Read Online SNOW GLOBE by Jeanne Skartsiaris - Free Book Online

question, Sleeping Beauty?” Mrs. Dempsey sneered.
    “I’m sorry, could you repeat the question?” Aja asked, still shaking sleep off.
    “No, I will not. If you can’t stay awake for my class, then maybe you should spend some time in the principal’s office.”
    “Maybe if your class was interesting I’d be wide-eyed and bushy tailed.” Aja crossed her arms defiantly and stared at the teacher.
    The other kids snickered and whispered.
    “I’ll let Mr. Carlisle know you’re coming.” Mrs. Dempsey snapped her fingers and pointed to the door. “Go on.” She clucked and shook her head. “Such a waste of a life. You only have yourself to blame for your troubles.”
    Aja wasn’t going to beg for mercy. She stood up, grabbed her books and bag and stormed out of the classroom.
    Aja flopped into a chair outside the principal’s office. The same chair she’d been in when she’d overheard them talking about her. The door opened and Principal Carlisle walked out with another student. Aja recognized him as the quarterback of the football team.
    “Get your grades up, son.” Principal Carlisle patted the boy on his back. “We need you on the team. You might have to miss a few of the pre-season games next fall because of the DUI, but we’ll help get you back on track.”
    “Yes, sir,” the kid said as he left.
    Aja shook her head. This kid had been caught drinking during the season. Now the principal was going to help him so he could continue to play football? What a whiff.
    “You again? You want an indefinite suspension? It’d sure be easier on all of us.”
    “Would I get my high school diploma with it?” Aja shot back.
    “No, of course not. But if you’re as smart as Mrs. Burnett says, then maybe you’ll ace your GED.”
    “Too bad I don’t play football. Sounds like I’d get some extra help if I did.”
    “Don’t smart talk me, young lady. “
    “Aja, how about we take a few minutes to talk.” Mrs. Burnett appeared from her office. “Mr. Carlisle, I need to meet with Aja anyway. Let me visit with her.”
    “Send her back to me when you’re done.” Principal Carlisle waved her on. “Did you pay the stolen money back yet?”
    “Not yet. I will as soon as I get paid,” Aja said quietly.
    “She’s working on it,” Mrs. Burnett said.
    “Another good reason to suspend you,” Carlisle threatened.
    Aja and Mrs. Burnett went into the counselor’s office and sat. Mrs. Burnett clicked on her computer and opened Aja’s school record.
    “Aja, I know you can do the schoolwork.” She looked directly at her. “You’re smarter than most of the students here. Your scores are way above average as are all your aptitude tests. I don’t want to see someone as talented as you fall through the cracks. What can I do to help you?”
    Aja just sat and shrugged.
    “Mrs. Dempsey emailed us that you’d fallen asleep in her class and you talk back to her all the time. What’s going on?” Mrs. Burnett sounded sincere. “Are you working or just out late?”
    “Working,” Aja mumbled.
    “What job keeps you out so late?” Mrs. Burnett put her elbows on the desk and tried to make eye contact with Aja.
    “Pole dancer.”
    Mrs. Burnett jerked backward. “Oh, Aja, I hope not. Why, you’re not old enough to get into those places. What about your mother…”
    Aja remembered Mrs. Burnett going to bat for her with Dempsey and Carlisle, not to mention bailing her out with the forty dollars she’d stolen. “I’m not working as a stripper.” Aja slouched lower in her chair. “Just as a waitress.”
    “ Just a waitress? That’s a tough job. I’d be sawing logs at my desk, too.”
    Aja smiled a little.
    “Are you planning on going to college?”
    “Yeah, I think. I want to get out of high school first.”
    “Good point.” Mrs. Burnett began typing on her computer again. “You need to get through these next two months without missing any more school or assignments, and you’ll have to learn to deal