Chapter Text
Sameen Shaw, trouble maker, smart ass, violent sociopath and always absent but still a magically straight A student, or delinquent as Control likes to call her. And also an orphan or foster child as some would like to say. Story there is simple, father died and mother couldn’t handle it. Sent Sameen into foster care from age 10 and been in the system ever since. But back to Control. The principal of C&G High also sometimes called Mount Terror among the students, the same principal that was now staring Sameen Shaw straight into her soul, sitting in her office.
“So Ms.Shaw” Control starts straightening in her chair trying to appear more authoritative
“Ma’am” Shaw replies monotone slouched in her chair opposite Control ,
“Would you like to tell me why the quarterback of our football team is currently in the nurse’s office getting stitches and icing his genitals?” Control raising her eyebrow minutely waiting for a response yet continuing to instill fear.
But Shaw wasn’t scared, nah she never really felt that but she knew that Control was not a person to mess with. Rumor has it she can make people disappear for days on end without them having any recollection of what happened and that they would have new scars or injuries that was not previously there. So she tried to be as respectful as she could.
“Well ma’am, because he is the quarterback he thinks he can do or get anything he wants. And in this case it was me and when I shot him down for obvious reasons” gesturing wildly around at nothing in particular “he grabbed my ass..”
Control tilts her head at the choice of language but doesn’t say anything as Shaw continues
“And so, being the good student that I am” Control scoffs just at the sweet lie “I found it very disrespectful and decided to teach him a lesson. That no means no asshole” Shaw finished pronouncing, keeping her face stoic but felt proud on the inside, in this school she got away with a lot of shit.
“Well Miss Shaw seeing as though you think lessons should be taught, how about the one where you have 2 hours of detention after school. After all violence is not the way to solve a problem” Control states condescendingly.
“But that’s not fair, he violated me!” Shaw shot up out of her chair
“Good day, Miss Shaw” Control dismisses her looking back to her computer
Shaw just scoffs and makes her way out until she realizes something, a small smile tugging at her lips “Awe ma’am got a soft spot for meh?” she accuses smugly
“Pardon me?” Control looking up form her screen to glare at Shaw
“Previous years, up until last year actually it used to be 4 hours of detention now it’s only 2” she states and turns to leaves
“3 hours” Control says to her back
“Awe, want to spend more time together? You love meh” she antagonizes and quickly disappears so she doesn’t get any extra hours added
Control just shakes her head disbelievingly and goes back to her work, only to be disturbed again, by the one and only Sameen Shaw cursing at some girl who bumped into her, both trying to fit through the office door at the same time
“Hey! Watch where you’re going asshat. What are you, fucking blind?” Sameen practically growled, not waiting for an answer and pushed pass the long limbed, skinny dork with a huff
‘Stupid fucking nerd’ thought Sameen. ‘What she didn’t get an A on her last test?’ dismissing the tall, four eyed yet strangely attractive girl from her thoughts as she made her way back to class.
The said girl still standing in the doorway of Control’s office not at all seeming to be shocked by Sameen’s outburst but rather tired. She whispered a useless “Sorry” as Shaw stalked the hallway.
“Ah Miss Groves, please come in” Control standing from her chair in greeting “And oh, don’t worry about Miss Shaw, she won’t even remember once she’s had her lunch”
Samantha Groves, wished to be known as Root. Straight A student, quiet type, foster kid who’s got it rough. Moved with her mother from Texas a few years back. Father was never in the picture. Mother died, no more family left so went into the system at 14, but had been placed in not the best homes.
“Um, afternoon ma’am, I heard you would like to speak to me?” her question hesitant
“Miss Groves, please sit” Control gesturing to the chair
Root silently made her way closer and sat down peering up at Control as the woman sat again
“Miss Groves, I’ve heard some rather disapproving news as of late. And I don’t want you to try and deny it because I already know the truth but I would rather hear your side of the story” says Control voice stern but somehow gentle
“Ma’am?” Root inquires confusion tugging at her brow
“Your job Samantha. Not only is it illegal for a 17 year girl to be working in a liquor store, but the fact that you were there until 2 am and drunkenly stumbled your way home all by yourself afterwards” Control features darkening at the sound of her own words as Root widened is shock and fear
“You’ve also been missing quite a bit of school lately and when you are in school you visit the nurse’s office at least twice per week. So this is concerning news, would you like to enlighten me?” Control loosing her cool just an ounce, that’s it, only a ounce
“Uh.. I.. Um..” Root was at a lost for words
“Like I said Ms.Groves, it is pointless to lie to me” repeated Control as she pulled out a manila envelope and emptied it’s contents onto the desk for them both to see
Root went visibly pail and rigid. Those contents were her, pictures of her from about 2 nights ago, drunkenly stumbling home from work
Root couldn’t do anything but stare at the pictures then a thought popped into her head “Wait, were you following me?” she asked her voice wavering
“No, of course not. A colleague of mine saw you and recognized you. They knew I wouldn’t believe it so they took the photos for proof. They also tailed you to make sure you got home okay.”
‘Shit’ thought Root, normally she could always spot a tail no matter how drunk and she was pretty sure there wasn’t anyone following her the other night. Then again she was so wasted she could barely open her front door.
Now seeing as though Control had proof she really couldn’t lie to her face
“Miss Groves?” Control asks a tinge of impatience lacing her words
Root sighed in exasperation “Yes ma’am I work there, but only three nights per week and Saturday nights” she was going to be so dead, when her foster mother found out she snitched
But its not even like she was working there for herself, oh no. Her foster mother is just a greedy bitch and makes all the children work and then turn around and take 60% of their pay. Plus the money she gets from the government.
“And what about the all the nurse visits?”
“I’m just really clumsy is all”
“Samantha, clumsy are a couple bruises here and there, not sprained wrists, concussions, blacking out in class, dehydrated and malnourished, fractures and brakes in between. The nurse told me her suspicions and we filed a report, you are no longer staying with the foster family you are with now. Actually none of the children in that house hold are, you will all be reassigned to a different family.”
“Wait...What? Why?” sputtered Root
“Because all of the children in that household show signs of child abuse, and the your social service officer talked to the rest of kids. They said that you barely come home some nights and will be gone for up until 3 days at a time.” said Control
Honestly Root felt relieved and it showed the moment her eyes started to water. Her chest tightened and she had to swallow the lump in her throat to respond “Uh.., Thank you ma’am”
“Such things are not accepted in society or in the walls of C&G High” Control replied looking at this young timid girl in front of her. ‘Beautiful girl if she could only see that in herself’ thought Control
“But where will I be staying?” asked Root as she used the sleeves of her cardigan to swipe at her tears
“That matter is undetermined but you will be staying with your officer, until further notice. And you are not to step foot into that area again or in that dump you call a workplace” Control voice returning to be fully stern
“Am I clear?”
“Yes ma’am” Root answered with a nod
“Good, now return to your classes and visit the nurse during lunch. She’s expecting you and so will your social service officer after school” said Control as she picked up her pen to scribble something on a piece of paper.
“Yes ma’am” Root acknowledged quietly making her way back to class only to stop by the door “And ma’am” she started turning to face Control
Control peers up at her
“Thank you” Root whispers
Control dismisses her with a nod and once out of sight lets a small smile play on her lips.
*****
Today Control experiences one of the most busiest days and she notices there is a trend or a pattern to it. Literally every student that has graced the walls of her office this morning has been a foster child. She actually started to wonder if they were doing it on purpose. But nah that wouldn’t be possible because half of them don’t even know or speak to each other.
But as Root and Shaw left, in came John Reese, Zoe Morgan and Lionel Fusco.
John Reese, star football player, average student but best known as tall, dark and handsome.
Zoe Morgan, captain of the cheerleading team, well rounded student and always found her sneaky self in some sort of trouble.
And lastly Lionel Fusco, also on the football team, loud mouth, the school’s favorite fat kid and an okay student.
And as the three of them began to bombard her to explanations as to why they were here, she had to take a moment to look to the heavens above asking every form of a God to help her.
“...And because pretty boy here thinks he’s a know it all, he has the nerve to come up into my face and tell me the cheerleader would never date the fat kid!” shouted Fusco when Control came to again.
“I didn’t say that Lionel, I said Zoe would never date you because she’s into me. And that the weight doesn’t help though” John corrected coolly looking past Zoe in the middle to Fusco in his chair
“For the record ma’am I had no part in this” interrupts Zoe with the sugar coated lie and a slight smirk on her face
“Right, well until all three of you can figure out this matter you each have an hours detention after school. Gentlemen for the fighting and little lady here for initiating the fight” said Control knowingly
“Wait. What, no come on. That’s not fair” counters were coming at her
“You all heard what I said. One hour detention and don’t be late” Control raising her voice an octave
The three children quickly left the office with a huff, unhappy about their punishment but like every other student was smart enough to listen.
*****
After lunch when Control thought that finally things would calm down in came another six of her worst nightmares.
Daniel Casey, Jason Greenfield and Daizo for the boys and for the girls Harper Rose, Dani Silva and Frankie Wells.
In that moment in time Control wondered what in her life had she done to have such bad karma in one day.
The boys she wasn’t so worried about they were just sneaky teenagers, who also happened to be among the smartest with computers among her. For the girl also sneaky, privy little shits. Harper Rose being the biggest one of all.
Dani was just more of a cool, chilled kid and pretty much down to do whatever, but determine and stubborn as a thorn prick in a horse’s ass.
And well Frankie just the usual fighter and brainy too.
So it didn’t exactly come as a surprise that the six of them got caught in the Vice Principle’s office no less, searching for God knows what. However that was technically breaking and entering along with trespassing. So by default they needed punishment as well.
Not that she really wanted more students she already had four, but neither did she want to have to do this again tomorrow, so the more the merrier.
And as expected this bunch as well complained but obeyed none the less.
*****
It was almost the end of the school day but of course before she could get through the last period of the day in peace before having to go to detention, two more student arrived at her doorstep.
Joss Carter and Tomas Koroa, well this was odd. Not only were they both good students but Control knew all her students pretty well and had never seen these two together before.
Control mustered the last bit of patience she had left as they came in behind their Engineering teacher no less.
Control internally rolled her eyes as he went on about “Children these days are far too disrespectful” or something of the fashion. She dismissed him and asked the students and they simply replied that something Mr. Cooney was teaching in class was wrong and the were trying to correct him.
Control sighed two more added to her detention list only because the professor demanded it before he left.
Control got up to walk them out of her office and back to the remainder of their lessons but as she stood Harold limped form his desk towards her
“Oh it’s quite alright ma’am, I can excuse them back in” he offered sweetly
“Thank you Harold” Control gave him a small smile as the three students left.
Harold Finch, Control liked him. He worked in the office as her part time assistant when he had free periods. Always top of his class, never in any trouble and highly dependable. He was a good student.
When he came back he brought a coffee with Control and a good luck as she shortly after made her way to the detention room.
When she got there Shaw was already there, sitting drawing some anime character. She probably skipped last period, music, she hated that class.
Control decided not to comment and gave a curt nod in greeting. As the bell rang about a minute later came in the rest of the students chattering and laughing away until they saw Control and shut the hell up.
They all took their seats quietly and began their detention.
Back at the office Root came in looking for Control only to find Harold instead “Hey Harry. Have you seen Control?”
“Hello Ms.Groves and yes she is in the detention room”
“Where is that?”
Harold smiled at his classmate “Come on, I’ll take you”
Root gave him a warm smile in return and followed him down a few halls.
They quietly peered in through the door window and knocked slightly and Control gestured for them to come in
“How can I help you two?” asked Control
Root eyes found Shaw’s the minute she stepped in the room and gave a small smile at the scowl Sameen sent her way
“Sorry to disturbed you ma’am, but my officer isn’t here and I’ve tried calling her” Root voiced quietly returning her face to neutral and approaching Control
“I see, well let me make a few phone calls. Harold would you watch over them while I’m gone?” requested Control
“Of course ma’am” came Harold’s weak supply, he was nervous, for obvious reasons.
“Great, and Ms. Groves have a seat by Ms.Shaw while you wait” said Control as she gestured to Shaw and made her way through the door.
Root made her way over “Hey sweetie, sorry about earlier” she chimed. Shaw scowled further moving her chair father from Root only to Root’s amusement.
Root peered over Shaw’s shoulder “Whatcha drawing?” she asked
“None of your damn business and don’t call me sweetie, if you ever want to breathe again” growled Shaw
Root smiled at the threat, oh yeah, this was going to be a fun detention.
Well at least not for Shaw