Valentine’s day was supposed to be joyful; but to Rosina Winters, it marked the first year since her father had passed away.
It had been her fault, or so she told herself.
Alexander Winters had wanted to leave the mall earlier, but she just had to insist on getting those silly pictures with him and the derpy green dragon he had just bought for her. He had agreed, because of course he had, anything for his little girl.
It didn’t matter what her mother or the police said, it was her fault.
If not for that couple of minutes he would still be alive, he would be there to celebrate her successes and to console her in her failures.
Rosina turned her head and looked outside the window. Alexander would’ve loved this day, sun shining at two in the afternoon, but with clouds on the horizon, threatening rain for later that evening.
Rosina would’ve been happy, if only he had been there. Instead, she felt numb.
Numb, Rosina decided, was good. Or at least it certainly was an improvement on the absolute despair she had grown used to feeling. And so numb she remained; with her hoodie up, head resting on her crossed arms, eyes locked somewhere in the horizon.
—Miss Winters!
The slam of a book against her desk shook Rosina from her stupor.
Rosina looked up with a start at whoever it was that had bothered her, and she saw… what was her name again? Mrs… Smith?… Simpson?… Sullivan?
The perpetrator was a substitute teacher, she had been covering for Mr. Rojas for a week already. Rosina didn’t like the substitute teacher, with her shrill voice, long face and that nose that put winged spear tips to shame.
Mrs. Spear Nose snapped her fingers but a few centimeters from Rosina’s face. —Miss Winters, the world would appreciate if you were to join it again.
—What do you want?— Rosina’s tone had been curter than she intended.
—Don’t back talk to me girl!
—No… I-I’m sorry, I di—
—Oh, you’re sorry? Well, I suppose all is well and good then. —Mrs. Spear Nose said, making a commendable attempt at turning Rosina to stone with but a single glare. —If only a simple sorry worked for everything, we would be living in a utopia; but some of us have to live with the consequences of your actions.
—I understand. I’ll pay attention to class Mrs. Spear Nose.
The words had barely left Rosina’s mouth when the class erupted into laughter, turning Mrs. Spear Nose from a frankly unhealthy white to a bright red.
—What did you say, Miss Winters?
—I-I mean… I just…
—Enough!— The book slammed against the desk again, shutting the entire class up. —You will go to Mr. Rojas’ office, right now
—But.
—NOW!
Rosina huffed and took her backpack, haphazardly throwing her school supplies into it before standing up, grabbing her dragon, and storming away.
—Stupid,— she spat as she power-walked down the halls. —Stupid Rosina, stupid teacher, stupid school.
Rosina arrived at Mr. Rojas’ office and slammed the door behind her, making the glass panel on the door and the windows vibrate.
—Why does she care anyway?! She’s just a stupid substitute covering for Mr. Rojas! It’s not like my grade will affect her pay or anything!
Rosina kept on ranting for a few minutes before growing tired and deciding that the corner looked far more comfortable than the chair in front of Mr. Rojas’ desk.
She left her backpack on the floor next to her and sat, hugging her derpy green dragon.
Rosina got smaller after that, curling into a ball, her arms wrapped around her legs.
✧
By the time Mrs. Spear Nose entered the office, Rosina had been falling asleep.
—Sit on the chair child. You are not a dog, even if you behave like one.
Rosina bit her tongue, lest she said another idiotic thing, and went to sit on the chair opposite to Mrs. Spear Nose; leaving her backpack in the corner and the dragon on her legs.
—I may not know you very well Miss Winters, but this past week has made it painfully clear that you do nothing but lay on your desk and watch the clouds go by. If not for the pretty letter in your notebooks I would not even be surprised if your father did your homework for you.
Rosina clutched her dragon, her father would’ve never done her work for her.
Guide her? Yes.
Help her? Absolutely.
But do it for her? Not in a million years.
The idea was laughable; Alexander had always been quite strict on doing things even when you didn’t like them. No, especially when you didn’t like them. But he had also been more than willing to lend a helping hand, to sit and do homework with his children, even when he disliked the concept of homework just as much as they did.
—Miss Winters!
The shout and the slam on the desk made Rosina jump with a start.
—Are you unable to listen to those who speak to you?!
—I’m not deaf,— Rosina answered, clutching her dragon in an attempt to control her temper.
—Mind your tone child, I’m trying to help you. How do you expect to graduate with such childish behaviour?
—I’m not being childish!
—And stop holding that dragon as if you were three!— Mrs. Spear Nose extended her arm and pulled on the dragon’s head.
—Let go of him!— Rosina screamed, tears welling in her eyes.
—Enough Miss Winters!
—He’s mine! Leave me be!
—Release the plush toy at once!
The two women pulled at the dragon until Rosina heard a little crack, and then another, and then another. Overcome with panic, Rosina took one of the books from the table and swung.
Mrs. Spear Nose’s head jerked sideways with a crack before stumbling and collapsing to the floor, where she coughed out two of her teeth.
But Rosina did not notice.
Oh no, Rosina was far too preoccupied examining her derpy green dragon. Part of his neck had torn; it was not bad, all things considered. The tear was at the seams and only one and a half, perhaps two centimeters wide. She would go back home, sew it and it would be good as new.
Rosina was so preoccupied in fact, that she failed to register a couple of teachers bursting into the room to check on Mrs. Spear Nose, nor did she hear when the ambulance and the cops were called.
✦
This is my first post here and I am not 100% clear on the sensitive content rules. Please do let me know if I got it wrong, if I went overboard or if I should’ve gone further.
Edit: A few grammar errors and typos I’d failed to notice earlier.
submitted by /u/EtherealJoey
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