Star

On top of the filing cabinet was a big shiny metal silver plated trophy with the name of the school on it in gaudy print. Star thought she could make out the word ball on it, but she could not tell to which sport the trophy belonged.

“Have a seat.” The principal motioned to the two chairs sitting in front of his desk. One of the chairs held a disheveled Kelly Williams. Star gave Kelly a wicked grin and sat next to her, her tongue flicking to the edges of her mouth.

“Well girls, I don’t know what to say,” the principal started. His name was Barry Lee, the nameplate on his desk confirmed it. Like his secretary’s desk, his desk was also cluttered with papers.

“Kelly, I’m really surprised at you. Being the head cheerleader and an amazing student, I thought you would know better. Never thought I would have you in my office for fighting. And Star, I can’t say that I am happy to see you back. You’re working for expulsion.” Star rolled her eyes. She had already been to the principal’s office five times this year for being disrespectful, disruptive in class, and oh yeah, fighting.

“Yeah, well I can’t say I’m happy to look at your ugly mug either,” Star replied with a snarl on her face. Principal Lee was a short stocky middle-aged balding man with a face that looked like it was dried up by the sun. He enjoyed using his chubby fingers to push éclairs down his fat throat.

“Young lady I will not tolerate such disrespect, and there is no gum chewing in school!” While Principal Barry was talking, Star had slipped out a piece of chewing gum from the side of her boot and popped it into her mouth. For a reply, Star blew a big bubble. The principal’s face began to turn even redder and he clenched his fists.

Kelly’s face was white with surprise. She could not believe Star was being so disrespectful to the principal. She had never seen a child or student speak to an adult that way, let alone the principal. And it was clear he had no control over Star.

Star wondered if the principal was going to hit her. She tensed her body for the impact, it wasn’t in her nature to flinch.

Suddenly, Principal Lee turned away from Star, completely giving up on her. “Kelly, I understand you want this to go away quickly. You can either take a detention hall or go to Peer mediating.”

“I’ll take peer mediating!” Kelly said enthusiastically.

“You both have to agree to peer mediating in order for it to work.” He didn’t look at Star, but they all knew he was talking about her.

Peer mediating, detention? Star had been to detention before, but not peer mediating. She was curious as to where this option came from and what it entailed.

Kelly’s face looked distressed and she was also pointedly not looking at Star. Star had never seen her in detention. She was getting irritated by the attention she was inadvertently receiving.

She shrugged her shoulders.

“Good, peer mediating it is. You can find it in the guidance office. I trust you both know where that is. Have Ms. Davis write you a couple of hall passes.”

“Thank you!” Kelly said cheerfully for someone who only moments ago was lying flat on her back looking up at the sky. She stood up and opened the door to talk to Ms. Davis.

Star also got up to leave.

“Star,” Principal Lee said quietly, and slowly. “Not everyone here is your enemy.”

Star paused for a moment as she was heading toward the door. But only for a moment. The sound of his voice tingled the hairs on the back and the inside of her ears. She didn’t like how his words made her feel and so she ignored him and kept walking out the door.

The girls did not speak to each other until they reached the guidance office, and even then, they did not speak.

Star’s calm was beginning to wear thin by the time they reached the guidance room. She was frowning. Talking to people about her problems was not exactly something she liked. Besides, she wasn’t sure what peer mediating was. Principal Lee had not explained it to them.

Two people greeted them when they entered the room; a boy and a girl, both around Star’s age.

“Hi, I’m Jessie, and this is Mark,” the girl said.

Star recognized her as another cheerleader at Loser Ville High. Loser Ville was Star’s personal nickname for the High School.

The boy, Mark, gave Kelly an appreciative once over starting from her flawless brown hair pulled back into a cute ponytail and ending with her athletic legs. He then turned his gaze to Star and she sneered at him.

“Look, I don’t know about this mediating crap, but I’m sure I don’t need it. But, I’ll be happy to give Kelly here some guidance,” Star said vehemently pounding her fist into her palm.

“Before we begin, let’s go over some ground rules,” Jessi said looking uncomfortable. “There are to be no fouls. You are not to interrupt while the other person is talking. And if we find out that this has anything to do with drugs, guns, or abuse, we will immediately stop this session; you must tell the truth.”

“Hello stupid? Have you been listening to what I have been saying? What’s this all about?” Star asked.

“No fouls,” Mark said. “Peer mediating is when you listen to each other’s side of the story and resolve your problems without violence. Do you agree with the ground rules?”

“I don’t have to agree with anything,” Star said dangerously, glancing from Mark to Jessie and then back to Mark.

“Whoa, calm down girl. Nobody is going to hurt you. This is not like a trial, and we won’t be picking sides. We are simply helping you guys figure out a solution to your problems.”

“Whatever.”

“Well, whatever are we standing around for? Let’s get this started.” Mark was indicating a tabled in the middle of the room. Four chairs sat around the table. One at both ends of the table and one on each of the sides.

“So, who wants to go first and tell us what happened?” Jessie said sliding into one of the chairs at the end of the table.

“I’ll go first,” Star rolled her eyes. “I was in the lunchroom, eating my lunch, cuz that’s what you do in the lunchroom,” she smirked. “When Kelly dumped her lunch all over me, on purpose I might add.”

“Okay, so you were eating your lunch when Kelly dumped her lunch on you? Is that what you are saying?”

“Yeah, hurry up will ya?” Jessie’s analyzing and slow-talking irritated Star.

“Okay, um, Kelly, your turn,” Jessie stuttered.

“Star is correct,” Star could tell Kelly was trying to get on her good side, but she would not fall for it. “I did spill my lunch on her, but it was an accident. I never wanted to get into a fight. I hope I didn’t hurt you.” Kelly said it almost shyly. Star thought she was putting on a huge act so that Mark and Jessie would believe her as well as Star.

“No, you didn’t hurt me,” Star interrupted Mark before he could start analyzing what Kelly said the way Jessie did her. “Did I hurt you?”

“A little,” Kelly shrugged.

“Good,” Star said with a nasty little smile that made Kelly shiver.

“Star, remember no interruptions. So, Kelly, you said that you accidentally spilled your lunch on Star? Is that what you are saying?” Mark was talking to Kelly but he was looking at Star.

“For Christ's sake, cut the bull okay?”

“No-“

“Shut up!” Star stunned Jessie into silence. “Tell whoever is watching this thing that I don’t give a damn. Know what, I’m going to tell them myself!” Star got out of her seat and stormed over to the mirror that took up half the far wall.

“This is bullshit!!! B-u-l-l shit! I’m not taking this pussy ass stuff okay? For future reference, this mirror is so see-through.”

The people behind the mirror were already leaving to come into the guidance room to detain Star, in case she did something.

“Session over. I’m sorry we couldn’t help to solve your problem, but we can recommend you for guidance,” Jessi threw a meaningful look at Star.

Two men came into the room and were trying to guide Star out.

“Get your fucking hands off me! I can walk, so back off!” She barked. The men quickly released her but stayed close.

They were taking her back to the principal’s office, Star knew. He was probably going to call her parents and tell them to come and pick her up. Or maybe she would get suspended for fighting after all and for being rude and swearing. Star could care less either way. It pissed her off that she had to go to this crappy school, with these crappy people in this crappy town. Everyone was smothering her. Always getting on her case. It wasn’t her fault the way she was raised. She was born with black and gray hair. Throughout Elementary and Middle School kids constantly made fun of her. They kept saying she was old and called her “Old Maid.” They mainly teased her about the star in the middle of her forehead. It was just a silly birthmark, but because it looked like a star, they felt it was their duty to nag her about it. The kids were so mean, she often went home crying. As she got older, she learned to use anger as a weapon against those who thought she was different. Because she lived in a small town near the ocean, everyone knew everyone in Under the Sea.

Star came out of her thoughts with an abrupt halt, realizing again that the men were leading her to the principal’s office. They were acting like she was their prisoner. For God’s sake, Star thought, you would think they are taking me to the electric chair. (To be continued)

Stay tuned for the next installment of Star- a changeling story.