A Good 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. You see her flinch as she realises how many names are on it.

“This is an impressive list. Both staff and students. But I’m afraid it won’t change my mind. Father Norris will not be giving an assembly.”

“But… but… all these people.” Anissa sounds hurt.

“All these people agree that Father Norris should speak,” you throw in.

Dr Stricture’s smile is fleeting and not sympathetic.

“That doesn’t matter. This school is not a democracy. I’m headmistress. I make the decisions. And I say Father Norris will not speak at assembly.”

“Can I ask why?”

“No, you cannot. That is my decision. If you don’t like it? Tough. I have made my decision, and nothing you can say will change it. I’m sorry you put in so much effort, but this won’t change my mind. I will congratulate you on the effort. It’s much more impressive than last year Miss De Gaulle. But I do believe you have lessons to go to now.”

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 had a chance. Father Norris, Father Norris will be so disappointed. He told me, this was my way to confirm my soul for heaven. And I failed him, failed him.”

“You didn’t fail him. You saw that. It didn’t matter what we did, she was always going to say no. This petition was just a charade. It makes me so angry.”

“Don’t be angry. I just fear… Father Norris was so keen.” Probably overly keen. And how could the destination of Anissa’s soul be determined by one simple petition? That statement doesn’t make sense. Gives you a chill.

The escort Anissa to her classroom, and during that short walk she manages to calm down. Calm down enough to face her next lesson. You then head to 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.