There was nothing wrong with Shelley really. She was simply a goody-goody. She was one of those girls who was always proper and correct and nobody liked very much.
When the teacher gave students the task to write about their favourite thing in the garden, Shelley handed in what she thought to be the most beautiful reflection (complete with coloured-in drawings) of the poppies of Flanders Fields. She even stuck in a poem. Most of the other girls had gone in for something ordinary, like pansies. The boys, except for Gavin, went for potatoes or parsnips. But Shelley! Oh! exclaimed the teacher, what a darling! Oh it’s fabulous, Shelley! You have a wonderful gift! I have a special reward for you!
It was enough to make you sick.
You could tell. Shelley had a crush on the teacher. She was all starry-eyed and thought Mr Cvetkovic was the cat’s pyjamas. Personally, I hated Mr Cvetkovic, especially when after school he’d take me out to the school’s maintenance shed and tell me it was our little secret.
Bruce!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You should know by now that most of my stories are about not nice people!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, but this?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ignoring the prevalence of paedophilia in the teaching profession doesn’t make it go away.
LikeLike
No. True. 😦
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow! I can’t work out how someone so young had a crush on her teacher because she was a goody-goody. All kids (goody goody’s in particular) are starry eyed towards someone who can give them good grades. I’m missing something with this one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was thinking these characters were maybe 15/16.
LikeLike
The sudden shift in perspective is startling. Besides turning the rolling story on its head, it sweeps Shelley out of the centre with a force, uncovering an entirely new perspective.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks. Yes, I wanted it to shock because it is shocking. In fact I can’t help but think that Mr Cvetkovic is one of the nastiest character I’ve ever created.
LikeLike
To be sure, there are a million Cvetkovics lurking in the sheds and crevices out there. Thanks for the realist fiction.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is probably so shocking because it’s so real – the change in viewpoint at the end does really shock – it’s very well done.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank Andrea – I nearly didn’t post it because it was so horrid – and in the end I thought “But that’s the way it sometimes is”…
LikeLiked by 1 person