Mistaken Impressions

"Will Madison Lowery and Lauren Miller please come to the principal's office after this class period?" I search my head for what I could've done now. I don't think I did anything even remotely bad recently. What really shocks me is the second name I heard. Lauren Miller is as far from bad girl as you can get. I wonder why we are being sent to the office together?

The class period passes quickly and I make my way to the principal's office as if I'm just taking a leisurely walk. I open the door to the office I'm all too familiar with, and see Lauren already sitting there with her hands clasped firmly on her lap. She doesn't acknowledge me when I sit down next to her, but Mrs. Jacobson gets right down to business.

"You girls have been accused of cheating on your last science test. Do you have anything to say about this?"

I scoff and sit back in my chair, "Do you have any proof?"

"All of your answers were exactly the same, word for word. I think that is proof enough. Not to mention, your record isn't exactly clean Miss Lowery."

I look over at Lauren and see her expressionless face looking off into the distance. She probably has never been in Mrs. Jacobson's office, except for awards and certificates and other stuff like that.

Mrs. Jacobson pulls the tests from her files and slides them across the desk. I look down at the papers and see why someone would think we had cheated. Every answer is exactly the same. I look up at Mrs. Jacobson, but I don't protest because I don't think it would do me any good.

Mrs. Jacobson places the tests back in her file cabinet and turns back towards us, "This will result in major consequences. There is a strict policy regarding cheating at this school, which you already may be familiar with Miss Lowery."

I've been caught cheating once before, but the punishment wasn't that severe. I was only suspended for three days, and it wasn't that bad. I barely did any schoolwork and got to play a lot of video games.

Mrs. Jacobson continues, "You girls will have detention with me after school and we will discuss appropriate punishments with your parents. We may be more firm with you Madison since you have exhibited this type of behavior on multiple occasions."

Later that day, I trudge back to the office for detention. I haven't seen Lauren all day, and I briefly wonder how she's taking this. My question is answered when I enter the office and see her sitting in front of the desk just as stiffly as she had this morning. I fling myself into the chair beside her and roll my eyes at Mrs. Jacobson.

"I have a meeting scheduled with a student's parents right now, but Mrs. Ripple has allowed you two to spend detention in her room. You will both be retaking the test, and there will be zero-tolerance for talking."

Mrs. Jacobson hands us over to Mrs. Ripple and promptly exits the classroom. Mrs. Ripple proceeds to hand us clean copies of the science test we were accused of cheating on. We took this test two weeks ago, and I can hardly remember any of the material we had covered. I was wondering why I hadn't gotten this test back yet, and I guess it had gone straight to Mrs. Jacobson's office after it was graded. I glance over at Lauren and see that she is already busy answering the questions, of course. Mrs. Ripple says that she has to go to the teacher's lounge to print out some material for our classes tomorrow and excuses herself.

After I make sure that she isn't standing outside the door listening to us, I look back at Lauren, "Bet you never thought you'd be caught in this situation, huh? It's funny that we both answered the exact same on all the questions."

She looks up at me with her big, blue eyes, "Did you really not cheat?"

For a moment, I feel offended that she would consider that, but I wouldn't put it past me either if I were her. I sigh, "No, I really didn't. I don't know how this happened. Honest."

She doesn't answer but keeps jotting down her answers on her test. We're silent for a moment, but then I decide to prod.

"Someone as perfect as you has to be hiding something," I say mysteriously.

"What?" She looks at me in shock.

"What's your secret?" I ask again.

"What do you mean?" Lauren looks really uncomfortable, and I almost feel bad for being nosy.

"Is everything really perfect in your world, or is it just an act? Come on, tell me."

"You promise not to tell anyone," she looks at me with complete trust. I don't know if I deserve complete trust, but I nod my head. "I guess I do have a secret. My parents got divorced when I was young. My mom began growing very distant and we hardly talk anymore. A little while after my parents divorce, my brother left. Turns out he is just in a town not too far from here, but I haven't heard from him since he ran away. My dad isn't completely innocent either. In fact, he is more in trouble with the law than anything else. I go to visit him once in a while and he always tells me to stay quiet and not tell anyone what he's done."

I pause for a moment, "Then why are you such a goody-goody?"

She glares at me, "I feel like my life at school is one thing that I can control. I'm the only one that can decide if I want to try hard in school. How hard I work is something that is up to me."

I nod and process all this for a moment, "Can I tell you something?"

"Yeah," she says, "But it better be something good. I just told you my entire life story, and I've never told that to anyone."

"I've never told anyone this either," I continue, "The truth is, my parents aren't very involved with me. They both have extremely demanding jobs and don't have much time for me. Sometimes, I get in trouble just so I can have an ounce of their attention."

Lauren nods and we continue working on our tests in silence. Pretty soon, Mrs. Ripple is back and she lets us go. I walk out of the school with Lauren and we stop at the front.

"Do you want to come to my house?" I ask her.

She smiles at me, "Yeah, I think I'd like that."

As we walk down the street, we couldn't look more different. On the inside though, I think we both just needed a friend. I look over at the girl walking beside me, and I realize that there might be more to her than what meets the eye. I'm determined to try to figure her out, and maybe make a friend along the way.