Tales of the Underground: Blinded - 24. Principal's Office Madhouse!

I couldn’t help but smile as I watched the blood drip from Owen’s smug face. My heart still roaring in my chest chalk full of adrenaline, my instincts telling me to go in for more, but my new found conscience steering me to know better than that. One was enough to teach him, once will only get me in a little bit of trouble, one serves its purpose.

“I think he broke my tooth!” Owen cried out “You worthless hood rat! You’re nothing but a-a….”

“Walker!” A teacher shouted as the whole room turned to see what was happening “Principal’s office now!” I walked off without arguing, making sure to stare down Owen the whole way out.

I fought off a proud grin as I was pushed through the main office and into a nearby seat across from the plump man who had so graciously welcome me on my first day “Mr. Walker, need I remind you that fights are not tolerated here at Lake Michigan High, there will be severe…”

“Call my Dad.” I interrupted, finally learning how to use my new privilege.

“If you think you can waltz in here after starting a fight, and make whatever….”

“Call my Dad, or else you’ll be explainin why you wouldn call such a big donner when his kids needs him.” I fought back. I don’t need to be well liked around here, I don’t need to be popular…I’ve made my friends, and I have my team.

The principal let out a few grumbles, before he walked off into the lobby and spoke with the secretary. About 10 minutes passed before he walked back in, Walter right behind him. “Cy” Walter began in a strict voice “What is this about a fight? There’s no way you actually hit another student, you know better than that. Nancy and I have…”

“I punched Owen in the face.” I admitted with a shrug of my shoulders “and I’d do it again…I probably will do it again if he doesn stop bein such an assh…jerk”

Walter let out a long sigh as his head landed in his hand “Why in the world did you punch Owen?”

“He tol me and Aaron that you and Nancy wasn’t our parents cause we’re adopted.” I explained with a grin creeping across my face “And Aaron started yelling at him, so I got up and punched him in the face…now he won’t be sayin anythin for a while.”

“Cy…” Walter exhaled “Do you see where you went wrong?”

“Nah” I shook “but I guess it’s technically a rule I can’t hit kids so suspend me or whatever, but there’s also rules against bullyin.”

“Well we don’t know what really occurred…” Principal Horace began as the pressure shifted towards him “I mean right now it is a he said, he said event, all we know is that your son punched another student across the face, therefore…”

“Ask Carter or Noah or Aaron, they was all there.” I boldly let out, taking the matters into my own hands “No way I’m the only one goin down here.”

I looked to Walter who nodded his head in support “What Cy did was wrong, but I do believe it was provoked.”

“Well what do you want me to do? Launch an investigation? I mean this is just…”

“That’s your job isn’t it?” Walter prodded, annoyed by the injustice taking place “Unless you want president Rorry to come and straighten this out.”

“No, that’s okay.” He hastily waived “Wait here, I’ll go get the other students.”

As Principal Horace walked back into the lobby I could feel Walter’s stern eyes land on me “What in the world were you thinking? Oh wait I know! You weren’t thinking!”

“I was thinkin” I sighed “I knew gettin suspended now wouldn’t interrupt with basketball, and I knew I had to stand up for me and Aaron. Bet he won’t be talkin shit no more.”

“If you don’t like what another student is saying, you can’t just hit them!” Walter reprimanded “You have to go get a teacher or…”

“Me rat someone out? Come on dad, you know that ain’t happenin” I smiled with the raise of my eyebrow.

He let out another groan, not sure what to think about my actions “You could at least look remorseful.”

“Re-Remor-Rem-re” I tried repeating the word, to try and figure out its meaning.

“It means to feel bad about what you did.” He explained, still not amused.

I shrugged my shoulders but the smile on my face didn’t fade “We both know I don feel bad. Owen’s had it comin since day 1.”

Before Walter could say anything else Principal Horace led Carter, Aaron and Noah into the small office “Owen will be joining us once the nurse gets done helping him.” The principal explained, clearly annoyed by the situation “So boys, what happened?”

“Owen was making fun of…” Noah began “Owen said that my parents aren’t…” Aaron described “Owen was being a real jerk…” Carter joined in, as all 3 started to speak at once.

“Alright!” Principal Horace waived off, stopping them from talking “Carter, you’re an honor student, and a varsity athlete. What happened at lunch?”

“Well Riley referred to his Mom as mom, and we were talking about how cool it is that he feels like they’re his parents, but Owen started making fun of it. Then he said adoptive parents and birth parents aren’t the same thing.” Carter recalled, doing his best to be honest but still spin it in my favor “So Aaron understandably started to get mad, and both of them started to argue, until Riley got up and punched Owen across the face.”

“So then there’s not really a victim here?” Walter led, helping Carter to help me.

“No sir” Carter shook his head “They’re both in the wrong.”

“Well that’s not necessarily…” The principal began

“What the hell is happening here?” Coach Murray intruded, ripping the door open.

Principal Horace’s face seemed to only grow longer as another adult entered into the fray “Iman, this really doesn’t concern you.”

“When two of my starting players are in the principal’s office you better believe it concerns me.” Coach Murray shouted.

“Hey Iman” Walter reached behind him, shaking coach’s hand “Wish we could be seeing one another under better circumstances.”

“You’re telling me.” He grunted, looking to Carter then me “Can I borrow these two for a minute?”

“Well why not?!” Principal Horace sarcastically let out.

“Thanks sir, it’ll only take a minute.” Coach led, walking out into the hallway.

Principal Horace frustratedly threw his hands up as me and Carter quickly scurried out “Man this is like a madhouse!” I giggled following them both into the hallway.

“Would you stop smiling!” Coach Murray shouted “You look guilty as all hell! What happened?”

“Well…” I began, but before I could start Coach threw his hand up.

“Not from you” he groaned “Carter, what happened?” Carter ran through the story as quickly as possible, while still making it sound like hitting Owen was a rational approach “You can’t just leave the Southside in the Southside, can you?” Coach Murray grunted.

“Look I swear I thought about basketball fist, I even made sure the suspension wouldn’t go over the start of the season!” I explained, doing my best to show I was a team player.

Carter quickly nodded his head in support “He totally did! He even asked me about tipoff before he did anything! He totally did the right thing.”

Coach let out another long grunt as he thought over what to say “I can’t stand some of these rich brats either…but you have to keep your temper!” He finally let out “Too many fights and I can’t have you on my team!”

“That was me keepin my temper” I admitted with a shrug of my shoulders “I just figured it would shut him up for the rest of the year.”

“Just please do yourself a favor, and come to me before you hit anyone else. We’ll find a way to deal with it.” He surprisingly supported “I can’t afford to lose one of you when the season starts, and all sports aside, I don’t want to see you blow the chance to get a real education!”

“Told you Coach cares about his players” Carter teased, nudging me with his shoulder.

“Not the time Williams! Especially not with the start to the week you had.” He reprimanded staring him down “Just go, accept your punishment, and practice on your own while you’re suspended…I swear when you get back you’ll be running suicides until you throw up.”

“Sounds fair.” I nodded, appreciating that he was taking my side. Coach patted us both on the back, before turning us back over to Principal Horace. We quietly took our seats as Aaron and Noah each told their accounts of the story, until finally Owen walked in. His lip looked like a balloon, as the skin around it started to discolor.

“Do you care to tell me your side of the story?” Principal Horace sighed, having had enough of playing detective.

“I was just asking questions about adoption, and Cy punched me in the face like some kind animal. I was so scared he wasn’t going to stop” Owen faked, playing victim “I shouldn’t feel that unsafe at school…it’s not fair.”

As Mr. Horace went to respond another man who wore a similar look to Owen Walked in. “Nice of you to join us Mr. Avery.”

“Well it’s not all that easy to take off from work, and it’s not exactly pleasant to hear that your son was assaulted.” His father began, just as snobby as his son.

“Assaulted is a strong word Brock” Walter corrected, as their eyes connected. It was clear that there was already some kind of tension between the two. I know Walter said they worked together, but I assumed they’d be more buddy buddy than rivals.

“Well what exactly would you call getting punched in the face at lunch?” He shot back, as sparks began to fly.

“Justice for your son’s choice of words.” Walter argued, giving it right back to the man now inspecting his son’s lips “Don’t get me wrong, I’m not praising Cy’s choice of action here, but Owen was completely out of line with what he said.”

“No wonder this kids so batshit crazy!” Mr. Avery exhaled gesturing towards me “He gets off the streets, and this is what you’re teaching him? I mean I knew you were relaxed Walter, but this is a new low…even for you!”

“Men please!” Principal Horace shouted “You’re supposed to be examples on how to act to these young men. Now I’ve had enough of this, both you boys are suspended. Owen for 2 days, Cy for 3. End of story.”

“Are you serious?” Mr. Avery shouted “My son gets attacked by this-this hoodlum, and he gets suspended? I mean for god’s sake we should be talking about expelling Walter’s foster kid for his actions!”

“Over my dead body!” Walter jumped back in, ready for round 2, but Principal Horace raised his hand before they could start again.

“He made fun of the student for being adopted” Principal Horace explained “We have 3 different accounts all matching the story Cy told, what do you want me to make of it?”

“Sticks and Stones Horace!” Mr Avery yelped, clearly starting to grow angry “I’m sure this kid has been told worse, he’s just using it as an excuse to attack people.”

“Attack?” Walter repeated, shaking his head “Cy hasn’t had a single problem with anyone in this school except for your kid. I think that says something.”

“And Owen hasn’t had a problem with anyone in this school until your foster kid arrived!” Mr. Avery fought back, finally facing the two of us “I mean Jesus Christ my kid says a few words and it turns into fight club?!”

“It’s this magic thing called accountability Brock!” Walter angrily laughed, starting to flinch with energy “Your son has been making fun of mine since he arrived here, and frankly, it’s about time Cy stood up for himself. And really? No problems with anyone? Who the hell are you trying to fool with that?”

“It’s not my fault the other students are intimidated by Owen’s intelligence.” Mr. Avery defended, clearly just as stuck up as his son “But none of them have ever had the problems your foster kid has.”

“That’s because he’s the only one here brave enough to fully stand up for himself!” Walter pointed out, backing me up as much as possible “I’m not encouraging violence here, but if anything, it probably helped your son.”

“How?!” he shouted back “How could this fat lip possibility have helped my son? By teaching him he shouldn’t be hanging out with degenerates? Oh wait, he already knows that! ”

“By teaching him you can’t just go around saying whatever you want, actions have consequences.” Walter argued back, growing angrier and angrier.

“Men…” Principal Horace began, no longer fully trying.

“So what, someone says something you don’t like, and you can just beat them senseless?” Brock yelped, throwing his hands up and looking towards the principal.

“I’m not saying that, and that’s not at all what happened.” Walter refuted “All I’m saying is that maybe Owen needs to learn that you can’t just go around making fun of people. I mean what if Cy was actually dangerous?”

“Actually dangerous?” Brock repeated in a laugh “Actually dangerous? LOOK AT THE KID!” he shouted at the top of his lungs “He’s got a tattoo popping out of his sleeve, scars all over his face, and one of his eyes is slashed to hell! Did you not pay attention to the posters when we had that job in the southside? He was all over them!” Brock shook his head in disbelief, as though Walter was speaking another language “This kids probably got a criminal record that could fill the phone book, and you want to say he’s not dangerous?! The only way he can even go to school here is because you donate so much money you basically cover Horace’s salary! Hell that’s probably why he’s not getting kicked out right now!”

“The amount of money the James family donates has nothing to do with…”

“Oh save it Horace!” Brock dismissed with the roll of his eyes “3 days is a joke compared to what this kids did.”

Principal Horace let out a deep breath and waived away Aaron, Carter and Noah, knowing that they should’ve been dismissed long ago. Carter and Noah scurried away, while Aaron faked like he was leaving, but swiftly hid near his father. “If I had to expel every single kid who got in a fist fight in this school I would have no students left!” he shouted standing up to look at both of them “Mr. Walker I advise you to grab a hold over your emotions next time someone says something you don’t like, and Mr. Avery I expect much much more of you than making fun of someone for being different. Both of you should be equally ashamed.”

Walter leaned over and nudged me, so I could appear the bigger man “Sorry” I forced out, looking straight ahead.

All the pressure shifted to Owen, but before he could say anything Mr. Avery shook his head “Are we seriously doing this? Are we seriously comparing my son to him.” He cried out, once more gesturing towards me.

“That’s it” Walter dismissed, standing up and grabbing me by the wrist “We’re done here.”

“That’s right, get that sad excuse for a son out of here.” Mr. Avery called out, acting as childish as his son.

As me and Aaron’s eyes connected I saw a far too familiar flash of trouble. I quickly escaped Walter’s grip and rushed over to him. “Shut the fuck up!” He shouted, as I wrapped around him, preventing him from moving “You’re just as much of a douchebag as your son! Cy isn’t the only one here with a problem with Owen…EVERYONE has a problem with Owen!” He screamed, finally snapping “Outside of Me, Carter and Noah, Owen has no friends! The only reason we even hangout with him is because we feel bad! Well no more! I can’t put up with his selfish snobby attitude, and now I see where he gets it from. You’re both self-righteous assholes!” He shouted “You’re pompous and ignorant, and you only care for yourself! My brother is smarter and stronger than you’ll ever be! So fuck you Mr. Avery, and fuck you Owen for trying to act innocent!” Owen simply kept his head down, just like he had all conversation.

“Glad to see this is how you’re raising your kids Walter!” Brock shouted at us “You always were a disappointment!”

“Go suck a dick!” Aaron shouted as I finally pulled him towards the door.

“That’s it!” Principal Horace slammed on his desk “That’s another suspension! Take tomorrow off, and come back with a better attitude! Brock and Walter get a hold of your children, and yourselves! This was embarrassing for all parties involved! Embarrassing!”

Walter ignored the words, and led the 2 of us out of the office and into the parking lot, muttering and cursing under his breath.

“You told him to suck a dick” I giggled, as we finally got to the car.

“Shut up Cy!” Walter angrily lashed out. He took a deep breath to recompose himself, and shook off all the negative energy he was feeling “Sorry, I didn’t meant that…it’s just…did you really have to hit him?”

“Yea” I nodded, still proud of my choice “I’ve been dreamin of knockin that smug grin off his face ever since I got here.”

“You both are in so much trouble I don’t even know where to begin.” Walter shook, trying to get a grasp over the situation.

“Me?” Aaron innocently yelped “What did I do?”

Walter shifted his eyes from the road to the rear view mirror “Do you think I’m deaf? You were completely out of line!”

“Someone needed to say it!” he argued “I knew it wasn’t going to be you, and Cy is in enough trouble already…”

“So what? You walk away the hero of the day?” Walter heatedly questioned.

“No” Aaron shrugged “Do whatever you have to, but Cy stood up for me…I had to stand up for him.”

“Your mother is going to absolutely freak out.” He exhaled shaking his head once more.

“NO!” we both yelped in unison.

“She can’t know!” Aaron pleaded “We’ll never hear the end of it!”

“Actually, maybe I’ll let her decide the punishment.” He grinned, finally figuring how he was going to handle the situation.

“No please!” I begged “She’ll follow me aroun school all day! Please!”

“My minds already made up.” He nodded, finally pleased with himself “Pray that she takes it easy on you.”

Me and Aaron’s eyes connected once more, as we both thought of how much our mom was going to freak out! I mean Nancy’s loving, and protecting…but I’ve seen flashes of her getting strict, and well… the belt from a shot caller suddenly didn’t sound so bad. As we finally pulled into the driveway Walter ordered us to remain quiet and go to our room, while he spoke to Nancy in theirs.

As I heard their bedroom door squeak closed, I swiftly jumped out of bed and headed to the door. “Where are you going?” Aaron whispered, giving me a concerned look.

“To hear what they’re saying.” I whispered back, now in the doorway, making sure the coast was clear.

“You can’t do that!” he quietly yelped “They’ll catch you.”

I rolled my eyes and kept moving “No one catches me.” I softly reminded him.

As I finally got near the door I could hear a muffled Nancy echoing the worlds suspended “I mean both of them? Aaron and Cy?” She cried out, clearly upset.

“Yes” Walter confirmed in a now tired voice “Cy has 3 days, Aaron only has tomorrow. In their defense they were both standing up for each other…but we can’t have them acting like wild animals.”

“I mean Owen Avery, of all kids?” Nancy shook “Brocks going to want his head for this! Did you see him?”

“Oh I saw him” Walter let out, anger starting to return to him “Pompous asshole wanted Cy expelled. I told Horace no way in hell is that happening. His kid can be a real jerk, and they all know it.”

“So there won’t be any legal actions?” Nancy concerningly asked.

“Geez Nancy, it was a school fight between boys, of course not!” he dismissed “Any sane judge would take one look at this and laugh. I just have to go back down to that school, and plead with Horace not to put this on any type of record.”

“Why?” Nancy quickly responded “Will it hurt his adoption?”

“Probably” Walter groaned “They need to see some type of concrete change from him, not that he’s a gang member dressed in preppy clothing. It’s bad enough the caseworker’s report was weird.”

“What do you mean weird?” Nancy questioned, starting to get loud.

I heard the creak of the bed as one of them sat down to get more comfortable “Joshua Kemp called me about it. He said it was so bland it felt like a computer wrote it!”

“Well does this hurt him?” Nancy poked as I heard emotion start to rise in her voice.

“Who knows?” he exhaled “Joshua said that if the judge bring sit up, he can argue the case worker is overbooked, and probably too fatigued to have given us her proper attention. He said a lot of them barely even have time to use the bathroom throughout the day.”

“Well do you think he pulled something on her?” Nancy let out, as I heard another part of the bed squeak.

“Who? Riley?” Walter clarified, I couldn’t hear a response, but I could only assume Nancy nodded her head “It wouldn’t surprise me…I mean with the yelling we heard. We have to get him responding to pressure in a more healthy way, it’s just not safe for…”

“He’s a good kid Walter.” Nancy interrupted, making sure he was on the same page.

“We wouldn’t be adopting him if he wasn’t.” Walter reminded her, shooing away any doubts she had “but he has to learn how to respond properly to bad situations. We can’t have him swinging his way through life. I mean first the case worker, now this? He’s lucky I’m meeting with the judge tomorrow afternoon!”

“What do you think he’ll say?”

“I’m hoping he just hands over the damn adoption paper right then and there!” Walter exclaimed, anger turning to passion “We’ve thrown enough money at them too…”

“I don’t want it to look like we’re buying him!” Nancy interrupted, concern taking over her once more.

“It doesn’t look that way.” Walter laughed off “But it’s a corrupt system…we’re doing what we have to to keep him home with us.”

“So then you still want him as much as you did on day one?” She nervously asked, thinking over everything.

“Of course I do…possibly even more! He has bad instincts, and might as well have been raised by a pack of wolves…but he’s got a good heart in there…and every time I look at him, I can’t help but feel….but feel…”

“That he’s our son?” Nancy poked, finishing the statement for him.

“Yeah” Walter confirmed in a sigh “Besides it’s nice to know that Aaron’s protected, he has always been a bit of a sissy.”

I bit down hard on my lip to keep from laughing and blowing my cover, he called him a sissy! “Walter!” Nancy exclaimed with some bite “You can’t call one of our kids a sissy!”

“I’m just saying he’s a little soft is all!” Walter explained in a lighter tone “But Riley’s really helped him to harden a little. He’s a good influence.”

“We just have to teach him he can’t hit whoever upsets him.” Nancy sighed, agreeing with her husband.

“I’m hoping basketball can help him deal with all that energy…the best athletes were the one who got rid of their anger on the field.” Walter reflected, trying to find the best way to deal with me “Maybe I’ll call Iman and ask him to give Riley a little more discipline, and structure.”

“I don’t know…”

“Look, I know you want him to go to therapy.” Walter began “but think of what message that sends to him! I don’t want him thinking he’s broken…or thinking that we think he’s broken!”

“That’s not what therapy means!” Nancy insisted “Let me explain it to him, I’ll show him it’s…”

“Let’s try basketball first…” Walter interrupted, trying to push his own view “and if that doesn’t work then Riley can go to therapy.”

“Fine” she groaned, agreeing to her husband’s plan “but in the mean time I have the PERFECT punishment for these two…they’ll have no idea what hit them.”

As the conversation wound down I quickly and quietly scurried back to my room. Aaron shot me a weird look, but I waived him off to signal that everything was alright…everything will be alright.