The New Student (Closed for heartofcourage)

[Bill525]

Bill Lewis was a history teacher at North Town High School. He was 32 years old, and had been teaching for six years at the school. Bill loved teaching, and his passion helped him to become one of the more popular teachers at North Town. He had grown in his role as a teacher, and now the principal of North Town High, Mr. Smith, even had him advising new students to help them transition smoothly into North Town.

Bill not only taught at the school, but also coached the boys basketball team there as well. He used to play basketball in high school and college, but he always viewed his future being as a teacher and coach. He had married his college girlfriend, Jessica. Her and Bill have been through a lot, and always came out on top. They were always told they were perfect for each other. Jessica was an athletic girl, a track athlete in college. She had long legs, with an athletic frame. She had blonde hair and brown eyes, and her body was thin and not very curvy. Bill always thought she was perfect, especially for him. A woman that enjoyed sports, he couldn't have it better.

It was early Monday morning, Bill arrived at the school at his normal time. When he got there he headed to his office. He was wearing a dark blue button down shirt, with a grey tie, dark grey dress pants, with a belt. As he opened his email on his computer, a knock came from the door, he looked up to see Mr. Smith there.

"Mr. Smith, to what do I owe the pleasure this early in the morning," Bill said with a smile. "Bill, I have a new student for you to help. Her first day will be today," he said as he walked in and handed him a file. Bill smiled at Mr. Smith, "No problem, will she be starting today?"

Mr. Smith looked at Bill, "Yes, she will be here before first period to meet you, we already told her to meet you here. She comes with some baggage Bill.... lets try and keep her on the straight and narrow here, alright?"

Bill shook his head in agreement, "Not a problem, she is not the first student to come to us with a past, I am sure we can get her to fit in quite well." Mr. Smith smiled and left the office. Bill was tempted to open the file, something he normally did not do. He shook his head, and placed the file to the side of his desk, he always found it better to get to know the student through talking, not reading about them.

 

[heartofcourage]

Carley Jenning's life had never been easy. Her mother had only been sixteen when she was born and her father had never been in the picture. She'd seen him a total of three times in her life, the last time being the day he showed up in court when she was four and told the judge he wanted nothing to do with her. That made two parents who didn't want the lonely little girl who was scared to death as the lady from DHS escorted her from the courtroom to her first foster family.

There had been a total of eight families, most of which had wanted rid of her for various reasons. She was too unruly, too quiet, too tainted, too much trouble. She had never found that perfect fit and the moment that she turned eighteen, she got out on her own as fast as possible. Of course, with all of the turmoil, she had done things that she wasn't proud of, but she was trying hard to get her life back on track.

Taking one last drag from her cigarette, she stubbed it out on the brick wall behind her. It was a cheery morning and she was expected to meet with the teacher that was going to be her mentor. She didn't know how she felt about being mentored by an adult. That hadn't exactly worked out in the past for, but she supposed there was a first time for everything.

Adjusting her backpack on one shoulder, she pushed into the building, looking down at the sheet of paper she had pulled out of her jeans. It had all the important information she needed written down. Mr. Lewis. History. Room 102. Soon enough, she was knocking on the door, pushing it open to see an athletic looking man sitting at his desk.

"Are you Mr. Lewis?" She asked, looking at him with her clear blue gaze as she adjusted the black Pink Floyd shirt she was wearing.

It wasn't the height of fashion, but it was all she had. There were a total of four outfits hanging in her closet at her little apartment, enough to keep her clothed no matter the weather.


Carley Jennings: http://hair-styles-new.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/lavender-ombre-hair-.jpg

 

[Bill525]

Bill was checking his email when he heard the knock at the door. He looked up from the computer screen just as the girl entered his room. He grinned at her, she didn't look like he expected, not that he expected anything in particular. Usually the troubled students that he had mentored in the past looked a bit rougher. This girl seemed, for a lack of a better term, normal.

"Yes, I am Mr. Lewis, you must be Miss Jennings?," he said as he stood up, motioning the chair in front of his desk. As the door shut and the girl walked in, he reached his hand out to shake hers. "It is a pleasure to meet you, welcome to North Town High School," he said shaking her hand softly, then sitting back down at his desk.

"So, Miss Jennings, are you excited about being here? Have any questions that I may be able to answer for you?" He leaned back in his chair, focusing on her. He didn't want to push her to talk about her past, they would get to that, instead he wanted her to feel welcome and comfortable around him.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Thanks." Carley said as he stood and offered her a hand to shake.

Her own palm was slightly sweaty when she took his firm grasp. She wasn't nervous, but eager to get high school over and done with. She had no idea what the future would hold. It didn't seem like college was really in the cards at the moment, but she knew very well that fortune could change in the blink of an eye.

She sat down in the chair that he motioned to, her bag slipping to the ground at her feet as he started to ask her questions. "I guess so. To be honest with you, I'm just ready to get school over and done with."

With a shrug of her slender shoulders, she showed him that she might have had a rough past, but at least she was honest. Honesty was perhaps her strongest virtue and one that she held very dear. She had been lied to so many times in her life that she thought it best to simply tell people the truth. Forgiveness was a lot easier to gain when someone was honest.

 

[Bill525]

Bill smiled at the new student as he heard her talk about being ready to be done with school. "Well, I want you to know that I am not here to lecture you, as I am sure you have had that happen a lot in your life." He grinned as he lifted her file, "I have not even opened this yet...... as I didn't want to get the wrong image of you."

He set her file back down, "I like to get to know my student's from them, not a piece of paper. So please, don't feel like I am here to judge you. I am only here to help you transition to North Town, and make sure you are successful here."

He looked at her, her hair was intriguing to him, and he found himself liking how it looked on her. It made her look unique, but in a good way. "Sorry to change the subject, but your hair..... I have never seen that before, I like it," he said smiling at Carley.

"So Miss Jennings, tell me, what can I do to help you be done with school? That is what I am here for, help you along the way."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I've heard that from a lot of adults too." Carley said as Mr. Lewis told her that he wouldn't lecture her and he only wanted to get to know her from herself and not a file. "Then they get to know me and decide that I'm not worth the trouble."

He seemed nice enough as he smiled at her, trying to make her feel comfortable. Then he focused in on her hair and she reached up to touch the purple locks. She had gone through all the colors of the rainbow in her life, but she decided that she felt the best when her hair was purple. She felt beautiful and sexy in a strange way.

"Thank you." She murmured softly as he smiled at her, asking what he could do to help her be done with school. "I either graduate or I drop out and get my GED. I don't really want to do that. As much as I hate being in school, I think I owe it to myself to push through."

No one had ever thought that she would have made it that far. She should have ended up like her mother, pregnant and without a future when she was 16. That kind of life didn't sound appealing at all. She wanted that white picket fence dream, even if she would never have actually admitted that to anyone if they ever asked.

 

[Bill525]

Bill smiled as she thanked him. He then heard her answer and he shook his head. "You are right, you do owe it to yourself to graduate. I think you can do it, I will have to look over your file to see how far away you are, but I will do everything in my power to make sure you graduate this year." He smiled at her as he leaned forward a bit.

"So, graduating is a goal, that means you want a future...... I am hear to help you make that future a reality. I know you probably won't trust me right away, but if you can, try and give me a chance." He looked at her, not wanting to judge her, but intrigued at how a nice seeming girl like her had such a troubled past.

"So, why did you have to transfer out of your last school? If you don't mind me asking," he said to her.

 

[heartofcourage]

He was offering her a chance to do what she wanted for her future. She had no idea what that might be. She liked history, but it was hard to make a living out of something like that. Maybe that would be something that she could look into in the future.

"I turned 18 and got myself legally emancipated. I was tired of dealing with the foster system. I was born in North Town and it felt like the best thing I could do to come back here." Carley said with another shrug of her shoulders. "I heard my mom still lives in town. I haven't seen her since I was four years old. Not that I really want to see her either."

Sarah Jennings had been a hellraiser in school, expelled around the time she found out she was pregnant with Carley. Her father was a drug dealer who was fixing Sarah up with all of the illegal substances that she could have ever wanted. She had no idea where her father was these days.

"She'd be about your age, I guess. Maybe you knew her in school. Sarah Jennings?" She asked Mr. Lewis, wondering if he knew illusive woman that she could only barely remember.

 

[Bill525]

Bill listened to her, sounded like she was a down to earth girl. He smiled as she talked about her reason for coming to North Town. "Well, glad to hear you are trying to make a better life...... it cannot be easy to be on your own at such a young age."

He listened to her ask about her mother, and he smiled, "Sarah Jennings? I have never heard of her.... sorry." He leaned back in his chair, looking at her again. He felt his eyes moving to her hair again, something about it intrigued him, and he couldn't stop but thinking how exotic it made her look.

"So.... I have your schedule here...." he began, reaching into his desk to take it out. He slid it across his desk to her. "As you can see, its a full schedule, since I am your mentor I am not your history teacher, I know you will be disappointed."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I suppose she doesn't have much to do with people that aren't strung out." Carley said with a wry tone to her voice, glancing at him again as he stared at her hair once more. "You certainly don't strike me as the kind of man that looks for his next fix."

Watching as he pulled out her schedule and slid it across the desk to her, she let out a long sigh. It would be a hard year but well worth it in the end. Picking up the piece of paper, she glanced towards him as he told her that he wouldn't be her history teacher since he was her mentor.

"That's disappointing. History is my best subject." Carley murmured as she folded the piece of paper in half and stuck it in the front of her backpack. "There's not a whole lot that I don't already know about history. In fact, I'm hoping to get my library card soon so that I can get some books. I miss reading."

 

[Bill525]

Bill listened to her as she talked about her mom. He shook his head as she made the comment about him needing his next fix. "My next fix....... I don't think I have anything that I need that bad," he grinned at her.

"History is your best subject? Well that makes me happy," he smiled. "As a history teacher I am absolutely amazed that you like history, most girls are not into that subject at this age." He looked at her, "Library card.... that will be easy," he said as he picked up the phone on his desk. He dialed the number to the school library.

"Mrs. Johnson, great news, we have a new student, who needs a library card. Her name is Carley Jennings..... yes, she will be down sometime today to fill out the paperwork and get her card. Thank you Mrs. Johnson." He hung up the phone, "Easy fix.... you can stop by the library anytime today to get it." He winked at the new girl, hoping this would be a start to her trusting him a bit. She seemed to not trust adults much.

 

[heartofcourage]

The fact that he was so willing to help her with even the smallest of tasks made Carley slightly uneasy. There was always a catch for even the smallest of things. It might come much later, but she as sure he would ask for something sooner or later.

"Thanks." She said as she reached down to pick up her backpack. "I guess I'll drop by an pick it up before I head home."

He was easy to talk to, but she didn't trust adults. It had gotten her in trouble in the past and she did have a record with the juvenile court, but she was trying her hardest to make amends and keep herself on the straight and narrow.

"I guess I'll be seeing you around then." She murmured as she stood up, slinging the pack back over her shoulder.

 

[Bill525]

Bill could tell she was uncomfortable, so he figured letting her go may be for the best. He smiled at her, "No problem..... I am glad I could help." He stood up from behind his desk to walk her out.

"It was my pleasure to finally meet you Miss Jennings," he said as he got closer to his door. "Please, if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask." He grinned at her as he began to open his door to let her out.

"I hope you enjoy North Town..... have a good day," he said as he stepped aside, allowing her to leave. He could tell she didn't trust him and I guess he couldn't blame her. He didn't know her past, and he also figured unless he opened her file, he may never know it.

He watched Carley leave, his eyes on her as she headed out of his office and down the hall. He wondered if this would be another success story about a student he mentored, or one that failed, he had hope that it would turn out for the best.

 

[heartofcourage]

That afternoon, as she did every Monday, Jessica came to the school to have lunch with her husband. She was a cheerful woman, still full of love and admiration for her husband. Working from home gave her the freedom to enjoy a weekly lunch with him in his classroom. That day she had made spaghetti and meatballs with fresh Italian bread.

"So, how's your day been so far? Did you meet that new student?" Jessica asked him with a grin, knowing that his greatest pleasure in life was helping those kids make it through difficult times. "I was looking at houses again today and I think I found one that would be perfect for us. It's only a few minutes away from here and it had a lot of room for us to grow into. It's even got an extra apartment above the garage for me to put an office in."

Jessica had always been a big dreamer. Their wedding had been huge and lovely. Their first house would be no exception. They had been renting a small little property that fit their needs for the moment, but she wanted more. They had been saving for the eventuality of buying and it seemed that she finally had her heart set on a property.

 

[Bill525]

Bill's classes went quickly, as they normally did. He loved his job, so the days went by fast. When it was finally lunch time he knew Jessica would be there to meet him at his office. As he entered his office, he saw her, already there as normal. "Hi babe...... everything smells great." Jessica was perfect for him, and she always dreamed big.

"The day has been great, as normal...... and yes, I met her.... she is different." He smiled at his wife, "Not a bad different, but I haven't figured her out yet...... she seems like she is going to be tough to get through to." He sat down and began to eat with his wife.

As they finished up eating, he heard Jessica go on about the house. He smiled, she was in such a rush to move onto the next stage of their relationship, get a big house, have kids. Bill found it a bit stressful, but he didn't want Jessica to know. "Sounds amazing..... you will have to show me after practice tonight......"

He saw the look on her face, it was a look he knew well. Jessica thought this was the perfect place, her heart was set on it. "Don't go buying it without showing me the posting online first...." he said grinning, "this is a big step that we need to make sure we look into and not jump into it." He knew Jessica would not like that answer, she didn't enjoy researching things like this. She jumped on opportunities she thought were right.

As the lunch period began to come to an end, Bill walked Jessica out to the front door of school. He smiled, "Thanks for lunch babe..... I can't wait to see the house," he said as he kissed her. He watched her leave the school. That is my wife, the future mother of my children, he thought. He laughed to himself, his life really was headed in the right direction.

As he began to head back to his office, he saw Carley at, what must be, her locker. He was a little taken back, since she should be in lunch. "Hi Miss Jennings, why aren't you at lunch?," he asked as he got closer to her.

 

[heartofcourage]

Jessica was a little disappointed that Bill didn't have the same enthusiasm for a new home as she did. He always seemed to pull away when the topic came up, but she knew that he was the kind of guy who liked to do his research first. Perhaps she could get him to go by it tomorrow after school before practice started. She desperately wanted him to see it before someone else came along and bought it out from under them.

With a last kiss and a smile, she left the school, carting the picnic basket she always brought with their meal. Carley had seen the two of them pass by in the hallways and she wondered if that was Mr. Lewis's wife or girlfriend. She was beautiful and seemed well suited for the teacher that was acting as her mentor. She'd never known anyone to bring lunch to their husband or even have a functional relationship with their spouse, but it seemed that the Lewis's were a loving couple.

Turning back towards her locket, she was placing the books she had checked out of the library inside when Mr. Lewis came back to talk. Turning her blue gaze towards him, she gave him a little shrug with her shoulders.

"I don't have money for lunch and I didn't pack one today. I was spending time in the library instead." Carley answered.

She hadn't packed one because there was nothing to eat in her apartment yet and there hadn't been time to go and find something the day before as she went on a job search.

 

[Bill525]

Bill saw her shrug and heard her answer. He shook his head, "No lunch? Come on now.... that can't happen." He checked his watch, seeing there was still 20 minutes left until the bell rang. "Come on, let's go young lady, we need to get you some food."

He made Carley put her stuff in her locker, and he took her toward the cafeteria, he made her get in line and pick out a lunch, and he paid for her at the cash register. He smiled at her, "You can eat in the cafeteria, or you can come to my office and eat..... whatever you want." He felt horrible that she didn't have a lunch, not knowing that she didn't have anything at home to bring. He wanted to help, and he did this out of want, not of just because he was her mentor.

 

[heartofcourage]

"No, seriously, it's alright." Carley tried to protest as he marched her down to the cafeteria and made her pick out something for lunch. "You really don't have to do this. Skipping a meal isn't really that big of a deal to me."

He wasn't going to take no as an answer and soon she found herself with a brown paper bag in her hands, listening as he told her she could eat in the cafeteria or she could go to his office. Glancing around the room, she saw happy people talking. They wouldn't have any clue as to what she had been through in her life and she found it hard to connect with people her own age.

"I guess we can go back to your office." She said softly, looking up at him with those wide blue eyes that told him of her dilemma. "I don't really know anyone here well enough to go sit with them."

 

[Bill525]

Bill looked down at the new girl. He half expected her to tell him she would eat alone, so when she told him she would go back to his office he smiled. He looked into her blue eyes, they added to her mystery, beautiful blue eyes and exotic purple hair.

"Well...... lets go, before you run out of time," he said smiling, letting her lead the way to his office. He walked with her, quietly, not wanting to make her anymore uncomfortable as she already was. As they got to his office, he opened the door, "If you would be more comfortable, you can eat in here and I can head to the teachers lounge," he said, offering a solution if she felt being with him for lunch was awkward.

"I really don't mind, like I told you earlier, I am here to help you here." He smiled at her as she walked into his office, he took a few steps in, waiting for her to tell him she wanted to be alone.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm not running you out of your own office." Carley said firmly, looking up at him as he offered to go to the teacher's lounge. "I know you want to help me and I know it's your job, but you really didn't have to buy me lunch. I've gone without it before and I'll probably go without it again."

She bristled slightly at the idea that she had taken a hand out. She had prided herself on being self sufficient since she had left the foster care system. It had to do more with her pride than actually being ungrateful.

"Sorry. I know I sound like a huge bitch sometimes." Carley murmured in apology as she stepped into the office and took the seat that she had sat in that morning.

She didn't really say anything else as she opened the bag and pulled out the sandwich, orange, and drink from inside.

 

[Bill525]

Bill smiled at her comment. "Not a bitch, you sound like someone that doesn't like hand outs.... not a bad thing," he said as he watched her sit in the chair. He shut the office door and then walked up behind her.

"Please don't worry about it, if it makes you feel better I forced you to eat..... I can be a jerk that way," he said as he patted her shoulder as he walked by. He went to his desk and sat down.

"So, Miss Jennings, if you can't afford lunches, you know we have a free lunch program that you can take advantage of. No one will know, they give you a pin number, and its just like the students that have money on their lunch accounts from their parents." He smiled at her, knowing she would turn that down. She didnt seem like the kind of girl that wanted help.

He logged onto his computer, checking his email. He then looked back at the new girl, her blue eyes were attractive, and everything about her screamed mystery. He was intrigued, wondering if that was something he should be, or if that was part of her troubled past. "So..... can you tell me something that is in your file? Schools usually dont keep files this thick unless something happens at the school."

This was his first attempt to get to know her past, wondering if she would bite, or turn him down. He wasn't sure, this could either help him better understand her, or lead him down a more confusing path with this new girl.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I know there's a program like that, but I have no interest in it." Carley said simply. "They already made me take food stamps down at the DHS because I don't have a job yet. The social worker also insisted on helping me find some furniture for my apartment. As soon as I do find a job, I'm going to pay everyone back. I don't like owing something to someone."

She took a bite of her peanut butter and jelly sandwich, looking up at Mr. Lewis as he asked her to tell him something that would have been in her files. She was surprised that he hadn't read it yet, but it seemed that he wanted to learn about her in person and not from what was written down on a piece of paper. When she swallowed, she took a deep breath and considered what she would tell him.

"My mom split when I was four. My dad went to court and told the judge that he didn't want me. So, I was in the foster system until I turned 18 a few months ago. I was scared and angry and that doesn't make for a good combination so I acted out at school. I went through eight families until I got out. It's hard to be the kid that no one wants or understands."

"I dealt drugs when I was in the 8th grade. I never did them though. I saw how screwed up a person could get on them. My foster brother was giving me the supply. Of course, I was the one that got busted and no one in that house believed that he was ever involved." Carley admitted to him, taking another bite of her sandwich.

 

[Bill525]

Bill sat there and listened to Carley, he was shocked she was opening up a bit. However, he was glad she was doing that. He sat there, listening intently. "Wow, sounds rough...... I am sorry that does not sound like a great life." He leaned back in his chair, shocked that she has been through so much already.

"Well, there are two ways to look at it I guess," he said to her. "You either learned from the experience and mistakes, and grow from them, or you let them be a part of your life, and if you do that, they could always creep back into your life." He gave her a reassuring smile.

"To me, you seem to be the type of girl that does what she has to do, but also, that is smart enough to know that she doesn't want to be that troubled person who made those mistakes." He was being honest with her, hoping that it would make an impact. "I am here to help you keep on the right path here at North Town, and I am guessing that you want to stay on the right path, graduate, and be able to choose where you go from here."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I don't need people to be sorry for me." Carley said around a mouthful of sandwich, looking back at Mr. Lewis as he seemed a little shocked. "I'm hoping that no one will find out what I use to do in my past. I want to be a nobody to these people."

"What path is there for me outside of high school? Do you really think that I can get the money to go to college? I don't think that would ever be a possibility in my life. I plan on getting a job, working my ass off until I make enough money to make a good little life for myself." Carley said, letting him have a little insight into what she saw for her future. "No one's going to stand in my way, either. If I want something, then I'll have to be the one that works for it."

 

[Bill525]

Bill was a little shocked by her honesty. She did come across as a loner, and he couldn't help but applaud her for that. Many young people her age were very much looking to be accepted, Carley seemed to not care what others thought.

"Don't get me wrong Carley, I think it is great that you do not care what others think...... that is very good mentality to have," he said. He looked at her, wondering what would become of her. He didn't want her to fail out, or leave North Town with no future, but he also didn't want to force feed her the normal school talk. The, you must go to college, make something of your future stuff.

"I hope that when you leave here you find a job you will be successful at..... that is all I am saying Carley."