She Promised

Content Warning: Mentions of Domestic Violence. Alcohol Abuse. Bullying.

Kayla sat in the school’s front office, her hands clutching the side of the chair while the sounds of phones going off and the clicking of the front desk secretary's long nails against her keyboard echoed through the room. The secretary stared at her over the top of her computer screen through red-rimmed glasses as she took a drink from her matching Stanley cup. The judgment in her eyes was all too familiar. Why work with kids if you hate them?

Gripping the sides of the chair, she stared intently at the floor, holding back tears, the last thing she wanted was for them to call her parents this time. She could already hear the banging doors, her mother’s insults, the cracking of the belt, her father’s spit everywhere as he yelled at both her and her mother…

It’s not like she had wanted to slap Lacy Peterson across the face and be sent to the principals office, but the girl and her group of friends just wouldn’t stop bullying her. This had been going on for a while, the constant snide remarks, the aggressive comments, the cyber bullying, and the school didn't do anything about it; they just turned a blind eye until things had gotten physical. She had tried telling her teacher, but nothing ever happened to Lacy. Instead, she was always told:

“Just tell her to stop.”

Well she had. Many times. And every time it just got worse.

It wasn’t her fault that she couldn’t afford the latest shoes, that she didn’t have a smart phone, or that months latest trending item on TikTok. She didn’t understand why the girls picked on her and constantly pointed out her worn out Walmart shoes and her “outdated clothing from Ross” but for some reason it was her that was the problem because she would push back.

They didn’t see that daddy had been out of work for several months and mommy had had to take on extra shifts, there was no money for extras other than daddy’s beer.

“Kayla Taylor.”

Looking up, Kayla saw the school counselor Mrs Cooper standing in her doorway with a clipboard in her hands. With a sigh she stood up and walked over.

“Hello, Kayla, I’m sure you know why you’re here, come on in.” Said Mrs Cooper as she motioned to the empty chair by her desk.

Kayla walked over and sat down keeping her head down. She just wanted it to be over so she could get whatever punishment that awaited her over with and move on with her life.

Mrs Cooper was the new school counselor, having started after winter break when the last school counselor moved to another state. She had never met the last school counselor, but Mrs Cooper definitely had a vibe going on with colors, figurines, inspirational posters and photos of what looked like her cats.

“Now Kayla, I heard that you had an incident with Lacy Peterson and you were sent here to see the principal. Now, we want to avoid a suspension if possible… and know you’re going to have to do detention, but I offered to see if there was a way to resolve this so that this doesn’t happen again. We don’t want you to be suspended or expelled.”

Kayla felt her stomach drop.

“Suspended… Expelled…”

The very idea of any of those things happening made her physically ill. Not only would her parents never forgive her, but the idea of spending all day with her unemployed father after getting expelled made her want to throw up. She could feel tears starting to well up in her eyes.

“I’m sorry…” whispered Kayla

“What was that sweetie?”

“I said I’m sorry…” Kayla croaked as more tears started to fall down her cheeks. “I didn’t mean to hit her, she just kept bullying me and bullying me and I couldn’t take it anymore!!”

Mrs Cooper sat there stunned watching Kayla start crying harder and harder in her office, this tiny third grader who slapped her classmate across the face during art class. There had been no mention of prior bullying from anyone, though they tended to let the kids sort out their own social misgivings.

Going around her desk she went over to Kayla and put her arm around her.

“Now, now Kayla, it’s alright.” Said Mrs Cooper as she grabbed some tissues from her desk. “Like I said, that is why we are having this conversation, it’s so that we avoid a suspension or expulsion in the future. We’re here to clear the air and to make sure everyone is on the same page. Now why don’t you tell me why you think Lacy Peterson was bullying you?”

Kayla looked at Mrs Cooper and her concerned face. She wanted desperately for someone to believe her, for someone to take her side and not completely blame her for everything. She wanted someone to understand for once.

“She’s constantly making fun of me for not having the right shoes, the right clothes or having a phone or new things. It’s not my fault. I try and ignore her, but it’s everyday, all the time! I couldn’t take it no more.”

Mrs Cooper nodded.

“She and her friends put notes in my locker, they follow me into the bathroom, they bother me at lunch. It’s not like I enjoy dressing like this, it’s just that my parents…” Kayla caught herself and went quiet. Her stomach clenching itself into a knot. She knew that if she let it slip what was going on at home, detention and Lacy Peterson would be the least of her worries.

Kayla’s mom and dad were prideful people, they went to church on Sundays even though they cursed the Lords name in vain every other day of the week and beat each other senseless. Her dad was unemployed due to a work incident and worshipped the bottle but LORD help you if anyone else outside that 800 square foot apartment knew about it.

“Your parents what sweetheart?”

Kayla tensed up and quickly turned away. “Nothing. I’m just tired of the bullying. Forget I said anything.”

Mrs. Cooper squeezed her shoulders gently.

"What you tell me is private, Kayla. My job is to help kids, not spread their business around."

Kayla felt some of the tension leave her body.

"Nobody would know."

"Nobody would find out."

“You… You promise?”

“I promise. Everything I do here is to help you.”

“…It’s just that my parents don’t have a lot of money to buy all the things Lacy is being mean to me about.”

“Well, why can’t they afford it? I’m not saying the phone or some of the more expensive items, but I would think some decent shoes would be a necessity.”

Kayla hesitated as she looked at her worn out twenty dollar shoes from Walmart.

She once again asked. “Everything stays here?”

Mrs Cooper smiled once again. “Yes dear.”

“My dad’s been out of work and my mom’s been working two jobs, we don’t have the money to be spending on new things right now.” Kayla said as she wiped tears from her eyes “It’s… it’s been hard at home…” She sniffled out.

Mrs Cooper patted her shoulder. “Oh there there Kayla, sometimes things can be a little tough at home and sometimes other kids don’t understand that not everyone can afford the things that they have, but that doesn’t mean we respond with violence.”

Standing up, Mrs Cooper went back around to her desk, sat down and began typing something on her computer.

“Now, you're still going to have to do a week's worth of detention... but we’ll have a chat with Lacy Peterson. You can go back to class now.”

Looking at Mrs Cooper in front of her, Kayla wiped her remaining tears with her sleeve and left the office. It didn’t seem like her parents were going to be called and she was just going to get the weeks worth of detention. Which was fine, her mother worked late and her dad was usually passed out drunk anyways so he wouldn’t notice and the family secret was safe, but at least maybe now they would tell Lacy Peterson to back off.

The knot in her stomach eased for the rest of the day and Lacy ignored her, though the black and blue imprint of her hand across her face made Kayla grin a little. Everything was well, or so she thought until mid day the next day when her name was called over the intercom.

“Kayla Taylor, please come to the front office. Kayla Taylor.”

Her body froze. Her eyes widened. The knot in her stomach was back. The “Oooooos” from her classmates echoed all around her.

“Why are they calling me up there again…? Could they have…?”

She thought back to the conversation she had had with Mrs Cooper the day before as she slowly got up from her desk and walked out the classroom door, the hallway distorting into what seemed into the longest road she’d ever walked.

“No… Mrs Cooper had promised...”

Her feet felt heavy, her ears started ringing, her gut knew what her brain was fighting.

“She had promised…”

Turning the corner to the entrance of the front office she stopped in her tracks and her blood ran cold.

Standing in Mrs. Cooper's office were both her parents.

Her father turned and stared right at her.

Kayla felt sick.

She promised.