Another redo from 2004, please check out my newer stories published under the name Robert_Anthony.
Everyone in this story is over 18.
*****
Clara's chair was very uncomfortable, she had already been waiting for half an hour and it was now well past 5:30pm. She looked at the other chairs outside the Headmaster's office and they all looked soft and comfortable and yet his Secretary has insisted that she should sit in this particular hard, wooden chair while she waited to be seen. Clara desperately wanted to move to a softer chair but since the secretary was sitting just a few feet away, it wasn't really possible.
So uncomfortable was she getting now that Clara had started lifting her bottom off the seat of the chair to give it some brief respite. So she was relieved when the door to the office finally opened and the Headmaster's head popped out.
"Okay Alice, you can go now..."
"Oh, thank you Mr Haynes. Do you want me to lock the door on my way out?"
"No Alice, it's okay, I'm expecting another visitor."
Mr Haynes stood in the doorway while Alice got her bag and wandered out of the main door into the dimly lit car park.
"Right, Miss Whitemore... if you'd like to come into my office."
Clara fair leapt out of the uncomfortable chair, glad to take the weight off her numbed backside, and followed the Headmaster into his office.
"Take a seat," said Mr Haynes, pointing to a chair by his desk. It was by no means an easy chair, but it did have a padded seat and she was grateful for that!
Clara sat down, dropping her school bag onto the floor.
Mr Haynes perched on the edge of his desk to her right and looked down at her sitting in the chair. Her long blond hair fell over her shoulders and down to about half way down her back. A very pretty looking, athletic kind of girl he thought - but a very innocent one.
Clara looked up at him inquisitively.
"I suppose you know why I have asked you to come and see me?"
"No, Sir... I have no idea."
"Really, well that's interesting. To be honest it surprised me, but just lately I've been hearing some bad things about you Clara and I don't like it."
Clara looked taken aback.
"For a start, Mr Lewinson has told me that you haven't been putting as much effort into your sports as you used to... you're the star of the school Clara, you're the girl the other girl's aspire to be like, you must set an example."
"I..." began Clara.
"Don't interrupt me, I will tell you when you may speak."
Clara fell silent and dropped her head.
"There are over 400 girls in this school Clara, you hold the records for almost every field event we do here. When you go to another school to compete for us I expect you to win and make us all proud. You have shown that you have the natural ability to be special and I will not accept a second rate effort, not from you."
Mr Haynes pushed himself up off the desk and walked around behind it. He put his hands flat on the top surface and leaned over towards the downcast girl.
"I expect you to do your best at all times Clara, but if you can't be bothered to do it on your own, then I must tell you that I will be forced to find ways to motivate you."
The Headmaster sat down in his chair and fell silent. Sensing that he had finished his rant, Clara slowly looked up through her hair. Her face was pale, she was not at all used to being told off and she felt like she wanted to burst into tears.
Then there was a knock at the door and Mr Haynes rose to open it.
"Ah, come in Mr Whitemore, glad you could find time for this little meeting. Hopefully your taxi was acceptable for the journey. Here, let me take your coat."
"Thank you Headmaster."
Gordon Whitemore slipped his coat from his shoulders to reveal an expensive, tailored suit. He surveyed the expensively furnished office with a wry smile.
"So this is where my fees end up."
"Ah come now Mr Whitemore, you can't expect me to work in a hovel."
"I suppose not," he smiled. "And I suppose it's important to make a good impression on the parents."
"Absolutely."
Clara looked round at her father, she had not seen him since the Christmas holidays - almost two months ago.
"Daddy!"
"Hello darling," said Mr Whitemore as he walked across the room to greet her.
Clara got up from the chair and hugged her father, he would surely protect her from the horrid Mr Haynes.
"Now, now... let's sit down for a minute so I can talk with Mr Haynes."
Gordon settled in to a high backed button-leather chair and before Clara could seat herself again, Mr Haynes interjected.
"Clara, I think it would be better if I spoke to your father alone for a moment or two, so please... wait outside, exactly where you were before."
Clara glowered at the Headmaster momentarily but turned and padded across the thick woollen carpet and shut the door behind her with a thud.
"Gordon, I know you're a busy man and I know you've come an awfully long way to see me, so I'll come straight to the point. Your daughter is an exceptional student with some fantastic qualities and skills, but lately I've come to notice that she's just not applying herself. It's not uncommon in girls of her age, but it can be very disruptive to the school and indeed to the student's future."
Mr Haynes stopped abruptly.
"I'm sorry, would you like a drink?"
"Er, I'm fine thank you."
"Sure I couldn't tempt you with a ten year old malt?"
"Oh, well now you're talking."
"After all, it's where your fees go," smiled the Headmaster.
The two men laughed and Mr Haynes pulled a couple of glasses and a bottle from his desk drawer.
"As I was saying, many times before we have seen exceptional girls at this school who simply get to a certain point a couple of years of their college life and loose all interest in their studies. It's a terrible shame and of course, I bear the brunt of it from the parents when their child's exam results are disappointing and they can't get them onto the career path they wanted for them."
Gordon nodded as he listened, occasionally sipping from the lead crystal glass in his hand.
"Anyway, you don't want to hear about my problems I'm sure, the thing is... what matters here is Clara's future, and I know you are as concerned as I am about that, so what I'm offering here is a chance to bypass these problems with her and get her back on track. For obvious reasons I have only offered this route to a select few parents, people I have known for some time and who can be trusted to be discreet about our methods. I have to say, so far the take up has been surprisingly high and the results speak for themselves."
"Go on," prompted Gordon.
"Well, all we're really doing is bypassing some of the modern regulations and red tape and going right back to basics. The problems we have today largely stem from a complete lack of discipline and respect for the staff and we've found the best way to tackle this is by relaxing the rules when it comes to corporal punishment."
Gordon placed his empty glass on the edge of the desk and leaned forward slightly, Mr Haynes poured him another whisky and watched as the glass was lifted and half the contents ingested in one go.
"Right..." said Gordon, looking keen but slightly unsure.
"All these new fangled ideas about treating students like adults and such, well it's all very well, but the plain fact of the matter is it doesn't work! Even here at Greenway we've had troubles with our girls. Not as bad as at the state schools obviously, but you think back to our day, or our father's days... there was nothing like the same problems in the school. The kids knew their place and they knew that if they stepped out of line, well they'd have to pay the price."
Gordon mulled the idea over and took another sip of Whisky.
"Okay, so what's the deal?"
"Well, all you have to do is sign these papers which give the school the authority to apply the necessary discipline to keep Clara on the straight and narrow."
"And..."
"And... obviously, as this is a premium service, there will be a small consideration added to your regular fees."
"I thought as much."
"Yes, but a very worthwhile investment I think you'll find. Actually speaking of Clara, I have something else to discuss with you... you see my Mercedes out there?"
"The silver one?"
"That's it, there's a very deep scratch in the passenger door and I have a witness who swears that Clara was responsible for it."
"Clara, surely not..."
"Well I don't know for sure, I wouldn't have thought so myself a few months ago, but as I said, she is developing some anti-social behaviour traits and my witness is very reliable."
"Have you asked her?"
"No. I'm sure she'll deny it anyway, but the thing is I had a quote for the repair and it's going to cost nearly £600."