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Jacob's Advocate - 4. Chapter 4 - The School Board
The weather was starting to get colder as the season slipped towards the end of fall. Foliage had long lost it’s battle with the change of season leaving much of everything bare, a chill had settled into the air that was becoming a more prominent fixture in the weather as the days had drawn on. I had completed my first week back with no real plan on how I was going to approach the powers that be about school and Jacob.
Last week had been great. Before I had returned to the routine that was most familiar with me, we all had that talk in the park, and since that day I had gained my best friend back, even though the progress was slow. As I promised to Dee, I did show up more, not only to keep Jacob company but also to help him in some of the course work he had gotten behind in during those bleak few weeks of uncertainty which fate could have swung in either direction.
Jacob still had a ways to go to reach that lively soul I knew, and his steps forward were cautious and guarded, but he had also opened up in a way he hadn’t before. If something was bothering him and I asked about it he was truthful in his answers, and if there was an answer he didn’t immediately know the answer too he asked me to let him think about it, then would return to it when he was able. His determination was slowly matching my resolve in him and I couldn’t help but love him more at his continued attempts to be a better person.
I did end up telling him I was seeing Gavin too, and he had given me a look of understanding because he felt Gavin took special consideration towards him, as their meetings where twice a week, whereas mine was only once a week. Gavin though in the name of utter professionalism, never mentioned us to each other in our separate sessions, but it was clear since he knew both ends of the issues in each of us, he was able to draw on that knowledge to tailor his professional help to our unique special needs. I was honestly glad he was in our lives because I don’t think either of us would have made the progress we had as quickly as we did without him.
It was evident, Jacob had taken our personal conversation from that walk home in the park to heart because while we both knew we wanted more, we knew we had to rebuild our friendship first, so being more than just friends wasn’t a topic of conversation we shared and I think it was a relief to us both not to have that pressure on us. I still needed to have a conversation with Travis, and part of me was conflicted on this because he truly was a great human being, that night at homecoming he purposefully made sure I was free and clear with no strings attached but I still felt I owed him an explanation at some point and it wasn’t a conversation I was really looking forward to.
This morning though as I arrived at school an hour earlier than normal, was a meeting I had arranged with the school’s principle. Once the office had discovered what the topic of the meeting was about it was agreed that our guidance counselor, and the school resource officer from the Sheriff’s Department needed to be in attendance too. I made sure I carried a copy of of the statement my parent’s and I had written and with Dee’s permission, some legal paper work she had obtained from Vance, that Jacob was indeed complying with the court.
Despite what I had managed to do thus far, convincing the school would be harder than everyone else. The school played by a different rule book, than everything else I had encountered and some of the dynamics in which it ran sometimes I just didn’t understand, almost as if it was carefully controlled chaos which didn’t make sense.
I arrived at the office at the appointed time, without my parents, without my friends. This time it was just me, and maybe that’s why I doubted my success. Before it had been a group effort but now I stood on the mountain alone, the only line of defense from those below.
The principle Doctor Michelle Yo greeted me on my arrival, since I was the first to arrive we made small talk about how I was doing, my parents, how the year was progressing. Just general small talk one would have with an administrator while in passing.
Sheriffs Deputy Chris Jones was the next to arrive, in full uniform. I hadn’t had a chance to talk to him before today but he was very pleased to see me in my current condition because he had been the first to arrive on that fateful day, and while he had seen his share of horrors, his concern and genuine relief I was okay was apparent.
The last to arrive was Doctor Sheila Davis our guidance counselor. After the pleasantries where over I didn’t hesitate to get right down to business.
“First off thank you for even having this meeting with me about this subject. I’ll get right to the point, who do I need to talk to, who do I need to convince to keep Jacob Edwards from being outright expelled. I know it’s a touchy subject and I know it’s caused some mixed feelings on the board which is probably why he hasn’t been expelled as of yet.”
“You don’t waste time do you.” Doctor Yo commented with a neutral expression.
“Not with this.” I replied.
“Tyler, the reason why the decision has been on the fence is because of his previous disciplinary and academic records. Which you know has until your incident was spotless.” Doctor Yo started.
“But some don’t see why we should let someone convicted of assault back where he can do it again, and frankly I don’t see why his victim cares so much. Tell me Tyler are you in therapy, have you ever heard of Stockholm Syndrome?” Doctor Davis finished.
“Sheila.” Doctor Yo warned.
“We’re supposed to provide a safe environment for our students, letting Jacob come back would be like letting a sex offender into a preschool.” Doctor Davis spat, “and I’m not the only one that feels this way. What would the parents think?”
“Sheila!” Doctor Yo warned again.
“Why are we even entertaining this idea? You know where I stand. Tyler got beat within an inch of his life and his attacker obviously has an angle on him or he wouldn’t even be here suggesting this crap.” Doctor Davis said angrily.
“I am not a victim.” I said with a hint of anger in my voice. “You only know part of the story, and I can’t tell you the parts you don’t know but Jacob is NOT a violent person.”
I opened my back pack and pulled out the folder, and slapped it on the desk, “this contains my statement I made to the court and the DA’s office. There’s also legal documents released by the Edwards family Attorney that shows Jacob is in counseling, and to answer your question Doctor Davis, yes I am in counseling too and I know what Stockholm Syndrome is, and what’s going on here isn’t that.”
Doctor Yo took the folder and opened it her eyes falling on the statement we made to the court first.
“It doesn’t change the fact you where beat within an inch of your life. His attacker should be expelled.” Doctor Davis said as Yo kept reading. Deputy Jones just stood off to the side quietly observing the meeting rather than participating in it.
“Jacob made a mistake Doctor Davis, a very tragic one. He owned up to his mistake, no one would even know who did it if Jacob hadn’t turned himself in to the Sheriffs Department.” I said glancing at Deputy Jones.
“That part I can verify,” Jones finally said. “We had no leads per-say and the people who did know wouldn’t give up the suspects name. Jacob turned himself in on his own accord, the next day with a full confession with his guardian present.”
I could tell Doctor Davis was mad, and there were those like her in the system that felt the same way. If I couldn’t turn this around in this room there was no hope for Jacob.
Doctor Yo started flipping through the next few pages, keeping her comments silent as she read.
“Still it shouldn’t have happened, especially on school property! This has been all over the news!” Doctor Davis said continuing her tirade.
“You’re right it shouldn’t have happened,” I started, “the whole thing was a series of mistakes and choices both Jacob and I made that led to this whole horrible affair. I’m just as much to blame as he is. I know I’m not the one that threw the first punch, but I was the one that said the first word.”
“That doesn’t excuse--” Doctor Davis tried to get out.
“I called him a fag!” I almost yelled. That made Davis stop dead in her tracks and caused Doctor Yo to look up. “I called him a fag. I couldn’t come to grips with my own sexuality, I took it out on him,” I said in a partial truth.
“He tried to tell me something important and I called him a fag.” I explained falling on my sword, to make this stop.
“It destroyed him. I can’t go into more details then that. But I betrayed my best friend, and it’s a mistake that still haunts me.” I started to tear up with real emotion.
Gavin and I were still working on this, but that wound had yet to heal.
“That one incident started a domino effect that led everything to this, and I couldn’t stop it. I wasn’t a good enough friend to make it stop.”
“Tyler…” Doctor Davis said then trailed off lost in thought. She turned for a moment with her hand over her mouth thinking. Doctor Yo continued to study me while Deputy Davis uncomfortably shifted his position.
“My therapist, my friends, my parents have helped me come to grips with my sexuality. I can’t comment on Jacob’s that’s his story to tell. But the guilt of that day lives on inside me just as strong as it had before. I’m not a victim Doctor Davis, part of me feels like I deserved what I got, it’s something I’m still working on in therapy.” I finished with a slump as I sat back in my seat.
The room remained silent for a moment as a new tension was forming.
“I’m guessing what you told Jacob didn’t happen on school grounds.” Doctor Yo asked seriously.
“No it happened at my house.” I replied.
“Good because you know bullying has a mandatory three day suspension, right?” Yo asked still staring me down.
“I know.” I said dejectedly.
“Tyler, you’re literally the last person I would ever expect to ever do something like that.” Doctor Davis commented.
“Just as Jacob was the last person I would ever expect to physically hurt someone. His guilt is real, just like mine.” I said looking at her, “good people do make bad mistakes sometimes. But it’s how we own up to those mistakes and face the consequences that makes us remain good people.”
Doctor Davis reached over to Yo’s desk and picked up one of the pages Yo and already finished reading.
“I see what happens when mistakes go too far on a daily basis,” Jones said softly as he spoke his thoughts. “I see what happens when good people make mistakes and don’t take responsibility for it. It always ends the same and it’s just tragic when good people fall down and can’t get back up. If you want my view from a law enforcement perspective, so far everything in this case has been done to mitigate as much ever lasting damage as possible and I don’t get to see that much. There has been so much restraint from everyone involved in this that goes beyond remarkable.”
Doctor Yo looked over at Deputy Jones and asked, “so from your perspective you don’t see Jacob Edwards as a threat to the school or it’s student body.”
The Deputy shook his head, “no I don’t. If anything if there is a problem it won’t be from Jacob Edwards, it will be towards him.”
“I had the same thoughts.” Yo said as she sat back in her chair and thought about it for a moment.
Doctor Davis was still going through the documents that Yo had just read. “We can keep an eye on that though, especially if we fill in the rest of the faculty on what to be on the look out for. We do have that in service day at the end of the week.”
My heart leapt in my chest for a moment.
“The board is still undecided though.” Yo continued.
“Well, technically the contents of these documents are enough.” Davis finished.
“I could talk to the board myself.” I interrupted and both Doctors looked in my direction, “correcting this wrong is my sole focus and if Jacob gets expelled I’ll feel like it’s my fault this got started.”
Doctor Yo, picked up the phone and hit the speed dial for the District’s Administration Building, we waited in silence until someone picked up. “Hi this is Michelle Yo at the high school is the board planner in yet? Uh huh, yeah I need to talk to her about the meeting on Friday. Fantastic, thank you.”
We all continued to wait in silence, “Hi Deloris? It’s Michelle at the High school, I’m doing great thank you. Listen I’ve got something I need to slide into the board meeting on Friday. It’s about Jacob Edwards, I just need five minutes on the floor. Yeah end of the meeting is fine. Deloris you’re a life saver, thank you,” and with that she hung up the phone.
“You’ve got five minutes of the floor on Friday.” Yo said looking at me stacking the pages back in the folder, handing it back to me.
“What… How?” I asked.
“The district is pretty much run by the secretaries and planners. That’s the ‘who’ you asked about at the beginning of the meeting. The convincing is all on you though.” Yo looked to Davis, “you on board or still on the fence.”
Doctor Davis signed, “okay you got me. But, I’m keeping an eye on the situation.”
“As you should.” Doctor Yo stood up and stuck out a hand. “Five minutes on Friday. The board meets at the Admin building you know where that’s at right?”
I nodded and took her hand.
“Good luck Tyler. We will do whatever the board rules.” Yo said and with that the meeting was over.
I was in a small daze as I left the front office. What the hell just happened? I had won the first battle, but still had the rest of the war. I checked the time on my phone, I still had twenty minutes before the day would start so I headed for our groups general meeting area in the cafeteria which was open for students who chose to eat breakfast there.
“How’d the meeting go.” Amanda asked as she was the first to arrive. She sat down next to me and gave me a small squeeze, she always knew when I needed it.
“I have five minutes on the at the school board meeting on Friday.” I replied a little lost in thought.
“Really? That’s awesome Ty!” She exclaimed, then frowned when I didn’t join in her excitement. “Whats wrong Tyler.”
“I only have five minutes, so it’s going to be a speech…” I trailed off. I signed when she didn’t connect the dots. “A speech I’m going to have to write, and I’ve got three days to do it.”
“Ty, I know how hard you are on yourself when it comes to your writing.” She said softly, “and I wish you weren’t, because writing is one of the things you’re truly gifted at.”
Amanda looked up as Travis and Matt showed up together, “hey guys.” She said in greeting.
Travis and Matt both looked a little worried as they reacted to my somber facial expressions and Amanda’s flat greeting.
“What’s wrong?” Matt asked.
“Tyler managed to convince the Gods that be to give him five minutes of floor time at the board meeting on Friday but it’s has to be a speech, and he has to write it.” Amanda replied as Matt sat next to her, and Travis sat across from them but next to me.
“Oh…” Matt said as he understood the problem.
I’m my own worst critic. I always have been, that was one of the deep dark secrets that really wasn’t a secret among my friends but it was a major fault that laid in myself. This speech could hinge Jacob’s academic future, and I couldn’t write an essay without losing it. I found it funny that I got more anxiety over writing this speech than I did over everything else that happened, this was something I was going to have to talk to Gavin about at some point.
“Tyler, I know you don’t believe it yet, and one day you will but you are an excellent writer. It’s like you have this ability to make people feel emotion behind the words you write, it’s an ability I wish I had.” Travis said as he tried to reinforce the confidence he had in me, that I didn’t feel.
“Thanks Trav, I appreciate it.” I said as I run my fingers through my hair.
“Bells about to ring we better book it.” Matt said as he started to get up, everyone followed including myself.
“Travis,” I called out before he got too far away. “I need to talk for a sec, mind if I walk you to your first class?” I asked.
“Sure.”
I needed to talk to him about Jacob, it was the conversation I didn’t want to have but I needed this resolved so my focus could go on writing this speech.
“I just needed to talk to you about… You know Jacob and me.” I started. “I know what you said at Homecoming, but…”
Travis stopped, and guided me out of the flow of traffic. He gave a few glances around to make sure no one was listening.
“I think I know what this is about, so let me save you some worry Ty,” he said as his soft gaze rested on me. “First and foremost you are my friend, a friend that I love very much and a friend I want to continue loving for a very long time. I need you in my life in that capacity more than anything else, so don’t think for an instant I’d be hurt if you’re trying to tell me you wanted to explore you and Jacob.”
A wave of relief washed over me that moved me so much I almost cried. I did wipe away a tear that wasn’t missed on Travis’ part.
“Trav, thank you. Being your friend means a lot to me, even more so now.” I replied.
“Homecoming was a special moment we shared that I was happy to be a part of, and one of the happiest memories I’ll ever have with you Ty.” He explained as his eyes sparkled, “I love you dude, I just want you to be happy.” He gave me a quick hug and a smile, then shooed me away before I could say anything.
As I walked to my next class, I thought about how special as a person Travis really was. People always commented on how selfless I was, and I was just being me. But Travis, I just couldn’t believe it, he was just on a whole other level I doubt I could ever rise too. His heart knew no bounds, knew no pain and he offered it freely to anyone who needed it. Travis’ spirit was truly free of any chains and always left me breathless when it flew that high. Truth be told, I needed that from him.
Each of my friends gave me a piece of themselves in return for mine, it’s how we thrived and how we loved and without them I would be nothing. My friends where just awesome and that’s honestly the best way I could describe it.
Travis ended up giving me the gift I needed because now I was free to focus on the speech without any dark clouds hanging over my head. I spent the better part of the day trying to figure out what exactly I wanted to say but no matter how hard I tried I just couldn’t get the wording right. I needed inspiration, and I think I knew how to get it.
After school instead of hanging out with the guys, which I definitely wanted to do, I begged off explaining the situation and that this was probably the most important thing I would ever write in my life. They understood and I took it upon myself after my last class to check with the office to see if there was any course work that was headed in Jacob’s direction and since their was I saw an opportunity and took it.
A stiff breeze with the chill of winter hit me, as I walked out of the school heading for my car and I stopped in my tracks. I turned around and walked back towards that near invisible spot by the dumpsters and looked at the spot.
The spot where I fell.
I could almost swear I saw a red tinge in the concrete, and all I could do was stare at it. I closed my eyes for a moment as if I was giving a silent prayer to the Gods that be and then resumed towards the car. I honestly wasn’t sure what I felt in that moment but it wasn’t traumatic, but I did feel like I was facing a demon head on. At some point I’d have to figure out a way to turn that spot into a positive memory instead of a negative one but that was for later.
The drive to Jacob’s house was quick, even with the stop for fast food on the way. It didn’t take long for the door to open after I rang the bell.
“Tyler!” Jacob said with a smile.
“I went to the place,” I said holding the bag up and Jacob’s eyes went wide as they lit up.
“You got my favorite?” He asked like a little kid at a candy store.
“Mmmhmm”
He took the bag, then grabbed my hand and pulled me into the house and closed the door.
“I’ve also got your work from school.” I said as I followed him back to his room.
As I followed I noticed myself taking stock in some physical attributes in Jacob I hadn’t taken notice in before. He was wearing a pair of gray sweats, barefoot with a blue tee with the school logo that clung on him in all the right places. Even the sweats, loose yet tight enough to curve in the right spots around his hips and ass. I looked up at the back of his head as he curiously looked in the bag, and even his messy head of hair just seemed to lay in all the right places.
I quickly shook that off as we got to this room, more important things to work on right now Ty.
Jacob fished out what he rightly assumed was meant for him and handed me the rest, I watched him as he sat at his desk with his bounty, and I took up a position on his bed, allowing my legs to stretch but still sitting upright against the headboard.
It was in this moment I saw the old Jacob, the real Jacob. The way he fidgeted with his food, the facial expressions when he ate something he enjoyed. It was like watching a cat with a piece of string. He gave me a few furtive glances.
“Wot?!” He tried to say with a mouth full of food and I lost it.
“Jake,” I said between breathes, “don’t look at me like that.”
“Wike Wot?” He asked as he chewed, those eyes full of playfulness.
I just shook my head and tried not to smile, but I couldn’t stop looking at him. He ignored me on purpose to allow me to look. My mind started to form the words in the speech, but I couldn’t tear my gaze away.
This was one of those moments that seemed like to last forever. I had missed this so much, more so than I realized. Just being in the same room with him made me feel complete. A breathe caught in my throat, as my stomach started to feel warm. A tingling sensation spread of my chest to my limbs, and soon rushed into my head.
He was so close to me yet so far away, and that’s when I felt that pang in my heart that I knew would never go away. In this moment I felt so different than I did before, and Jacob was oblivious to it. Part of me wanted him to share in this moment of profound self discovery. It was in this moment that it became clear beyond a doubt.
I was in love with Jacob.
As I said that to myself in my head, a wash of warmth spread out from my chest to every part of my being. It invigorated my soul, my heart beat with the promise that of what love meant. I was light headed and it took every once of self control to remain still.
A smile smile crept onto my lips that would be the same smile I would wear when I saw him from this moment forward. The moment was so powerful and real my eyes slightly watered from the emotion alone.
Jacob chose that exact moment to turn his head and look at me. His eyes flashed between curiosity, confusion then widened at realization. Slowly he put down the food on his desk and spun his chair in my direction. He saw all of it, he understood all of it.
This was a moment that didn’t need words. A breath caught in his throat as mine did before, I could see in his eyes that same pang I felt a moment ago.
A smile crept onto his lips that matched my own and he nodded at me. Slowly he moved to take position on his bed next to me sitting in the same position I was. I reached for his hand and his fingers intertwined with mine, our arms resting against each other.
I honestly can’t remember how long we sat there holding hands just communicating with our eyes. He trembled when I did as the euphoria ran through us. We released when the moment was over, and didn’t speak about any of it the rest of the afternoon. There was nothing that needed to be said.
We knew what this meant, and were in silent agreement on how to handle it. We would continue as we had been and let it all grow naturally continuing to rebuild what was lost but strengthened by what we just experienced.
I did explain the meeting I had in the principle’s office, and the board meeting and I was going to lament about the speech but somehow when I thought about it, it didn’t bring crippling anxiety, instead it brought me a peace I couldn’t explain. And I explained this to Jacob and he understood, just like I did.
I started writing it while sitting next to him that afternoon. He busied himself with the work I had brought from school. Just sitting next to him was all the inspiration I’d ever need in my life for anything. And the words just poured out of me, first one paragraph, then another, and another. It just flowed for the first time like water pouring from a spout. I was done before I knew it. I offered to let him read it but he said he’d hear it straight from the source because he was going to the board meeting.
As the afternoon switched into early evening, I let him know I had to get home and finish some homework and I would see him tomorrow, or the next. I walked out the front door and felt his presence behind me, I turned and gave him the same look I had during that moment and he returned it and that’s all we needed.
The next few days passed in a blur. I’m sure the guys noticed all the slight changes in my demeanor as the new reality settled into my soul. I won’t say I tried to hide it but I didn’t advertise it either. It was during lunch the day before the board meeting Amanda figured it out. All she did was glance at me at the right moment and she saw everything in my eyes. She caught up with me later that day when the others weren’t around.
“Tyler, why do I get the feeling you have something to say but haven’t?” She asked me idly as we walked through the halls.
“Because it’s not the right time to do so,” I said with that same small smile and far away look in my eyes.
“And he feels the same way?” She asked cautiously.
I stopped dead in my tracks and for a moment opened everything I was to her, “I would be nothing without you.” She stopped and looked me over.
“Tyler…”
“You’re the sister I never had and words can’t express what you mean to me. You understand what I’m saying don’t you?”
“You’re different.” Amanda said sharing in only fraction of that moment I shared with Jacob a couple of days ago.
“I’m complete.” I said simply.
She wiped away the tear that fell away from my cheek, “okay.” Amanda wrapped her arms around me in a warm embrace. She understood me, she always did.
“Oh hey, did you want me to read your speech.” She asked as I walked away.
I turned and said to her as I continued on, “nope, for once I got it.”
She stared at me in stunned silence, I walked away from the encounter content with the universe and my small part in it.
I found myself that Friday night at the board meeting with Amanda, Matt, Travis and Jacob, along with Diane, my parents, and surprisingly Gavin. Jacob sat next to me, and Gavin cast us a glance, that was as plain as day, yes we will have something to share in therapy next week.
The meeting went about it’s normal business things where discussed, things where voted on and the business of the day progressed. Under any other circumstance I would have been a nervous wreck, but the closer the time came the more calm I felt.
And finally our time of reckoning came and I stepped up to the podium. I confidently settled the page of my speech in it’s place.
“Good evening ladies and gentlemen of the board. My name is Tyler Wells and I’m here today to speak in the matter that has lay before you in the matter of Jacob Edwards and his status in this district.” I started.
All eyes fell on me from the board members in front of me. They knew who we were they knew what this was about and I had their complete attention.
“Too often people my age make mistakes and they usually lead to utter devastation. We seem like simple beings sometimes, ruled by impulses that seem separated from thought and doused in utter confusion. I’m sure many adults think that there is nothing connected to those impulses, but what seems to be forgotten is that we are living, breathing, beings with a heart that is built from our experiences, from our surroundings, and sadly from negative outside influences that are beyond our control.
Behind every impulse that to some may seem extreme is a story that was never told. All we see is the impulse itself that breached the surface like an iceberg floating in the ocean, without realizing the greater mass that lays hidden beneath the surface. In that mass is our fears, our failures, our insecurities, and too tragically often our pain. It’s when that mass goes critical do we lash out and do the unthinkable.
When the unthinkable happens it’s up to us as individuals to choose how we respond to those events, in most cases the resolution is cut and dry, the maker of that mistake must pay for his or her indiscretions. In other cases that resolution is not so clear. Yes an unthinkable event happened to me, but the perpetrator of that event acknowledged his guilt, without guidance from an adult and turned himself in despite no one knowing who he actually was. He accepted his fate instead of passing blame, or making excuses which I may add most adults who commit similar acts could and would never do.
But it goes deeper than that. What happened to me was the result of that mass beneath the waves going critical due to a pain and an untold story that could no longer be contained. I often find myself asking if I am not guilty for my own mistake that added to that pain, that added to that story and whether or not that is what what led to this incident.
I acknowledged my mistake in this occurrence immediately and that’s what spawned my resolve and my response because I know deep down Jacob Edwards isn’t what he may seem on the surface if all your looking at is the incident itself. He is a thinking person with a beating heart, and a soul worth saving. I didn’t think twice in defending him to my parents, to my friends, to the district attorney’s office or the judge who disseminated his fate and now I do the same to you members of the board.
All I ask is you heed my words before making a decision that could effect Jacob. Too often we find ourselves too late to do anything to save someone from circumstances beyond any sense of control, so with this I leave you to try to save one whose circumstances we can control.
Thank you for your time.”
I was a minute early and I felt a tap on my shoulder. Jacob was standing beside me and I moved from the podium. I moved off to the side as he took my former position.
“Ladies and Gentlemen of the board, my name is Jacob Edwards and it’s me who is in question tonight. I just wanted to say I’m sorry I even put you in this position to begin with, my words aren’t as eloquent as Tyler’s but I wake up every day with regret over my poor choices in how I could have handled this matter, but over that.” Jake paused and looked at me a moment, then turned forward again.
“I’m ashamed at what I did to my best friend. I’m ashamed at what I put his parent’s through, our friends, our school, and everyone involved in this situation. Tyler has already forgiven me for it but that forgiveness for myself isn’t so instant and no matter what you choose tonight, I will still work to be the best person I can possibly be. Thank you for your time.”
The buzzer went off as Jacob finished his line. I gathered my speech and returned to my seat.
Anyone that may have been passing by the building that fateful Friday night may have been startled the deafening roar that happened inside the school board meeting room.
Jacob was voted unanimously to be allowed to return to school.
As we left the building and headed to the parking lot I was on cloud nine. Jacob was speechless, he was teetering between complete joy and a complete break down.
The two of us stopped walking and simply turned to look at each other. Again we were lost in that explainable moment that only we could share.
“Ty, your speech was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen you write.” Jacob said.
“It came from the heart. I couldn’t let you face any of this alone.” I replied.
“Why though?” He asked, biting lower lip afraid of the answer.
“Because I love you Jake. I shouldn’t have kept that from you, if I hadn’t this all could have been different.”
Tears fell for both of us, as he quickly wrapped his arms around me.
“I love you too Ty.”
As our parents, our friends, other students that showed up to see the spectacle approached to congratulate us, they stopped dead in their tracks and looked on, there stood me and Jake locked in embrace, with his lips against mine finally sealing our pact, our promise, and our resolve.
Only Travis broke the silence when he excitedly yelled, “YES!”, and he ran up to hug us both as our lips separated with Amanda and Matt joining in right behind him.
I had the love of my friends, I had the love of my parents, and more importantly I had the love of Jacob, the one who I had lost, then saved, and found again.
We were one. We were unstoppable, and tomorrow was another day we could conquer together.
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16
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52
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
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