FS-novel Chapter 163 - 163: Shopping
Chapter 163 - 163: Shopping
Mikaela waited until Annette's Hyundai Ioniq 5 was out of sight, before she whipped out her phone, and dialled Adelaide."Coast is clear Adelaide, how fast can you get here?" she asked.
"We'll be there in ten minutes," came Adelaide's amused voice.
Mikaela hung up, and dashed across the street to get her stash of forbidden items.
"Enthusiastic are we?" chuckled Edward, as Mikaela emerged from the spare bedroom, wearing the Swarovski crystal bracelet Ivan had given her for Christmas, along with the dress, pantyhose and shoes, that Edward had dutifully taken for alteration to match Mikaela's growth spurt.
"This is my one chance to make a friend that is like me, so yeah," said Mikaela, bounding down the stairs.
She stood at the driveway, her foot tapping impatiently for Adelaide to come.
Soon, the rumble of Axel's Stormkreuzer rent the air, and Mikaela shivered in anticipation as she saw it turn onto the street.
The rear gull-wing door opened, revealing two girls already sitting in the rear passenger seat.
"Hi Mikaela, I'm Yue Yamamoto. Nice to meet you," said the Japanese girl with long black hair, styled in a hime cut that gave her a distinct aristocratic appearance.
"And I'm Yasmin Pasha. Nice to meet you. Come on in," said the other girl, who was wearing a headscarf which still showed her full face and striking kohl-lined black eyes.
"Hi," said Mikaela, nervously getting in.
"Relax, we're all girls her. Except for Axel, whom you're free to think of as nothing but a chauffeur and pack mule," said Adelaide from the front passenger seat.
"That's no way to speak of your cousin who so graciously is making time for us," admonished Yue.
"I get familial privilege," chuckled Adelaide.
"Thanks for this," said Mikaela.
"No biggie. We actually all got a bit of a pep-talk from your dad. He really likes you," said Yue.
"You did?" asked Mikaela in surprise.
"Professor Zakhrov teaches us Computer Science. He's actually a pretty big shot at St. Ignatius," chuckled Yasmin.
"What are his classes like?" asked Mikaela.
"Hard, but fun at the same time," said Adelaide.
"Cool dress by the way," said Yue.
"Thanks, Daddy got it for me on Christmas, and this is the first time since then that I've been able to wear it," said Mikaela.
"Well, it suits you," said Yue.
"Thanks," said Mikaela, blushing.
"First stop, The Feminine Professional," said Axel, pulling into the parking lot.
---
"Well if it isn't Mikaela Zakhrov herself," said Margaret, as Mikaela entered the store with Adelaide, Yasmin and Yue.
"You know me?" asked Mikaela.
"I know of you. Professor Zakhrov constantly talks about you," chuckled Margaret.
"Um, well. I'm looking for new clothes, but I don't know if I can pull off the look," said Mikaela, squirming under Margaret's gaze.
"Not to worry dear. Let's see, how about you try this on?" asked Margaret, pulling a St. Ignatius Academy uniform set from the rack.
"Um, I attend Boston Public," said Mikaela.
"I know, but you can try this on anyway, see how you'll look in it," said Margaret.
"OK," said Mikaela, and took the set to change into.
She emerged a few moments later, squirming and fidgeting in the uniform.
The blazer accentuated her developing breasts and flattered her narrow waist.
The skirt sat snugly over her newly formed hips, and the pantyhose sculpted and gave an illusion of length to her coltish legs.
"Um, I don't know how to put this one on," she said, blushing red, and holding out the tie.
"You look amazing! Very mature. Here, I'll show you how to put on the tie," said Adelaide, and gently took the tie from her.
"You put it around your neck with the wide end to your right, and the narrow end to your left. Then, you cross the wide end over the narrow end in an X shape. Then you loop the wide end through that loop, and pull it across from you. You can see that triangle form right? Yes, keep the wide end over that, and pulled to the left. Now, pull the wide end again through the loop, and tuck it into that bridge you made, and there you go," said Adelaide showing Mikaela how to tie the half-Windsor knot.
"OK, I think I got it," said Mikaela, adjusting the tie.
"How do you feel?" asked Margaret.
"Grown-up," said Mikaela, unable to come up with a better explanation of how she felt.
"Well? Would you like to buy it?" asked Margaret.
"Um, I'm not so sure. It is a uniform, and I don't go to the school," said Mikaela, her eyes downcast.
"Well, I have an idea. How about this?" asked Yue, showing Mikaela an ivory white formal blouse.
"I think that will work," said Mikaela, taking the blouse.
She went back into the dressing room, and emerged a few minutes later, wearing just the blouse and the uniform skirt.
"OK. I think this will work," said Mikaela, twirling around.
The color of the blouse perfectly complimented her sleek black hair and pale skin.
It had a structured fit with a tapered waist that was supported by light carbon fiber boning, darts and princess seams.
A concealed front zipper gave it a seamless and elegant look.
The full sleeves attached seamlessly to the sweetheart neckline.
The back featured adjustable lacing with sleek silver eyelets and ivory laces.
"It looks amazing," said Adelaide, wondering why her own uniform shirt didn't have such structural support.
"That's our newest stealth corsetry range. Tops and blouses that feature boning and corsetry elements without the need to wear a full corset underneath it," said Margaret.
"I like it. The best part is I can wear it without my mom finding out. I just have to wash it by hand," said Mikaela.
"That sort of goes against my principles, but I'll let it pass, given your home situation," said Margaret.
Mikaela nodded, and went back into the changing room to change back into her dress.
"How much is it?" asked Mikaela, coming back out.
"Fifty bucks," said Margaret,
"Cool. You take phone payments?" asked Mikaela, launching her phone payment app.
"Yup. Just tap it to the POS machine here," said Margaret, handing her the bag containing the blouse, and holding out the POS card reader.
Mikaela tapped her phone to the card reader, and the machine beeped.
"All set. Please come again," said Margaret, as Mikaela, Adelaide, Yasmin and Yue left the shop.
---
"I'm at my wits end Doc. Mikaela has become extremely difficult. It's taking every ounce of self-control to not use corporal punishment," said Annette, wringing her hands.
"Well, from what you've told me, it's unsurprising. Children approach such topics with far greater simplicity than we do," said Natsumi.
"Yeah, well. It doesn't matter how many times I try to explain that the privilege weighted grading system that the school uses is meant to be an equalizer, Mikaela only seems to view it as a punishment. She's refusing to do her homework, and her grades have taken a nosedive," sighed Annette.
"This system was rolled out fairly recently wasn't it?" asked Natsumi.
"Last year actually," said Annette.
"Well, then it's only natural that Mikaela feels betrayed. She's a straight-A student now being forced to be average just because her so-called privilege is weighted against her," said Natsumi.
"OK, how do I fix this?" asked Annette.
"Well, you could transfer Mikaela to a school that doesn't use the privilege grading system, or at least doesn't penalize her for being a bright kid," suggested Natsumi.
"Not happening. Any other options?" asked Annette.
"You could quit your job, give up your alimony, sell the Pine Springs house, move to the Projects or to a trailer park, and update the school privilege records, maybe even rack up some gambling debt and misdemeanors for extra trauma points. That will compensate for Mikaela's lack of recognition of her hard work," said Natsumi.
"Be serious Doc," said Annette.
"I am being serious. If you want what's best for Mikaela then you'll game that privilege system for all that it's worth. News flash, Annette. Mikaela is of at least above average cognitive intelligence. For all its good intentions, a grading system that Boston Public has adopted is going to work against her, no matter how hard she works, so she's clocked out. There's nothing you can say or do to get her to change her mind about that," said Natsumi.
"So what? I just have to sit back and watch her becoming a delinquent?" asked Annette.
"Hey, I gave you a perfectly reasonable option, and you shut it down," said Natsumi.
"Don't play coy with me, Doc. You know perfectly well the only other alternative is that blasted St. Ignatius Academy, and I don't have to remind you about why I don't want Mikaela to ever set foot in there," said Annette.
"There are plenty of schools besides St. Ignatius. There's Blessed Heart, there's York, there's Southampton, and that's only the ones in Massachusetts. Sure, some are further away, but they do offer boarding, and with your credentials, you should be able to transfer as well, if that's what your worried about," said Natsumi.
"I've spent twenty-six years trying to build my life here, Doc. I can't just throw it all away," said Annette.
"Well, then. That means your stuck in a bad situation, doesn't it? You know, in all of this, did you once ask what Mikaela herself wants? She clearly doesn't want Boston Public's grading system, so have you tried asking her?" asked Natsumi.
"Oh, I know that she'll pick Ignatius just to spite me, the ungrateful brat," growled Annette.
"I see. Well, then you don't have much of a choice then, do you? Mikaela isn't going to put in any effort, so unless you can change that grading system, she's going to just coast through school. I suppose you can count yourself lucky, since Mikaela doesn't seem the type to hang out with the bad crowd," said Natsumi.
"She might avoid the obvious, but she's definitely vulnerable to the prissy private school types," said Annette.
"Better them than some crackheads," countered Natsumi.
"No, they're just as bad as far as I'm concerned," said Annette shaking her head.
"Do you know what happens to teenagers when they get high on stuff harder than marijuana and tobacco? Yes, private school kids can be vain and self-absorbed, and some do fall under the sway of drugs, but wanting a school uniform and a pony is a far cry from selling yourself to score a hit of meth or cocaine. Don't ever, ever trivialize that sort of thing, Annette," said Natsumi, her black eyes boring into Annette's blue-gray eyes.
"OK," mumbled Annette, finally looking a little guilty.
"Now, like I said. Unless you can get Boston Public to change their grading metrics, you're going to be stuck, and it will ultimately Mikaela who will suffer from a lack of good education. So please. At least consider an alternative school, or even homeschool her with a proper merit based system," said Natsumi.
"Fine. I'll consider it," said Annette.
---
"Mikaela! I'm home!" called out Annette, as she entered the living room.
"OK," came Mikaela's answering call from her bedroom.
With a sigh, Annette trudged up the stairs.
She opened Mikaela's bedroom door, and froze at the sight of Mikaela sitting at her desk, working through her homework assignments.
"Not that I'm complaining, but why the change of heart?" she asked, coming in.
"Plan B," said Mikaela cryptically.
"Plan B?" asked Annette.
"Work my privileged ass off in this crappy school, so that I can ace the SAT, and get the hell out of here, and go to a place where my privilege is not a punishment. That's plan B," said Mikaela.
"And what was Plan A?" asked Annette, taken aback by the determination in Mikaela's voice.
"Plan A was to try and get you to change your mind about St. Ignatius, but Ms. Hirschfield told me that I'd have a better chance with Plan B," said Mikaela.
"How about Plan C? I homeschool you," suggested Annette.
"Thanks, but no-thanks. We'll just get on each other's nerves, now if you suggested Captain Hawkins on the other hand-" said Mikaela, but Annette cut her off.
"Plan B it is then," said Annette, closing the door, and leaving Mikaela to finish her homework.