You can read Part 1 here.
Chapter One continued...
Only Mrs. King was available to come into school. She was a short, over-weight woman, who filled the room with a refreshing but warm scent. Her clothes were old, but clean and well coordinated. Tina had met her once before at an open evening and had noticed her caring inquiries into Crystal's progress. Mrs. King had also expressed interest in joining the P.T.A. when asked, although she had never actually materialized at any of the meetings.
Tina explained what had happened and Mrs. King's face showed just the right amount of concern and distress.
‘I think the girls must have done more than calling her names, but anyway that’s a horrible thing to do in itself,’ Tina went on. ‘I want to draw up a contract of good behaviour for Crystal and Sarah.’
‘That’s an excellent idea. I’ll make sure Crystal keeps to it.’
Sarah Connelly agreed too. Anything would be better than having to tell her beleaguered parents. She didn’t want to bring more problems into her home. It was bad enough with Mum trying to hoard piles of stinking junk and Dad having to be her carer 24 hours a day. Dad would ground Sarah ad infinitum and stop all her meagre pocket money. She was on free lunches with neither parent working and would have difficulty even affording a bag of peanuts to top up the skimpy meal. She would starve!
Only Crystal stayed quiet. Tina assumed it was because her mother had been doing all the talking. She told them all she would go and photocopy the contracts. It would only take a few minutes.
As the door closed, leaving Sarah Connelly, Crystal and Mrs. King alone, Sarah felt duly relieved. Phew! The ordeal was nearly over. What a storm in a tea-cup it had been! Mrs. King was rising to her feet. Sarah was surprised to see she had taken off one of her stout, tan court shoes.
‘You stupid little cow!!’ screeched Mrs. King, her eyes flashing wildly and her voice cracking and bubbling with fury. ‘You've brought shame on me! I'll never live this down. Dragged up the school like a common criminal, all because of your stupidity. How could you? HOW COULD YOU?’
As she screamed these insults at her cowering daughter, Mrs. King used her unyielding shoe to beat Crystal around the head. Sarah was paralyzed. Crystal had her arms crossed over her face and Sarah's mind registered numbly a mass of bruises on the under sides of her forearms, ranging in colour from yellow and deep purple to angry red. The new blows were causing sharp, pink, heal shaped patches to appear. Sarah wondered dazedly how she had never noticed them before.
Approaching footsteps were heard in the corridor and, just as suddenly as it had erupted, the room was quiet again. Mrs. King was seated and smiling as Tina came in. Crystal and Sarah appeared to be passively waiting.
In fact Crystal’s mind was in turmoil. It was all her fault. She’d made Mum so angry that she’d lost it here in school. She didn’t want Miss Anderson to know that Mum hit her. Mum might get into trouble. Confused thoughts jostled like a panic stricken crowd fighting for the fire exit.
It did not take long to sort out the contracts. Each girl signed and slipped from the room. Mrs. King apologised for Crystal's behaviour and said it was ‘such a shame’ when you couldn't trust your own daughter.
On her way out through the playground, Mrs. King saw Crystal sobbing by the wall. It infuriated her to see that stupid kid Sarah with her arm round Crystal like a bodyguard. Mrs. King bent her steps towards them and, controlling her voice as there were some older boys sitting nearby looking sympathetically at Crystal, she told her to expect a long discussion on what had happened tonight. She felt her hands itching as she stomped away.
Tina sat down after seeing Mrs. King to the door. What a suitable outcome! Everything had gone so well! The parent had been exemplary. The updated behaviour guidelines really were going to be a breakthrough. She gave the Head a buzz and told her she had some very encouraging developments on last night's meeting to share now it was break-time.
Don't miss the next installment of ''Crystal King – 21st Century Girl'.
Coming soon on @deemarshall!
Thank you for reading!