Guilt is Funny [OPEN]

[Millie Monroe]

Tiptoeing towards the courtyard, Millie made sure to look around. No one in sight -- well, not no one but just a few people who didn't know her well. Wait, didn't know her well? Wasn't she one of the popular girls in Wellspring Academy? She shook her head. Nevermind that. Making her way towards the fountain set in the middle of the courtyard. As her legs brought her out to the open, she couldn't help but feel exposed. Pulling her scarf up, covering her nose and lips. Looking around cautiously yet again, she sat down by the fountain, letting the wet grass staining her jeans.

Pulling out a book from her slingbag, she removed the bookmark and started reading. She couldn't even concentrate on reading Pride and Prejudice because her mind kept nagging at her on how pathetic it was for her to skip class just so she could read. Being around her group, it was impossible to pull out a book (if it's not Seventeen magazine) and get comments or stares. No, skipping class was the only choice -- a stupid choice, that is. There were no teachers in sight, and the other students were just those who had free period. Even if a teacher caught her, she would just say she had free period.

Sighing to herself, she put her head down, letting her curls fall over her face, masking it. As other people continued to mind their own business, walking around in front of her, around her, she felt so very exposed. She hated this. Even reading would make her feel guilty right now. Reading felt like a crime if she was caught now. Sighing exasperatedly, she pushed the thoughts out of her mind and focused mind on the words. She loved Jane Austen and all her literary works. Now, why don't most people appreciate literature anymore?

[Jake Riggs]

A wide smile was planted upon his face, his bright blue eyes admiring the beauty of the weather. In all honesty, what could be better than this? Another new year and start to the Academy had begun, and once more, students reign under the affliction of their lessons and friends, something he couldn't help but smile at and watch their laughter with. His fine golden short hair waved slightly, allowing the wind to take it as he walked carefully, passing by few students, giving them a small wave, watching as they too returned with a hearty smile and a wave of their own. It pleased him much, to see his students so happy, so at peace within his Academy, and that was exactly what he was aiming for. An Academy of success and joy within his students.

It wasn't until he noticed, a young lady, a girl seemingly somewhat uptight but by her appearance, pleasured by her rank within the Academy's walls. To be honest, he couldn't help but find some interest in how the students deciphered themselves from each other, how the reality of life was today. With that continuous smile, he manoeuvred his steps, carefully aiding his way over toward her quietly. As his steps became closer within every inch, somehow, he knew that fact of hers, buried within the depths of her book. Ah, Millie. Millie Monroe. A fine young girl, had some depth to her, and by the looks, it seemed once again, she was skipping her assigned lesson. But to anyone that knew Mr. Riggs, would know well enough how kindly hearted he was in a sense when it came to discipline.

"Ah, Miss. Monroe." his smile never fading as he let out a small light laugh, his hands firmly wedged within his pockets. "Skipping again are we?" he gave her a small wink, showing that, he understood before he gave a sigh, relaxing himself. "I wish I could do the same." his blue eyes darting to watch another teacher walk past, giving a nod in greeting before resuming attention back to her. "Understand that I can't keep saving your hide." his words were soft and gentle, no threat, nothing was found within his tone as he spoke. "They'll have me for it." a small hint of laughter was given off. Who knew.. that the Head Master.. could be so appreciative? Respective? Understanding when a fault like this had approached? "But for now. I'll let ya off." he stated as he softly took a seat besides her, his smile never seeming to fade no matter the situation.

Who could ask for a better Head Master, than one like Mr. Riggs?

[Millie Monroe]

Millie had just finished the eleventh chapter of the book before she decided to put it down for awhile. She knew what was coming next; she had read it countless of times. She bought Pride and Prejudice five years ago and the worn out cover was proof of that. It was her favourite book out of all the books she had. Every line she read, she memorized but it never bored her. It could never lose her interest.

Opening the book and burying her nose in it again, she read on, every line so predictable but not failing to surprise her. Reading was her one and only escape. Through the characters, she could free herself from being Millie Monroe and be whoever the book tells her to be. She was, in this case, Elizabeth Bennet right now.

"Ah, Miss Monroe,"

She gasped and dropped her book, looking up. It was Mr. Riggs. Enrolling in Wellspring Academy only in her junior year, she didn't know the headmaster that well. Many had told her he was the laid back, cool kind of headmaster -- which was rare. She had only seen him in the hallways a few times and each time, she and her posse always knew how to dodge him. It was her idea, of course, to dodge him. They could care less.

"Skipping again are we? I wish I could do the same."

Her eyes widen. "How did you know?" she gasped. "Sir," she quickly added.

"But for now, I'll let ya off." he said as he sat down next to her.

She was surprised but she didn't move away. Mr. Riggs had instantly proved he was a friend to her -- like he had proven countless times to many other students in the academy. It was because of his assuring smile that she knew if she were to tell him any secrets, it would all be safe with him.

"I'm sorry, sir." she blushed. "Uhm, I... I didn't mean to skip. But... how did you know i had been skipping?"

[Jake Riggs]

"How did you know?" ... "Sir,"To those words, he laughed lightly, his bright blue eyes lifting to meet hers, seeming to set a calm atmosphere around him. After all, Jake had been known to give off that calming feeling around pretty much everyone that he had met here at Wellspring, even the newbies, just like Miss Monroe here. Even if he did not know her well enough, he had some knowledge enough to understand her style.

"I'm sorry, sir." he regained attention back to her, listening carefully, his face given off a somewhat worried yet forgiving expression. "Uhm, I... I didn't mean to skip. But... how did you know i had been skipping?" His smile only seemed to grow before he released a contented sigh, giving off that he knew well enough that she was skipping, after all, he'd seen that guilt trip several times, it all depends on how well the student handles this guilt, and it seemed, Miss Monroe was having slight trouble.

"Trust me. After many years of being here at Wellspring. I tend to see it quite easily within my students." he stated as he diverted his eyes off, nodding to a few teachers that passed by, until once again, the silence hit them. With that, he leant back upon the bench, relaxing himself calmly, watching the soft settlement of the area that surrounded the Academy and it's boundaries, watching as the silence settled in once more for a few seconds, that was until he spoke once more, a gentle tone to his voice to reassure her if it were.

"But I understand how tough it can be. I don't mind, as long as you catch up, and in all honesty, I know many students do." his smile widened as he glanced aside to her before giving her another wink. "Otherwise, they will have Mr. Riggs after their sorry butts." a light laugh lifted in the air as he finished. It seemed, no matter how one was to try, Jake always had that uplifting side to his personality, which made him one heck of a Head Master.

[Millie Monroe]

"Trust me. After many years of being here at Wellspring. I tend to see it quite easily within my students."

She sighed and leaned back. "Wow," she blurted out. "I guess everyone was telling the truth; you are a cool headmaster. I mean, most teachers say that but they really don't mean it."

She watched as Mr. Riggs waved to a few teachers who walked past. None of them seemed curious or surprised to have him sitting and chatting with a student; Millie supposed they were used to seeing it -- which was another proof of what all the other students had been saying about him.

"But I understand how tough it can be. I don't mind, as long as you catch up, and in all honesty, I know many students do. Otherwise, they will have Mr. Riggs after their sorry butts."

She nodded her head vigorously. "Definitely, Mr. Riggs. I'm only skipping Social Studies. I won't skip any other classes unless I feel that I can catch up easily. I promise. I mean, I could skip Gym out of pure spite but I don't think I want to fail."

After sitting in silence for a few more minutes, she sighed and ran her hands through her hair. "When does it end?" she suddenly asked. "I mean, I know for me, I'll be graduating this semester, so it'll end soon. But, I mean, when does this end? The cliques, the bullying, the stereotyping -- you know? Ever since I came here last semester... You've seen my file, Mr. Riggs. You know how many schools I've been through. And all of them, I noticed, they're all the same. The system is the same -- and no one's bothering to change it."

She sighed and shook her head. "Sorry. I'm getting into a whole lecture there."

[Jake Riggs]

"Wow," ... "I guess everyone was telling the truth; you are a cool headmaster. I mean, most teachers say that but they really don't mean it." He had heard that quite a lot, after all, rumours do spread quite fast within the boundaries of the Academy. Merely, to it, his smile only seem to widen until he nodded lightly, taking in her words in appreciation and thanks. "Definitely, Mr. Riggs. I'm only skipping Social Studies. I won't skip any other classes unless I feel that I can catch up easily. I promise. I mean, I could skip Gym out of pure spite but I don't think I want to fail." Shaking his head lightly, another one of his familiar joyful chuckles filled the air once more, lifting the atmosphere entirely again.

"When does it end?" to that, he looked at her again, his expression revealing confusion instead as he listened very carefully to her next words. "I mean, I know for me, I'll be graduating this semester, so it'll end soon. But, I mean, when does this end? The cliques, the bullying, the stereotyping -- you know? Ever since I came here last semester... You've seen my file, Mr. Riggs. You know how many schools I've been through. And all of them, I noticed, they're all the same. The system is the same -- and no one's bothering to change it." .. Amazing. Shaking his head very lightly he grinned to her before looking off within the distance, facing away as he thought momentarily, reading it over in his head, but he was soon distracted as she spoke again.

"Sorry. I'm getting into a whole lecture there." A small sigh escaped him as he begun, his voice and tone softer than ever. "Students will forever decipher each other as unique individuals, and there is nothing that can change that, not teachers, not even the power of the law. Heck, even I have my own considered clique in this powerful community, I am just another individual out there, but as you can see, most new students will see me differently, will think once about their thoughts and assume the worst, assume that I am just another strict teacher. But it's not until we get to know someone that we can see who they truly are. It's not the clique that makes us who we are, it's us." he nodded before turning to face her.

"There is no change to the reality that we live in Miss Minroe." to that he shrugged before smiling once more. "Might I ask why this has become a concern to a popular girl like you?" he stated with another wink.

[Millie Monroe]

"Students will forever decipher each other as unique individuals, and there is nothing that can change that, not teachers, not even the power of the law." Mr. Riggs had replied.Millie bit her lip and looked at her feet. Well, of course everyone is unique, Millie couldn't deny that. She knew, as her mother had always said to her, everyone has their own special light to shine. It's wrong to stop someone from showing their potential because everyone deserves that chance -- that much Millie understood but the rest of her friends did not.

"Heck, even I have my own considered clique in this powerful community, I am just another individual out there, but as you can see, most new students will see me differently, will think once about their thoughts and assume the worst, assume that I am just another strict teacher. But it's not until we get to know someone that we can see who they truly are. It's not the clique that makes us who we are, it's us."

Millie blushed. She was one of 'them'; those students who had initially thought Mr. Riggs as a strict teacher. Well, how could one blame her? Teachers like Mr. Riggs were rare, and so she had her doubts. After going through seven other schools filled with strict, stern teachers, it was hard for her to believe the other students so easily.

'It's not the clique that makes us who we are, it's us,' she thought about Mr. Riggs words over and over again. He was right and Millie knew it, but why couldn't she admit it? Why couldn't she break free from her own clique?

"There is no change in the reality we live in, Miss Monroe," he stated. "Might I ask why this has become a concern to a popular girl like you?"

She bit her lip harder and blushed. She hated being called a "popular girl" because truth of the matter is, she hated being a popular person. Every eye is trained on her because she's supposed to be 100% perfection. No mistakes.

She shrugged. "My thoughts and opinions aren't as mutual as my friends, Mr. Riggs. Just because I'm in the same clique as them, it doesn't mean I'm a clone. I have opinions. I have feelings. And, I have dreams. But all of them I have to hide." She looked back up. "I'm sure, may it be in the back of everyone's mind, I'm sure that all of them have concerns for this issue, sir. "

[Jake Riggs]

Somehow, he knew his words had sunk in one way or another, and the pure concentration that her expression gave off led him to believe as such. To it, he smiled, watching her as she zoned into her concentration for a moment until she resumed to reality, and to it, he listened carefully once again. After all, Mr. Riggs had a fond habit of enjoying what other students had to say, it gave him more meaning to get to know them more, their way of life and their unique style that makes them themselves, that way, he knew what path to lead them down, and give them the success of their future that each and everyone of his students so solemnly deserved.

"My thoughts and opinions aren't as mutual as my friends, Mr. Riggs. Just because I'm in the same clique as them, it doesn't mean I'm a clone. I have opinions. I have feelings. And, I have dreams. But all of them I have to hide." He nodded before sighing lightly, his sapphire eyes lifting to watch the beauty of two birds dart past in the warmth of the summer skies, and with that, he leant back and relaxed again. "Of course it doesn't mean you are the same Miss Monroe." he stated, showing her that he understood and was clearly on the same path as she, and by now, that smile had faded, and an expression of seriousness was shown, yet, it was a comforting one.

"But who says that you have to hide those dreams?" his words gentle before he turned to face her once more as if desiring a response, but still, for the calm atmosphere that he gave off, it did not sound demanding at all. "You can do whatever your heart desires, let it take you to where you want to go. Don't let others hold you back." he nodded to her. "Just because others are preventing you, it does not mean you have to let them." his smile withdrew, and he gave her another one of his reassuring winks. "Once in a while, it's nice to let others know who you really are, tell them, show them. It is your life, and you run it the way you want too."

Whether or not she took this information was also up to her, he himself as the Head Master could not force the words into her mind, it was another part of choice in life, deciding if to take it or to forget it, and right now, he was offering many words that he knew students would take. Many times before he'd had this discussion, and each one of those students he had spoken with had changed their life routines in ways he had never expected or imagined. By this time, Jake was so consumed in the matter of discussing this with her that he had completely forgotten about the paper work he was supposed to be doing. Ah, who cares about it anyway? With a smile of that thought, he relaxed once more, staring out at the beautiful view before him.

After all, it was his choice to do what he wanted, was it not?