Chapter 44: Chapter 44: If You Do This Again, You’ll Kneel at Ho
The security guard looked at Jared Zimrman. "What class are you in? Show
your school ID."
Jared Zimrman didn’t move, one hand stuffed in his pocket, looking like he dared anyone to bother him. "Don’t have one."
The security guard: "..."
Thinking back, he realized Jared hadn’t actually climbed over.
"Get back, all of you! Always up to no good instead of focusing on your studies. Climbing the school walls!!"
Once they were a good distance from the tuck shop, Anna Willow let out a sigh of relief. "That scared
to death. I almost thought they were going to call our parents."
Holly Winslow was shaken, too. Wyatt Winslow had just praised her last week; if her parents got called this week, she’d definitely be in for a lecture.
The scare had completely killed their craving for milk tea.
At so point, Jared Zimrman had walked up beside Holly Winslow. He let out a disdainful "Heh." "Trying to climb a wall when you don’t even know how." With that, he walked straight past them.
Holly Winslow: "..."
’Jared Zimrman, can you please act like a decent human being for once?’
...
During evening self-study, the students were reciting English when Julian Carlton clapped his hands for them to stop.
With a stern face, he scanned the room, his gaze lingering on the girls who were usually the most disobedient. "I hear our class has produced three heroines. Why don’t you stand up so everyone can have a look?"
The entire class looked around, but no one stood up.
"The three heroines who climbed the wall, stand up. Everyone, let’s give them a round of applause."
Hearing the word "heroines," Holly Winslow’s hand faltered as she was writing a chemical symbol. She turned to look at Anna Willow and Iris Kensington and saw that they were already standing.
She: "..."
Mr. Carlton was just about to say there was one more, but the next mont, he saw Holly Winslow stand up from her seat in the front row.
He: "..."
He looked at Holly Winslow for a few monts longer. "I never would have guessed it was you three. I was thinking of a few other students."
"Yes, very good. Class, take a good look at these three heroines. In all my years of teaching, this is the first ti I’ve had female students caught by security for climbing the school wall."
"Class, let’s have a round of applause for our three heroines: Holly Winslow, Iris Kensington, and Anna Willow."
Instantly, a wave of applause filled the classroom.
Holly Winslow: "..."
Iris Kensington: "..."
Anna Willow: "..."
All three of them hung their heads low.
Mr. Carlton continued, "A wall that’s over five and a half feet tall... and you girls are so small. Weren’t you afraid of falling?" He was starting to get genuinely angry.
"Holly Winslow, why don’t you tell the class about your experience climbing the wall."
Having been singled out, Holly lowered her head even further, her fingers twisting the hem of her clothes in silence.
Mr. Carlton lectured them in front of the whole class for several minutes before calling them out onto the corridor for a private reprimand.
"What were you climbing out to do? Couldn’t you have just asked
for a pass?"
"Holly Winslow, you tell , why did you climb the wall?"
Holly Winslow t his gaze with a sheepish expression and remained silent. ’She could hardly admit they went out to buy milk tea.’
Seeing her silence, Mr. Carlton grew exasperated. "Holly Winslow, I was just praising you recently for becoming so much more well-behaved. Is this how you repay ?"
"Mr. Carlton, I was wrong," Holly Winslow apologized sincerely.
Mr. Carlton’s anger subsided sowhat. He glanced at the three girls. "I’m still going to have to call your parents about this. Don’t let it happen again. Now, hurry back to class."
If anything had happened to them after they’d climbed out, he, as their horoom teacher, would be held responsible. He had to take this seriously, for their own good.
The three girls’ faces fell instantly, but they didn’t dare say a word as they trudged dejectedly back into the classroom.
He managed to get through to the fathers of Anna Willow and Iris Kensington, but Wyatt Winslow’s line was unreachable. After trying seven or eight tis, Mr. Carlton checked his watch. It should be after school at Jarton High, so he decided to call Mortir Quincy.
When the call connected, he spoke in a mild tone, "Is this Mortir Quincy? I’m Holly Winslow’s horoom teacher."
"Hello, Mr. Carlton."
Mortir Quincy put down his pen and strode out of the room.
"Here’s the situation," Mr. Carlton said. "Holly was seen climbing the school wall with so classmates today. I’ve been trying to call her father, but I can’t get through. Mortir, could you please let soone in her family know that they need to co to the school tomorrow around noon?"
’Climbing the wall?’
Mortir Quincy frowned. "Mr. Carlton, can I co instead? They’re busy."
Mr. Carlton hesitated. ’Her older cousin counts as a guardian, I suppose.’ He said, "Yes, that’s fine. But Mortir, will that be convenient for you?"
Years later, the mory of this event would bring a wry, bitter tear to his eye.
A boyfriend, attending a parent-teacher conference for his girlfriend!
"It’s no problem." Mortir Quincy tugged at the collar of his sweater with one hand.
After hanging up, he sent Holly a few ssages. She hadn’t replied by the ti class started, and she still hadn’t replied by the ti he got ho.
’Her phone must be dead.’
He tossed his phone onto the bed, grabbed a change of clothes, and went to take a shower.
After lights-out, Holly Winslow fumbled for her phone, only to find it had shut down. ’No wonder Wyatt Winslow didn’t call .’
Anna Willow and Iris Kensington both got calls from their fathers and were thoroughly chewed out for several minutes.
...
「Noon」
Two parents in their thirties or forties were sitting with a sixteen-year-old boy for a parent-teacher conference.
Worried that other teachers would find out about Holly and her friends climbing the wall, Mr. Carlton had scheduled the eting specifically during lunch, when most teachers were away. He closed his office door and gravely explained the seriousness of their actions.
He didn’t want the girls to get a beating when they went ho, so he put in a few good words for them. "These three are normally very well-behaved, and they’re attentive in class."
Iris Kensington’s father had rushed over from the police station without even changing his clothes. Looking very stern, he said, "Don’t worry, Mr. Carlton. I’ll be sure to discipline her properly when we get ho."
Anna Willow’s father also nodded in agreent.
Mr. Carlton turned to Mortir Quincy. Mortir nodded. "I’ll have a talk with her when we get ho."
Having received their assurances, Mr. Carlton didn’t take up any more of their ti and saw them out of his office.
Anna Willow’s and Iris Kensington’s fathers still had to get back to work, so they rushed out of the school gates.
When Holly Winslow returned from lunch, she saw Mortir Quincy leaning with both hands on the corridor railing. His hair had gotten a little long, falling softly over his eyes.
A thick black hoodie, black pants, and white sneakers—it was a simple outfit, but he always managed to look far more handso than other boys his age.
’Probably had sothing to do with his face.’
Girls from the class next door were stealing glances at him, so more subtly than others. A couple of them even walked past him, only to turn around and walk by again.
She handed her lunch container to Anna Willow, walked over to him, and poked him in the side with a single finger. "What are you doing here?" she whispered.
Mortir Quincy turned his head. Holly was wearing a white, padded jacket today with a red scarf that covered her chin, making her face look a little rounder. It was rather cute.
He reached out and gently tapped her on the forehead, his voice ltingly smooth. "Attending my wife’s parent-teacher conference."
"What did you climb out of school for?"
Holly Winslow stuck out her tongue sheepishly. "To get milk tea," she said in a small voice.
She breathed an inward sigh of relief. ’Thank goodness it wasn’t Wyatt Winslow.’
Mortir Quincy: "..."
He laughed in spite of his exasperation. The hand that had tapped her forehead moved to pinch her cheek. "Real ambitious, aren’t we? Climbing the school wall for a cup of milk tea."
Holly Winslow: "..."
She pouted, expressing her displeasure.
’They were so plump and red... strangely alluring.’
Mortir Quincy stared at her for a few seconds before forcing himself to look away. ’If I keep looking, I’m going to end up kissing a minor.’ "Later, your hubby will go order a month’s worth of milk tea for you. You can just pick it up at the school gate during lunch from now on."
"Thanks, hubby." Holly habitually tugged on his sleeve, giving it a couple of shakes as she wheedled in a soft voice.
Seeing her act like this, Mortir couldn’t resist reaching out to ruffle her hair again. But then he suddenly glimpsed Mr. Carlton appearing at the top of the stairwell and calmly withdrew his hand.
His voice returned to a normal volu. "Just make sure you know you were wrong. If there’s a next ti, you’ll be on your knees when you get ho."
Holly Winslow: "..."
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