A Poor Effort

You and Anissa take seats before Dr Stricture’s desk. Anissa puts a printout of the petition on the desk before her. Then you wait. Waiting is worse than doing. Every second strips more of Anissa’s confidence. She keeps glancing your way. She keeps biting her lips. Until at last Dr Stricture reappears, shuts the door and takes her seat.

“Now what can I do for you two?”

Anissa starts. She’s might have been practicing what to say all weekend, but nerves make her stumble and drains any passion into monotony. You instinctively want to speak up and support her, but you agreed beforehand that she would be the one to speak. She wants this. You fear if you spoke, your insincerity would be obvious. You don’t really care if Father Norris speaks at an assembly. You’re only doing this to help Anissa.

Only during her last few lines does her passion return, when she thrusts the petition across the desk towards Dr Stricture.

“All these people agree with me. We should get Father Norris to speak.”

Dr Stricture has been quietly watching as Anissa spoke. Now she leans over and picks up the petition. She glances at the list of signatures. A smile crosses her face.

“This isn’t many people. Not enough to make me change my mind.”

“But …”

“Thank you, Miss De Gaulle, Mr Smith, but next time bring more signatories. You can go.”

You’re dismissed. Anissa’s devastated. Her hazel eyes are stunned. You have to help her from her seat and guide her out of the office. The reception area is empty. Even Layla has vanished. Once in the corridor you turn Anissa to look at you.

“Are you going to be OK?”

“Oui, I just thought, we needed more signatures. I thought this time, with you helping, I’d get more. But non. Not enough.”

You watch Anissa walk away. She’s dejected. You didn’t realise how much it would affect her. Maybe you should have tried to get more signatures? Maybe you should have pushed harder on those who said no.

You walk in thought until you realise you’re just following Anissa. Her classroom is nowhere near yours. You shake your head and head the other way towards your own classroom.

Ahead of you, you spot Dr Stricture. Oh no, you don’t want to see her. You’ve had enough of her. Yet she appears to be heading in the same direction as you. Down the same corridors. Up the same stairs. Until she’s outside Mrs Oversight’s office door. You pause until you notice her enter. Then you finish climbing the stairs.