Chemistry [BL]

Chapter 10

I felt sick when I was called into the director's office. I expected Mr. Dimitrev to be there, hell, I even expected the police to be there but when I entered I saw my parents sitting opposite the desk and I felt like throwing up. My mother was shocked when she saw my face. I knew I looked terrible. I had looked into the mirror before leaving the bathroom. My nose wasn't blue, it was purple and swollen and the blood had dried underneath and every little touch was burning like hell. If I didn't touch my nose, it almost felt numb. And my eyes were swollen from crying. I really looked horrible, I knew that.

My mother pressed her hand to her mouth. When she touched my face I flinched. „Minou," she whined, „what happened? Who did that to you?"

My father clicked his tongue and shook his head. „You even have to ask?" he said to my mother. He looked at me and asked, „Charles?" I looked away. „We just want to help you, Joel." But all I wanted was to go home. And never come back here. Never see Charles and Blake again. Never come near this place again.

Then Mr. Dimitrev entered the office. I couldn't even look at him. I lowered my eyes and stared at my shoes. Tears welled up in my eyes again. I only saw him standing on the right of me, arms crossed and then the director began to speak.

„Thank you for coming, Mr. and Mrs. Vannier," he said. „I really hope we can handle this without the police."

„Quoi??" my mother asked in shock. „We're not gonna ignore that my son got beaten up! This is the second time!"

„Mr. Brown, I believe this is all a misunderstanding," Mr. Dimitrev said.

„A misunderstanding?" my father said this time. „What do you mean, a misunderstanding? That my son got beaten up is a misunderstanding?"

Mr. Dimitrev looked confused. „I was talking about the video."

„What video?" my mother asked. There was panic in her voice.

„They don't know about the video yet," the director said. „I was hoping you would find the right words to tell them what exactly happened. Since this is on your account."

I saw Mr. Dimitrev nod in the corner of my eye. „There is a private video of me going around through the school which was posted from the account of your son." My parents were silent suddenly. „I believe it wasn't his intention to post the video."

„Obviously," my father repeated and looked at me. My mother combed a strand from my face and I sniffled. A tear ran down my cheek and I think I've never been so thankful. I looked up at Mr. Dimitrev and hell, I wanted to kiss him for saying that.

„And yet he didn't take it down yet," Mr. Brown said. „We have to bring this to the police if he refuses to take it down." I stared back at my feet.

„Minou," my mother said and combed my hair. „Come on, take it down."

My hands were still dirty when I got my phone out, my fingers still trembling. I deleted the post. I looked at the time I had posted it. 10.49 am. It was online since almost an hour now. Was there even a use in deleting it? The whole school must have already seen it, copied it, shared it or whatever.

I heard Mr. Dimitrev exhaling deeply, relieved and I felt guilty. I didn't even want to imagine what he's been through this almost hour. How he found out the video was posted. It must have been a shock.

„That's it?" my mother asked. „What about the fact he got beaten up?"

„If he doesn't give us names, there's nothing we can do."

„We know the names," my father said. „Charles Davis and Oliver Blake."

„I'm sorry, Mr. Vannier, I can't just go after random assumptions and suspend them. I'm afraid I have to hear it either from him or them."

„D'accord. Alright," my mother said, anger in her voice and she lay one arm around me, leading me to the door. „We'll take care of it. We'll talk to their parents ourselves." She cursed in French the whole way home while my father tried to calm her down, but there was no use. Once my mother started cursing, there was no stopping her.