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Authors: Margaree King Mitchell
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want.”
“Wooooo!” By then a crowd had gathered around. “Fight!”
“Fight!”
“Your dad’s a thief! He takes money from innocent people who trust him.”
Whack!
Before I knew it, I’d slapped her.
She clutched her face in horror.
Jared and Rick stepped from the crowd and ushered Steffy away.
“Who does she think she is?” Callie said. “She should’ve known better. We always have each other’s back.”
I appreciated Callie, Melanie, and Stacie more than ever. I’m sure the crowd was rooting for Steffy. They were ready for us to go at it. I meant for my remark about her driving cars for only a couple of weeks to hurt. She never had her own car. I, at least, had my own car for a while. And now I was driving Mom’s car, which we owned. I didn’t have to change cars every couple of weeks to appear as if I were more than I was. Everybody knew she was a pretender. She wasn’t fooling anybody. The loss of her friendship didn’t matter anymore.
But I didn’t mean to hit her.
The rest of the day I avoided Steffy. If I saw her coming down the hall, I turned and went the other way, even if it took longer to get to my destination.
Mrs. Clancy called me into her office. She had lunch delivered for both of us. She asked me how I was doing and we engaged in small talk about my classes until we had finished eating.
As we discarded our trash, she paused briefly before speaking, a tender touch to her voice.
“I heard about the unpleasantness in the parking lot this morning.”
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean for it to get out of hand.” I was so embarrassed. Mortified.
Mrs. Clancy looked at me with all her wisdom. “Sometimes things can get heated, even if we don’t want them to. Sometimes it’s best to walk away, even if we run the risk of appearing weak. But sometimes it’s best to let people know that they can’t walk all over us, even if we run the risk of breaking school rules.
“What I really suggest is that you have faith and trust God to fight your battles. From the many confrontations I’ve had with education administrators during my career, I know God will not let your enemies triumph over you. I wouldn’t be principal here if He’d let my enemies win.” Mrs. Clancy smiled.
A weak smile formed on my lips.
“Do you know what I mean?” she asked.
I nodded and stood up. “Thanks for lunch.”
“Sometimes it’s best to take a break from your usual routine and have lunch with the principal.”
“I won’t let it happen again,” I said.
She put an arm around my shoulder and walked me to the door. “You are a fine young lady, Lauren Moffit. Don’t ever forget it.”
Jay was walking with Rick and Jared ahead of me. I ran to catch up.
“Jay, can I talk to you?”
“Sure, what’s up?” He kept walking.
“I need to talk to you about something.”
“Walk with me.”
He could be so infuriating.
Rick and Jared had smirks on their faces. It was obvious Jay had no intention of talking to me without them around.
“I’m not going to run for treasurer,” I said.
“Oh, OK,” he said, relief spreading across his face. “I’ll see if Steffy wants to take your place.”
No protest. No objection. No nothing.
He, Jared, and Rick went on their way.
14
After school, I felt the urge to take my car, Mom’s car, on the road. I needed to get away. It wasn’t like me to have a public argument. That wasn’t me. Steffy infuriated me so. Still, that wasn’t a reason to act lower class. I was ashamed of myself. I wasn’t acting like a Moffit. Still…I had to check her.
I headed east towards Columbia, a bustling college town. Dad had put half a tank of gas in the car when he had used it last night while his car was in the shop. Ordinarily he would have rented a car but said renting would be a waste of money since his car would be ready today. I looked at the gas gauge, remaining steady on the half line indicator. I should have enough gas
“Wooooo!” By then a crowd had gathered around. “Fight!”
“Fight!”
“Your dad’s a thief! He takes money from innocent people who trust him.”
Whack!
Before I knew it, I’d slapped her.
She clutched her face in horror.
Jared and Rick stepped from the crowd and ushered Steffy away.
“Who does she think she is?” Callie said. “She should’ve known better. We always have each other’s back.”
I appreciated Callie, Melanie, and Stacie more than ever. I’m sure the crowd was rooting for Steffy. They were ready for us to go at it. I meant for my remark about her driving cars for only a couple of weeks to hurt. She never had her own car. I, at least, had my own car for a while. And now I was driving Mom’s car, which we owned. I didn’t have to change cars every couple of weeks to appear as if I were more than I was. Everybody knew she was a pretender. She wasn’t fooling anybody. The loss of her friendship didn’t matter anymore.
But I didn’t mean to hit her.
The rest of the day I avoided Steffy. If I saw her coming down the hall, I turned and went the other way, even if it took longer to get to my destination.
Mrs. Clancy called me into her office. She had lunch delivered for both of us. She asked me how I was doing and we engaged in small talk about my classes until we had finished eating.
As we discarded our trash, she paused briefly before speaking, a tender touch to her voice.
“I heard about the unpleasantness in the parking lot this morning.”
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean for it to get out of hand.” I was so embarrassed. Mortified.
Mrs. Clancy looked at me with all her wisdom. “Sometimes things can get heated, even if we don’t want them to. Sometimes it’s best to walk away, even if we run the risk of appearing weak. But sometimes it’s best to let people know that they can’t walk all over us, even if we run the risk of breaking school rules.
“What I really suggest is that you have faith and trust God to fight your battles. From the many confrontations I’ve had with education administrators during my career, I know God will not let your enemies triumph over you. I wouldn’t be principal here if He’d let my enemies win.” Mrs. Clancy smiled.
A weak smile formed on my lips.
“Do you know what I mean?” she asked.
I nodded and stood up. “Thanks for lunch.”
“Sometimes it’s best to take a break from your usual routine and have lunch with the principal.”
“I won’t let it happen again,” I said.
She put an arm around my shoulder and walked me to the door. “You are a fine young lady, Lauren Moffit. Don’t ever forget it.”
Jay was walking with Rick and Jared ahead of me. I ran to catch up.
“Jay, can I talk to you?”
“Sure, what’s up?” He kept walking.
“I need to talk to you about something.”
“Walk with me.”
He could be so infuriating.
Rick and Jared had smirks on their faces. It was obvious Jay had no intention of talking to me without them around.
“I’m not going to run for treasurer,” I said.
“Oh, OK,” he said, relief spreading across his face. “I’ll see if Steffy wants to take your place.”
No protest. No objection. No nothing.
He, Jared, and Rick went on their way.
14
After school, I felt the urge to take my car, Mom’s car, on the road. I needed to get away. It wasn’t like me to have a public argument. That wasn’t me. Steffy infuriated me so. Still, that wasn’t a reason to act lower class. I was ashamed of myself. I wasn’t acting like a Moffit. Still…I had to check her.
I headed east towards Columbia, a bustling college town. Dad had put half a tank of gas in the car when he had used it last night while his car was in the shop. Ordinarily he would have rented a car but said renting would be a waste of money since his car would be ready today. I looked at the gas gauge, remaining steady on the half line indicator. I should have enough gas
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