Smile Again

Chapter 9

I told my dad about everything, from what Aidan and his buds did to Amelia asking me out.

"That's great, Delia! I'm so happy for you and her!" My exclaims later that night. He's looking over my elbow cuts and upper lip. "The lip one seems to have healed up pretty well, but the elbow ones need more time. So more band aids and antibiotics." He fixes me up and I go to bed for the night. 

The next morning at school goes pretty smoothly. I meet up with my usual people before first bell in the cafeteria with my girlfriend. It's just me and her for a few minutes and she tells me she's not talking to Becky for a while.

"I mean, she's just been so mean to you and I don't want her to get in the way." She says as I play with her fingers.

"Sounds good. She's a real bitch. So is Aidan. And Leslie." 

"I totally agree. Hi Rose and Jackie!" She waves at my friends as they come over. They sit across from us and engage in conversation before the bell rings. We head over to Rose and I's locker because my first hour teacher is making us put our bags in our lockers from now on. 

"I'll see you later," Amelia says and pecks my cheek good bye.

"I'm so lucky," I gasp and touch where she kissed me. Rose looks at me and laughs. She loves watching me in these conditions since I've never had them before.

We're halfway through first hour when my name gets called down to the office. I share a glance with Rose. I grab my stuff and head down. When I walk in to check in with the secretary, low and behold sits Aidan. I glare at him and ask when the principal is going to see me. She tells me in a few minutes and tells me to sit down. So this means I have no choice but to sit next to him.

"Delia, Aidan you can come into my office now." The principal calls.

"Wait, you didn't..." I start. We both head into his office and sit in front of the desk. 

"What is the issue?" He asks us.

"I wanted to talk to about Delia because she attacked me the other day." 

"What!" I yell, "I never did that!"

"Delia, calm down. What do you mean, Aidan?" The principal asks.

"Well I was just walking with my buds and she just knocks me down. In front of all my friends." 

"That's literally not true. He knocked down one of my FRIENDS and I stood up to him. And when I did that he and his friends chased us down. He was chasing me down the street and got in front of me and knocked me down causing me to scrape my elbows really bad. He then slapped me causing my lip to bleed."

"That is not true. You fell down and that caused your elbows to be scraped. Plus you didn't even say what you did after that, you used your legs to knocked me over. You almost broke my shins!" Aidan exclaims.

I'm looking at him in disbelief. This is so stupid and it was off school proper and hours. If anything, he should have went to the police.

"Delia, are you lying? Did you almost break his shins?" The principal questions.

"You've got to be joking. I physically cannot do that. Do you not believe me? Look at my elbows, they're all red and scraped up."

"Like he said, you could've just tripped and fell to scrape your elbows." 

"This is ridiculous! You believe his story over mine. " I'm laughing at the stupidity, "Yes, I did knock him down and kick him to knock him down but it was all in self defense. He... he did it purposely." 

"But I didn't hit first." Aidan finally says, hiding his smile.

"Yes you did! I swear to god." I'm standing now, getting frustrated at all of this. 

"Okay here is what we are going to do. Delia, you're going to be suspended-" 

"SUSPENDED? FOR PROTECTING MY FRIENDS AND MYSELF!" I shout at him.  At this point Aidan is full on laughing at me and I give him a look.

"Yes, three days of in school suspension starting tomorrow. Aidan you have two days of detention. Delia check in with me tomorrow before the bell." And with that, I storm out of the office and head to my second hour, which I'm already late too. I yank open the door into the classroom and sit in my spot. I don't feel like talking so I put in my earbuds and get my work done, my anger level is way to high right now. Class is soon over and I quickly head to math because I don't feel like talking to Amelia at this time. I'm midway through my math worksheet when I get a tap on my shoulder. 

"I swear to god, Emma if you ask me for "help" one more fucking time, I'm gonna loose it." I turn around and it was Emma staring back at me along with the rest of the class. "What? Have none of you had a bad day?" I turn back around and finish my work sheet before the bell rings. Lunch is going to be horrible I tell myself. 

Jackie beats me to the lunch table so I get surprised. I'm wearing my earbuds to try and signal that I don't want to talk to anyone and lay my head down. I don't notice Amelia and everyone else show up but I do feel someone rubbing my back. I look up and it's Amelia looking at me with sincere eyes. I take my left hand and grab hers. 

"What happened, Delia?" Rose asks me as she takes a drink.

"Guess who just got fucking suspended?" I do fake jazz hands to everyone. They all gasp as I through my face into my hands. 

"What? Why?" Amelia asks. I explain to them what happened in with the principal. At this point I'm just sad and angry and confused. I don't want to go to my next class or to school in general. 

"Oh well. You guys won't really see me tomorrow or for a couple days, probably only at lunch and only for view seconds." I share with them. 

The rest of the day goes by so slowly but soon enough the final bell rings and I head to our locker. I'm just finishing up at my locker when Amelia walks up from behind and gives me a hug. I turn around and hug her back. She's the only person I want to be with right now. Rose and Jackie soon show up but at the time I have to get on the bus and go home. 

My dad is not so happy when I get home. He starts yelling at me about getting suspended when he sees the look in my eyes. This instantly gets him to stop being upset and says to try better, even though he knows the whole story and how it's not my fault. 

"Can you run to the store and grab me some energy drinks, please?" I ask before I head up to my room.

"Yeah sure. Monsters?" 

"Yeah, thank you."

I'm about ready for bed later that night when Amelia calls me.

"Hi, dummy," She says into the phone.

"Hiiiiii," She makes me feel better.

"I wanted to check in with you. You haven't been answering my texts nor your friends." 

"Yeah, I'm sorry, I'm alright."

"You sure?" She gives me concerned eyes.

"Yes, I'm sure. I'm just nervous and stressed out for tomorrow." I don't want to worry her about what I'm feeling right now.

"You'll be okay, I promise. And if you're not, I can help, okay?" 

"Okay." We say goodnight after that and that is when I go to bed but not sleep. I didn't sleep at all the entire night.