Kelly Anderson's Story

Payne took the two students down to Mrs. Anderson's office. Mrs. Anderson was a sparkling woman whose joyous attitude radiated throughout the entire room. "Please, take a seat," she insisted. "Don't look at me like that. You're not in trouble, I promise." There were two of the comfortable chairs in front of her desk just begging for someone to sit in them. Akira threw her bag aside and assumed her seat. "Sorry if they rushed you here, I've been kind of procrastinating this. I noticed you two didn't sign up for the upcoming college trip."

"Yeah, the one to Europe," Akira added. "I didn't forget, the prices were just ridiculous." Akira's family wasn't financially challenged, but $1,499 to tour a college she wasn't even remotely interested in seemed unreasonable. Bailey high was unique in this aspect, that is, opportunities like this were few and far in between at other public high schools: to see a foreign college in person would definitely make studying abroad less intimidating.

"Well that's what I wanted to talk to you about. There are some new financial aid services..."

Meanwhile, Mr. Payne and Mrs. Sullivan were casually conversing at the door. It may have sounded like the harmless, playful chat between students. Most students loathed Payne, largely because he strictly upholds the rules. They don't realize the pressure on him to do his job, and that outside of work he's actually a great person. "No way," Lauren joked. "I would have thought he was just being friendly. But Jasmine? I would never have put those two together."

"Yeah, I mean, he really hasn't been very quiet about it. Logan brags about it all the time at the lounge," Allan added.

"Are you serious? And his wife doesn't know? Doesn't she work here too?" she asked.

"Well technically she works at the college, she just teaches some dual credit classes here..." Allan explained.