Chapter Six

When home Deborah told her mother about it.

ـِـ Then, mom, the gym teacher came in. He had us dress very quickly and took us all to the principle's office.

ـِـ Oh my!

ـِـ I tried to tell the principle how really was, but both Sylvia and Sofia told him their versions of it. So then he decided to suspend the three of us!

ـِـ Goch! How am I gonna tell your father?!

ـِـ You mean because you're quarrelling?

ـِـ Yeah, of course. ... I have to say that I still feel he's someone that could be caring about it, Debbie, and that now that I've ... Deborah, I've just told your father that I am divorcing him!

Deborah stared at her. Then she cried.

ـِـ Why now mom.

Her mother suddenly looked a bit haughty.

ـِـ Why!? ... You know why!

ـِـ Not quite, mom!

Her mom looked chocked now. Then she said a bit scornfully:

ـِـ As if you didn't know he had faked that I was into young men only!

Deborah felt disgusted. She stared at her for a while, before saying:

ـِـ Mom, I don't want to talk to you alone! I'll break it to the men of the family. Now, I'm going going outdoors for a while. OK, mom.

ـِـ OK.

Later, at the dinner table, Deborah spoke up:

ـِـ Dad, David, I've got something to say!

Her father looked thoughtfully at her.

ـِـ Speak up, child.

Deborah hesitated, while her mother gave a deep sigh. David spoke up:

ـِـ It's all about that I shouldn't be proud again, isn't it!?

ـِـ Now it's not that!

Deborah looked at him resentfully when saying it.

ـِـ Instead I've got bad news about my school. There was a fight, and I was sort of uninvolved, but I sort of got to be seen as involved by the principle.

Her father looked chocked.

ـِـ What fucken bloke were you teaming up with!?

ـِـ Dad, I – ...

She hesitated for a moment. Then she spoke again.

ـِـ Dad, I only had to team up with someone. Because the filthiest girl in school was coming on to me!

He looked at her.

ـِـ Why?

She sighed.

ـِـ I really don't know how come, but she was coming on to me in the shower, until I screamed. After that she kept calling me bitch and said that she wasn't doing it!

Her father muttered:

ـِـ Oh, that kind.

He looked her mother with a tease.

ـِـ Oh we know all about that kind! .. Oh, I wish I could just have screamed, and that then some guys would save me from that brother of mine!

Deborah looked down while saying:

ـِـ There was only one girl that tried to help. ...

Her brother broke in:

ـِـ Only one! ... OK.

Deborah tried to smile:

ـِـ Yeah, only one bro. And that's she and that other bitch who both lied to the principle so that I (as well as they) got suspended!

ـِـ Suspended!

Her father looked chocked when saying it.

ـِـ Yeah, suspended, he told me he wold be at least.

ـِـ But he can't!

It was her mother who finally spoke up.

ـِـ It's not allowed for them to just suspend without knowing about it!

ـِـ It's not!?

Deborah looked thoughtful.

ـِـ No, I can't believe it could be!

ـِـ OK, then, mom.

She swallowed.

ـِـ Well I guess then I'll have to go up and take care of my homework.

Her brother looked solemnly at her but said nothing. Her mother sat silently, as in prayer. Her father looked at her, then down at his plate. The whole family just ate. Deborah left without a word, went to her room and struggled for two hours with her school work. Then watched TV for an hour and a half, before going to bed, where she slept, though with a horrible nightmare that woke her up at five. This was almost not important for her. She left a bit early for school in order to say to the principle that he wasn't allowed to suspend her just like that, which he resentfully agreed with. After that she went through an almost ordinary school day, though she pondered about the two other suspended (or not) girls, but not seeing either of them, mostly feeling hopeful that she'd never see either of them again, or at least not Sylvia.