Chapter 21

The Mischievous Girl
and the Football Captain

The events unfolded for Heather in slow motion—the way they would in a nightmare. Out stepped Principal Elders adjusting his tie, followed by Wilson Johnson, the class president, and two more students that Heather knew only too well: Adam Hollowcast and Burton Childress! Never could Heather have imagined a less desirable combination of people. Encountered one at a time, each provided a particular challenge for Heather. Combined, though, she feared it was more than she could bear. She touched her scar for strength and resolved to continue with her task.

As the group emerged, Principal Elders was just finishing up a thought. “Remember, I want Homecoming this year to be absolutely perfect. Goodness knows all the bad press we’ve received lately, thanks to certain members of the student body.”

At this, Wilson made a sound somewhere between a snarl and a chuckle. Heather would have blushed for embarrassment, but instead her scar burned as if saving the rest of her from whatever malicious thought passed through Wilson’s mind. Heather waited for the group to notice her, but she was dressed to blend in, as had become her custom. The group did not at first see her in the corner hidden among the boxes and overshadowed by the grim faces hanging on the wall and the beautiful garden just outside the window.

Instead, everyone looked at Ruby.

“Who’s this little freak?” Wilson asked, stepping toward the window. “She’s about to jump out the window like a fairy! She looks like she belongs in our production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

“The drama department doesn’t have morning rehearsals.” Burton smirked, raising an eyebrow. “Maybe she really is a fairy headed back to her fairy garden.” He chuckled and turned menacingly to Adam.

Adam grasped at his torso as if to calm a stomach ache. It was the first time Heather had seen him up close since the summer. Though he was now the star quarterback and had proven his athletic prowess on the field many times over, Heather was startled at how sickly he looked. Generally thinner. She considered this as the four others, who still did not see her, watched Ruby play by the window.

Wilson knelt down to Ruby’s eye level. “Who are you, little girl? Do you belong to one of the teachers? Is your mommy or daddy a teacher here? What’s your name?” The lackey looked up to seek his idol’s approval, but Principal Elders had a different type of question.

“Are you the one who created the little newspaper out of crayons?” He pulled a slip of paper from his pocket and read: “‘The Ruby Review. Ruby Primm, Editor.’ This was dated two days ago.”

He showed the newspaper to the others. It was hand-written and drawn in various colors. The headline read “Teachers’ Children Are Not Who They Seem.” Above the hand-written article was a drawing of the library’s play room. In it, the other children played. They were drawn in pink, and their faces glared with slanted eyebrows, evil and angry. Hiding under the table was a little girl in blue. Outside the workroom, peering in, stood an older girl drawn in blue, this one with a prominent T scratched across her face.

Beneath the illustration was an article detailing all the crimes of the children in the playroom: how they mocked Ruby and talked about Heather and her scar. How they threw things at Ruby and prevented her from playing games with them. The article ended by revealing embarrassing truths about each student: one was afraid of the dark. Another still wet his bed. A third had bad gas in the morning.

“If I am not mistaken,” Principal Elders said, glaring at the newspaper, “you are the girl who created this. The one who gave it to the other children in the library. You made three of them cry. Do you know that? This was a naughty thing to do. In fact, I was just on my way to the guidance department to talk about this.” He waved the paper accusingly at Ruby.

To this, Ruby giggled, climbed onto the windowsill, and leapt out into the garden. She crawled behind a large cluster of chrysanthemums, and all that could be discerned were her giggles.

“She must be one of the teacher’s children,” Wilson said.

Adam and Burton remained quiet.

“I’m not,” the bunch of chrysanthemums answered.

“Then who are you?” Wilson asked.

In reply, a tiny arm emerged from the flowers and pointed through the window, directing everyone’s gaze at Heather. Heather’s scar seared her flesh with the heat of each new pair of eyes. When the eyes of Adam Hollowcast passed over her, however, the pain momentarily cooled, as if he himself had taken some of it upon himself.

Principal Elders muttered. “Heather Primm and her sister Ruby. I thought so. I knew I recognized the child. I remember her from the library.” He snarled. “And anyway, only a child brazen enough to leap out of windows could be responsible for creating such a shocking newspaper. Besides, the last time I saw her in the library she was making quite a disturbance. In fact, it’s good you’ve come, Heather. I was going to talk to you about this very matter. The teachers whose children Ruby has offended have asked me to revoke her permission to stay in the library. They don’t want their children in the same room with her.”

“I came to give you a copy of my essay,” Heather said robotically. She changed the subject to stall for time. “It’s won a regional competition and is being entered nationally now. Ms. Phillips thought you might want to read it.”

“Indeed,” Principal Elders said, taking the essay from Heather with just two fingers, as if it were contaminated. He stacked it behind Ruby’s scandalous newspaper. Adam looked away, and Heather’s scar seemed to catch fire in the awkward silence that followed.

Principal Elders cleared his throat before speaking. “I was just talking to these young men here. We’re making plans for Homecoming. I’m afraid news of Orchard Valley has been less than favorable lately.” He glanced at the essay in his hand. “In most aspects, anyway. Not all of us are as lucky as you to receive state recognition.” He glared at the boxes in the corner, his eyes drawn to the coveted football trophy. “Mr. Childress here is the new sports writer for the Orchard Valley Observer. He and Mr. Hollowcast are working on an extended sports section that will highlight all the best features of our athletic department. And Mr. Johnson here is going to ensure that the Homecoming Dance that follows the game is the best one to date.”

Heather looked from Adam to Burton. How could it be that these two, who had so much to hide from each other, had come to work together so closely? Burton seemed to read Heather’s confused expression.

“With all that’s happened recently,” Burton explained, “the Observer needed someone dedicated to improving the reputation of our sports program. I’ve always had an interest in sports writing, so I stepped up. And who better to follow than our star player, Adam Hollowcast!”

Heather looked at Adam, whose hands grasped his stomach even more tightly. “I see,” Heather said. But inside she shuddered: she knew Burton’s interest in sports was less than organic, fueled only by ulterior motives, some of which she could only guess.

Burton put his arm around Adam. “We’re practically best friends now. We hang out before school and after school. He gives me exclusive interviews at practice. He gives me previews of games. He even rehearses his famous pep talks in front of me the day before the game.”

Heather kept her eyes locked on Adam, who cast his eyes downward and paled as Burton spoke.

“And Mr. Childress has been doing an excellent job working on the reputation of our school.” Principal Elders glared at Heather. “Speaking of which… We need to discuss the complaints against your sister, Heather. I wonder whether I should revoke permission for her to spend the mornings in the library with you. I think another call to your mother is in order. She never returns my messages, so maybe I’ll just call her at work.”

“Ruby, come here!” Heather called to the window.

Like a butterfly, Ruby emerged from the flowers. She flew in through the window and landed at her sister’s feet. Her hair and clothes were sprinkled with bits of flower petals rich in hue, adding to her rainbow outfit.

“I think we should discuss this in my office,” Principal Elders said, glaring at the others in dismissal.

“No!” Heather blurted. She feared being alone with him. In public, Principal Elders was bound by propriety. In the privacy of his office, his true persona could emerge. The same persona that had closed the blinds to Heather’s attack. If she had any chance of convincing him to let Ruby stay with her in the mornings, it had to be in front of others—even the most awkward gathering of people she could imagine.

But why did she want to keep Ruby with her? At first she had detested the idea. Truly, the child had come to have a mind of her own. The principal was right: in the library, she did act out. The only thing that seemed to quiet her was her fixation on Heather’s scar. No matter her mood, she could be made quiet by being allowed to gaze at the scar, or even touch it. And when Heather did not indulge her, Ruby entertained herself by drawing the scarred face over and over again. Did Heather really want to relive the torment of her scar each and every morning?

But the thought of losing Ruby’s company in the morning brought sorrow and panic. She could not quite articulate her reasoning, but she knew she could not risk losing her sister.

All eyes turned to Heather now. “No.” She took a deep breath and looked at Ruby. “Whatever we need to discuss can be said out here.”

“Very well.” Principal Elders nodded at Adam, Burton, and Wilson as if he were sharing a private joke with them. Then he turned back to Heather. “I’m revoking Ruby’s permission to stay here in the mornings.”

“You can’t,” Heather said.

Three pair of eyes shot to her face like magnets. Had she really just spoken to the principal so fearlessly?

“Your sister is out of control,” the principal insisted.

“I’ll watch her, just as I have been. I’m teaching her about high school.”

“I worry about your unstable condition,” he said. He spoke with an air of worry, but Heather knew deep down that he was enjoying every moment of this. “You can barely look after yourself. Let’s be frank here: your social life isn’t exactly up to par. Are you really one to be a role model for Ruby? How can you teach her about high school life?”

“She can learn a lot from me.” Heather crossed her arms. “This—experience—I’ve gone through can be valuable to her. Perhaps she can learn through me.”

“Doubtful,” Principal Elders looked at Wilson before returning his gaze to Heather. “I think even you have to admit to yourself that those scars have become a social stigma for you, haven’t they? A mark of shame?”

Heather dared not remove her eyes from Principal Elders. Her scar burned fiercely, and she could feel her pulse coursing through its rubbery flesh.

The principal licked his lips. “Perhaps you should have thought more carefully about the repercussions of breaking such a significant story on your blog. There are those that would call your action poor judgment. And poor judgment is not a trait you want to convey to an impressionable young child. One could argue that your influence might cause Ruby to act recklessly one day—perhaps even earning scars of her own?”

Heather allowed herself to peek at the spectators. Burton’s eyes were still locked upon her scar, his lips curled into the semblance of a smile. There was something about all this that he was enjoying just a little too much. Wilson watched Principal Elders. His young political mind seemed to be taking notes on the principal’s demeanor. Adam’s eyes were lost in the carpet.

“Maybe we should question Ruby,” Wilson suggested, practically frothing, “to see how she feels about this.” The young man looked to Principal Elders for approval.

“Very well.” Principal Elders huffed and waved his hand dismissively. “What do you propose we ask, Mr. President?”

“Ruby,” he said.

Ruby, who had been sitting on the floor at Heather’s feet, looked up upon hearing her name.

“Can I ask you a few questions?” Wilson asked.

Ruby stood up and stared at Wilson with uncharacteristic attentiveness. Her face, drawn and serious, pondered the situation for a moment. Then, it curled into a sneaky smile and she squealed. “If you can catch me!”

Heather watched in horror as her sister grabbed a pile of tardy passes from a box on the floor and sprinkled them around the room like a flower girl tossing pedals at a wedding. She used the distraction to jump once again out the open window and into the garden.

“This is just the type of behavior I’m talking about,” Principal Elders said, crossing his arms.

“Ruby!” Heather called into the courtyard. “Come here now! Answer their questions. Don’t you want to continue spending the mornings with me?”

Ruby skipped around the courtyard three times before deciding to obey her sister. Still, she would only come to the window and refused to enter the office.

Wilson looked to Principal Elders for permission before recommencing his questions. “How do you like spending the mornings in the library with your sister, Ruby?” Wilson asked.

To that, she only giggled.

“How do you enjoy spending time with the other children?”

Ruby turned around in place slowly, as if searching for something. Finally, she found what she was looking for. It was a weathered clump of dandelions. The flowers had long ago turned to fairy dust and blown away, and only the wilted stalks remained. Still, she uprooted a plant and held it for Wilson to see.

“This is how I feel about them,” she said. She squeezed the plant tightly in her hand so that it bled out in a milky pulp. Then she let it fall, her eyes the whole time looking at Wilson.

“That wasn’t nice, Ruby, and you know it,” Heather scolded.

“Neither are they,” Ruby said.

“Why? What did they do to you?” Wilson asked.

“They don’t understand about the scar.”

“What don’t they understand?”

To this, Ruby had no answer.

“Why did you draw this?” Principal Elders asked, holding up the newspaper.

Ruby blushed for a moment. “They’re not true. Only Heather is true. The kids in the library are not true.” Ruby looked from one person to the next. Her tiny finger curled in the air as she pointed to Wilson. “You are not true.” Her finger moved to Burton Childress. “You are not true. Those who are not true are mean to others. Or sometimes,” she said, pointing to Adam—who at this point held his stomach and suppressed a look of pain on his face—“they are mean to themselves.” Her finger moved finally to Principal Elders. “You’re not true the most.”

At this, Burton leaned towards Adam and whispered something in his ear. Adam’s face blanched, followed by a light blush. Heather looked carefully at Burton’s face. She had avoided him as much as possible these past few weeks. But now, up close and under the florescent lighting, she noted how much more stern and drawn out his features were. His eyes looked far less kind than they once had. His skin seemed dingier, as if a dust or mold had spread over it. His eyebrows seemed more slanted, angry. Even his nails, longer now than Heather had ever seen them, seemed sinister in appearance and dirty underneath.

“I think I’ve heard enough.” Principal Elders clapped his hands. “The decision is made.”

“No!” Heather shouted, jarred from her scrutiny of Burton. She turned to Adam. “You can’t allow this!”

Burton’s eyebrow rose at the strange proclamation. Heather read the look in Burton’s face and quickly explained.

“Adam, you and I spent time together over the years. We used to be friends. You understand how much Ruby means to me. Surely you can speak on my behalf?”

Ruby’s eyes searched Adam’s along with her sister’s, but Adam did not speak.

“Principal Elders,” Heather protested, trying to retain her composure, “everyone I’ve ever known has deserted me.” At this, she looked once again at Adam. Adam grasped his stomach and averted his eyes. “Even neighbors and friends of the family have deserted me. And all I have now is Ruby. Without her, I would be completely alone in the world.”

“I think you mean to mock me with her. I find it hard to believe that a small child would create such an elaborate mockery of a newspaper. Surely someone so young has no such skill. Surely it was Ruby’s talented older sister who pushed her to do this!” Principal Elders held up the offending newspaper and wrinkled it—along with Heather’s essay—in his grasp. “Perhaps it was your way of getting back at some of the teachers who may no longer hold a favorable opinion of you.”

“That’s not true! Please!” Heather pleaded to Adam. “I have no one else to turn to. Please speak for me!”

Adam turned pale. He looked down at his football jacket, the captain pin that sparkled on it. “I—I don’t know what to say.”

Heather turned to Principal Elders. “You can’t take her away.”

“Look at you.” Principal Elders eyed her like a piece of rotten meat. “You’re unfit even to look after yourself, let alone your sister. You should spend your mornings talking to a counselor. Just look at your appearance.”

Heather looked down at her outfit. Her once-whimsical style had shriveled to a pair of old jeans and a grey sweatshirt. Her hair, normally shiny and flowing, was now rough and knotted and fell out of a lazy ponytail. She wore her old glasses instead of contact lenses, and she didn’t bother with makeup—especially not to try to cover up the scar. What was the point? Since the attack, she didn’t see a reason to make herself look nice. When people looked at her, they only saw one thing anyway, so what did it matter?

“Who cares what I look like?” Heather tugged at her sweatshirt. “Is it against the rules to be ugly?”

The principal frowned. “Ordinarily it wouldn’t matter, only look at how your lack of care for your own appearance has inspired your sister to dress. Does your mother know how she dresses?”

Heather turned towards her sister. Wilson shrank back. They caught eyes for just a moment before Heather turned back to Ruby: she had completely abandoned her journalists’ blazer and regular school clothes in exchange for the most colorful and mismatched articles of clothing she could find. Since Heather’s attack, it seemed that all of Heather’s former flair had passed to her sister, tenfold.

“My mother is out the door before Ruby is out of her pajamas. And Mom usually gets home so late that Ruby’s back in pajamas by the time she returns.”

“I think perhaps your mother should find Ruby a qualified babysitter. Not someone who—”

But Heather would not allow him to finish his insult. “Who knows my sister better than I?”

“That may be, but it is not proper for a young child to dress like she does. A child who is unrestrained in her attire is also unrestrained in her actions. I think this mockery of a newspaper is proof enough of that.”

“Please,” Heather begged, glaring at Adam. “We’ve been friends for too many years for you to ignore me now. As popular as you are, please help me. Speak on my behalf. The principal respects you. He would listen to you.”

Adam grasped his stomach and turned pale. The color drained even from his lips; blue-tinged, they trembled as he prepared to speak. In the corner, unnoticed by any in the room but Heather, Burton smiled a secret, sneaky smile.

“Perhaps you should, Mr. Hollowcast,” Principal Elders said, stifling a snarl. He clearly did not appreciate having an audience: he would have felt much better berating Heather in private. Here, he had to keep up a measure of decorum, and Heather was grateful. “Miss Primm has no other person who would vouch for her or her sister. Perhaps you can use your magic tongue to work in her favor. It’s found quite the success in the locker room and on the field.”

Adam fought a blush. Indeed, since he had been promoted to team captain, his powers of oration had increased. Members of the team looked forward to his inspirational talks before their games. Burton, now reporting almost exclusively on the goings-on of Adam Hollowcast, had even published an article about his newfound power of speech, an article Heather had clipped and stowed in her desk drawer at home. The article noted that when interviewed about the inspiration behind his awesome speeches, Adam Hollowcast declined to comment.

“Go ahead,” the principal challenged. He spoke to Adam, but he looked directly at Heather, and his lips curled at the ends as if he were enjoying the power he held over her. “Go ahead, Mr. Hollowcast.”

With that, Principal Elders sat down in one of the chairs that lined the hallway. He grinned up at the grim portraits and awaited Adam’s speech with all the levity of a king awaiting the performance of a jester. But to Heather, his speech was her one chance at keeping her only companion.

Put on the spot, Adam rubbed his arms for a moment before he began. His face blanched, and he looked mostly at the principal as he spoke.

“Truly, Heather Primm leads a miserable life.” He looked in Heather’s direction but did not look in her eyes. “Who of all the students has the courage to follow their hearts? Who has laid their true intentions out in the open? How many of us have found shelter and safety in numbers, following the crowd and forsaking our true desires? In today’s world, morals seem to take a back seat. Who of us wouldn’t want to enjoy the accolades of a state championship football team? And yet who of us would have the courage to follow the path of integrity even if it meant forsaking that fame?”

The principal looked bewildered. “You sound more like a preacher than a team captain.”

Adam simply grasped his stomach and continued. “Heather has stayed true to herself and bears the scar of her consequences. How many of us should have our own scar but don’t, for cowardice? And why should Heather, braver than most of her peers, be penalized for her honesty? But she’s lucky in a way. Don’t you think her informant suffers daily as he watches Heather’s torment in the hallways? In this way Heather is lucky: her scar lets her be true to herself. She is true to herself, to her peers, to her teachers. For Heather, all of her personality is laid out in the open. I think Ruby can learn greatly from that trait. And even if you don’t consider how Heather might teach her sister, consider how her sister might help Heather. The climate at Orchard Valley is hostile to Heather. In such a climate, she needs someone—some friend—in whom she can confide and to whom she can impart the wisdom that her scar surely teaches her every painful day of her life. And who better to be this friend than Ruby? All others have abandoned her.” With that, Adam averted his eyes and waited.

Burton raised an eyebrow and sneered. “Either you have a special place in your heart for Heather, or you should go into a career of oratory—or politics.”

Principal Elders shook his head. “No, he has no love in his heart for Heather. Her actions have made his career on the field more difficult. You of all people should know, Mr. Childress, that our friend Mr. Hollowcast is quite skilled at public speech. There’s a reason his pep talks have become famous around the community.”

Burton shrugged. “I just find it odd that he would squander such talents on someone who has so deeply harmed him.”

Principal Elders nodded. “He has a good heart.”

With the compliment, a blush rose into Adam’s cheeks as he finished his appeal, and he put a trembling hand over his heart before continuing. “Finally, Heather needs Ruby. As of now, Heather has been going to class regularly, completing her assignments, and doing all that is required of a good student. I would guess that most of this she does to be a good role model for her sister. If not for Ruby, what would prevent Heather from being tempted to degenerate into someone who wastes time with drugs or other harmful activities? Society has dealt Heather a nasty hand, and Ruby helps her to stay in the game.”

As Adam finished speaking, Ruby crawled back through the window and shuffled along the floor to sit at Adam’s feet. When his speech was finished, she threw her arms around his left ankle and hugged him, looking up at him with her sparkling dark eyes. Burton raised an eyebrow.

“Mr. Hollowcast makes an excellent point,” Principal Elders said, rising from his chair. “Perhaps Ruby does give Heather a reason to remain a good citizen of our community. Well spoken, Mr. Hollowcast. Heather, you should thank him. He has convinced me to allow your sister to stay with you in the mornings. Take heed, however. If the likes of this continues”—here he once again held up the crinkled newspaper—“I will reconsider my offer. Is this understood?”

Heather nodded. “Thank you, Principal Elders. Thank you, Adam.”

Burton’s smile faded. “I wonder whether perhaps Ruby might know the identity of Heather’s informant. Might it be wise to ask her?”

Principal Elders considered this for a moment. “She’s only a child. Her morals have been impacted enough by all this. It’s best we try to help her forget her sister’s rash action.”

Adam withdrew from the group, his hand over his stomach again. Ruby followed, taking his hand from his stomach, kissing it, then placing it back over the afflicted area. Adam turned bright red as Heather took Ruby’s hand and led her down the hallway and out of the office. As Adam watched her depart, he held his stomach and tried hard to wipe a sharp wave of pain from his face when Heather turned once more before exiting the office.

When Heather made her way to the library that morning, Adam’s last point was well-proven. In the small band hallway, normally empty at this hour, Miriam Douglass, whom everyone called “Douggie,” crept in the shadows. Her pale skin stretched across her skinny body. She hid the dark circles under her eyes with lots of dark makeup. Everyone at school knew she was into drugs. Lots of them.

“Psssst. Over here!” Douggie whispered. Heather had grown accustomed to helping those in need. Thinking Douggie in trouble, Heather pulled Ruby into the shadowy hallway.

“You’re Heather Primm,” Douggie said.

“Yes.”

“I thought that, you know, being in your position, you might like some of this.” Douggie pulled open her small backpack, revealing a baggie of marijuana and some prescription bottles of pills. “Take one. For free. I have almost anything you could want. Think of it as an apology for all that you have to go through every day here. Don’t you hate it? Can’t you wait to be free from this dump?”

“I—”

Douggie grasped Heather by the collar and pulled her into the girls’ bathroom. It was the most dingy bathroom in the school, and students only used it for nefarious purposes. Sure enough, as soon as the door had closed behind little Ruby, Douggie lit a cigarette. She took a few puffs before speaking.

“I give you a lot of credit for sticking around this prison. If I were you, I would have dropped out by now. Or at least transferred somewhere.”

“I—” Heather didn’t know what to say.

Ruby, meanwhile, stared transfixed by the strange girl in front of her. Ruby watched the smoke leave Douggie’s nose and mouth and float into the air in fantastical shapes like phantoms.

“Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about. You were the only one willing to tell the truth. You broke through the hypocrisy of this petty little high school. And now all the petty prima donnas with nothing better to do have no precious championship football team to root for. So now they spend their energy making you feel like a traitor. Makes me sick! Those stupid b—”

“Please,” Heather said, gesturing nervously towards her sister, “language!”

Douggie sighed. “Sorry, but the girl’s gonna learn sooner or later. Better to teach her the way the world really works now. That way she’ll be ready. So what do you say?” Douggie held out her cigarette to Heather.

“I—I just can’t.” Heather shook her head and held up her hands. “I appreciate your offer, really I do, but I have my sister to care for, and, uh, I’ve got to make the right choices—for her sake.”

Douggie shrugged. “There’s a party tonight. I promised the host you’d be there. It’ll be a lot of fun. He’s got some good stuff. He’d be honored if someone as famous as you made an appearance. You’d be the life of the party. Everyone worships you for how you busted up the football team. You can even crash there if you want.”

Heather suppressed a smile. Maybe not everyone hated her after all. Still, her scar pulsed a warning, and she knew she had to refuse the invitation. “I can’t,” she said, touching the scar. “I’ve got to help Ruby with her homework tonight. I’ve decided to help her back on the path to journalism. Besides, my mother won’t be home. I‘ve got to babysit.”

Douggie shrugged. “Bring her along. The host will be glad to meet her as well. Everyone at school has heard of the crazy little girl in the library brave enough to tell the teacher’s children the way it really is.”

Heather shook her head. “Send my apologies. I can’t party tonight.”

“Suit yourself. But it will only be a matter of time before you see that you might as well join me. If you ever change your mind, you can find me here during first period.”

Heather shook her head and led Ruby out of the bathroom and into the library. Inspired by Adam’s speech and her refusal of the drugs, Heather forced Ruby to spend the morning doing her homework instead of tormenting the other children. And she couldn’t keep the smallest of smiles from gracing her face all morning.