"Your grades haven't improved.. Honestly, Terry. They've gotten worse."
This hadn't been the news Terry wanted whens he was asked to sit across Angela Reed, student adviser and former upperclassman. She had graduated years ago and joined the staff of St. Mary's, but to Terry she would always be the head of the soccer team.
"Even with Marie's tutoring. Nothing seems to be working.. I know the head mistress has offered you a full time position here." A pause, followed with a single spoken word. "Terry?"
Terry snapped out of her daze. Lids rapidly blinking to push away the dreariness. Their eyes met and Terry felt her heart drop at the words that left the woman's lips.
"I think you should take it. Terry, you're never going to graduate like this. You're trying, I know. I've seen you in the library working hard, but.. if something isn't working."
Terry tensed in her seat.
"You've been held back twice and if this continues..." The words were better left unsaid. Terry looked away and began to slouch in her seat, but so did Angela. Their eyes caught once more. Terry's own defeated expression meeting with the others look of concern.
"Terry. Do you believe in God?"
The question caught her off guard. Terry paused before answering, but not due to a lack of faith. It was due to not expecting such a question. She nodded her head and said, "Yeah.. I believe in God."
"God has a plan for all of us... and maybe his plan is for you to take this position." The sound of Angela shifting in her seat had never been so loud to Terry before. "Think about it."
All Terry could think about is her own failure. She had success in the dueling world. Money, a beautiful woman at her side, a new title to add to the others. But she couldn't have this. She wasn't smart enough. Graduating. Why is that something so hard? Compared to so many -- why her? It brought her back to fathers words. One of the few she had ever experienced from him. Don't make this a waste of my time, he had told her.
Words from the woman sitting across from her came to mind as well, but they only had Terry gritting her teeth.
So, God wants me to be stupid? That's ******' bull****.
"Terry?"
The voice snapped her back into reality. Terry peered up and shared her half hearted gaze with the other woman.
"Think about it. This is your future."
A future. A possible fall back if she were to stop dueling. A way to give back to the very same school that had tried to give her so much; yet in the end she failed their teaching and herself all at the same time. To be asked to give up and lurk the halls as someone who could have never raised above them.
To graduate meant something much more. Even if the destination had been the same, this path of reaching there was different. An acceptance of failure.
"I'll think about it." Meek words. Defeated words. Think of your future, Terry. It's like what Mom always said. It is how it is.
Throughout all of this. MoonBeryl felt so heavy hanging from her neck.
This hadn't been the news Terry wanted whens he was asked to sit across Angela Reed, student adviser and former upperclassman. She had graduated years ago and joined the staff of St. Mary's, but to Terry she would always be the head of the soccer team.
"Even with Marie's tutoring. Nothing seems to be working.. I know the head mistress has offered you a full time position here." A pause, followed with a single spoken word. "Terry?"
Terry snapped out of her daze. Lids rapidly blinking to push away the dreariness. Their eyes met and Terry felt her heart drop at the words that left the woman's lips.
"I think you should take it. Terry, you're never going to graduate like this. You're trying, I know. I've seen you in the library working hard, but.. if something isn't working."
Terry tensed in her seat.
"You've been held back twice and if this continues..." The words were better left unsaid. Terry looked away and began to slouch in her seat, but so did Angela. Their eyes caught once more. Terry's own defeated expression meeting with the others look of concern.
"Terry. Do you believe in God?"
The question caught her off guard. Terry paused before answering, but not due to a lack of faith. It was due to not expecting such a question. She nodded her head and said, "Yeah.. I believe in God."
"God has a plan for all of us... and maybe his plan is for you to take this position." The sound of Angela shifting in her seat had never been so loud to Terry before. "Think about it."
All Terry could think about is her own failure. She had success in the dueling world. Money, a beautiful woman at her side, a new title to add to the others. But she couldn't have this. She wasn't smart enough. Graduating. Why is that something so hard? Compared to so many -- why her? It brought her back to fathers words. One of the few she had ever experienced from him. Don't make this a waste of my time, he had told her.
Words from the woman sitting across from her came to mind as well, but they only had Terry gritting her teeth.
So, God wants me to be stupid? That's ******' bull****.
"Terry?"
The voice snapped her back into reality. Terry peered up and shared her half hearted gaze with the other woman.
"Think about it. This is your future."
A future. A possible fall back if she were to stop dueling. A way to give back to the very same school that had tried to give her so much; yet in the end she failed their teaching and herself all at the same time. To be asked to give up and lurk the halls as someone who could have never raised above them.
To graduate meant something much more. Even if the destination had been the same, this path of reaching there was different. An acceptance of failure.
"I'll think about it." Meek words. Defeated words. Think of your future, Terry. It's like what Mom always said. It is how it is.
Throughout all of this. MoonBeryl felt so heavy hanging from her neck.