#bergen_county

Also, she did say that she would meet Dirk to study...but that was before the crisis extended to cheerleading.

Before practice is over, she texts Dirk. TXT: Raincheck until tomorrow. New details, need to talk to my folks.

TXT: What am I? On call ? I get paid extra for on call, Dad taught me that!

TXT: You want me to extra tell people how smart you are?

TXT: Maybe write an article about it for the school paper?

TXT: FINE.. see you tomorrow 🖕

A rude form of surrender, but surrender he did

TXT: SRSLY, though, thanks. Will explain l8r.

As the practice closes, she looks to see if the coach is going to give her a chance to tell her side. She comes down from the bleachers and makes herself available.

Coach Grey waves good bye to some others, and then turns and motions her over to a more private area "Davidson," A nod, and perhaps approval to go ahead and talk

Sylvi watches the others go and bites her lip. She kind of would have preferred an audience, but...

That she doesn't get.

"Yes, Coach. So...what happened was this...." And she explains, about the grade on the paper, about the snide comments from Mr. Grant, about the way he wouldn't honestly answer a question. "And then on top of it, I checked my paper against another student's, and mine was at least as good as hers. THEN I had another student read mine. He got an A, and he said that mine was way better than a C-." She's trying not to sound too petulant, but a bit of it might sneak through.

"Oh, Syvli honey," She shakes her head but she's sympathetic, "On one hand, I respect you talking truth to power, on the other... you have done brighter challenges. You should have gotten your evidence before you picked a fight. Now, this isn't how Mr. Grant quite tells it. Apparently in his version your tone was disruptive and entitled"

"Coach, he's got something against me. It's not just about what happened in class today. It's like...like the way he talks to me is so dismissive. 'Miss Davidson'..." she imitates. "Like that...like he's being sarcastic."

"I don't know how I got on his bad side in the first place, but I'm sure not going to grovel to make him happy. And I think that's part of what he doesn't like."

"Look, you DID screw up... in cutting in the middle of class. I know that if I make mistakes, I try to own them, but they don't take over my curriculum in mid swing. Ain't nobody got time for that. However, sounds like you're not just being paranoid , and I feel for you. I've done the minimum 'against' you, so he can't say nothing happened, but frankly ? While I believe you, I'm a bit confused on the whys as well. Is he harder on the girls?"

"No! That's what I thought, too, but he gave another girl a B+, and my paper was at least as good as hers."

"He said I was 'coasting' and that I have my 'little digital kingdom'...called me 'Princess'...so yeah, I thought it was about me being a girl at first, too."

"Well, if it's a race thing..." The black teacher looks over the fair skinned student "it's weird, because that man is so white Toothpaste looks sassy...." A pause "Digital kingdom? Is this about your make up channel?"

"I mean, maybe? Probably? It was a paper about media's influence on politics, and I reference myself as an influencer in the paper, but I didn't just talk about me. I used material we studied in class, and some other real-world stuff. It's...I wasn't writing about me."

She smirks, "And I doubt he's got a competing make-up channel."

"Well, I admit, social media is a fast moving beast I do not fully understand but you did the work" She considers "Somehow i doubt his son who graduated last year has a make up channel either. Grant's been around the area for awhile. Least as long as your mom has. Means he has family connections. At risk of going into the conspiracy world, maybe one of his neices or someone has a rival situation. Or maybe some influencer hurt him or someone else? And he's taking it out on you. Problem is, I don't know and this is pure speculation"

Her brow knits a moment. "His son...who's his son again?"

She blinks. "Wait...do you think this might be about my Mom?!"

"Mmm? No I mean, not sure how it could be. I just meant he wasn't a newcomer to the area so back tracking is possible" she says "And his son is Bradley Grant. Seemed all right. Played men's basket ball a little but mostly second string. I understand he's on a college scholarship with the Navy right now"

Sylvi nods, then sighs. "So...I'm not benched anymore...unless I express an opinion in his class again?" she says with a bit of a grimace.

"You did your time" she says gently, "Probably too much of it, in my opinion. And I'm sorry for that now that I hear about it. I think you need more evidence of what's going on before you push again; but I sure don't blame you for being upset." A sigh "If he complains again, by the system we've got set up, I'm supposed to hold you off for a week, then, on a third complaint- kick you off. Now I have a lot of lee way, and if it comes to that, I'll fight him, but I need more to go on so I have a chance when he and I go to the principal on this. IF he takes it that far. So... see what you can learn, keep your head down while you're actually picking things up"

"Arrrrgh." She looks to the ceiling of the gym for a moment, then nods. "Right. Okay. I'll...do my best."

"I know you will. Maybe your parents are the ones to talk to"

"Next on my list," she says. "Heading home now. And, hey, don't have to shower or change first." Thumbs up in an ironic bright-side gesture.

"This is true. " She returns the gesture

"See you next practice, Coach." A wave, and she heads out.

Her brow furrows as she tries to remember...did she have any conversations with Bradley Grant?

She finds her motorcycle. Mmmm Bradley checked her out, but she never broke his heart or anything. They didn't talk much. Bradley didn't talk about his father at all the few times they did.

Helmet on, and homeward bound.

Off to Rivervale!

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