Before it all

Knock! Knock!

The sound of knuckles rapping gently against the hard wood of the door tore the immaculate silence.

There was an ongoing exam for the third year students of John Hewitt High school. The exam was meant to determine the future classes for the senior year and the students worked hard for this particular day. The intelligent ones desire to belong in the star class while the others’ goal was to simply pass the brain-wrecking exam and survive the whole year knowing that they are rightfully placed and will not be retained.

Of course, they can retake the exam but those who cannot bear the humiliation of failing on the first take, are far more pressured than those who are taking it easy--- relying on the second take is unacceptable for the student elites.

It was also a social suicide.

Those who retake had no chance of making it big on the school hierarchy.

A system similar to caste where the lowest are the nerds, the unpopular, the poor and the ugly.

That is where Allie McAllister fits.

She is a certified nerd. An acer. Her exams were either perfect or a couple of mistakes not higher than five. She is also poor, living with her mother in a dingy trailer down in the farthest part of the park where trailers were allowed to stay, rent free. Allie is a nobody and, according to teen popular standard-o- meter, Allie is straight up ugly because she wears hand me down clothes and her long, curly red hair is a mess. Not the kind that falls in the ‘hot mess’ category----just a bun that is actually called ugly.

Allie McAllister is an outcast in the teen realm where the beautiful, flawless and the popular dominated. She was not even bothered. She was not in school to fit in after all. She was there to get a full ride scholarship to Cambridge and her focus is precise as laser.

Ms. Perry, the exam proctor did not like the intrusion. She stood up and went to see who was at the door. The teacher was known to be a huge fan of silence and order while she is giving exams and not a single sound can be heard. That was why she was the proctor for five years straight. Even breathing hard can be considered breaking her protocol. However, she must have also known that other teachers or school staff will dare not disturb her classes unless it was a matter of national security.

“No one whisper a word. More importantly, keep your eyes glued on your paper. If I catch you cheating, you will wish that you weren’t even born.” Though pissed that she was interrupted, she stood up and checked to see who was on the other side of the door so she could murder them with her deadly stare or break their fingers. Whichever she deemed worthy doing.

No one spoke or moved. They fear the teacher more than Principal Atkins. She will tear anyone apart if found guilty. Even the bullies dare not cross her. She opened the door and talked with the person who was brave enough to cut through her exams silently. They could all tell that whatever it was, she was not happy, judging by the whispered shouts. All the time giving them a casual stare that was meant to keep them in check. She sighs and walks to the center of the room, chin up, brows creased.

“Allie McAllister! You are needed in the principal’s office.”

“M-miss? But I haven’t finished my exam...” Allie answered from behind.

“Hand your paper over. You can take it later in my office. Now, go and stop delaying your classmates exams.”

Allie grabbed her stuff, feeling the stares that her classmates were giving her on her back. It was unheard of. Miss Perry was not known to be gracious or understanding. But why? She hands her paper with a bitter taste on her mouth. She did not want to be in trouble.

“Go now.” Miss Perry whispered when she was close. “And please fix yourself before you go there.”

“Huh?” Allie was at a loss for words.

“Just go.” The teacher dismissed her with a curt wave of her hand as if she was very eager to get rid of her.

Allie walked past the empty hallway as everyone was in their respective classes. She was fidgeting her fingers while she dragged her feet to the other end of the school building where Principal Atkins’ office was located. As she passed by the hallway that had massive windows overlooking the impressive John Hewitt High school lawn, Allie notices a swarm of black cars with flags. The last time she saw one of those cars was the one time that she saw a movie about Royals and diplomats. That was their royal entourage, but what are those cars doing in a public school such as theirs when there were no prior announcements made of a visit?

She couldn’t figure out the flag and she had very little interest too. She was more intrigued as to why her presence was required at the office at the height of a very important exam.

Her spine stiffened and her brows started to sweat. She remembered her mother.

“Oh, God, no...please not mom.” She repeatedly muttered to herself.

Barbara McAllister is a waitress and a laundry woman before she contracted a very rare disease that rendered her immobile. Her lower limbs were frozen, only her upper extremities were working. Allie takes care of her mother and works part time. Though the woman could still take care of other household chores, Allie prefers that she rest and do limited stuff as her form of exercise.She took on the jobs that her mother had left to support them both and she could not bear the thought of hearing any news about her mother from the principal himself.

She did not attempt to fix herself as what Miss Perry suggested. There was no need for it. She needed to get this over and done with. Allie was a good distance from Mr. Atkins’ office when she spotted two massive men in black suits standing in the door like gargoyles. They wore very dark glasses too which made it impossible to see if they were looking at her or not. She continued to move forward, getting more anxious than ever.

“Since when did he had body guards?” Allie said to herself. Assuming that it was the Principal’s. Why he had them, was none of her business. She disliked poking her nose into other's lives.

When she was a few feet nearer, one of the men spoke to himself and a few seconds later, the mahogany doors opened and a very smiling Principal Atkins was welcoming her, but Allie noticed that he gave her a sweeping stare and she swears to God that she saw a smirk, a sign of disapproval.

“I told Miss Perry to tell you to fix yourself.” He hissed at her.

“I-I think I am okay, sir.” Allie mumbled.

“That’s okay to you? Neverm---”

A man, in an impeccable navy suit managed to squeeze himself behind Principal Atkins and bowed his head low in front of Allie. At this point the girl was really confused and appalled rolled into one. Clearly, the man had her for an entirely different person.

“Lady Ember!”

Allie turned to check if there was lady behind her , but no one was there. “M-me?”