St. Katherine’s Episcopal Academy was both conservative and progressive. Conservative in the sense it still held the Anglo-Catholic values that formed the basic building blocks of the school. And progressive in they flowed with the times.  One of values, a very outdated method that had been abounded by most academies in the state of Mississippi was the use of corporal punishment to gently correct the students.

Susan took a deep breath as she made her way down the old Linoleum coated hallway. Her sneakers made a strange squeaking sound as the picked her way across the newly waxed floor. A brilliant shine could be seen from upon there pearly white surface.

“Blood, and bloody ash’s.” She muttered as she took a deep breath as she paused before a wooden door. In the center of the door there could be seen a bronze plague that had been engraved with the two words, the first word was ‘Administration’ following that was the word ‘Office’.

For a good minute, Susan just peered toward the door. She felt like she was walking to her own doom, just behind that door, was a world that turned the toughest jock into a humbled schoolboy, a world that had been forgotten by time and space.

“Might as well get this show on the road.” She said reaching down and graphing the brass doorknob. Quickly she gave the knob a twist before pushing it open. The wooden  door swung open and the overpowering smell of disinfectant spray hit her like a ton of bricks.

“I’ve been expecting you.” A female voice called out from behind the wooden desk that greeted all those who entered into the room. Behind the desk there could be seen a old sink, sitting next to the sink was bar of yellow soap. “Care to explain yourself Ms. Bell?” She asked as she followed up her first statement.

Susan rolled her eyes as she folded her hands across her white blouse. Sighing a little she shook her head. She honesty did not feel like explaining anything to anybody. Shifting her pale pink eyes toward the women standing behind the desk, she simply mouthed a ‘No’.

“I can’t read lips Susan.” She said as she took a deep breath. She waited for a few minutes, when no answer was forth coming, she nodded her head and stepped out from behind the desk. “I understand that you think you have the right to remain silent. But trust me, that’s not going to happen. If you don’t give me your version of events then.. That your choice and I can simply go on the report given by Mrs. Chase.”

Susan held her tongue and simply founded her arms across her breast and peered toward the women. She lowered her eyes and twisted the curve of her lip into a pout, maybe she could pout her way out of this mess.

“Pouting will do you no good Susan.” The women said with a sigh. “Please come with me, I think it would be best if we talked this matter over in private.” She said walking out behind the desk and pulling open the door to a small side office.

Susan watched the women with concern in her eyes. Rolling her eyes again, she followed the women into the once. The office she could tell from first glance was nothing. A simple room, four white walls. In the center there stood a wooden desk with a few personal items resting upon its freshly polished surface. Behind the desk Susan could see a desk top computer with the display screen showing the school’s mascot, under doe was the words “ Psalm 41” A reference to the Book of Psalm’s.

On the wall behind the computer, there could be seen three framed certificate’s ranked in order of completion. The first one was a St. Katherine’s Highschool Diploma. The next was a Bachelor’s of Science one award by the Mississippi State University, Many of those who graduated from St. Katherine’s chose to further there education at Mississippi State, it was something of unwritten rule. Next tot hat was a Master’s Degree from another regional University.

“Take a seat Susan.” She said smiling as she walked behind the desk and eased her bottom down into the old leather chair. She then pushed her glass’s up the rim of her nose and peered her toward the girl with her baby blue eyes.

Susan felt the first signs of a blush crawling up her face as she eased her bottom down into the small wooden chair that was provided for students. As she lowered her bottom, she folded her skirt under. Once she was seated she folded her hands into her lap and straighten her back out. Despite her pose, she felt like she was peering down the barrel of a loaded shotgun.

The women cleared her throat and started to read aloud.

“Susan Elizabeth Mari Bell, saw it fit to doodle during her lesson. I happen to spot her doodling away at some kind of map while I was entering grades into my grade book. Upon bringing this to her attention, she quickly huffed and puffed up.” She paused and peered toward Susan as she finished reading the first part. A frown formed upon the bow of her lip. “Shall I keep reading?” She asked gentle.

Susan gently rolled her shoulders in response. She was still trying to progress what in the world she was doing here. Sure she might have been a little rude to her teacher, but it was her own fault, she had pretty much told them at the start of the class that today was going to be a free day and that they where free to work on anything.. How was she to know that “Anything” was suppose to school related.

“Your funeral.” The women said taking a deep breath as she started to read again. “A brief exchange followed, After taking the map from Ms. Bell, and gently trying to redirect her to work on her lessons, she became very flippy with me. Seeing that she was becoming unruly. I sent her out of the room. I hope, you two can find a solution to the problem, Please have her return to my classroom once your finished. I would then give her the homework assignments for today.”

“There you go Susan.” The women said after a brief pause. “Anyway, since you’re a pretty good girl. One with a pretty clean record, and your really not a trouble marker. I’m willing to work with you. Right now, I’m going to give you a paddling and since you’re a cheerleader. I’m going to call Mrs. Berkins here. I think she’ll have her own brand of punishment.”

Susan rolled her eyes again. Since she was now official on the cheerleading squad, her teachers often dropped the threat of informing Mrs. Berkins, the coach of the cheerleading squad and the girls P.E teacher about her misdeeds. Susan knew that such misdeeds would result only in a scolding and told to run so many laps.

“So, do I need to tell Fr. Upton too? Maybe he could toss in a few dozen ‘Hail Mary’s and a few ‘ Our Fathers’ too the already insane amount of laps coming my way.” Susan added with a loud, hissing, sigh.
The women raised a eyebrow. The hissing sound totally threw her for a loop. Collecting her thoughts and shuffling her papers as she tried to progress what was going on in front of her. Finally after a few minutes of fiddling with papers, shuffling papers, doing random things with papers. She lifted her eyes toward Susan.

“I might just do that.” She said buffing out her cheek bones. “But first, I would like to hear your side of the story. After all, you seem like a very nice girl. I’m sure you had a reason for throwing a hiss fit when the teacher snatched your doodle, despite it not being art class.”

Susan sighed and shook her head. So the women wanted her to spill everything. Fine she’ll go ahead and spill everything then. Taking a deep breath she locked eyes with the women and slowly she opened her mouth to speak.