Created by Diane Brown, Buena Beach is an online soap opera, giving up all the juicy details of some of the hottest guys and gals of Buena Beach, a small town in Southern California. Check back everyday for a new episode here on HelloBeautiful.com.
The Voice
Vice-Principal.
The title on her placard still amazed her sometimes, although it had already been more than half a school year. It was almost too easy – a call late one evening from her principal, telling her the then VP, Marty Applebaum, had been arrested for a DUI (his third in as many years) and was being released from his contract effective immediately. The question – as one of the few tenured teachers at the school, would she be interested in stepping up as the interim vice-principal. And the decision just a few weeks later by the district to offer her the position officially.
Forever personally burdened as the straight B-minus, first-runner-up child in her family, Alice’s position didn’t make sense. Before Marty Applebaum’s incident, she’d destined herself with forty-some years of teaching with retirement in Palm Springs, if she was lucky. Now, she possibly had career growth opportunities.
Then again, the VP position was a rather enticing place to set up shop permanently. It provided her some status and power, but she could always hide behind the principal, if need be. The only time she really had to maximize her commitment level was when her principal, Daniel, was gone. Like now. With him off enjoying a two-week vacation, Alice was left behind to take care of the school each day and collect her paycheck. No problema.
“Ms. Canto? I have Jennifer here to see you. Mr. Torres sent her with a slip,” came the call from the front office clerk.
“Send her right in.”
Alice liked to think she had double clout with Jennifer, as VP at Jennifer’s school and one of her bosses at the Buena Beach Café, where Alice will be headed at exactly 3:51 p.m. Twice the influence, twice the respect she should command was always her thought. But it never worked out like that. If she was honest with herself, she might admit that, more times than not, Jennifer seemed to be the one controlling their relationship dynamic.
Even today, with Jen pushing the door open as jauntily as she would a girlfriend’s at whose house she’d arrived after school. Straightaway, her bottom makes its way to the edge of Alice’s desk, where she picks up a tape dispenser and begins tearing off varying sized pieces of tape and adhering them to random parts of her body.
“So what is it today, Jen?”
“Today…” she pronounces quite loudly and almost in disgust, “it’s your boy, Shaun.”
“Mmm-hmm. And what, exactly, did you do to Mr. Torres?”
“Alice. I’m shocked. Why would you blame me?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Let’s just say you have a history of getting into things,” Alice says, taking the dispenser from Jen and placing it out of her reach.
Jen sighs. “He sent me here because I didn’t want to participate in some stupid group activity.”
“And, why wouldn’t you want to participate? You need to pass this class, Jennifer, if you want to be a senior in the fall.”
“I know, but who wants to be in a group with Margie Singleton and stinky-ass Jimmy Matthews?”
This is what Alice didn’t understand about Jen. With her penchant for changing her “look” daily (Monday – Goth, Tuesday – hip hop, Wednesday – slutty-preppy, Thursday – all of the above), her off-color comments, and lack of friendships with damn near anyone under age 25, Jen was the queen of outcasts. Yet, she could be even crueler to the ridiculed recluse than any snobby cheerleader or pompous jock. “You just gotta suck it up, girl. Your dad’s not going to let you keep working at the café if your grades don’t improve.”
This gets Jen’s attention. Everyone knew that the highlight of Jen’s existence was the four to five hours she put in at the café, especially since Alice had let her try a hand at baking monster-sized espresso-laced cupcakes.
“I know. I know. Well, what about independent study? Can’t you recommend that for me?”
“Well, yah, but your dad would never go for that.”
“Please. He doesn’t have to know. I’ll bring the paper back signed – you won’t even have to worry about it. I know someone who can sign my dad’s name even better than he can.”
Alice wants to tell Jen that her scheme doesn’t make any sense, but it would be pointless. The determination is already scribbled on her face. And, what does she care, anyways. Not everyone’s cut out for traditional classroom learning.
“Alice, just think about it. I can work mornings for you, baking. And I’d still do my evening hours. That way, the cupcakes will be fresh. Not day old. Who wants to sell day-old cupcakes?”
She’d already been sold, but the cupcake thing made the offer even better. “Alright, alright. It’s cool. I’ll recommend you for independent study.”
Jennifer claps her hands fanatically and then reaches over to give Alice a hug. She just hoped this decision wouldn’t come back and bite her in the ass somehow. That’s exactly what Alice didn’t need right now.
