Boarding School for Giants (G/T)

Part 20

When we got to the lunchroom and collected our food, Stephanie was already waiting for us at our table. I supposed her fascination with "little people," as she put it, would make her a regular feature around us. As long as she didn't obsess over me or constantly want to pick me up like an action figure, I wouldn't mind. She got excited when she saw me, and immediately started chatting and asking me lots of questions. I was as patient and informative as I could be, although I found it a bit of a chore to talk so much while trying to eat lunch at the same time. Joey appeared mildly annoyed that Stephanie was imposing on our time together, but he bore the burden with stoicism, and remained polite towards her.

As we were talking, Joey and Stephanie both unexpectedly fell silent, looking behind me. I turned around to behold Mr. Henderson leaning over me. He looked worn out and a little stressed, with bags under his eyes indicating his fatigue. He smiled weakly.

"Hello," he greeted us. "Sorry to interrupt, but would you mind coming to see me in my office when you're done with your lunch, Eren?"

"Sure," I replied. I wondered what he wanted from me, and why he was so tired. I missed his calming presence, being around him and talking to him, since he had been mysteriously absent after the hospital visit. I chastised myself internally for my selfish thinking. I couldn't assume I was the center of everything when he had a school to run, especially after the principal had been fired. He gave a small wave of his hand in acknowledgement and strolled away. We looked after him with curiosity.

"I wonder what that's all about?" Joey questioned, voicing our shared thoughts. Stephanie's eyes gleamed at the opportunity to spread fresh gossip.

"I suppose I'll find out soon enough," I mused. We finished up our lunches and Joey took me to Mr. Henderson's office. The vice principal was sitting at his desk, brooding over some paperwork and massaging his temple. When he saw us, he indicated for Joey to place me on the desk. The bell rang to signal the end of lunch, so Joey had to leave for his next class. Mr. Henderson gestured for him to close the door on his way out, leaving us alone in his office.

"Sorry I wasn't able to seek you out earlier," the giant apologized. "I've been very busy these past couple of days. As I'm sure you're aware by now, the principal was removed from his position, so I've had to take over his responsibilities until we can hire a suitable replacement."

"It's fine, I understand," I replied. After a pause, I asked, "What did you want to see me about?"

"Several things," Mr. Henderson answered. "First off..." He opened the top drawer of his desk and pulled out my bike. "I found this in the principal's desk. I believe it belongs to you?"

"Yes!" I confirmed emphatically. I hadn't been certain I would ever get my bike back, so I was very pleased.

"I suppose that explains why you were walking to school when I found you on Monday," he said, a tinge of sorrow creeping into his tone. "I'm sorry. I should have realized something was wrong." He had a mournful, distant expression that broke my heart. It wasn't fair for him to feel guilty for not noticing I was in pain, particularly when I was trying to conceal the truth.

"No. I should have told you what was going on," I reassured him. His giant hand was resting on the desk, so I walked over and patted him on a knuckle. "You can't blame yourself for what you didn't know." He smiled down at me, still looking a little sad.

"Anyways, besides that, I also have this for you." He reached into his desk again and removed a tiny box, being careful not to unintentionally crush it. "I found room in the budget to order you a laptop for your schoolwork. Now you can type up and email your homework. It even has a camera so you can take pictures of handwritten assignments, including tests when you're done taking them, and send them, so they will be properly scaled up for your giant teachers."