Falling for the Golden Boy

Chapter 13

Carson's POV

"That's completely unfair!" 

They turned to look at Meena as she stormed over, a furious expression on her face. "Carson didn't do shit!" 

"Language," hissed the principal.

"We're not on school property, I'll speak however the fuck I please." Meena fired back and continued at the principal's stunned expression. "As I was saying, you can't expel Carson. He did nothing wrong."

"He started a fight at a charity event-"

"Carson didn't start anything! Do you not see the boy standing over there with a black eye? Carson was defending him."

The principal glanced over at Killian. "Is that true?"

To Carson's surprise and anger, Killian said nothing. The brunette just looked away. The principal's eyes landed on Ben. "Perhaps you want to explain what happened."

Ben hesitated before clearing his throat. "Carson threw the first punch. I was only defending myself."

Meena shot Ben a disgusted look. Carson wished he could say he wasn't surprised. He thought Ben would at least defend him. Instead, he just tossed away Carson's whole future. He wouldn't get into any colleges, he wouldn't become something. He would sit at home, work a crappy nine to five while drinking his nights away like his useless father. 

He didn't wait to hear what the principal said next. He knew he was expelled. He just turned and walked away. He ignored Meena's voice calling his name as he turned the corner. He didn't stop until he was a few blocks away when his phone started ringing. Noah's name flashed on the screen before he clicked accept and brought the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

"Carson," Noah's voice was hoarse on the other end. 

"Noah, what's wrong?"

"It's my sister, she-" Noah took a deep, shuddering breath. "The doctors diagnosed her."

He waited for Noah to catch his breath. 

"It's cancer, Carson. My sister has brain cancer."

~

He was making his way towards the hospital in an instant, all of his earlier issues forgotten by the time he walked through the front doors and pulled Noah into his arms. He pulled back to examine his friend, the red rimmed eyes, the messy hair. 

"How long?" He asked.

"The doctor doesn't know," his friend's voice was laced with bitterness. "They say it could be tomorrow, could be a few months, could be a few years."

Carson couldn't imagine the pain Noah felt but he stayed there with him all day and all night. It wasn't until the next day, when Noah managed to calm down, that he asked "Why aren't you in school?"

Carson didn't want to burden his friend with his problems, especially considering Noah was going through something a lot worse but he knew his friend wouldn't appreciate being lied to and would find out eventually so he told him all of the events following up to the bake sale and what occurred during and than after all the way until Noah called him.

"Jeez, I'm sorry Carson. I've been so focused on myself-"

"Don't do that." Carson snapped. "I want to be here with you. You're going through a lot, your whole family is. You have every right to focus on you and your family right now."

"I know, it's just- Damn. What are you going to do now?"

He shrugged. "I'm still figuring that out."