Chapter 16

~Returning Character~

Delia Ketchum

Original Date of Post: 01/25/2009

Narrator: Nothing worse than for anyone to stare at a blank computer screen or an empty piece of paper, and you can’t think of a damn thing. It’s the wonderful thing we writers call a “writer’s block.” It sucks. It flat sucks…It flat sucking sucks…What the...? Medea must have had one of her brain farts when she wrote this crap for me to speak. Hey, what the...?

Medea: Oh my dear narrator, sit down. You are hereby suspended from speaking for the rest of the chapter.

Narrator: For what?

Medea: For the grounds of lying about being a writer! You are no writer, you’re a narrator and that’s it. Now onto today’s story! As we all know in English classes, more and more teachers try to get their students into the creative writing process. The teachers of Pallet High are no exception for that. Miss Prima has a new assignment for her students to write a story of their own. Be as creative as they want and say what’s on their mind. However, for some people, it could be a bit of a challenge.

Laura: In all fairness, I think this paper is a bunch of crap.

Dawn: What? How can you say that? I spent all last night typing this out.

Laura: A whole page about your hair is not what Miss Prima would have in mind for the creative writing assignment.

Dawn: Oh, what would you know?

Laura: I know because I’m in the same class Dawn. You need to write a story with everything that we’ve covered in class making sure that this story has a beginning, a middle, and an ending. Plus making sure that you actually have a plot! Writing a page about your hair doesn’t really fulfill the assignment.

Dawn: I made it rhyme!

Laura: THAT DOESN’T MAKE IT BETTER!

Zoey: Plus Dawn, you need a good grade on this assignment so that you can pass the class and be able to qualify for the trip to Europe.

Dawn: Yeah, that’s true. I can’t wait for the Europe trip. (Laura sighs) All the wonderful sights and the great food and…

Zoey: You need a passing grade in all of your classes before you can go. And the first step into doing that is you get a passing grade in English.

Dawn: No need to worry. I’ve got this thing licked. Hey, I’ve got it!

Zoey: If this is going to end up about your hair then forget it. It won’t work.

Dawn: Thanks a lot. And you used to like touching this hair.

Marley: What was that?

Zoey: (Blushes) Never mind about that! (Laura sighs)

Dawn: Hey Laura, are you okay?

Laura: Huh? Oh yeah, I was just thinking about something. (A little later at Dawn’s house)

Johanna: Dawn?

Dawn: I’m in here Mom. (She opens the door) I know Brianna. I can’t believe Roxanne wore that to school.

Johanna: Dawn, what on earth are you doing?

Dawn: Talking to Brianna. This will only be another hour or so. (Johanna grabs the phone)

Johanna: Sorry Brianna, but Dawn can’t talk right now. (Hangs up)

Dawn: What’d you do that for?

Johanna: We need to talk, young lady. I had a nice conversation with your teacher this morning. Miss Prima informed me that you were doing a creative writing assignment.

Dawn: I’ve already finished my homework assignment if that’s what you’re implying.

Johanna: I’m not finished. Miss Prima also told me that there were some analyzing papers that you had to do for this assignment.

Dawn: But I did do that.

Johanna: Let me finish. I have your paper right here and Miss Prima was right to be concerned. Your whole paper is going to be about your hair?

Dawn: Something wrong with that?

Johanna: Dawn, you and I both know that doing this is just a cheap way of getting out of doing a real paper. Not to mention, you’re already doing poorly in the class. If you don’t pass this paper, you’ll fail this semester and you won’t be able to qualify for the Europe trip. I took this second job cleaning houses to help pay for the trip, you know. I want a full improvement on this paper or no phone, television, radio, internet, or anything else for a whole month. (She walks out of the room)

Dawn: Man. What can I write about? (Takes out the piece of paper) Nothing much to the assignment! Just write what’s on my mind! Ugh…This is going to be harder than I thought. I might need a little help on this. (A little later at Laura’s house)

Laura: What are you doing here?

Dawn: I guess I could use a little help with my paper.

Laura: What do you need help with? It’s very simple to just write a story about anything, except about your hair.

Dawn: There’s some kind of bias here, isn’t there?

Laura: Okay Dawn. You’ve talked me into it, so I’ll help you. Usually what writers do is use some kind of influence.

Dawn: Influence?

Laura: Yeah, write about past experiences in your life and twist it in to your own point of view. Any stories you’d like to think of?

Dawn: Hmm…Nothing really decent that I could write about.

Laura: Another person I would ask is Marisa. She’s been writing a lot lately.

Dawn: Hey yeah. Um, how is she?

Laura: (Sighs) Well you know she’s just getting things back to a sense of normalcy in her life. She took a pretty big hit this summer with the death of her father, Tracey cheating on her, and having appendicitis.

Dawn: I’m surprised you didn’t go through hell either.

Laura: Gary and I of course split, but we had barely talked for months so it didn’t really hurt as much. And of course my uncle’s death was sad, but you know it really didn’t affect me as much. But I wouldn’t talk too much on the past events to her.

Dawn: Gotcha.

Laura: But I will say this, she’s been on a big writing mode after coming home from the hospital. So I guess that’s one good thing to say! (Knocks on the door)

Marisa: Come in. (Door opens) Oh, hello you guys.

Dawn: Marisa, you’re looking a lot better than when I saw you in the hospital.

Marisa: I feel a little better.

Dawn: What are you doing?

Marisa: Just writing stories.

Dawn: And you can do that, stories about anything?

Marisa: Of course. I like to write about past experiences in my life.

Laura: Too bad all of your recent stories are depressing and very dark.

Marisa: Oh, who asked you? For your information Laura, my latest story I put up on the internet, Diary of a Broken Heart has been getting a lot of great reviews.

Dawn: What’s it about?

Laura: Probably about how a boy abandoning a sweet girl to be with some hot bimbo! Same thing you’ve been writing about for the past month. Same old song and dance!

Marisa: Yeah, you’d be singing a different tune if you had every kind worst case scenario literally happen to you this summer.

Laura: (Sarcastic) You’re right, I’m wrong. You’ve suffered more than anybody in the world. Everything is about you!

Marisa: Oh, shut up. So what’s up Dawn?

Laura: Dawn can’t come up with anything to write about.

Marisa: Oh, got the old case of writer’s block?

Laura: Close. It’s basically an old case of laziness wrapped up with no imagination.

Marisa: Come on Dawn. Just write about past experiences. You’re a drama chick! You've seen some weird things that you can’t help but write about.

Dawn: Well maybe. (Car pulls up)

Marisa: Mom’s home with the groceries. We better get out and help her so she doesn’t yell at us. We’ll be right back Dawn. (They walk out of the room)

Dawn: Oh man, what am I going to do? I don’t know any past experiences I can write about. Huh? (Thinking) Hmm…I could just take one of Marisa’s stories. Let me just click on her file and…Oh wow, so many to choose from. Enie, Meanie, Miney, Mo…Click! And I just send it to my email...Eureka! (Gasp) They’re coming back! I better close these windows down. (She walks out of the room)

Laura: Oh Dawn, we were just about to have dinner.

Marisa: You can stay if you’d like.

Dawn: Thanks, but no thanks. I have to go home for something important. I got what I needed…I mean it was nice chatting with you. Goodbye. (She runs out)

Laura: That was strange. (The next morning at school)

Dawn: (Thinking) Okay, I got the paper all typed up. Problem is that I just need three people to use for this story. But who can I use?

Laura: So Dawn. Did you work a little more on that paper last night?

Dawn: A little bit.

Zoey: Hope you took our advice yesterday and wrote about something besides your hair.

Kenny: Oh, she can’t help it. Her hair is her life! Ever since she was five and her mother took her to this barber college to get her hair cut. She comes out looking like she got into a fight with a weed-whacker. (Dawn growls and hits him) Ow! That hurt Dee-Dee!

Dawn: Don’t mind him. His father dropped him on his head when he was a baby because his father is an alcoholic.

Kenny: That’s not true. (Brianna runs up)

Brianna: Dawn, you will not believe what I just saw! Guess who is in the principal’s office right now!

Dawn: Who?

Brianna: I can’t even say it! (Grabs Dawn’s arm) I have to show you. (Outside the front office)

Dawn: My mother? What the hell is my mother doing here? She’s come to spy on me no doubt to make sure I’m not ditching class or anything like that.

Brianna: You haven’t been ditching class, have you?

Dawn: Just a couple of occasions to go into some random closet to make out with Conway.

Brianna: Why doesn’t that surprise me? You really should focus on your school work when you’re at school! Tsk, tsk!

Dawn: Well isn’t that the slut calling the whore a skank? You do the same thing with Wally.

Brianna: Yeah, but that’s different.

Dawn: I wonder why she’s there.

Brianna: I don’t think she’s spying on you Dawn. Look at how she’s dressed. She has a bandana on, and an apron. I think she’s helping Principal Oak with cleaning.

Dawn: Isn’t that what janitors are for?

Brianna: They cut most of them in the big budget cuts. Plus didn’t you say that your mother was cleaning houses in order to pay your way to Europe? (Johanna and Principal Oak giggle) Hmm…I wonder if I can see a love connection here.

Dawn: What?

Brianna: Between your mother and Principal Oak.

Dawn: Brianna, the man just got married over a year ago. I doubt he would have any interest in my mother.

Brianna: I don’t know. Marriages can fail at any time especially if there’s a third party interfering. Your mother could definitely be the one and before you know it, he will be your new (echoing) father. (Dawn gasps)

Dawn: No…No…STOP! (Shouting) STOP IT! STOP IT!

Brianna: Huh? Dawn! (Grabs her) DAWN! (She stops) You scared me! What on earth is the matter?

Dawn: It was nothing…just…nothing. (Thinking) What the hell was that image?

Brianna: Hey, it’s probably just a bad mental image. You probably just imagined your mother and Principal Oak doing something God-awful and it made you freak out.

Dawn: You’re probably right. (Stares at them) I’ve got an idea!

Brianna: Say what?

Dawn: I’ll see you later. (She runs off)

Brianna: Well that was weird. (That night at Dawn’s house)

Dawn: Okay, the story calls for a mother, a daughter, and one man. I guess if I switch around the words, I think I can make this work if I put me, my mother, and Principal Oak in there.

Medea: (Sighs) This is going to end badly. So yeah, Dawn fixed the paper by switching the names around and handed it in to Miss Prima two days later. And by sheer luck, Dawn passed her paper with an A. But Miss Prima got a little suspicious by the content of the paper. So she made a copy and showed it to Principal Oak.

Oak: You were right to be concerned Miss Prima. This seems very dark. Too dark for someone like Dawn!

Miss Prima: I mean I could try to get past the whole abusing part because honestly a lot of students write like that nowadays even if it never happened to them. But what really set me off was the person in the story was named Samuel. It could be a complete coincidence.

Oak: Maybe it’s someone else named Samuel. I mean it is a common name.

Miss Prima: Maybe.

Oak: But I don’t want to take any chances. Laura, could you come in for a second?

Laura: Yes Principal Oak.

Oak: Could you bring Dawn in to the office for me? She’s waiting outside in one of the chairs. (Outside the office)

Laura: Principal Oak is ready to see you now.

Dawn: Oh crap. I’ll probably get the boot for this.

Laura: For what?

Dawn: Nothing. It’s nothing. Why does he need to see me?

Laura: I don’t know. I don’t make it a liberty of eavesdropping on Principal Oak’s conferences. I’m not like my cousin.

Dawn: You could at least do that if it means your friend might be in trouble.

Laura: What the hell is going on Dawn?

Dawn: Nothing. (Thinking) Time to face the music! (Inside the office)

Oak: How is everything Dawn?

Dawn: Okay. What was it you wanted to talk to me about?

Oak: Oh, don’t worry Dawn. You’re not in trouble. It’s just that Miss Prima and I are a little concerned by your latest paper.

Dawn: You didn’t like it?

Miss Prima: Quite the opposite Dawn. I thought that this was brilliant. It’s just that the material in this story you wrote worries us.

Dawn: How so?

Oak: Somewhere around here. “I open the door and I see Johanna and Samuel in each other’s arms. It all started with an innocent kiss, but quickly turned violent as his hands were wrapped around her throat.”

Dawn: It’s nothing true if that’s what you’re implying. I just wrote whatever came to my mind. And plus, there are plenty of men out there named Samuel if that’s what you’re worried about.

Oak: But there’s another part that kind of scared me. “After striking my mother to the ground, he sees me from across the room with the phone in my hands. I was halfway there calling the police on him when he slapped me in the face.” Is there some kind of abuse history with your family that we should know about?

Dawn: No. (A little later near the front office)

Laura: How’d it go in there?

Dawn: He asked me a lot of questions about my home life.

Laura: Why’d he do that?

Dawn: It was because of some of the material I wrote in my paper.

Laura: Oh yeah. I’m actually shocked you were able to pull off an A on that paper. What did you write about that was so controversial? Was it something political?

Dawn: It wasn’t political!

Laura: You think I can read it some time?

Dawn: No. It’s personal. That’s all.

Zoey: You passed? (Later at lunch)

Dawn: Yes. Now can we drop it?

Zoey: How’d you do it? How were you able to get an A?

Dawn: None of your business! Now get off my back! I’ll be right back. I have to go to the bathroom. (Walks away)

Zoey: I guess she won’t tell us.

Brianna: Yeah, I guess not. (Rummaging through Dawn’s backpack)

Zoey: What are you doing?

Brianna: I want to read her story. I’m curious. I’ll be back.

Zoey: What the…? Damn! (After fourth period)

Brianna: Oh my God!

Zoey: There you are. Come on, if we hurry, we can sneak the story back into Dawn’s backpack.

Brianna: Read it. (Hands her the paper)

Zoey: What?

Brianna: You heard what I said. Read the story and then come back to me. I just got the ultimate chills.

Zoey: I wonder what Dawn really wrote that has Brianna so spooked. (A little later in Zoey’s fifth period class)

Miss Agatha: Good afternoon class.

Zoey: (Thinking) Oh my God! I hope it isn’t true…

Miss Agatha: Zoey, could I speak to you in my office for a few minutes. (She gulps) It’s nothing serious. I’ll have you back in your class in a few minutes.

Zoey: Okay. (Moments later in Miss Agatha's office)

Miss Agatha: Dawn didn’t tell you anything…personal in her home life?

Zoey: No, she didn’t tell us anything that’s been going on.

Miss Agatha: Are you sure you don’t know anything?

Zoey: I’m sure.

Miss Agatha: That’s all. Thank you Zoey! (Zoey leaves the office)

Zoey: (Sighs) Man, this is getting weird. (After school)

Brianna: Miss Agatha talked to you too?

Zoey: Yeah. I didn’t tell her anything though because I wasn’t too sure about this whole incident.

Brianna: I got suspicious when I saw Principal Oak and Dawn’s mother all chummy-chummy the other day. I wonder if he really did all the things in Dawn’s story.

Zoey: Principal Oak doesn’t seem like a violent man. Strangest thing too, as soon as I came back from Miss Agatha’s office, I couldn’t find the paper at all.

Brianna: What? You can’t be serious!

Zoey: I still can’t believe Dawn wrote all of that. She went from yapping about her hair to something…so serious! I’m starting to wonder if Dawn even wrote this story.

Brianna: Hold it right there Zoey! Dawn’s not a cheater! Not her style. She’s probably imagining things that might happen if her mother and Principal Oak shack up. Oh. I just had a realization. Do you suppose any of this happened with Dawn’s real father?

Zoey: Good question. I don’t know anything about him. How about you?

Brianna: No clue about the man. All I know is that her parents got a divorce when she was very young and she hasn’t seen him since then. Do you really think there’s something going on between her mother and Principal Oak?

Zoey: I don’t know. (A little later in the front office)

Laura: I’m almost done with the filing.

Oak: Thanks Laura.

Miss Agatha: Samuel, you have a visitor out front.

Oak: Whoever it is, tell him I’m busy. (Delia walks in)

Delia: Is that so?

Oak: Oh, but I’m never too busy for you Delia. (Nervous laugh) Come on honey. Let’s go outside so we can chat in private. (They leave the office)

Laura: Cute. (Walks to the desk) Huh? That’s a copy of Dawn’s paper. (Thinking) Won’t hurt to take a look at what the controversy is all about. (Flips through the pages) Whoa. Now that’s freaky…And very familiar! (Gasp) I know this. (That night at Laura’s house)

Marisa: I’ll be taking a bath now. (Door closes)

Laura: (Thinking) Now to confirm my suspicion. (She opens the door)

Marisa: (Shouting) IS SOMEBODY IN MY ROOM?!

Laura: (Thinking) She’s got the hearing of a bloodhound. (Door opens) I have to hide or else she’ll kill me. (She hides under the bed)

Marisa: Laura…Are you in here? Laura? (Sighs) I don’t have time to play around with your stupid mind-games. (Leaves the room)

Laura: (Sighs) That was a close one. Okay, I just have to look through the files and…She wrote that many things? This’ll take me forever to look through! (A few minutes later) Damn. No luck. I’ve just got one more file and… (Tub drain on) Uh-oh! Hope I don’t get… (Gasp) I knew it. That little bitch cheated. (Door opens) Huh?

Marisa: What are you doing in here?

Laura: Oh…um…You’re in the wrong room!

Marisa: Hmm…let me see. My computer, my bed, my Marilyn Manson poster…I think this is my room. Now I’m going to ask you again. What are you doing in my room?

Laura: That’s classified information!

Marisa: It won’t be too classified once I punch out your teeth, you little brat!

Laura: Okay, what if you knew someone who took something that wasn’t theirs?

Marisa: Example please!

Laura: Um, like taking something that is very helpful to that person. Like say if Raven Saymone completely ripped off one of Stevie Wonder’s songs.

Marisa: She’s already done that. But in other words, plagiarism! That is very much against the law and…Wait, is this your funny way of telling me that she finally did a cover to My Cherie Amour?

Laura: No, it’s…Never mind. (Walks out of the room)

Marisa: Thanks for the chat. (Walks to the computer) What’s this file doing open? I wonder… (A little later at Brianna’s house)

Brianna: (Yawns) Man is this boring! I don’t know why they won’t let us read some exciting books. (Phone ringing) Hello?

Zoey: Brianna, something happened.

Brianna: What’s going on?

Zoey: Dawn’s story is all over the internet.

Brianna: The bad one?

Zoey: (Sarcastic) No, the one about her hair. OF COURSE IT’S THE BAD ONE!

Brianna: Oh man, Dawn’s going to have an earful waiting for her when she goes to school tomorrow.

Zoey: I got this message from Max’s email. Only God knows how many others have read it.

Brianna: The whole world probably knows by now. (Back at Marisa’s house)

Laura: You horrible bitch! You unbelievable, horrible bitch!

Dawn: I’m sorry. I didn’t want to fail the course and miss out on Europe.

Laura: Dawn, this is the worst thing you could ever do. You stole a paper from my cousin, took complete credit over it…

Dawn: Is this going anywhere?

Laura: Dawn! For Christ sake, you show no sympathy for what you’ve done?

Dawn: Laura, the whole thing is eating me up inside. I was desperate and I took the easy way out. Please Laura, you can’t tell anybody about this. I can’t get caught. Do you know what they do to people who plagiarize? Well, I don’t! But I know it’s very bad! Please Laura, I’m counting on you!

Laura: I can’t make any promises. (She hangs up) I know what I have to do. (In Marisa’s room)

Marisa: Hmm…Well, I’m stuck. (Knock on the door) Who is it?

Laura: It’s Laura. (She opens the door) Got a sec?

Marisa: Sure thing. We can discuss something that’s been bothering me. A couple of days ago, I opened up my Microsoft word and on the recently opened files there was this story I wrote years ago. And it just so happened to be on the day that you and Dawn were here in my room.

Laura: Coincidence?

Marisa: I thought so too. That is until I saw that very same file opened up tonight after you left the room. Now is there something you’d like to tell me?

Laura: (Groans) No!

Marisa: Laura, you can tell me anything, you realize that. I promise that I won’t get mad.

Laura: It’s just…nothing. It’s nothing.

Marisa: Hold it. You’re hiding something from me and I demand to know what you’re hiding from me.

Laura: It’s just…It’s just…

Marisa: It’s just, what?

Laura: If someone stole something that you’ve written, what would happen?

Marisa: Now we’re getting somewhere. Well first of all, if someone plagiarized something and tries to turn it in…Oh, let’s say a class, that person will automatically fail the class and possibly get kicked out of school. And if it was one of my pieces that was being plagiarized, I would rip out their intestines and choke that person with it. Now if they come out and admit to their crime, they will have nothing to worry about with me. Now is there something you’d like to tell me Laura?

Laura: (Sighs) Okay. It goes like this. (A couple of minutes later)

Marisa: I knew I should have locked up the computer before leaving the room.

Laura: Don’t blame yourself. It’s Dawn’s fault for being so damn sneaky and conniving enough to do something so horrible. I remember you showed me that story years ago. And when I saw Dawn's paper, I knew it looked familiar.

Marisa: You realize that Pallet High has a really strict policy when it comes to plagiarizing or cheating. The only thing I can say is that Dawn should come out and admit that she took something that wasn’t hers. Otherwise, if the school finds out from somebody else, then Dawn will be kicked out of school. It’s too big to keep under wraps for long.

Laura: You’re taking this better than I thought.

Marisa: And after all is said and done, I will choke her to death with that pink scarf of hers.

Laura: I spoke too soon. (Phone ringing)

Marisa: Hello? Laura, it’s for you. It sounds like that friend of yours. The obsessed red-head! (Laura takes the phone)

Laura: Hello? Oh Brianna…WHAT?! No way! Her story! I’ll call you back. (Hangs up) For some reason, Dawn’s story was sent to everyone at our school. And now everyone thinks that Dawn’s mother is boning Principal Oak and that he’s an abusive, wife-beater.

Marisa: I sure hope his wife doesn’t find out. (That night at Dawn’s house)

Dawn: (Softly) But I got an A! That’s all that matters.

Laura: (Voice over) You stole a paper that you didn’t even write! You took complete credit over it! (Echoing)

Dawn: (Softly) I had to pass this paper! I just had to! (Dawn falls into an abyss and wakes up screaming) Oh man, what a horrible dream. (Johanna opens the door)

Johanna: Dawn. Are you okay? I heard screaming.

Dawn: Oh…it was just a bad dream.

Johanna: Listen Dawn. (She sits down) I didn’t get a chance to talk to you about this earlier, but about that paper you wrote…

Dawn: It was just my imagination. There was no meaning into that stupid story. None! Why is everyone making such a big deal about it?

Johanna: It’s just that Samuel and I are a little concerned.

Dawn: And now you’re calling him by his first name now?

Johanna: Principal Oak and I have a hunch that you think that there’s something between us. There’s nothing between us. I’m doing some extra cleaning duties around the school. This is for your trip to Europe! (Dawn groans) Anything else? (She shakes her head no) I’ll let you rest now. (She leaves the room)

Dawn: Oh man. (The next morning outside the front office)

Oak: Hello Laura.

Laura: Morning.

Oak: Say Laura, you’re friends with Dawn, right? (She gasps) Well I was wondering if you knew anything that I should know about her. I’m just a little concerned about her and this paper she recently wrote. I mean, if there was something going on at home!

Laura: I don’t know anything.

Oak: Well if you feel weird about anything, be sure to let me know.

Laura: Will do. (Thinking) That was a close one. This is the last time I put my neck on the line for Dawn.

Oak: (Sighs) Just a couple of more days until the weekend.

Forrest: Hey Principal Oak, congratulations on shacking up with Mrs. Berlitz!

Oak: Huh? (A little later in the hallways)

Dawn: Well…

Laura: Well what?

Dawn: Did you tell Principal Oak anything?

Laura: No, I didn’t. I had the perfect opportunity to do so and I caved in to spare your sorry ass! I should be shot for doing such an idiotic thing.

Dawn: I’m sorry.

Laura: Damn straight you are! (She walks away) I have lost all respect for you.

Dawn: Don’t be like that Laura.

Laura: (Sighs) Fine Dawn, I’m not going to tell him. But I think you should tell him yourself what you did. If the school finds out from someone else of your crime, they’ll kick you out. (Later near the front office)

Riley: Ooh, that’s Oak’s wife!

Conway: Wow, she’s pretty!

Riley: She sure is here a lot! I wonder if we’re going to see a cat-fight between her and Dawn’s mother over Principal Oak. (She opens the door)

Johanna: Oh are you here to see Principal Oak?

Delia: Yes I am.

Johanna: Oh I’ve seen your picture on his desk. You must be his wife! You’re a very lucky woman.

Delia: Thank you. (Principal Oak walks out)

Oak: Ready for lunch?

Delia: Samuel, I got a lot of strange looks from a lot of the students I walked passed coming here. Do I have something on my clothes or anything?

Oak: You look fine from what I can see. I don’t know what’s going on with students these days. Come on. (That night at Laura’s house)

Michelle: Hello Dawn. I’m sorry but Laura isn’t really feeling too well. She said that she doesn’t want to be bothered for the rest of the night.

Dawn: Actually, I want to speak to Marisa.

Michelle: Okay. (Shouting) Marisa, you have a visitor. (She walks out of her room)

Marisa: Who is it? Oh.

Michelle: I’ll be in the other room if you need me. (She leaves the area)

Marisa: Alright, now what the fuck are you doing here?

Dawn: Marisa, I came to apologize to you. I know what I did was wrong and I took the easy way out on this one. I should have used more common sense and buckle down and thought up of a story myself. I know you want to unleash your fury onto me. Well let me have it. I deserve it.

Marisa: (Sighs) I can’t do that Dawn. I have nosy neighbors who would call the police on me. Plus even if I wanted to, I just couldn’t do that. I’m not that kind of person. But don’t take this nice attitude of mine too seriously. You’re still on my shit-list for stealing one of my stories and one of my private stories no less. But apologizing to me is a good start. Now what’s your next move?

Dawn: I’m guessing it’s telling my teacher and Principal Oak.

Marisa: Might I suggest something Dawn?

Dawn: Will it help me stay in school?

Marisa: Depends if you’re willing to commit. (The next morning in Miss Prima’s classroom)

Miss Prima: Huh? What’s this? “Miss Prima, if it would be okay, I would like to replace my old paper with this new one. This one should explain everything.” Okay Dawn, let’s see what you’ve got.

Medea: It was a new story about a girl who was desperate for a good grade and takes the easy way out.

Miss Prima: (Reading) “And that girl…was me…” Tsk, tsk, tsk! Oh Dawn! (A little later in the principal’s office)

Oak: Now there’s a rumor going around school…

Johanna: Well it is a high school and there’s bound to be a few rumors flying around that aren't true Principal Oak. But whatever it is, I’m pretty confident that Dawn can overcome any kind of rumor.

Oak: I was referring to her story. Apparently, the whole school got an email of Dawn’s story. So now everyone thinks I’m cheating on my wife with you.

Johanna: I was wondering why I kept getting asked weird questions from several male students.

Oak: Yeah and the comments thrown my way were no better. Look, until this thing dies down I would like it if… (The door opens) Not now Miss Prima, we’re in the middle of something!

Miss Prima: This can’t wait! (A little later)

Johanna: Cheating? CHEATING?! I though I taught you better than this! What do you have to say for yourself?

Dawn: I’m sorry.

Johanna: Thanks to your actions, you took something that wasn’t yours, had the whole school believe there was something going on between me and the principal, and to top things off, you lied.

Miss Prima: Dawn, cheating is a very serious offence and…

Oak: Miss Prima, I would like to speak to Dawn by herself. It’s to discuss her punishment one-on-one. (Miss Prima and Johanna leave)

Dawn: I’m sorry Principal Oak. I’m sorry for plagiarizing the story. I’m sorry for having you all worry about my home life. I’m sorry this got out of hand.

Oak: Relax Dawn. I actually have an idea for your punishment. Since this is your first offence involving plagiarism, your punishment is going to be light. But you’re not off the hook, young lady. First of all, the new story you wrote…It is yours right?

Dawn: Yes, yes it is. I got help from a friend, but it’s my story.

Oak: This will be given a C-. Now that means you’re going to have to work your butt off to keep a decent average before the semester ends.

Dawn: Okay…

Oak: And now for part two…Normally, I would have you ride out a month of detention, but I have something else in mind. (At lunch)

Laura: So you get a C- and you still get to go to Europe? When did Principal Oak become such a softie?

Dawn: Yeah, but you didn’t hear the part that stinks. I have to do the janitorial work for the rest of this semester and half of the next one.

Laura: Serves you right. I hope you learned your lesson.

Dawn: I did. I’ll never borrow your cousin’s papers again. I’ll go to Conway for that one.

Laura: (Sighs) You suck!

Dawn: I’m kidding. I won’t cheat again. Promise!

Laura: …I guess I can buy that. So what kind of janitorial work will he have you doing?

Dawn: He didn’t say. I figure it’s just cleaning floors like sweeping and moping. (After school)

Oak: Now the boy’s bathroom on the first floor needs some TLC. And by all means, take your time.

Dawn: …I can do this…I can do this. (Enters the room) OH MY GOD! WHAT THE HELL IS THAT ON THE CEILING?!

~*Preview*~

Marisa: (Sighs) It’s been about three months since Tracey and I split and…I have to admit that it still eats me up inside that he’s still with that blonde whore. My writings however have become a lot more interesting because of the change in events. Though my love life is at a complete stand still! But with this date with Lucian, could things change? Next time on Romance 102, Chapter 17…See you next time!