‘Yes, but you must understand that what Eva did has consequences. Striking another pupil is unacceptable behaviour. We have a zero-tolerance policy on violence. And with that in mind, she’ll be excluded from school until Monday.’
‘You’re suspending Eva from school?’ My heart thuds uncomfortably against my ribcage. Never in a million years did I think either of my children would be in such trouble.
‘I’m afraid I have to,’ Miss Chalmers replies. ‘But it’s also in Eva’s interest. By this time next week the incident won’t be as fresh in everyone’s mind. And Lauren’s mother will know that the school is taking this seriously.’
‘I suppose that’s true,’ I concede. ‘It might appease her. Will this exclusion… will it go on Eva’s school record?’
‘Yes.’
I nod and chew my lip, thinking that this could affect Eva’s application to senior schools.
‘Let’s bring Eva in for a chat. See if she’ll open up about why she did it, now that you’re here.’ Miss Chalmers picks up her phone and asks someone to bring my daughter to her office.
The wait is a little awkward, and we talk about how we can’t believe this is Eva’s final year at primary school, and how quickly the time has gone. All I can think about is that it’s such a shame this has happened. I hope it doesn’t ruin her whole memory of her time at school.
When the door finally opens, a white-faced Eva walks in, trailing her schoolbag along the floor. I get to my feet and hold out my arms. Eva’s lower lip wobbles and she presses herself against me with a couple of muffled sobs.
‘Shall we all sit down?’ Miss Chalmers says. ‘Eva, you can sit next to your mum.’
I peel my daughter off me and she slouches into the chair by my side like a deflated balloon.
‘Hey, Eva, what happened today?’ I ask. ‘Miss Chalmers says you hurt Lauren.’
Eva tenses up and scowls.
‘Eva?’ I prompt.
‘I didn’t mean to!’ she cries.
‘So it was an accident?’
She pauses. ‘Sort of.’
‘Why don’t you just tell me what happened, and then we can put this all behind us and go home.’
‘Go home? But it’s only lunchtime.’ She sighs. ‘I’m sorry I made her nose bleed, but she was being really mean to me. I just wanted her to stop. I didn’t mean to hurt her so badly.’
‘I know you didn’t. How was she being mean?’ I ask gently.
‘I didn’t bring my PE kit in today,’ Eva replies.
‘Well, that’s not your fault. That’s because of what happened with Katie this morning. We were all a bit rushed and you probably forgot to—’
‘I didn’t forget it,’ Eva says. ‘I didn’t bring it in cos it was in the basket, still damp, because—’
‘Because I forgot to put it in the drier,’ I finish. ‘I’m sorry. My fault. But what’s that got to do with Lauren?’
‘Well,’ my daughter continues, ‘I had to borrow some kit from the spares box. And Lauren started calling me Stinky Eva. Everyone was laughing and Lauren said that everyone had to call me Stinky Eva for the rest of term.’ Eva’s face is bright red and she’s biting her lip really hard to stop herself from crying.
‘Did you tell Lauren to stop calling you those names?’ I reply.
‘Yes. But she ignored me and then everyone said I smelled.’
I feel my temper rise on Eva’s behalf. I can totally understand why she wanted to punch Lauren. But at the same time, I know she should never have reacted like that. ‘Well,’ I say to Miss Chalmers, ‘I suppose that explains why Eva lashed out.’
‘Did you tell Mrs Slade about the teasing?’ Miss Chalmers asks.
Mrs Slade is Eva’s class teacher. I’m a little miffed at the head referring to Lauren’s behaviour as ‘teasing’.
