Oakland

Chapter 7

"Mr Walsh, Principal Ryan would like to see you now" Meabh, the secretary said with a small smile. Ronan had been sitting outside Principal Ryans office for what felt like a year. He rose from the cold tight chair a pushed the door in front of him open. Sitting behind a large oak desk filled with papers and books was a tall large middle-aged man. Principal Ryan looked up for the computer in front of him. Ronan had only met Principal Rylan once before and he didn't even say two words to him. Mr Ryan's old hollow eyes stared into Ronan's. Mr Ryan let out a cough and pointed at one of the large navy seats on the other side of the desk. "Please sit..eh" he looked down at a small book with names scribbled. "Sit Ronan. Ronan Walsh." Mr Ryan said taking a sip of water. Ronan pulled out the chair and sat down. The chair was rock hard. "So, why are you here today?" said Mr Ryan putting his hands on the desk. Ronan let out a hollow sigh. "I got called here by you." Ronan crossed his arms. He knew what principals were like. They want you to explain everything and poke at you for twenty minutes then just give you a detention. Mr Ryan coughed "Well since your not going to say why you are here I'll tell you. You physically assaulted another pupil. This isn't even an official school day and you have caused trouble. I understand you and your sister are new here at Oakland."                                                          Ronan stiffened at the mention of his sister. He never before could explain why he was so overprotective of Erin to teachers. Mr Ryan leaned forward "Now you have a troubled school history with violence and the traumatic circumstances don't help either." Ronan looked up from the ground. Mr Ryan was playing mind games. Ronan didn't look back down to the bland grey carpet on the floor but instead glared back at the principal. He was hitting below the belt by bringing his dead parents into this. "Explain to me Ronan, why you punched another pupil into oblivion. I would like it if you answer my questions properly" He said with an evil grin.  The way he said his name pissed Ronan off, curling his r's. Ronan leaned forward "Because, sir, James was making out with my sister in the corridor. I don't like people doing that in public. James is also a cunt." Mr Ryans grins faded as fast as it came. "You don't like people making out or making out with your sister. Don't call people names in my presence. Can your sister not make her own decisions?" Ronan felt heat flow through him. He was twisting his words. "I don't like people making out with my sister, Erin. She can make decisions, better decisions than me actually. At the end of the day, she's my twin and I'm her brother so there will never be a day I won't get pissed at boys she likes. I love her. That's the whole issue.  Do you have a sister sir?" Mr Ryan relaxed back into his chair. He took up a photo in front of him. He turned it to Ronan and Ronan looked at it. Two girls between the ages of twenty to twenty-three were smiling in the hot sun. One had short blond curly hair and the other limp fair hair. The photo was taken twenty years ago. "Yes, I do. Two; Carol and Annette. Older. I understand where you're coming from Mr Walsh. I was similar when my sisters started dating boys. I would never punch them or threaten them as you do. Does your sister like James Russo then?" Ronan felt the heat that he was trying to suppress spreading through his body.  "Well, she obviously must like him if shes snogging him. Erin is delicate on the inside and boys ignore that. Shes had trouble in the past." Ronan blurted out. He couldn't control what he was saying anymore. He didn't know why he was telling a principal all this. All of him. Principal Ryan took out a page from one of the may drawers on his side of the desk. "She must be hot property then" he said chuckling. Ronan jolted forward at this comment. "What the fuck did you just say about my sister?" Principal Ryan waved a hand. Ronan felt all the heat boil over. "See how you reacted like that? That is your issue. You care so much that you have programmed your brain into overdrive when someone says something about your sister. I don't mean what I said. She knows what she's doing. Now I have talked to Mr Russo and he said that she came on him.  James said he quote 'cool about it' but still action-reaction. That is my discipline bases. You act, I react. Since James was not personally offended by your action and its not an official school day till next week, I'm going to give you two-hour detention on the start of school. Monday 3 till five after hours. So far you are the only one in that detection class." Principal Rylan blabbed on.                                                                                                    Ronan didn't hear the rest of what he said. He was too busy taking in his surroundings. Ronan looked around the room. The walls were painted the same depressing cream like every other room. There was a great dated fireplace behind the man with high oak drawers on either side. A broad mirror sat above it. There were two trophies and one photo on the mantelpiece. On the left side of the room was a huge window that showed off the green area. Navy curtains thing limply around it. On the right side hung certificates and degrees in metal photo frames. An old battered set of drawers stood lonely underneath. Only a single navy vase filled with lilies was on top. Ronan's eyes fell on the mighty desk. Apart from the stacks of paper and books then was a few interesting things. There was a copper name tag that was engraved: Principal Arthur Ryan. A few pencils and pens with Oakland written on them. A box of tissues and a jar of toffee sweets. There were five photos all scattered around. Two were wedding photos from about ten years ago, one was a family photo of Mr Ryans blond wife and three blond daughters, one was of a dog with a red collar and a metal name tag that read: Carlow the last photo was the old photo of Mr Ryans sisters. Something unnerved Ronan about the way they were sitting and there smiles grinning from ear to ear. "Ronan? Are you with me?" Principal Ryan asked a hint of concern in his voice. Ronan couldn't tear his eyes away from the photo. "Um yeah." "Good, Mrs Diaz will be supervising you. Full uniform and manners. You will be analysing Hamlet in full detail or helping her clear out old records of the school. Rember to apologise to James Russo and that your sister is her own person. I hope I see you soon on better terms Ronan Walsh" Principal Ryan said shoving a slip of paper across the table. Ronan took the page and glanced at it. "That is your d pass. You will need it to give it to Mrs Diaz at detention. Keep it safe." Principal Ryan grunted out. Ronan sat still waiting for something to happen. Some sign to leave. Principal Ryan pulled a couple of books forward and looked back at his computer. "You're dismissed. Could you send Khole Byrne in, please? She should be sitting outside." Ronan stood up and headed out the door as soon as possible.