Chapter 3
MOST LIKELY TO END UP IN THE PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE
“Will you please slow down?” Lily calls from behind me as I half-jog across The Yard to the administrative offices. There’s no way Dr. Freck is there yet, but I want to beat him to his office.
I still can’t believe he dropped such a bombshell and then refused to give us any information on how the Citrus Scholar will actually be chosen.
It’s not fair. I have spent three long years working toward valedictorian.
I have skipped out on parties and relaxing and anything that didn’t contribute to my goal only to have the rug pulled out from underneath me my senior year.
Then he acted like I was the crazy one for interrupting him in the middle of the assembly to ask what the new requirements for Citrus Scholar would be. What else was he expecting? That I’d just sit around waiting for the “forthcoming guidelines?” I don’t have the luxury to wait. I need to know now.
I need to win.
“Ella Adams,” Lily shouts. “Slow down this instant.”
My jog turns into a walk, but I don’t stop.
I can’t, not when something this big is on the line.
I’ve worked my butt off to make sure I receive the Citrus Scholar, and thanks to some summer meetings with our guidance counselor about mental health, they’ve decided to completely change the requirements. The whole thing is absurd.
“Where are you going?” I can hear Lily’s heavy breathing from just behind me. “We need to go to class which is in the other direction.”
My feet stomp against the grass. “Not going to class.”
“Oh, yeah? What’s the plan, then?”
I stop and turn to face her which causes her to bump into me. “Sorry,” I mumble.
“It’s fine.” She brushes off the front of her shirt. “What are you doing? We can’t be late for Calculus. I’ve heard Mr. Smith is tough.”
A reputation he’s gained because of the amount of homework he assigns. “It’s not like it matters. They aren’t having a valedictorian anymore.”
“I’m sure grades still matter.” Lily shakes her head. “Nobody said that your GPA didn’t count toward Citrus Scholar. Just that it wasn’t the only deciding factor.”
“Right, and I need to know what those other factors are.”
“Dr. Freck said he would tell us more in the coming weeks.”
I throw my arms out at my sides. “I don’t have a few weeks.”
“If you don’t know, then no one knows.” She takes a tentative step toward me. “You’re not going to be at a disadvantage if you don’t talk to Dr. Freck today.”
I take a step back. “I know you’re trying to be helpful, and I appreciate it, but I’m just going to go to the headmaster’s office.”
“And what are you going to do? Sit outside his office until he agrees to answer all your questions?” She laughs. When I don’t join in, her smile falls. “You can’t be serious.”
“Why not? It’s a great plan.” I start walking again, and Lily follows beside me.
“Um, because you can’t miss class.”
The old Ella didn’t miss class. The new Ella might not care about such trivial things.
It’s hard to say what matters until I get a chance to talk to Dr. Freck and get some answers.
I look back at the Bates building where the majority of our academic classes are held.
“The bell is about to ring. There’s no reason for us both to be late. ”
There’s hesitation in her eyes, but she eventually turns and walks in the opposite direction. I pick up my pace as I close the distance between me and the administrative offices.
It’s much quieter on this side of the campus.
This building houses the business office, the teacher’s lounge, and, most importantly, the headmaster’s office.
My shoes make a soft squeaking noise as I walk across the polished terrazzo floors to his office.
As predicted, the door is closed, and the lights are off. I’ve beaten him here.
“Can I help you, Miss Adams?” Ms. Chen says from behind a desk that sits outside his door. Her dark hair comes to her shoulders with the smallest amount of grey framing her face.
My fingers tap against her desk. “I’m here to talk to Dr. Freck.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. He’s not here right now, but I’d be happy to let him know you stopped by.” When the bell rings signifying the start of class, she frowns and pulls out a yellow pad of paper. “Where are you supposed to be right now? I’ll write you a pass.”
“No, it’s okay. I’ll wait for him.” I sit in one of the chairs lining the wall before she can tell me no.
Ms. Chen’s brows furrow. “Ella, you can’t just wait for him. He’s very busy and I don’t know when he’ll be back, but I will—”
“I don’t mind.” I lean down and pull a book from my backpack. It’s the summer reading that I’ve already finished but I open it up and look down at its pages. There’s no way I can focus on the words, but it’s better than fidgeting.
“Oh, for Pete’s sake.” Ms. Chen sighs.
I’m already formulating my arguments for why I can’t leave, but she’s looking past me. I turn and see Connor walking toward us. I quickly force my head toward the book in my hands, but my eyes follow Connor through lowered lashes as he approaches her desk.
“Hello, Ms. Chen.” His fingers graze the leaves of the small plant on her desk. “How was your summer?”
She brushes his hand away. “I guess it’s safe to assume you’re here to see Dr. Freck?”
Even though I can’t see his face, I know he’s flashing his signature smile at our headmaster’s administrative assistant. “Only if it’s okay with you. I don’t want to impose.”
Her face is expressionless as she stares at Connor. Without breaking eye contact, she grabs the walkie-talkie from her desk and brings it to her mouth. “Dr. Freck?”
“Yes, Kathy?” comes his static reply.
“What’s your location?”
“I’m in The Yard encouraging some stragglers to hurry up and get to class. Is everything okay?”
“A few of those…stragglers ended up at your office, and they want to talk to you.”
There’s a pause before he responds. “I’ll be right there.”
Ms. Chen sets the walkie down and motions to the chair next to me. “Have a seat.”
Connor turns around. His dark hair is messy like he’s run his hands through it several times. When he sees me, his eyes narrow. He grabs the empty chair next to me and pulls it a few inches away from me before sitting down.
“Real mature,” I say under my breath.
“Says the girl who interrupted Dr. Freck in the middle of the assembly.”
My cheeks burn, but I don’t take the bait. Connor hates me and would love to see me crack. I look back down at the pages of my book but the words swirl as I fume.
“It’s a little late to start that don’t you think?”
I slam it closed and look up at him again. “I already finished it.”
He rests his elbow on the arm of his chair. “Reading it twice doesn’t give you extra credit.”
“Not that grades even matter anymore.” I slump down in my chair.
His smile resembles a wax figure. “Looks like I wasn’t the only one listening during the assembly. Want a gold star?”
I turn in my seat so I’m facing him. “Why are you here, Connor?”
“I imagine for the same reason you are.” He leans over, and his face is close enough that I can see the green specks in his hazel eyes. They sparkle in amusement. “I want to know what the new requirements are for Citrus Scholar.”
I clench my jaw.
“You didn’t think that I was going to stand back and let you have it, did you?”
I pull my backpack in my lap and put my book inside. “I earned that scholarship, Connor.”
He lifts a shoulder. “Maybe under the old rules. But as we both know, things change.”
My toe taps against the floor and my bag jostles in my lap as I avoid looking at Connor. If I look at him, I might punch him, and I highly doubt assault is one of the new requirements for Citrus Scholar.
Thankfully, it doesn't take too long before our headmaster appears.
“Ella,” he says, looking at me.
I jump up immediately. “Dr. Freck.”
“I assume you’re here to discuss the announcement from the assembly.”
I clutch my backpack to my chest and nod vigorously.
He turns to Connor. “You, too?”
Connor stands and pulls his backpack over his shoulder. “Yes, sir.”
Dr. Freck pinches the bridge of his nose. “Okay. Then I guess you’d both better come in.” He opens the door to his office and ushers us inside.
I wish I could have this conversation without Connor, but I don’t dare push my luck. It’s obvious Dr. Freck doesn’t want to talk to me at all. I’m lucky he’s willing to discuss it further—even if Connor will be there the entire time.
Connor lets me walk in first but follows closely behind. We sit as Dr. Freck takes his seat across his desk from us. He steeples his fingers in front of him. “As I said multiple times in the assembly, we will be giving more information about our changes to class rankings and Citrus Scholar soon.”
“What if I can’t wait?” I cry.
He raises his brows.
“I just…” I rub my hands over my thighs. “I want to know what I need to be doing as soon as possible.”
Dr. Freck straightens a pen on his desk. “Being in class on the first day of school is a great start.”
My cheeks warm at his chastisement, but I’m already here. I’ve missed my first day of Calculus, and it doesn't make sense to turn back now. I take a steadying breath. “Is it possible to know what else is important?"
His face is expressionless as he stares back at me.
“Since we’re already here and all.”
Dr. Freck continues to watch me silently.
“Please,” I add for good measure.
He sighs and leans back in his chair, then crosses his arms over his chest. “Unlike previous years, we don’t have a set of requirements.”
“What does that even mean?” Connor asks.
“It means just that. We don’t have requirements.”
“That doesn’t make sense,” I say. “You have to have some sort of rubric to decide whether or not a student is qualified.”
“Rubric?” Connor snorts.
I turn to face him. “What would you call it, then?”
His face hardens in concentration before he concedes. “A rubric,” he grinds out through gritted teeth.
Gloating, I turn back to Dr. Freck who looks unimpressed. I deflate a little.