Passion In James County VII
The User
By D.C. Roi
Chapter one
Kathy Walton walked into the guidance office after school. She was having problems in school and Mr. Sanders, the head of the guidance department, asked her to stop by his office to discuss ways she could improve her school performance so she could graduate with the rest of the senior class.
The young woman felt uncomfortable. Having to go to the office, even if it was the guidance office, made her nervous. And besides, school was over. Why couldn't Mr. Sanders have talked to her during one of her classes? She didn't mind missing class, but she didn't like having to give up after-school time.
Ben Sanders, a slim, dark-haired man of forty-seven, was sitting behind his desk when the girl walked into his office. "How did today go, Kathy?" he asked.
The young woman shrugged. "It went OK, I guess," she said. She sat down in a chair opposite the guidance counselor's desk.
"Kathy, do you know why I asked you to come in and see me?" Ben asked.
"Because my teachers complained, probably. They're always on my case," the student snapped. "They all keep giving me a hard time."
"Are you sure you aren't giving them a hard time, too?" the guidance counselor asked. "Maybe just a little?"
"Look, Mr. Sanders, I'm just trying to get by until I'm old enough to quit school," the girl retorted, giving him an angry look. "School's a drag. The sooner I'm out of here, the better I'll like it."
Ben decided the best thing to do was meet the young woman's hostility head on. "I don't think that's exactly what's happening," he said. "My guess is there's something else bothering you. The reason I say that is, until this year, you were doing quite well. Maybe you weren't on the honor roll, but you were passing all your classes and never got in trouble. Now, all of a sudden, I'm getting reports that you're doing hardly any work, what you do is poor, and so is your behavior. Is there something wrong, Kathy?"
Kathy got up and started to pace back and forth in front of his desk. "If there is, it's my business, dammit!" she huffed. "I'm eighteen and I can take care of myself."
Ben watched the young woman pace. She was medium height, had moderately long brown hair she combed, but didn't do much with, and was wearing a pair of jeans shorts and a white T-shirt. Her legs were very good, as was her bottom. Her budding breasts tented the front of the shirt. She wasn't a knockout, but she wasn't bad-looking, either, he thought.
Ben stood up. "I'm only trying to help you, Kathy," he said softly. "Maybe, if you tell me what's really troubling you, we can work together to come up with a solution."
Kathy stopped pacing and looked at him, her eyes hot with anger. "Yeah, sure!" she said. "As if you really care!"
"What makes you think I don't care, Kathy?" Ben asked, looking directly into her blue eyes.
The girl was surprised by his comment and directness. "I...I don't know," she replied. "Look, I know the only reason you're doing this is because it's your job, isn't it? I mean, you really don't give a shit. Nobody does. Not my folks, not the other kids, nobody."
"That's not true," Ben said. "I do care. You don't really believe I'm only doing this because I get paid to do it, do you?" Having heard her comments, he had a pretty good idea why she was upset.
"I..." Kathy stammered. Mr. Sanders did sound sincere and that momentarily made her lose her self-assurance. "I...I don't know."
"You're having a bad year because you feel left out, don't you?" Ben asked. "You feel as if neither your parents nor the other kids think you're worth anything, right?"
Kathy looked at him, surprise showing on her face. "What...what makes you...think that's the problem?" she asked.
"I watch what goes on," Ben explained. "I see who's part of the 'in group' and who isn't. You've been left out of a lot of things this year, haven't you? You didn't make the cheerleading squad, and your friends who did are too busy for you now, aren't they?"
The teenager nodded and tears filled her eyes.
"I'd guess that your parents keep telling you it's no big deal, that you ought to grow up, right?" he continued.
Once more, the young woman nodded.
"That makes you feel terrible, doesn't it, Kathy?" Ben said. "It makes you feel as if you aren't pretty, or worth very much, right?"
The girl nodded again and looked at Mr. Sanders. She couldn't believe that he knew exactly how she was feeling. Knowing that he understood her warmed her, made her feel better somehow. "I...I didn't think anybody knew," she said, "...or cared."
"I care, Kathy," Ben said softly, "I care very much. You want to feel valued and have people like you, don't you? I'm very aware that being a part of the group is very important at your age." He slipped his arms around her waist.
At first, Kathy pressed against Mr. Sanders and hugged him. Then it occurred to her that this wasn't the way she should be acting with a teacher. "Mr. Sanders...I...I'm sorry," she exclaimed. "I...I shouldn't have done that. I..." Confused, she stepped back from his embrace. She was breathing hard and confusion showed in her eyes.
Ben smiled at her gently. "That's all right, Kathy," he said, "I was trying to show you that I do care about you. I don't see any harm in a hug, do you?"
"Ah...no...I...I guess there isn't..." the young woman replied.