boomerang [hayes.grier]

19

"Anna Patner, Nash Grier, and Hayes Grier please report to the principles office immediately."

"I knew it." I said quietly to myself as I stood up, everyone's eyes one me, and walked into the hallway from my 7th hour class, Language Arts.

I looked down the hallway to see if I could spot Hayes who's in the same hallway as I am. I spot him walking out math. He notices me looking at him and stares at the ground as he closes the door. I wait as he slowly walks closer to me.

"Can we walk together?" I ask when he gets close enough.

"I guess..." he said hesitantly.

We walk down the hallway side by side. Getting to the narrow stairway, he motions for me to go in front of him.

"Ladies first." he says, smiling slightly.

"Thank you kind sir." I say, jokingly curtsying.

We both laugh a little, then remember the circumstance were in.

Looking down at the ground, I make my decent down the stairs. At the bottom of the stairs, Hayes and I turn left to go to the principles office.

Hayes knocks as we reach the red door. A few seconds later, the principle, Mr. Brown, opens the door.

"C'mon in." he says motioning us in.

I walk in front of Hayes. As I get in, I see Nash in one of the three chairs across from Mr. Browns desk. He's biting his nails, showing he's nervous. I sit down in the chair next to him, leaving the last chair for Hayes.

Mr. Brown sits down behind his desk after closing the door.

"Ok let's get down to business." he says crossing his arms and leaning back. "First of all, do you three know why you're in here?"

None of us speak at first. Then Nash speaks up. "This was all my idea. Don't blame them."

"No it's my fault too." I speak up. "I didn't need to talk to Hayes that second I could've waited."

"But I was the one who told you to go in there!" Nash insists.

"So?" I argue. "I was the one who went in when I could've said n-"

"It's my fault too." Hayes interrupts.

All of us turn to look at him.

"How?" Mr. Brown asks.

"If I hadn't been... crying then Nash wouldn't have been worried about me and wouldn't have gotten Anna to go into the bathroom."

Nash and I look at each other, deciding what to say next.

"Why were you crying?" Mr. Brown asks before Nash and I can speak.

Hayes blushes as he hears the question and looks down at his hands.

We're all looking at Hayes, waiting for an answer. After a minute, he finally speaks up.

"I'm sad about... Anna..." He says.

As he says this, I turn to Nash who's also looking down at his hands as if he knows something I don't.

"Sad about Anna what?" Mr. Brown asks looking in between Hayes and I.

Hayes just sits and plays with his thumbs like before.

"Hayes, if you would like to talk about without anyone else in here, the other two ca-" Mr. Brown says before Hayes speaks.

"I'm sad that Anna got a boyfriend." Hayes blurts out.

I stare at him in disbelief. I look at Nash who's looking at me like "I knew it". Mr. Brown is looking in between Hayes and I.

It's silent for a minute. Finally, Hayes picks up his head and looks me directly in the eyes.

"Anna I'm so sorry. I love you." Hayes says as he runs out of the principles office and down the hall, leaving me sitting there with an impossible decision to make.