Page 8 of A Simple Mistake
Gareth followed the string of students towards the school’s main building.He didn’t have a high opinion of the head teacher after the man had ignored reports of bullying until Nico had ended up in the hospital, nor did he expect a better outcome this time around.Nevertheless, he’d meant what he’d told Jack.Before they started digging, he wanted to establish how big a problem they were facing.
“Mr Flynn, good morning.Please come in.”
Frank Henry Fenton waited beside his open office door.He was tall and skinny like a distance runner, and every time they met, Gareth wanted to tell him to stand up straight.How a man with so little charisma and presence headed a large, busy secondary school was a mystery to him.Maybe Jack was right, and his colleagues had bullied him into taking a job none of them had wanted.
“Thank you for seeing me at such short notice.”Gareth followed Fenton into his office and took the seat before the desk.“I wanted to talk to you about Nico and Daniel’s exclusion from the dance class.”
“Yes.That was… regrettable.An overreaction on Mr Manville’s part, I think.He’s an excellent dancer, very experienced, but his didactic skills are rather old-fashioned.”
“How so?”
“He expects his students to do exactly as they’re told.If they don’t, he becomes a little abrupt.”
Abrupt.Right.Gareth swallowed a sarcastic comment.Then an unwise one.“What happened, exactly?”
Fenton hunched over his desk and didn’t meet Gareth’s eyes.“Mr Manville reported to me that Daniel refused to follow instructions, and then Nico jumped in and defended his disobedience.”
“And you believed him?”
“Nico has his moments.Especially when he’s defending Daniel.”
“True enough.But Nico came into it after the fact, so you said.And Daniel doesn’t provoke strife.”Daniel gritted his teeth and endured.
“He’s a teenager, Mr Flynn.They’re all prone to overreaction.Even Daniel.”
“So that’s all it was?An overreaction?”Gareth said in his blandest voice, the one that used to make new recruits dive for cover.
Predictably, Fenton flinched.“Given the way Nico escalated a simple disagreement, I thought you’d prefer it if we dealt with this matter quietly.”
“What, precisely, are you accusing Nico of?They left the classroom when told without making a scene.”
“They did, but they didn’t do so alone.Nico enticed Carol and Jess to leave the class with them.That is not acceptable behaviour.”
And calling a boy who didn’t want to be groped disobedient is appropriate?Gareth swallowed the words.“Nico has the makings of a good leader.I always thought so.But as for leading Jess and Carol astray?I can’t see it.The girls can think for themselves.I find it far more interesting that Jess and Carol thought itnecessaryto go with Daniel and Nico.Have you considered why they did that?”
“Team loyalty, Mr Flynn.We see it every single day.I know you’re protective of Nico and Daniel—”
“Yes.”Gareth was done with this conversation.“Since you say it was nothing more than a bunch of overreactions on a Friday afternoon, I assume all four can continue with their dance lessons?”
Fenton sighed and leaned back into his chair.“Of course they can.And I’ll have a word with Mr Manville.”
“I’d appreciate it.”
Gareth left Fenton’s office as disappointed with the conversation as he’d expected to be.As soon as he was on the road, he called Jess’s mother.
“Overreaction my foot,” Pauline huffed.“I’ve spoken to Tara.Both our girls agree that Manville’s a creep.And Daniel shouldn’t have the book thrown at him for refusing to be groped.”
“My thoughts exactly.For the moment, I’ve got them reinstated to the class, but I’m planning to stick my head in and watch.”
“Yeah, we’ve been meaning to do that, but Friday afternoons are insane here.”
“Of course.Damn it!”
Pauline chuckled.“You forgot it’s the Friday afternoon, didn’t you?”
“You said it.Never mind.Jack’s keen to do the honours.And he’s far less lenient than I am.”
“Lenient, you.Right.But while I have you, did Carol and Jess tell you about their dresses?”
