Immature Mistakes | mj.q✓

Nine

That evening, Ava nervously put the glass of orange juice in front of her father, her hand shaking uncontrollably. She almost spilled the juice on him.

'Hey what are you trying to do huh?' Michael asked angrily.

'So – sorry.' Ava stammered and sat next to her sister who had already started digging into her supper.

'What's up with you today?' Evelyn asked more of curiosity rather than care.

'Oh...um.' she couldn't bring herself to answer. She was still nervous as to how she was going to communicate the information to her father.

Evelyn decided to ignore her sister who wasn't giving her any answers and continued to eat.

'Well the steak is good,' Michael commented with a piece of the meat on his fork.

'Dad,' Ava suddenly said. 'I have to tell you something important.'

'Hmm, better be.' Michael sipped his juice then took a look at the glass.

'Well...I...I got in trouble at school...' she stammered. 'And they need to see you.'

'Do you know how busy I am Ava!? Now you want to disrupt my work day with your school issues!?' Michael placed the glass on the table. 'I always told you I don't have a problem with you getting in trouble, but I have a serious problem with you being caught. What happened?'

'I...spray painted the principal's office.'

Evelyn widened her eyes at her sister and momentarily stopped eating. She got in trouble too sometimes, but not for issues so big.

'Oh!' Michael exclaimed. 'Are you going to remain in school for such a scandal?!'

'I don't know.' Ava admitted honestly.

'That's the best public school in the area Ava...do you expect me to send you to a private school? Where do you think the money is going to come from!?'

Ava remained silent and looked down at her lap. She was scared of what was going to come.

Michael took a deep breath and calmed himself. 'Anyway, I hope you won't get expelled. If you do get expelled, I'll punish you real bad missy.'

Ava gulped fearfully and nodded.

'But...you already disrupted my work plans for tomorrow. So there's a little punishment in store for you tonight.' Michael told her and took a sip of his juice.

Evelyn smiled proudly. She was glad that Ava was getting a punishment just like she had the previous day.

...

Ava walked in the school halls nervously the next day. She had her red palms against her pants, trying to keep people from noticing and asking questions. If someone noticed that she had painful red marks in her hands caused by hosepipe, they could have asked her and would have put her father in trouble. And if her father ever got in trouble, she was in trouble as well.

He walked angrily as Ava led to the principal's door. She looked inside through the glass pane, then knocked on the door nervously as many students made their way into the classrooms.

'Yes come in,' the principal answered.

The door opened and Ava walked in with her father. She looked at the wall she had spray painted, noticing that it was covered by white cloth which was nailed to the floor. It probably hadn't been repainted yet.

'Oh sir, I'm glad you're here, please have a seat.' the principal advised.

Michael smiled friendlily and sat down. You would think he's the kindest man in the world with that expression on his face.