Chapter 27: Appearances, Part Two
Part Two
Let me be your peace
That I may comfort
Let me be your faith
That all believe
Let me be your voice
That I may sing of love
Let me be your touch
That I may heal
Let me be your breath
For all to breathe
Let me be your sun and rise
Tenderly into a lonesome sky
Make me your truth
And from that brilliant light
A thousand wings in flight
Illuminate the night
Make me your fire
A ring of bliss to clear
Each solitary sigh and fear
Let me be your touch
That I may heal
Let me be your breath
For all to breathe
Let me be your sun and rise
Tenderly caress the sky
Make me your truth
And from that brilliant light
A thousand wings in flight
Illuminate the night
Make me your fire
A ring of bliss to clear
Each solitary sigh and fear
Let me be your peace
Let me be your faith
Let me be your love
Let Me
from, 'State of Grace II'
Lisbeth Scott/Paul Schwartz
Chapter Twenty-Seven Appearances, Part Two Sunnydale High School
Two Days Later Willow sat in a hard backed chair in the small vestibule outside Principal Snyder's office, nervously awaiting her summons inside. She had no idea why she had been called out of home room to appear before the horrible little man, but whatever it was could not be good. No dealings with Principal Snyder were ever good. There was an urban legend going around school that on one day long ago an encounter with the principal had been 'mildly okay', but it had never been proven. No, this had to be bad.
She caught herself biting her nails, then shoved both hands under her legs, on the chair seat, to force herself to stop. She was a good girl, a great student, she had almost perfect attendance, and never caused anyone a minute's trouble that she was aware. So why would she be called in --
Suddenly the outer door opened and Mr Giles, the librarian, walked briskly into the vestibule. He stopped abruptly upon seeing Willow and turned back to her without knocking on the door to the principal's office.
"
Willow?" Giles asked in astonishment. "Why are
you here?"
"I don't know," she looked at him with puzzled worry. "There was a note. I was sitting in American History minding my own business, and suddenly there was a note delivered saying I had to come to Snyder's office immediately."
"And you have no idea what this is about?"
"None. And I've been waiting twenty minutes now," she said miserably. "Was I bad? I can't be bad, I'm never bad, but Snyder never calls anyone in for good news, he hates good news, he'd rather pretend there is no good news than tell someone good news--"
"Willow," Giles held up a hand gesturing her to stop. "I'm sure it's nothing amiss. I too have been called in this morning and I strongly suspect that the reasons are related. Let's avoid falling into utter despair until we know what this is all about, shall we?"
Just as Willow was about to argue the point, Snyder's door flew open and the small balding man scowled at the two people in his waiting room.
"Miss Rosenberg. Mr. Giles." he greeted them coolly. "I will be with you in a moment Miss Rosenberg. Mr Giles," he eyed the librarian with narrowed eyes. "Please do come in."
Giles nodded his head in assent and gestured for Snyder to precede him inside. With a last look toward Willow, Giles closed the door to the office.
Principal Snyder gestured to Giles to take a seat while he stood behind his desk and glared at his telephone as though he thought it would come suddenly alive and bite him. Giles thought Snyder looked more agitated this morning than he did during the incident with the band fundraiser, when almost the entire student and parent population of the high school had been stricken with food poisoning from the tainted candy bars.
*Willow was right. This cannot be good.* Giles waited silently for the grim man to tell him what the problem was this time.
"I've called you here this morning, Mr. Giles, because I have just gotten off the phone with the superintendent of the school district. He informs me that we are getting a new student here for the spring semester, and that she will require 'special handling'. Those were his words. 'Special handling'. I do not approve of 'special handling', Mr. Giles. The only 'special handling' students require is when they are expelled from school, not when they are transferred into it."
Since there was absolutely no circumstance under which Snyder would call him in to commiserate as a friend and colleague, Giles now understood that any 'special handling' of this student was going to be passed along to him. *Bloody hell.*
"What sort of 'special handling' is involved?" May as well get through this quickly and be done with the horrid little man.
Snyder sat down and folded his hands on the desk before him, leaning forward to cast a conspiratorial look at Giles.
"Did you hear about the raid on the strip clubs in San Martine Saturday? They were among several locations and businesses involved in a huge drug and identity theft criminal enterprise. Apparently it was all a part of a huge international smuggling ring."
"Yes, it was all over the news the last several days." Giles was irritated. What on earth had that to do with anything?
"One of the girls arrested was only sixteen years old."
"My lord! They had underage girls dancing nude in the clubs?!" Giles was horrified. That had not been in the news.
"Apparently so," Snyder's little eyes glittered. "I'm told she was supporting her baby by stripping in the club. And that she was also heavily involved in drug dealing and that drugs and weapons were actually found hidden among her child's toys."
Giles remained silent, waiting for Snyder to get to the point.
"And now, the little felon has been ordered by no less than Judge Daniel Holtz himself to enter a foster care home and attend high school right here, at Sunnydale HIgh." If Snyder were any more incensed by the news he was imparting, actual smoke would be rising from his ears.
Giles thought this turn of events was very strange. "Shouldn't she rather be in jail, or a juvenile facility somewhere? Why is she coming here?"
"My feelings exactly. The superintendent did not have an answer to that question, he just said it was on the order of Judge Holtz and when Holtz wants something done, we're to do it." Snyder sucked in a deep breath and pursed his lips in distaste. "So here she will come."
Any brief sympathy Giles had felt for the girl was extinguished by the news that she had an infant involved in this mess, and that she'd hidden drugs and weapons among the child's toys. Such an action was so reprehensible that he could not fathom it.
"And what am
I to do with her?" Giles frowned.
"She has been out of school for more than a year now. In fact, the last year she completed entirely was ninth grade, and she's had less than half of the tenth. Judge Holtz wants her tested so that she will enter at an appropriate grade level at spring semester. She should, at her age, be a junior. And he wants her to be tutored between now and mid-January so that she has as much assistance and opportunity to achieve an age-appropriate placement as possible."
"Judge Holtz seems to be taking an unusual interest in this girl. Have you any idea why he would push to have her handled in such a manner?"
"No. But he clearly is giving her special treatment." Snyder's eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared as he leaned in even closer. "Perhaps there's some quid pro quo involved."
Giles was taken aback that Snyder would suggest such a thing. Judge Holtz was known to be a very strict and disciplined jurist, and Giles really didn't see him using his position to barter judicial leniency in exchange for sex from a sixteen year old girl. But the situation did not seem right to him either. This was more of a puzzle the more he heard of it.
"Well, I'm sure there must be some other explanation," Giles frowned. "So, what do you wish me to do with the girl?"
"She is coming in tomorrow to receive her instructions. I have decided to have her report to the library to you. You are to get her study books straightened out and issued to her. I think we should start with the required course of study for the tenth grade, and see how she does with that material first. If she tests well on that, we can work on first semester eleventh grade required material."
Giles nodded his understanding. "Do you have any specific subjects and tests in mind?"
"Yes, here is a list of the subjects and the final examinations for each subject from teachers who taught them last year. Give her the tenth grade final examinations first, and any she fails please note what areas she was weak in and arrange for her to study those. Any tests she passes, we will move her onto the junior level list. In mid-January she's to be tested again and a final determination made as to her spring semester grade level. Clear?"
"Yes," Giles looked over the tests and lists Snyder had handed off to him. "I noticed Miss Rosenberg was waiting outside. I presume you wish to have her involved in the actual tutoring for this girl?"
"Yes. I am going to have Miss Rosenberg tutor her up to the time we make a final determination as to her correct grade level. After that we shall have to see." Snyder looked hard at Giles. "But regardless, once school begins the spring semester, I want the girl to report to you every morning one half hour before first bell, and to check out again at the end of the school day. The day's end check-in does not require she stay once she signs out with you. I am counting on you, Mr. Giles. I want this girl watched like a hawk. Judge Holtz or no Judge Holtz, if she so much as steps an inch out of line I want to know about it. I will not have some disgusting little juvenile delinquent running around my campus causing trouble." Snyder rose from his desk, indicating that the meeting was done. "Judge Holtz wants 'special handling'. I'll give her 'special handling'." he growled.
Giles nodded and turned to leave. Snyder called after him, "Send Rosenberg in."
~~~~~~~
That is the end of Chapter 27, for which I gave a lengthy explanation above. Since the word count with the note is so high and most have already read this section when it was in Chapter 26, I am posting it as is and will continue with new material in Chapter 28.
I'm sorry this is so convoluted. I'm new at the whole posting at different sites thing, and have made some mistakes. I'm still learning, and beg your patience. Please don't hurt me. :-(
Thanks for all your wonderful reviews.
Sara