Chapter Text
The air in the principal’s office was far too cold, too sterile for someone like Vi. Her arms were crossed, jaw tight as she leaned back in the uncomfortable plastic chair, one leg casually kicked over the other.
Across from her, Principal Donnelly adjusted his glasses for the third time, clearly regretting the career choices that had led him to deal with women like her.
“Miss Violet,” he began, trying for diplomacy. “We called you here today because your daughter physically harmed another student during recess today.”
Vi raised a brow. She pointed an accusatory look towards her daughter, Rina.
“Yeah, I heard. What happened?”
Rina opened her mouth to speak. “He called me-“
“Rina’s behavior was harmful to the boy,” said Principal Donnelly. “We will have to take necessary actions to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”
Vi narrows her eyes at him. She shifts in her seat, just a bit. But the man shifted back like Vi was aiming her fist at him.
“My daughter wouldn’t have done it without reason,” Vi said, hoping that her trust in Rina isn’t misplaced. “Did the boy do something?”
“He… well, that’s not the point-”
“Sure it is.” Vi uncrossed her legs and leaned forward, all calm fire. “You’re telling me she punched a kid, but you’re skipping why. That’s the point. What did he say to her?”
Donnelly hesitated. “He allegedly called her ‘stupid.’”
Vi huffed a dry laugh. “So verbal harassment. Cute. And what’s his punishment?”
“He’s been spoken to-”
“Oh, spoken to. Meanwhile, you’re calling me in to lecture my daughter for defending herself?” She scoffed, stood up, and reached for her coat slung over the back of the chair. “If someone’s going to detention, it better be both of them. Or neither. But it’s not just gonna be Rina.”
“Miss-“
Vi paused just enough to say, “I hope you give them both the fair reprimands for this, Mr. Donnelley.”
“Let’s go, kid,” Vi called over her shoulder without waiting. It came off a little harsher than she intended.
The girl popped up from the seat and fell into step beside her mother, dragging her backpack behind her like it weighed twice her size.
As they stepped into the hallway, Vi caught something in the corner of her eye, a flash, dark hair slipping into the office behind them. Something about it froze her for half a second.
But when she glanced back, the hallway was empty again. Just flickering lights and peeling posters for the school play. She shook it off.
“Alright,” Vi said as they hit the steps, “give me the story.”
Rina blew a piece of hair from her face, looking anywhere but at her mother’s face.
“He’s new. And he’s annoying.”
Vi gave her a look. “You’re gonna need more than that.”
“He said I was stupid. In front of everyone,” Rina muttered, kicking a rock down the sidewalk. “And he acts all… prissy. Like he knows everything. He talks like he’s better than everyone.”
Vi snorted, despite herself. “Prissy, huh?”
“Yeah. Like, he looks like the kind of kid who irons his socks.”
They walked in step down the cracked pavement, the spring heat curling around them like steam. Rina kicked at a pebble until it bounced off a lamppost.
Vi shook her head, chuckling. “Still shouldn’t call people that.”
“But he deserved the punch, right?”
Vi gave her another look as they reached the car. “Rina. You gotta learn when to hit and when to walk away, kid. Not every idiot’s worth the bruise on your knuckles.”
Rina looked down, a bit sheepish now. Vi softened.
“I’m not mad. Just… try to handle stuff like that with words next time, yeah?”
“Okay.”
Vi opened the passenger door and Rina climbed in. With the same tenderness that felt second nature now, Vi buckled her daughter’s seatbelt, then leaned in to press a kiss to her forehead.
As she pulled away, she ruffled Rina’s hair.
“Alright, champ. What do you want for dinner?”
“Pizza,” Rina said instantly, perking up. Vi grinned.
“Good choice. Pizza it is.”
But Vi paused, narrowing her eyes at Rina. “But you’re doing five worksheets while I make us food, as punishment.”
Rina groaned, rolling her eyes at Vi.