Chapter38
OntheirwaybacktoAmerHeights,Shauncould’tcontainhisfrustrationatSusan’sbehavior.HeturnedtoLilyandasked,“Isthatreallyyourmother?
Lilyproppedherchinonherhand,acheekygrinspreadingacrossherface“Yes,that’sher.”
Shaunsquinted,ponderingforamomentandthenblurtingout,“I<b>can’t</b>helpbut feelSkeyou’readopted.Whydon’tyougoforapaternitytest?”
Hecouldn’tshakethefeelingthatSusanandLilyweren’tbiologicallyrted.Whatkindofmothercreatedherownchildlikethat?
Abandoningherdaughteratbirthwasbadenough.ButSusanevenbroughtLilybackforherowngain.IfshewasdeterminedtohaveLilyinherlife,sheshouldatleasttreather
However,Susan<b>not</b>onlylookeddownonLilybutalsothreatenedherateveryborn.Wasthishowamother<b>should</b>behave?
itwerehim,he’dtearhismother’shousedown.He’dbedamnedifhedidn’t.
“Right?”Lilughedwithacarefreefone.
Shauncouldn’thelpbutfepangofsympathyforher.<b>In</b><b>fact</b>,Lily<b>had</b>alreadydoneapaternitytest.ThedaySusanfoundher,shehadtakenSusan’sDNAforatest.Theresultsweredisappointing–shewasindeedSusan’sbiologicaldaughter.
“Fromnowon,youwon’t<b>have</b>todealwithheranymore.No<b>one</b>intheLaurierfamilywilldaretobullyyou.Ifanyonedoes,I’llbeatthemupforyou.”Shaunderednonchntly“Besides,Mrs.Laurierisaverykindperson.She’lldefinitelytreatyoulikeherowndaughter.Youdon’tneedamotherlikeSusan.”
Lily’seyessoftenedatthemention<b>of</b><b>Mnie</b>.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.
Shehadaratherintrovertedpersonalty,whichmadeitdifficultforhertogetalongwithmanypeople.
Growingupwithoutparents,shehadneverexperiencedparentallove.Mniewastheonlypersonbesideshergrandmotherwhohadevershownherwarmth.Whilemanypeoplewhoapproachedherhadulteriormotives,Mniewasdifferent.
Mnie’sgazeheldacalmsincerity,andtherewasn’tahintofpretense.HerwarmthtowardLilywasgenuine.MnieprovidedLilywiththeaffection
ConcernedaboutLily’semotionalstate,Loidsaid,“Mymotherreallylikesyou”
AfaintsmilecurledLily’slipsasshencedathim.<b>“</b>Thankyou,”shesaidinattone.
Loidjustlookedatherwithoutsayinganything<b>.</b>
thathadbeenmissingin
OnMondaymorning,LoiddroveLilytoschool.
<b>They</b>arrivedearly,andtherewerehardlyanypeoplearoundtheschool.
“DoyouwantmetowalkyouinLoidreachedback, retningLily’sckshoulderbag<b>and</b>handingittoher.
Lilydrapedherhandbagcasuallyoverbershoulderandsteppedintotheschoolgrounds.Withfamiliarity,shemadeherwaytotheprincipal’soffice
HavinglongsincehackedintotheEmberCreekHighSchodministratioputersystem,shepossessedacopyoftheschool’smap.Sheknockedonthedoor,andaslightlyweatheredvoicecalledoutfromwithin<b>,</b>“Comein.”
Dressedinasharpcksuitandspectaclesrimmedwithwhite,Josephsprangtohisfeetonbeliftedhisheadtoseewhohadentered.
Amomentofsurprise<b>shed</b>acrosshisfacebeforehesaid,“ans.Brooks?Whydidn’tyouletmeknowyouwerin1could’vepickedyou<b>up</b><b>.</b><b>”</b>
“Mr.Woodley,<b>just</b>callmebymyname,”Lilyrespondedpolitely
base.harmaseat
Overwhelmedwithexcitement,Josephpulled<b>out</b><b>a</b><b>chair</b>andgesturedforhertosit“Please,
Lilynoddedinacknowledgmentandtook<b>her</b>seat
Josephpickedupthephoneandmadeatewcallstbeforehangingup
Awaveofreliefwashedoverhim,andasmilebrokeacrosshisfaceashelookedatLilywithjoybubblingover.“You’refinallyhere!Ithoughtyouweren’ing”
“IjusthappenedtohavesomebusinessinLagersfieldLilyreplied<b>in</b><b>a</b>listlesstone.Itwasclearshewasn’teagertodiscussitburther.
Knowinghertemperwell,Josephremainedsilent.
Soon,therewasaknockontheofficedoor.
Thedooropened<b>,</b>andthreemen<b>and</b>onewomanenteredtheroom.
soearlyinthemoming<b>?</b>I’m
AwomanstrodetowardJoseph’sdeskandheldherchinhigh.“Mr.Woodley,”shecalled<b>,</b>hervoicedrippingwitharrogance.“Whydidyoucallmeinsoinchargeofthehonorsss.Thavetosupervisetheirmorningreading”
ThiswomanwasNancyHanson,thehomeroomteacherfor12thgradess1.Knownforherarogantdemeanoraroundtheschool,shehadbeenleadinghonorsssesforthepast fiveyears
TheotherthreemenalsogreetedJoseph
JosephgesturedtowardLilyseatedoppositehimandintroducedher,“Letmeintroduceournewtransferstudent,Lily.Whichofyouwouldliketotakeherinto<b>your</b>s
Nancy<b>raised</b>aneyebrowatLily.“Atransferstudent?It’sbeenoveramonth<b>since</b>thesemesterstarted,andmidterms<b>are</b>justaroundthecorner.Whywouldshetransfernow?
Whiletheotherthreeteachersdidn’tshare<b>Nancy’s</b>skepticism, theyremainedperplexe
Kownforhisstrictadherencetorules,Josephhadneverpersonallyintroducedastudentinall<b>his</b>years.Yettherehewas,personallyhandlingLily’stransferprocuri.
withanunreadableexpression,JosephslidLily’sstudentrecordsacrossthe<b>desk</b>.“Here’sthefile”
Nancyflijged?topenandgasped.“Sheraftedallthesubjects<b>?</b><b>You</b>can’tbeserious,Mr.Woodley!”
“DoIlooklikeI’mjoking?”jourphrabbedaseyebrow,thenpickeduphisthermos.Hetookasipoftea,hisexpressionremainingonehanged.
“HowdidsomeonewithsuchgradesgetintoEmberCreekHighSchool?Nancy’sexpressionhardenedassheasked,“Mr.Woodley,you’veneverpulledanystringsbefore.<b>What’s</b>goingonthistime?”
Joseph’sexpressionremainedunchanged,“Well,shehadsomeunforeseencircumstancestyearandcouldn’ttaketheentranceexams.However,I’vetestedhermyself,andherscoresmeettherequirements.”
PuttingdownLily’srecords,Nancydered,“Idon’twantherinmyss.”
<b>Joseph</b>turnedtothethreemaleteachers.Lookingatthem,heasked,“Whataboutthethreeofyou?”
Thesethreemaleteacherswerealsohomeroomteachersforthehonorssses.
FennelHayeswasthehomeroomteacherfor12thgradess2.
BruceDawsonwasthehomeroomteacherfor12thgradess3
“Idon’twanttoeither”FennndBruceexchanged<b>nces</b>beforedecliningaswell
Thepressureofthe12thgradewaspalpable,withalltheteachersthrowingtheirallintogettingtheirstudentstoscorewellintheuingexams,
EventhoughJosephhadconfirmedLily’sadmissionbasedonherentranceexamresults,theteacherswerestipprehensive.WhatifLily’sworkinssturnedouttobefarbelowexpectations?Woulditdragdownthe<b>group’s</b>averagescoreandhindertheiroverallperformance?
“Inthatcase,handherover,”demandedJohnEverton,thehomeroomteacherofss18,
Amongthefourteachers,Johnstoodoutastheoldestandmostexperienced
Alreadyinhis50s,hehaddedicatednearlyhisentirelifetoEmberCreekHighSchool
However,hiscollegeadmission<b>rate</b>waslow.Ontheotherhand,hehadbeenteachingthelower–performingandmostdifficult–to–handlesses.
JosephlookedatLilyandasked,“Willyougo?”
“Sure,”repliedLily.
JosephpersonallywantedLilytogotooneofthetopthreesseswhereshecouldlearnmore.However,thehomeroomteachersofthosessesrefusedtoepther,andJosephcouldn’tforcethem.
“Alrightthen.Mr. Everton,she’sinyourcarenow.”
JohnacknowledgedhimandledLilytogetherbooksanduniform.Lilywalkedveryslowly,<b>as</b>ifshewasdeliberatelyslowingherpacetomatchJohn’s.
Johnwasolder,andhisstaminacouldn’tkeepupwiththeyoungerstudents,sohewalkedveryslowly.Tohissurprise,Lilywaswalkingbesidehim…HeturnedhisheadtolookatLily.
Dressedinckwith<b>a</b>cappulledlow,sheheldherheaddown.Therewasanairofdefianceabouther,makingherseemlikesomeonenottobetrifledwith
Chapter14