Authors note: Usual disclaimer, based upon the story Gifted and Talented by Ozhojabbe

As I have said, dark is a matter of perspective. This story was inspired by 10. I say this is as dark as any of the other stories. :mrgreen: Discuss if you have a comment. ----------------------------------------

Miriam Werner heard her office door open and continued to type the email she was writing.

"Um... excuse me. Is this the school counselor's office?" The student stood in front of Miriam's desk

Miriam looked up, and tried to place the student. At first glance, she was dressed in the uniform that all the girls in the school had to wear. There weren't any exceptions. Every girl had to wear a blue short sleeve banded bottom oxford blouse with the school crest proudly emblazened on the right chest. The shirt was of course collared with a girls plaid cross tie. The girls couldn't wear the male equivalent shirt which looked similar except the buttons were attached to the opposite side and the cut was made for a boy. She also wore it with a grey plaid wrap around skirt. Any color but gray plaid was never allowed and the girls certainly could never wear pants of any type (except gym shorts in the appropriate physical education class, the phys-ed classes were single-sex.). Dark grey tights and black leather oxford women's shoes were also mandatory. All girls wore the exact same uniform. No jewelry except a watch was permitted. Even the watchband had to be no thicker than a certain width. Make up of any type wasn't allowed.

Blonde, glasses, no slouch in the looks department (in spite of her conservative clothing and lack of makeup) and eyes that radiated intelligence. This girl had it all she was both smart and sexy. Miriam prided herself on knowing all of the school's students (even if it wasn't much of a feat in a rural school like this), but she was drawing a rare blank here.

Taking a closer look, Miriam discovered she wasn't quite right. The girl was wearing makeup. It was hard to tell as it was just foundation that matched her skin tone, but no make up was allowed, not even foundation. Also her lips were a paler pink than Miriam was expecting. What she wearing lipstick? Then she saw it, in her ears were small studs? No jewelry of any type was allowed, not even something as small as that. There was also something wrong with her skirt. Was it rolled up on top so it rode higher than it should? That wasn't allowed either. She wore nylon stockings which were acceptable, but cotton opaque tights were preferred.

She nodded and motioned for the girl to sit. "Are you wearing lipstick?"

"No that is chapstick. My lips are very sensitive to the heat," Susan lied.

"And are those earrings in your ears?"

"Ummm, yes, I must have forgotten."

"Remove them please."

"OK," The girl obliged and spoke again. "I know I just transferred in, but I don't like my schedule.. I was hoping I could talk to you about fixing that?"

Miriam smiled. So this was the new transfer student all the teachers were talking about. "Ah, so you're Susan Corsetti, then? What exactly is the problem?" Miriam pulled up Susan's profile on her computer.

Susan looked nervous. "Please call me Susie. Everyone else does. It's just that I just would prefer a lighter load."

Miriam looked up Susan's record at her old school she was in the gifted and talented program, "These are courses similar to what you took before."

"I know that. But this is my senior year. I was hoping to take it easier. All of my classes are honors and AP classes. Right now, you guys have me in the most advanced classes in the school. Why should I work so hard. Look at this you have me in AP Literature and Composition, Calculus B, Physics and Comparative Post Modern Art History."