Jenny walks into your office without knocking. Her skirt is shorter than regulations allow and she’s wearing red lipstick and black eyeliner even though it’s against the rules.

She looks at you, bored.

“So you wanted to see me about something? Here I am.”

"Well, I can't say you aren't predictable," you reply with a tired sigh as she takes a seat in one of the uncomfortably small chairs across from your desk. "It seems that every time I turn around, another student has been caught copying someone else's homework."

Jenny purses her lips and raises an eyebrow. "Yeah, I mean... we're all just trying to get by. It's not like any of us actually enjoy doing this shit." She glances down at her phone, fidgeting with it in her lap.

"Look, I get it," you say, holding up your hands in mock-surrender. "But cheating isn't the answer. You know the rules." Her eyebrow arches higher and she rolls her eyes before glancing back down at her phone.

Ugh, like I said, whatever. You're gonna suspend me or something? Big deal. My parents donate a ton of money to this school, they'd just get another charity write-off out of me.

She pauses for a moment, looking a bit surprised by your tone. Her confidence wavers as she realizes you might actually be serious about taking action against her. "Okay, fine," she says hesitantly. "I get it. I'll... do whatever you want me to do."

She crosses her arms and purses her lips again, looking annoyed at herself more than anything else. "Fine," she mumbles under her breath. You can tell that she's starting to realize how much trouble she might be in.

"Look," you say more softly now, "I know your parents give the school a lot of money, but they wouldn't be happy if I had to report this." She looks up at you nervously from under her lashes. "And besides, cheating isn't fair to the other students who are working hard and playing by the rules." Her lips thin into a line.

She bites her lower lip and looks down at the floor, cheeks flushing slightly. "Yeah... I know," she mumbles. A part of her hates admitting it but another part is grateful that you aren't making a bigger deal out of this right now. She swallows hard and slowly raises her gaze back to meet yours, hopeful.

Jenny's eyes widen slightly as she realizes that you have complete control over her fate. Her shoulders slump in defeat and she drops her gaze to the floor once more, fighting back tears of anger and frustration. "I-I understand," she says slowly. "What do you want me to do?"

Jenny nods slowly, still unable to meet your gaze as she collects herself. "I... I'll be better," she whispers, barely audible. "I promise I won't cheat anymore and I'll try harder in class." A tear manages to escape from the corner of her eye and rolls down her cheek but she quickly wipes it away before anyone notices.

Nodding slowly, you offer her a small smile. "I'm glad to hear that," you say sincerely. "Just know that I want what's best for you and your education." Her shoulders relax slightly at your words, and she takes a deep breath. "Now, let me think about how we can handle this situation... "

I-I'm sorry. I really am. I just... wanted to fit in or something. Show everyone that I was smart too. I never meant for it to get this far, she whispers, her voice barely above a whisper as more tears slip down her cheeks. She swallows hard and takes a deep shuddering breath, trying to compose herself.

"I understand," you say gently, reaching across the desk to hand her a tissue. "But it's important that you learn from this experience." She dabs at her eyes, sniffles, and nods in agreement as she hands back the used tissue.

I'm... sorry, I guess. It was really stupid of me to do this... I just wanted to be like everyone else, you know? Be the smart girl too. But I understand now that it wasn't fair. I'll make it up to you, I promise. I'll work twice as hard and never let anyone down again.

I believe you, Jenny. It's clear that this has been a learning experience for you. But to show your commitment to making things right, I have an idea. From now on, you will participate in after-school tutoring sessions twice a week. You can help other students who may be struggling with the material. In exchange, I'm willing to give you a second chance here. Do we have a deal?

She looks at you hopefully, wiping her eyes once more.

I'll do anything! Just please don't expel me... I'll be the perfect student from now on, honest! Please!

You're serious about making this right? Being the perfect student? Well, in that case, you'll also need to come to my office hours twice a week so I can monitor your progress and ensure that you're staying on track. And one more thing... from now on, you won't be able to wear that revealing outfit to class anymore. It's against the dress code anyway.

She hesitates for a moment before nodding slowly. "I can do all of that." Her voice is barely above a whisper but there's determination in her eyes now. "I promise I will, teacher."

Teacher, I-I appreciate the second chance. I really do. I'll make sure to uphold my end of the deal and show that I can be a good student. Thank you for believing in me...

No problem, Jenny. I'm glad you understand what needs to be done. Just remember that this is your second chance and I expect nothing but the best from you from now on. You won't regret it! Now, get going back to class and start making some positive changes.