TIME & TIED: AWARENESS

ARC 1.4 - Of Herself

PART 22b: LOCKER UP 2

"I'm cutting class," Tim replied, looking disturbed. "I’m supposed to be in Geography. Clarke's probably wondering if anything's happened to me by now."

"Tim! Is this, like, something to do with the locker?" Chartreuse pressed.

She now recalled that, at the beginning of the music period, Corry had needed to return to his locker to get his music. Of course, a perfect opportunity! All Chartreuse could say in her defence was that apparently Luci, who was also in their class, hadn't picked up on his action either.

Tim nodded in reply. "Yeah. I noticed Julie was out of class for at least fifteen minutes at one point. It occurred to me that maybe she knew something, so I figured why not, I excused myself to go to the bathroom and went by both Carrie and Julie's lockers. Just to see. One of the science teachers was at Carrie's, and as I went by I saw him take something out of it." Tim shifted his weight back and forth uneasily.

"Nuts,” Chartreuse cursed. "Then we've missed it. Did you at least notice what the something was?"

Tim nodded again. "Mr. Fisk tried to hide it from me and g-got upset that I was in the hallways between class, but I saw. It... it was a little bag of drugs, Chartreuse. Like, an assortment of p-prescription medications."

Chartreuse felt her throat go truly dry. "Dear God," she whispered. "What are we going to do about that?”

The public address system came on with closing announcements for the day. The very first one was a request for Carrie Waterson and Julie LaMille to come to the principal's office immediately. Tim bit his lip. "Apparently, nothing," he observed.

***

"I wonder what the hell this is about," Carrie groused to Julie as the two of them walked to the office. "Do you think it’s Corry's doing?"

"Yes. I do."

Something in Julie's tone made Carrie stop in her tracks and turn towards her friend. "Julie... you know what's going on here?"

"Yes. I do."

Carrie frowned slightly. "Well, care to let me in on things before we face ol' Hunt?"

Julie stopped a few paces away and turned back to face Carrie. Her eyes were cold and unfeeling. "No. I don't," she said simply.

Carrie felt a shudder run down her back. She forced out a smile. "Uh, Julie? You're starting to unnerve me here."

Julie didn't bat an eyelash. "Yes. I am."

Carrie visibly flinched. "Julie, what's going on? I thought things were getting back to normal between us."

"Yes. You did."

"Damn it, will you stop that?"

"Stop what?"

"You know what! Speaking so... so terse and ominously. What's going on? What's about to happen?"

Julie appeared to size up Carrie for a moment. "Let me tell you a story, Carrie," she began slowly. "There was once a very powerful wizard. This wizard had an apprentice."

"Julie..."

"One day," Julie continued undaunted, "the apprentice was tempted away from the wizard's castle. However, the girl quickly realized the error of her ways and returned, seeking the wizard's forgiveness. The wizard, being a kind sort, took the apprentice back in."

"And they lived happily ever after?" Carrie offered. She attempted to follow up her comment with a laugh but the intensity behind Julie's stare caused the noise to die in her throat.

"No,” Julie stated. "The apprentice then stabbed the wizard in the back, deciding she'd really preferred that other way of life after all. Demonstrating the true danger of trust, and the folly of the wizard in not striking first.”

Julie took a deep breath. “Carrie, you’ve changed. You will get no help from me in this affair against Corry. It's really a pity you weren't more up front with me from the very beginning."

"Julie, this isn't funny."

"No. It's not."

"STOP THAT!"

"Hey, pipe down in the hall please, the bell hasn't quite rung yet," came the annoyed voice of a teacher, poking his head out of a nearby classroom.

"We're moving on," Julie assured, spinning on her heel and continuing towards the office.

"Julie... Julie, wait, you were called to the office too," Carrie pointed out, hurrying to catch up. "You've been implicated. What are you going to do about that?”

“Nothing. I’ve been called in due to a slightly different personal matter."

"You sound awful sure of that."

"Yes. I am."

The chill Carrie felt seemed to be taking up permanent residence inside her. "You knew what Corry would do,” she realized. "Yet you never had any intention of helping me get out of it.”

Julie said nothing.

"For how long have you felt this way towards me, Julie, since Sunday? Longer? Why, Julie? We've been friends for two years. Why are you ending it this way, why didn't you just tell me it was over on the weekend??"

Julie merely kept walking, so Carrie reached out to grab her by the arm. "Damn it, Julie, I deserve an answer!"

Julie turned, and something about her stance made Carrie not only release the brunette but take a physical step back. "If you must know," Julie said coolly, "The reasoning was simple." The corners of her mouth turned up. "Doing it this way allows me to see the priceless expression you've got on your face."

The bell rang signifying the end of the school day.

***

"What's going on, Corry?" Luci said, looking at him pointedly as the two of them finished cleaning and putting away their flutes. "Are you responsible for Carrie and Julie being called to the office?"

There had to be something amiss, given how Chartreuse had yet to return from her supposed drink.

Corry smirked. "What business is that of yours?" he retorted. Luci opened her mouth to reply, but Corry cut her off with a wave of his hand. "I'm not saying anything. Word about this stuff always gets out, you’ll have to wait along with everyone else." Luci frowned as he turned his back to her.

Continuing to ignore her, Corry closed the case on his instrument, gathered up his music and books, headed for the door, and in his continued efforts to avoid her gaze, managed to trip over Lee's music stand. Luci then allowed herself a small smile.

***

Carrie was summoned into the principal's office first, as Julie took a seat outside. The blonde knew Mr. Hunt’s reputation for being both fair and compassionate, but there was also a strict side to his personality. His strict face was firmly in place as Carrie sat down across from him.

"Ms. Waterson," he began, folding his hands upon his desk. "A matter of some importance has been brought to my attention. First, I must inform you that a search was performed upon your locker. It is school property, as per the agreement listed in your agenda."

Still feeling a bit numb from her discussion with Julie, Carrie simply nodded.

“That said, is there anything you would like to tell me?”

“Uh... I’ve been set up?” Carrie ventured.

The corners of the principal’s mouth twitched. "Do you know what was found?" he asked. Carrie shook her head, so he reached into the drawer of his desk, produced a small plastic bag, and set it down. Her eyes widened.

"Now, I know of no medical condition which requires you to have any one of these pills with you, let alone a mix like this. That said, it appears that there are no substances in there which are actually illegal. So while I am obligated to inform the school’s police liaison and guidance counsellor, there is still a chance we can resolve this matter internally. You have one chance to explain how these came to be in your possession. I suggest you use it to tell the truth."

"Sir," Carrie said, mind spinning. "I swear to you that I have never seen that bag before."

Mr. Hunt leaned forwards. "Ms. Waterson, I want to help you here. But unless you tell me the truth..."

"Honest, the stuff isn't mine, sir! I think it was planted there by--" Carrie caught herself in time. If it was indeed Corry's doing, he was sure to have some way of dissociating himself from the act. And finger pointing would only make things worse for her among her peers.

"Planted?"

"It... nevermind, sir." She straightened her posture and looked the principal right in the eye, trying to keep her body from shaking. “But I swear to you that those pills are not mine. I don’t know how they got into my locker.”

Mr. Hunt regarded Carrie silently for a moment. "I'm not sure why, but I'm inclined to believe you," he remarked. "Nevertheless, this is a very serious matter, particularly in light of what took place at last week’s dance. Another event in which you had some involvement, as I recall?”

Carrie could only nod. “So, I cannot allow you to go unpunished,” the principal concluded. “You are definitively facing detention, and probably a suspension - unless some better explanation is forthcoming?"

Carrie slumped back in her chair. She wished she could think of something more to say. Then again, what was the use? Her life had essentially collapsed down into nothing. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to slam her fist through a wall, wring both Corry and Julie's necks, or simply crawl into a hole and die.

"Well then," Mr. Hunt concluded. “If you have nothing further to add, I regret to inform..." He paused as there was a slight commotion outside. Then Chartreuse burst through the door to his office.

"Sir,” the pink haired girl said breathlessly. "It's my fault, Mr. Hunt, sir! The drugs you found in Carrie's locker, they’re not her's - they’re mine.”

Both Carrie and the principal blinked back at Chartreuse, expressions of surprise and confusion upon their faces.