Conformity, Part 5

all characters in this story are pure fiction - similarities found 
with real people are pure coincidence. 

Conformity
by Blackbladder

Part 5
------

"What happened, Pamela?" Abby asked 

The friends reunited for last class, History, and sat at their 
desks.  Pamela had been witness to her headteacher chain-smoking for 
an hour.  She could not believe she was being blackmailed.

"Nothing. Just new developments on the Buddy scheme." Pamela muttered 
to her friends.

"You missed yourself earlier today, Pamela.  Didn't you hear the 
commotion about Matt?"

Pamela sprang to the attention of her secret boyfriend, Matt.  Her 
relationship was kept under wraps as she put her school career 
first.  However, she did genuinely love him.  They had been going out 
for 2 years.

"What about Matt?"

"He was attacked on live radio.  I don't know who the attacker was 
but they knew all about you anyway.  They even spoke to him about 
smoking....."

Pamela began merging recent events in her mind.  Angela's new 
attitude and habit.  The growing presence of smoke filling the 
corridors of the school.  The relaxed smoking laws of the premises.  
The increasing number of students lighting up and using the new 
smoking areas scattered like little groups amongst the majority.  
Then she thought about Skye.  Skye rarely featured in her classes 
anymore, somehow spending more and more time with her headteacher.   
Someone was changing the school completely - was it something to do 
with Skye?

"Good afternoon class." Mr Maple commanded.

The class gave their typical "Good afternoon Mr Maple" speech back.  

"This afternoon, we are receiving a visit from the headteacher, Ms 
Gunn, herself - this is part of the communication meetings that are 
being held right now.  She will be here anytime so if any of you have 
any questions, she will be on hand to answer them.  Remember class, 
be on your best behaviour.  Don't let me down."  Mr Maple stated.

Pamela became anxious at the prospect of her blackmailer coming in to 
the room.  She now saw this school in a totally different light now.  
Something had went extremely wrong.

"Mr Maple, please can I go to the toilet?" Pamela asked out of 
desperation.

"Be quick.  Ms Gunn especially wants to talk to you little lady."  Mr 
Maple responded.

The former role model departed her friends table and made her way to 
the radio booth to see Matt.  She figured Matt was her only true 
friend that she could turn to.  Plus, he had the powers to announce 
any news to the public.  Entering the radio office, she detected the 
office vacant.  The sound equipment was the only live presence in the 
room, oozing its radiation.

Where the hell is he when I need him? Pamela asked herself in a state 
of panic.

Pamela then ran through the smoke-filled corridors, checking all the 
empty classrooms for any sign of her boyfriend.  She ran outside to 
the playground and was stopped in her tracks by a sight of amazement.

A massive group, including former members of the anti-smoking Kick 
Butt faction and several other classes, puffing away on cigarettes in 
the ever-growing smoking area.  She was shocked to also see standing 
in the cluster of students several members of the PTA group too 
smoking casually.  The new smokers began laughing at Pamela whilst 
blowing their cigarette smoke into the small breeze.  Hence the 
reason the corridors always smelled of smoke.  Pamela felt her world 
collapse all around her.  This was a scene of complete alienation.  

In despair, Pamela turned towards the school gates - her only exit 
from this recent hell-hole.  As she tred towards the gates, the 
laughter echoed all around, making her feel worthless.  

Claims such as"Bitch!", "Whore!" and "Miss Stuck Up!" repeated as 
tears began to form in her eyes again.  

As she approached the gates, Matt appeared leaning against the school 
exit gate.  He was wearing a devious grin.  A guilty secret was being 
held back til now.  

"Matt! The school has gone fucking mad! Help me please!" Pamela 
cried, the tears running down her face uncontrollably.  

Matt put his large hands around her skinny frame and comforted the 
student.  

"Don't worry about it.  I am here now.  I know what will make you 
feel better." Matt said calmly whilst reaching into his levi jeans 
pocket.

"Hey Matt, this is not the time or place for......you know." Pamela 
stated, blushing slightly.  She was just so happy to be with Matt 
now.  For the first time in her relationship, she realised how much 
Matt really meant to her.

"From now on, Matt, we are gonna be official......no more secret 
rendezvous........no more secrets at all!" Pamela stated, oblivious 
to the day's earlier events.

"I am not talking about sex.  It is a good thing we're not keeping 
secrets anymore..." Matt spoke softly as he took out a pack of 
cigarettes and lit up with the ability of a long life smoker.

"You mind if we walk over to the smokers section?" Matt laughed as 
Pamela was in state of shock at her smoking boyfriend. 

Matt inhaled deeply and sighed, exhaling smoke through his nose.

"I never realised how good smoking could be.  That's until Skye 
opened my eyes...Tonight I am gonna buy my parents a carton of 
Marlboro Reds each for the shit i have given them.  You wanna come 
with me?" Matt said, laughing at the fact he knew Pamela hated 
smoking.

Pamela replied monosyllabically." You don't smoke.  You hated 
smoking.  What did that bitch do to you?"

"She showed me the light.  I knew you were too stuck up!  Go fuck off 
for all I care!"

As Matt left Pamela for a spot in the smokers area of the school, 
Pamela's emotions of shock and sorrow took over.  As the tears 
streamed down her red face, she rationalised that she lost the one 
true person she loved - apart from herself.  With that, in 
desperation for attention, she headed back into the school building, 
wanting to reunite with her close friends.  Upon entering the smoke-
filled building, she witnessed Matt, her now former boyfriend, 
chuckling and smoking with his peers outside.  

Previous part | Next part