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Post by Emily Suddenfield on Mar 16, 2016 5:08:55 GMT -8
Em would send a student to find Melanie and have her meet her in the Pillars office. There were some things that needed to be discussed. Tag: Melanie Ross |
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Post by Melanie Ross on Mar 16, 2016 11:50:58 GMT -8
I thanked the student as she headed back out the door of my final period. Seems i had to stop back by the Pillar Office. The teacher excused me, not that i'd care if she didn't, and gave me my homework on the way out. Making my way down the long hallway, I'd put the homework in my bag and walk the rest of the way in silence. My emotions were on their way out. I didn't know how I felt about that. I really didn't... No emotions. I unlocked and opened the door, walked in and closed it. Half waving at Emily, I'd walk over to the table and put my bag down. I needed to do some homework, but if I needed to, I could make it wait. Pulling out a chair I'd sit and look at her briefly.
"Whats going on?"
If it seemed like I wasn't NEEDED, i'd start doing ho,ework while still listening and responding. If I was NEEDED, I'd sit back and listen to what she had to say.
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Post by Emily Suddenfield on Mar 16, 2016 11:52:55 GMT -8
Emily would get up as the door opened, turning off the TV screen.
"I wanted to give you a heads up- I fired Violet."
She approached the table, taking a seat.
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Post by Melanie Ross on Mar 16, 2016 12:23:14 GMT -8
I wrote down the first answer and paused, my hand still on the paper, I looked at my Captain.
"What?"
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Post by Emily Suddenfield on Mar 16, 2016 12:25:29 GMT -8
"I kicked her out of the Pillars."
Em leaned back in the chair, putting her feet on the corner of the table.
"Twice she's flouted my authority and orders. This most recent battle was the third time. So I kicked her out. Good news there is....you're now my second in command. Bad news- we need to do some recruiting."
She watched Mel to see how she would take this news.
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Post by Melanie Ross on Mar 16, 2016 12:42:09 GMT -8
I let that seep in. I didn't like the thought of being second in command. Not at all. I wasn't built for it. I didn't have the body or the smarts. I really didn't like orders either. Damn. Fired huh? I leaned back in my chair and tossed the pencil on my uncompleted homework.
"So, did you fire her because of that or is it because you want her in the SHCP and just don't wanna admit it?"
I really didn't care what her answer was. I still figured that she was trying to get Violet into the SHCP. Whether she admitted it or not would tell what kind of leader she was. I hoped she'd be the right kind...
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Post by Emily Suddenfield on Mar 16, 2016 12:48:33 GMT -8
Emily stared, silently, for several seconds. Then, the smallest of smiles came to her lips.
"Yes, the latter."
She looked away, finally, staring off a little.
"I said some cruel things to her. Things I know she'll probably hate me for. I do believe she was challenging my authority in some ways, but not purposely or out of malice. I think she wanted me to be her friend, and so she treated me as such. But it wasn't really reason enough for me to kick her out. However...."
She leaned forward a little.
"She would get along brilliantly with Stevie-Ray, I think. She'd be pushed to get stronger, because she's going to see me more as a rival now than as a friend. I can count on someone who is genuinely kind, like her....she's not going to go against her conscience. And I think the S.H.C.P will turn dark in coming months. That's why I need you to stay her friend. Bad mouth me to her if you need to or want to. Just be yourself, act natural. And...if things in the S.H.C.P start going sideways, fill me in. That's your new mission from me. I'll handle recruiting."
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Post by Melanie Ross on Mar 16, 2016 12:54:56 GMT -8
I stared back at Emily as she admitted to her round abouts of doing things. I didn't like that she had tried to fool me into going about stuff as usual. Violet was my friend. Emily was not.
"I really am not comfortable with sneaking around Violet's back. I really couldn't care about Steven Raven, but not Violet. If you want me to be her friend, fine. You want me to let you know whats going on, sure. But I will not spy for you. I will not betray Violet that way."
I hoped Emily would understand. If she fired me for it, she'd have to get dirty by herself or hire some people she couldn't trust completely. Then again, she didn't really trust me, so...
"Where do we start recruiting?"
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Post by Emily Suddenfield on Mar 16, 2016 12:58:53 GMT -8
"Hm."
Emily turned her gaze back on Melanie. The girl must not have understood what she said.
"How would you be going behind her back? What part of what I said intimated as such? You've agreed to everything I wanted- be her friend and tell me if bad things are coming from that group. If you mean to say that you plan to tell her I gave her the boot for that purpose, that will be a problem. It's really not your place to get involved. Everything else is fine."
She'd wait for an answer there before moving on.
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Post by Melanie Ross on Mar 16, 2016 13:06:54 GMT -8
I stared back at her, my eyes filling with anger, It wasn't right what she was doing to Violet. It wasn't right to just use her. Turns out I can't block all of my emotions, I guess some still remain.
"You can't do that. You can't use Violet like that. It's not right to just play with her emotions so you can play dirty without needing a shower. I won't do it. I refuse to play with her emotions like that. Either you tell her or I will."
My face was hard, my hands balled into fists and shook. This was one of the things I had joined to prevent. Emily was abusing her power. She had no right. Nothing was worth playing with people's emotions like this. Nothing.
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Post by Emily Suddenfield on Mar 16, 2016 13:21:30 GMT -8
Emily frowned at the outburst. She wasn't sure exactly how to react to it. She watched Mel, giving her some time to cool down after she finished her sentences. Already, this was spiraling down a path Em had expected but wanted to avoid. She would let the fingertips of her had rattle against the counter for a while.
"You know, I was in Juvenile corrections for almost a year."
She continued with the rattling.
"While I was in there, I had plenty of opportunities to do what I'm doing now. To do what was necessary to protect what I care about. Despite whether you think my decisions wrong or terrible of me, I do care about you as a person. And Violet. And Richard. And everyone that walks through those doors. I had the opportunity to take a few people and change things for the better. To put pieces into play that, when the time was right, could have stopped a lot of pain. But I didn't. I had told myself I would always be good, no matter what. Five kids died, two of them my closest friends."
Emily brought her legs down and leaned forward.
"I'm not using them as an excuse- I'm painting for you a background so you can understand. So you can understand that while Altruism and idealism are great moral theories, the truth is that the people who want to hurt you, who want to see you fail- they hold no such codes of honor. You can say that it's what separates us from them as animals, but it's a cold comfort when you're holding the broken body of someone you said you would protect. Honor is an empty word when tragedy strikes- and it always does, to those who refuse to do what is necessary."
Emily ran a hand through her hair.
"You can hate my methods. You can hate that I'm willing to use people as tools- even if, in the end, it's so they can be safer. And Violet will be safer with the SHCP- because I truly believe there she will get stronger and more able to defend herself. Hell, you can hate me if you want."
She brought her hand down on the table hard enough to cause cracks.
"But don't ever try to blackmail me into going against my conscience. Into betraying what I see as necessary to protect you and the other people here. I will do whatever it takes, every time. If you can stomach it, I can promise our goals will always be to keep this place safe, and protect students who just want to live their lives without the pain of bullies or gang violence. Now, if you're giving me an ultimatum- if you're too weak to help me help you and this school- don't bother. Leave your Pillar patch and get out."
She would watch and wait.
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Post by Melanie Ross on Mar 16, 2016 13:49:29 GMT -8
It made me even more angry to hear her try to convince me she was still right. If I left... If i let Emily hire a bunch of new people on, there would be no one left to challenge her. There would be no one to make sure she didn't go overboard with this. I had to stay in order to keep others safe. I had to. My eyes locked with hers, hate seeping through them. I jumped as her fist slammed the table, but I was not going to back down either. After she was finished monologue, I started.
"It sucks that you lost someone. It really does, but you aren't the only one to lose someone. Deciding that you need to play dirty just to get things done, doesn't mean you are right. It just means you are a coward who thinks you have no other choice, There is a reason why the hero is called a hero."
I stood at that and walked to the kitchen. I needed something. I needed time to think, time to chill so I wouldn't act out rashly again. I would return after a bit with two tall glasses of ice water and a plate of chips. I took a deep breath and continued after taking a sip of water.
"I hope she does get stronger. I'll encourage her to do so. I am not OK with you betraying Violet's trust like this. I would like to bring her in on it. I think it will help more. Having said that, I believe you need to really look at the people you call friends or the people you want to keep so close and decide if it is worth losing their trust. I'd like to stay, but I don't want to quarrel with you anymore."
I hoped she got the point I was trying to get across. I needed her to understand just as she needed me to. I wanted to trust her, but not at the expense of Violet's trust.
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Post by Emily Suddenfield on Mar 16, 2016 13:55:25 GMT -8
"Tch."
After Mel came back, Emily stood, and put her hands in her pockets.
"Being a coward means taking the easy road. Opting for that which saves me, and not having the courage to do what you have to. Heroes, bad guys- everything in between is all about perspective. Do you really believe that those you think are evil believe the same as you? To them, you're the evil one. You're the one who is an affront to everything they believe in. Now, you can think what I'm doing is dirty, cowardice or whatever- I don't really care. But truth is- I don't have any friends anymore. And I don't care if you trust me- I just expect you to follow orders. As I said- if you can't handle it, leave. Do what you have to do. I'll still do what I can to protect you in the end."
And she'd of course have to rethink her approach to Violet now, since Melanie as good as told her she was going to rat out her previous plan.
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Post by Melanie Ross on Mar 16, 2016 14:10:42 GMT -8
I watched her stand and prepared my face for the fist I was sure she had aimed for my face. After receiving no hit, I looked down at the chips and took one. Shoving it in my mouth so I would be doing something while she spoke, I listened. She was vehement on thinking her way was right. Even if it wasn't she was giving me an ultimatum: Do what I say or get out.
"No friends sounds pretty lonely. I can't follow you unless I can trust you. I need to be able to trust you, Emily. I want to trust you. But so far all you are telling me is you are right for reasons you won't share with me."
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Post by Emily Suddenfield on Mar 16, 2016 17:13:31 GMT -8
Her brow furrowed. Interesting. She wasn't sure how to make someone see the dots she'd already connected.
"Okay...I'm not sure how to make you see what I see. I guess...okay, If I had approached Violet and said 'I want you to quit being a Pillar because you're too weak and the S.H.C.P will toughen you up, at the same time I can use your help spying on them' she may have got mad or believed me and joined them, but she wouldn't have a driving reason to grow stronger so my words wouldn't come true. Conflict breeds strength- whether it's strength of body, mind or soul. Violet may have also gotten upset that I thought that, she may have said she likes it where she is and refused. She may like Stevie-Ray and have told her that I distrust her and would have refused to spy for me, much like you would if I asked you to go behind Violets back. The problem is, it's not even Violet or Stevie ray I distrust- it's the faculty. It's this fucking system pitting us against each other. It's stepping out into a hall and seeing people twice my strength and getting my ass handed to me yet...not seeing one administrative official come out of their office. Just teachers. Grunts."
She shook her head and looked away.
"I'm not sharing my thoughts with you and others because right now, I have only a little tangible proof of some fucked up shit that, if I brought it forward wouldn't go anywhere. I'd come off as paranoid or disjointed. It's pointless to fill you in on anything when I don't have all the answers myself. So. I keep to myself. I keep the information to myself. I'll bring it out when there is something to truly say."
She would fold her arms and watch her.
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