emotional. It's purpose was just to teach kids to be respectful of each other, but the example was just fantasy."

"But its still a good lesson to teach!" Dolores insisted. "People should learn not to bully!"

Rachel rolled her eyes, but Doctor Hartnel put her own thoughts into his own words.

"And you want me to discuss it here? To teach a demonstrable falsehood here?" Doctor Hartnels voice now had ridicule in it, but also a sharp edge. It was also more focused and he wasn't stumbling over his words as much. "In the science class where we discuss and teach 'FACTS' about how the universe works?" Dolores looked speechless and defeated, but also angry, as if she saw this exchange going a totally different way in her head and was getting angry it wasn't playing out the way she wanted. "If you want to talk emotions wait for a psychology class. Your feelings have no place here in General Science. I'm sorry if this upsets you, but the universe does not care about your feelings towards it."

Rachel expected Dolores to be sent out, disrupting the class like this. But Dolores did not back down, she stood large and firm challenging Doctor Hartnel.

"May I teach the lesson now, miss Dolores?" Doctor Hartnel said in a patronising tone that, frankly Rachel felt Dolores deserved, "If not, then you can wait outside."

Dolores stared at Doctor Hartnel again for a good twenty seconds before collected her bags and still staring daggers at him she stamped out of the class room, slamming the door as she went.

"Now then..." Doctor Hartnel said, clearing his throat. "Part of plant growth involves the nitrogen cycle, which..."

SLAM!

Had Dolores just come back, opened the door and slammed it again? What was wrong with her?

After twenty seconds Doctor Hartnel had decided that Dolores was gone and he could start the lesson.

Finally, Rachel thought, they could get on with the lesson. But not a minute later all bells in the room started ringing, and they kept ringing, and ringing. That was the fire bell!

"Come now, come now!" Doctor Hartnel said trying to get everyone up, out of their seats and out the doors. "Forget your belongings. Come now, come now!"

Rachel had to leave her bag, books and laptop behind, everyone did. As they left the classroom Rachel spotted the fire-alarm button on the wall in the hall. The safety glass had been broken and the alarm pulled. Stella also noticed it and they looked at each other, confirming they had the same thought.

The entire school assembled in the car park safe zone. Dozens, upon dozens of students just standing there in single file, and by the look of the clouds above it might be about to rain. Her fears were confirmed when she felt rain drops on her face. Rachel pulled up her hood.

Rachels eyes fell and she thought to herself in a rather sarcastic tone. Why do I get the feeling this whole massive disruption to the school was caused by one disgruntled person angry at a certain teacher? And for the sake of disrupting that one lesson that certain person had condemned the whole school to stand out in the rain to avoid an imaginary fire, all just so that one certain person could feel better?

Rachel spotted Dolores, Marya and her goons in front of the neat line they now stood in. They had their coats on and Dolores had her own bag with her. She also had a smugness to her that Rachel found scary.

It was a good ten minutes before the fire alarm protocol was finished and the students were let back into the school. By that point the small spots of rain had become a down pour and everyone was getting soaked. And all because Dolores pulled a fire alarm to get back at a teacher! To Rachel that was like getting back at someone for an insult by driving a truck through their place of work, not caring about the disruption its going to cause to other people.

Rachel remembered Dolores's entire speech to Doctor Hartnel; though about plants reacting to human emotions, at its core, was about anti-bullying.

I guess, to some, when you're grandstanding a cause the suffering of others is justifiable. So long as its not you. Rachel thought, spotting Dolores, all nice and dry under her coat looking rather pleased with herself. God she wanted to hit her, but that would mean Rachel sank to her level. Weirdly, Dolores seemed to be in a hurry to out pace everyone else and get back to the school. Rachel didn't find out why until she re-entered the class.

Dolores was back in the science class room and was by Rachel's table. Dolores had her bag! She'd opened it and was trying to pull her laptop free!

"HEY!" Rachels shouted, "Get away from my bag!"

Dolores didn't listen and quickly tried to pull the laptop free.

Rachel stamped up to her and tried to pull her bag away from her, pushing the laptop back down at the same time. But the larger woman gripped on tightly to the bag as Rachel pulled it back.

Rachels friends were hesitent to help her, they stood around and watched, but Rachel was confident they wouldn't let Dolores get away with anything of hers anymore than she'd let her get away with anything of theirs.

Dolores right hand let go of the bag and attempted to strike Rachel. But she was so slow, Rachel managed to duck out of the way. Rachel might be small and skinny, but she didn't have Dolores's bulk and lack of muscles to weigh her down.

Rachel released her own right hand from the bag and tried to pry the girls fingers off her bag.

Dolores then reached out and grabbed Rachel by her hair and pulled. That tore it for Rachel and she lashed out, putting extra power into her attack using her hips and her knuckles she struck Dolores square in the middle of the nose, and she heard it crack!

Dolores fell backwards, blood gushing from her nose as she released the bag. Rachel took it and retreated back towards her friends, clutching her bag tightly.

"Whats going on here?!" Doctor Hartnel said in a thunderous voice, coming into the room to look at the aftermath.

Oh no. This looked bad. Dolores had a bloody nose, Rachel had a bloody hand, and there was no evidence to suggest Dolores attacked Rachel first.

"She hit me!" Dolores spat, tears in her eyes.

"She pulled my hair and tried to steal my bag!" Rachel said quickly.

"I was just handing it to her sir, and she went crazy." Dolores lied.

Doctor Hartnel raised a quizzical eyebrow at Dolores statement. Clearly he disproved of Rachel hitting Dolores, but at the same time he looked like he could tell it wasn't entirely unjustified.

"Enough!" Doctor Hartnel commanded. "I want you two to remain separate, for the rest of the lesson. Do I make myself clear?"

Rachel nodded, she didn't want to be anywhere near this girl anyway.

"But she attacked me!" Dolores spat.

"Everyone, to their seats! And Rachel." Doctor Hartnel pointed at the sink. "Clean your hands and sit down." Rachel did as instructed and ran her bloody hand under the cool, running water. Doctor Hartnel then turned to Dolores. "Miss Dolores, go to the infirmary and get your nose seen to. I shall deal with Rachel and her behaviour."

"But... but..." Dolores sobbed.

"I said, I shall deal with her, and I mean it. I do not condone physical violence, no matter what the motivation is!" Doctor Hartnel looked sternly at her, his eyes piercing. His cane then moved to point at Dolores' right hand. "Oh, and you also might want to get your hands washed, my dear. You seem to be growing a long, purple hair from under your finger nail."

Purple hair? There was indeed a purple hair under Dolores right index finger. Rachel's hand went up to her head and felt her hair. Dolores had pulled some of her hair out? The bitch! Rachel glanced at herself in the mirror, she looked okay though.

Clearly caught out, Dolores stood up and stamped out of the room, her nose injury suddenly wasn't hurting her so badly. She didn't even care to catch the blood as it dribbled down her face. Before leaving she looked back and watched, as if she was waiting for Rachel to get punished and wanted to watch.

"The infirmary, miss Dolores!" Doctor Hartnel said sternly again, and Dolores went, slamming the door again as she stamped away. "I shall deal with you, after the lesson. Miss Rachel!" Doctor Hartnel said in just as stern a voice.

They all sat down again and Doctor Hartnel got himself organised.

Rachel felt Garfield gently elbow her in the ribs to get her attention. "It was a really good shot though, Rae." She didn't turn to look at him, but her mouth split into a smile.

Dolores didn't show up for the rest of the lesson and Rachel wondered what sob story she was spinning to the nurse. Rachel wasn't worried though. Surely the nurse had heard plenty of sob stories before to know a bogus story when she, or indeed he, heard one.

The lesson ended and the bell rang for lunch.

"Miss Rachel, may I have a word, please." Doctor Hartnel said sternly.

Rachel looked to her friends as they walked out in conversation. They did stop and look back, waiting for her.

"Do not worry." Stella said, "We shall wait for you at the table of lunch." Rachel smiled, she loved her friends.

Doctor Hartnel sat down on one side of a desk and Rachel on the other.

"Now, I don't know what happened between you two. I've been a teacher for all of fifty-five years and I've seen a great many scuffles in my time. But I cannot condone violence, at all." He held up his hands when Rachel came to interrupt. He sounded like a sweet, concerned grandfather who's heart was breaking as he spoke. "I'm sure you felt it entirely justified, and perhaps it was on some level. She grabbed your hair after all. But unfortunately I can't be seen to do nothing. You see on the surface level, you appear to be more in the wrong than she is. Blood looks worse than a pulled hair. So I can't sit and do nothing."

"I understand." Rachel said frowning. The disappointment in Doctor Hartnels voice felt so heart breaking to hear. She didn't know why Doctor Hartnels disappointment should affect her, but it just did.

"Very mature of you, my dear." Doctor Hartnel smiled, but the smile faded. "I'm afraid I must give you after school detention." He held up his hands when Rachel went to protest. "Now, now. I'm being as kind as I can. I shall inform your father to pick you up later."

"My father?!" Rachels heart really started to break, "Please, don't tell my father!" She couldn't bare the idea of his disappointment. "Please. I'll tell him I'm hanging with my friends after school, and I'll ask him to pick me up later."

Doctor Hartnels head cocked to one side. "My dear, he might find out eventually, and he'll be doubly disappointed you didn't have the courage to face him. You're not scared of him, are you?"

Rachel swallowed, "Only of his disappointment."

"Well then," he coughed, "Best treat the...this... this as a... 'band aid' as you Americans call them, and rip it off quickly, rather than let the pain last. I know he is a very reasonable man, your father. Explain what happened to him, and how you know what you did was wrong, and I shall explain that you've already been punished for it."

"What about Dolores? She tried to steal my bag." Rachel asked.

"I shall deal with that young girl." Doctor Hartnel said with an edge. "I dare say, though she disrupted the lesson she did learn something in class." He didn't laugh, but Rachel got the sense he wanted to. "She learnt that when you strike someone, they have the equal power and freedom to strike you back."

As Rachel left the class room she'd decided she'd found a new loathing for Dolores. How could someone grand stand against bullying, and yet act like such a bully?

When you're grandstanding, anything is justified, as long as its not happening to you. Said a voice in her head, and that conclusion made her like Dolores even less. She was an utter hypocrite. Though Rachel wondered what it was really all in aid of. Was Dolores really interested in pushing an anti-bullying message? Or was there some more sinister motive to her actions, that the message disguised?

And why did she want her laptop? What could Dolores do with her laptop?

It contains my stories! She realised. It contains my social media life, my website, my passwords. She wants control of them! But why? Jealousy, I don't know?

"Miss Rachel!" shouted a voice from the hall, a voice she hated the sound of. She turned and saw a man stamping towards her whom she really didn't like at all.

A tall man with a pasty face, cold eyes, short, thinning hair and he wore a dark suit that was exceptionally neat and tidy, and he gave off the impression he was a slithering snake of some kind as he walked. Mister Vale, their Maths teacher. His voice was silky and velvety as he spoke.

"Miss Rachel!" He said as if it was more an insult than a name, "I've just been informed you struck another student!"

"She was pulling on my hair. Mister Vale." Rachel defended herself.

"I don't care. You do not strike another student. You shall serve after school detention for this!" Mister Vale said, his eyes like lasers.

"I've already got detention with Doctor Hartnel." Rachel said back.

"Then you shall be spending it with me, instead!" Mister Vale said sternly, "Doctor Hartnel is far too lenient in this school when it comes to bullies."

"But she was bullying me!" Rachel said back.

"The evidence of my own eyes says otherwise, Miss Rachel." the slimy man said. "You will spend after school detention with me, and I shall inform your father of your behaviour myself!"

Fear gripped Rachel's heart again. She wanted to plead with Mister Vale, but she knew it would do no good. It would probably give him satisfaction.

"What about Dolores? She tried to steal my bag, and my things, and..." Rachel began to say.

"We do not punish the victims of bullying, Miss Rachel." Mister Vale said, a smirk on his face. "You know we have a zero tolerance policy here. Maybe next time you'll think twice before picking on someone so defenceless." And he turned and walked back to his office like he had dished out fair justice.

Rachel so wanted to hit him too, but that would just make the situation worse for her.

She lent against the wall and gently banged the back of her head against it.

Oh great! Though she didn't feel like she should get punished, at least Doctor Hartnel was a fair man who saw a bigger picture, detention with him would probably be bearable. But detention with Mister Vale was going to be a nightmare. He was always so heavy handed with his punishments, he was such a bully himself.

Maybe Doctor Hartnel could tell Mister Vale to back off and let him deal with the punishment for an incident which happened in his own class. But she got a nasty feeling Mister Vale would not accept that. She didn't know why he delighted in punishing people so much. Was he bullied as a kid himself and wanted to make up for it? Either way, he was so focused on stamping out bullying in the school he was helping a person to bully. Did he not realise that?

She felt her laptop digging into her back as she lent against the wall. She only wished she could disappear into her own fiction, become Raven and be with the Doctor having adventures.

But that would just be a fantasy. She has to deal with reality, and the reality was Dolores was a bully who delighted in appearing to be a victim.

Rachel got a feeling Dolores was going to make her life an utter hell.

To Be Continued...

Authors notes: Nothing much to add, other than I've seen this kind of behaviour first hand when I was in school.