The other thing which changed while I was at school was me. I grew up. Just as a caterpillar changes to a beautiful butterfly, I changed from a plain girl into a beautiful young adult woman. Much of the learning I did during those four years was related to diet, health and other aspects of living. I was aware of the lies promulgated as scientific research that was foisted upon people in the guise of knowledge but which was really marketing for unhealthy food and pharmaceutical products. I avoided the nasties and definitely benefited from the health knowledge I learned. I was now a healthy weight, considered beautiful by many who met me, my long blonde waist-length (strictly against school policy) hair was glossy and healthy.
I found that other students were a great source of practice for developing methods of manipulating people. Missy, who had been partly responsible for me developing this manipulative behaviour, was now old in cat terms but I continued to grant her every unspoken wish. I felt extremely grateful to her for the years of freedom I had within the two schools I had attended. I had learnt all I could from her, now it was time to learn from my peers.
Once I finished ninth grade in junior high, the following year I would start in high school and continue there for three years. Once again the problem arose of training a new set of teachers or suffering the constraints of the very limiting system. I followed my tried and true method; flunking the first test I sat by scoring zero, when clearly the expectations of the teacher were that I would score around the 100% mark. He, like his predecessor four years earlier, called me into his office after school. Once again I asked for the paper, told him the correct answers verbally, then explained how I had been learning and that I wanted this to continue.
He looked at me as though I was from another planet, leant back in his chair and laughed out loud, then told me it was time I ceased this nonsense, that I wasn't in charge here, he was, and that I'd better shape up or my parents would be told in no uncertain terms what their darling daughter had been doing for the past nine years. It was time to be assertive or I would suffer several years of sheer hell. Without a word, I stood and sat on the corner of his desk, looking down at him as he gazed open-mouthed in surprise at my audacity.
"I assume you like your job and wish to stay as a teacher here. I also assume that you like relative peace and do not want to be hassled by parents of students all the time. So I'm willing to cut you a deal. I will obtain grades in the top 10% of the class on every test and exam I am given and all my teachers will mark me present in class and ignore the fact that I don't attend. The alternative is that I deliberately flunk every test and exam and you will have my parents on your back continually. So far I have gained awards, have topped my year and have learnt far more about far more relevant subjects than have ever been taught in school. My parents expect there to be no change in this and clearly, having achieved this in the past, they will expect it in the future. So it will be completely the fault of the school, and you in particular, not of me, if I flunk my grades because I've already proven myself to be a hard-working, competent achiever. So you choose. Turn a blind eye, have me excel and ignore my absence from class, or insist I attend each boring class, while I flunk every exam I sit and you will have my parents on your back continually. Which will it be?"
I stopped talking and looked at him, saw the apprehension on his face, the knowledge that he was certain that what I had said was very likely exactly what I would do; the fear of the possibility of losing the high reputation of the school and his own and other teachers' reputations as being excellent teachers; the possibility that if he insisted on my attendance in class it could possibly cost him and others their jobs here. Furthermore, he knew of my parents by reputation and knew that they would support me to the hilt and expect the school to provide the best possible education for their darling daughter. I continued after a few seconds of silence.
"So, are you willing to reconsider your position on the means by which I learn in this school or will you allow your decision to stand and accept the possible consequences?"
Needless to say he made the decision which was best for both of us. Word spread quickly around the school and all teachers marked me present on their registers regardless of where I was. I did attend many classes and I did sit all the examinations, always topping the class and usually scoring percentages in the high nineties. I figured that so long as I kept scoring highly, made no trouble for teachers and kept presenting wonderful grades to my parents I had little to be concerned about.
Those three years drifted quietly and pleasantly by. Once again I topped the school in my twelfth grade year, once again my parents were extremely proud and had no idea of the methods I used to achieve my goals. By this time Dad was in a top administrative position and Mom was very happy entertaining the social elite. They had little time for me, and I for them, and so long as my results were satisfactory, they were happy. I made sure I kept them far more than happy.
My private life was also flourishing. At social events attended or hosted by my parents, I was able to meet many of the sons and daughters of the social elite with whom my parents associated. I found it an interesting diversion to practise my manipulative skills on these peers and many of them 'bought' my friendship with presents of jewellery and other baubles. They appeared to overlook the fact that I never reciprocated; apparently being able to call me a friend was sufficient reward in itself. Looking back on it, I realize that in those days I must have been a prize bitch.
After graduation at the top of my high school, I could select almost any university I chose for further study. Instead of choosing any of the top universities, I chose the local University of Massachusetts Boston due to the fact that there were many advantages in living at home including having everything done for you and the opportunity to socialize with the offspring of the social elite with whom my parents mixed freely. Obviously, with my school record, UMass Boston was very pleased to offer me a place as an undergraduate.
I enrolled in a BA degree in sociology and psychology, considering this to be the best subject choice to advance me in my chosen 'career' in the manipulation of people to my own desires. A week before I began university I had my 18th birthday, largely uncelebrated as my parents were very busy with their own lives at that stage. I took to university life like a duck to water. It was, after all, the way I had been learning all my life. I selected the interesting lectures, obtaining notes from others that I chose not to attend from classmates. I was soon considered to be the most desirable date by all the 'in' guys, although my reputation as a tease also soon spread. This, however, didn't seem to deter the poor persistent hopefuls, each of whom seemed to think that they could achieve what others could not. They were wrong. Attaining the age of 18 had made no difference to my private social life and I was determined to 'sell' my virginity only to the guy who really swept me off my feet and was also able to offer something substantial in return. However, I had a great deal of fun, accumulated many gifts, including a car, and never needed to buy or do a great deal for myself.
I found university very easy and with very little effort I achieved top marks in each course and was soon known as the person to beat, if that was possible. I was slightly disappointed that I didn't need to bribe or blackmail any of the staff, but I still honed these types of skills on my never-ending supply of dates.
I graduated with the degree Psychology/Sociology, BA three days after my 21st birthday. My parents, of course, put on a big party, inviting all their friends as well as the children of their friends. I didn't need a date; I had the choice of nearly a hundred eligible young men to choose from to take my cherry, if I so chose, as the rumor had been spread by some of my female friends that tonight was the night. The subdued level of excitement at that possibility, if someone played his cards right, was almost tangible to the young people there, although the older group was completely unaware of this. There were, of course, almost an equal number of young women as young men present, many of whom I was firm friends with and many of whom also probably had their virginity intact, at least, that's what they inferred in polite conversation.
The night of the party was warm and pleasant, the party taking place on my parents' property on which a large marquee had been set up for the drinks and food. It was a buffet meal followed by dancing, then late supper. Two dance bands were engaged to supply the music, one for the oldies playing tunes with which they were familiar and to which they were happy to dance, and the other was a currently popular band with young people to play their type of dance music. Fortunately there was plenty of space on the estate to find places away from the throng of people and the beat of too loud music. The trees on the estate also provided a degree of intimacy for those who desired this.
