Two Worlds Apart || Ghost

23

Caroline

I sit in my room working on papers. The kids were all at recess. Last night, Simon had come over to my place like he usually does every night now and helped me catch up on grading. He didn't have to but offered. He knows how difficult it is still not having class at the school. I'm always on a time crunch and things are just different. He's always there to help me though. 

I place one of the papers to the side and hear someone walk in to tell me something.

"Miss Madden, you are needed in the office room. The principal was called, and he needs to talk with you." She says. There was a designated room for the office ladies and the principal for them to go between the school and here. It's complicated, I know. 

I sigh and reluctantly leave my chair. I walk down the hall towards the office room. I walk in and they let me into the principal's area. As I get there, my eyebrows raise to see two boys from my class sitting in front of him. It was Joshua and Lucas.

"What's going on here?" I ask.

"Please, sit down."  Mr. Oscar says.

I sit in the chair in-between the boys. They both refused to look at me. I look back at Mr. Oscar.

"Is everything okay?" I ask.

He sighs. "No. It's not. Miss Madden, these two boys were caught beating up two other students." he says. My eyes widen.

"What? This isn't something they would do."  I say surprised.

"We have called their parents but none of them can come so we had to call you over. I'm not happy about this." He says strictly.

"Well, neither am I but, there has to be a reason for this. They wouldn't just go up to a few kids and start hitting them. I know them better." I say. I look to Lucas first. "Lucas, please tell me what happened."  

He shakes his head. 

"Lucas, I need to know. What happened?" I ask.

He looks to Joshua for him to help him. I look over at Joshua now who looks terrified about what I might say or do.

"Joshua, can you tell me?" I ask calmly. "I need to know now."

He lets out a deep breath and twiddles with his thumbs. "We were outside playing on the court. We both saw Alexa getting made fun of by a few boys. She was scared. They were tugging her hair, pushing her, and calling her names. Lucas and I went over to tell them to stop. They said no, and they pushed us calling us names too."

I nod as he tells me the story. "Then what?" 

Lucas decided to continue. "We got up to them and hit them. One of them fell on the ground and I hit him. Now my wrist is bruised." he says and lifts up his arm. I hold his bruised wrist gently in my hand.

"Well, the injuries you two did to those boys was worse than a little bruise." Mr. Oscar says angrily. Lucas looks away from him and Joshua looks down at his feet. "You know, I had a very important meeting today and I ended up having to come here to speak with you about these kids' behavior. I'm very disappointed in them."

I sigh and nod. "I understand. I am a little as well, but they were just trying to defend Alexa and did it the wrong way. I know they are very sorry and I'm sure this whole problem will never happen again."

"I mean, this is kind of your fault, Miss Madden." He shrugs.

I narrow my eyes at him. "Excuse me? This is my fault?"

"You know, these kids have spent a lot of time around that soldier at the base. Something like Ghost?" He says.

I sigh. "Lieutenant Riley." 

He rolls his eyes at me. "Anyway. These kids have spent way too much time over there. They've probably seen him as a role model and think that violence is an answer. Not to mention, you have had a little interaction with the man as well."

"Can we not talk about this in from of the boys please?" I say angrily.

Lucas and Joshya look at me a little confused. Mr. Oscar demanded they stay in the room with us.

"We have reasons to believe that you are getting a little close with the Mr. Riley." HE says.

I say loudly. "Youve been spying on me?! What is wrong with you?!"

He tries to calm me down. "This is just how we like things here. We want to make sure the students are watched over by good adults who don't do peculiar things."

"Peculiar?! What is so peculiar about what's going on in my life?" 

"We have seen recent changes in you, Caroline. It has made us a little worried about the effect you have on the students." 

I scoff. I sit forward in the chair. "Nothing is 'peculiar' in my life. So quit following and spying on me." I sit close to his desk and point into his face, getting my point straight. "Now listen, these two and a whole bunch of my students had suffered during the attack. 3 of them died. And of course, you didn't seem to care a bit. These two were also captured and almost sold for money so that men or women could do horrendous and disgusting things to them. Ghost was the one who saved them. He had to be violent towards the enemies because that's his job. The kids went back and forth from the base to here to make sure there wasn't anything else wrong with them."

Mr. Oscar looks at me caught off guard. "It's just that-"

"They aren't following the way that Ghost is. All they wanted was for the boys to quit picking on Alexa who, by the way, has a terrible home life, was almost sold for millions of dollars, and suffered in the hands of the enemy. So, quit thinking that it's all my fault." I pause for a second to catch my breath. "These are good kids who do bad things once in a while. They learn, it's part of life. I don't know what your problem is about me, but I'm sick of it. So, I'd appreciates it if you would just pull your panties out of a bunch when you are speaking with me."

He sits there in silence. I stand up and tell the boys to come with me. "Let me know what punishment they have when you are done thinking that this is all my fault."

I walk out of the room smiling. Thats the first time I've ever spoken up for myself. I might get fired, but at least I did something I always wanted to do. 

The boys and I walk back to the classroom silently. They both sit at two seats in front of me and I get back to work. Joshua speaks up.

"Were really sorry Miss Madden. We just wanted to help Alexa." He says calmly.

I put my pen down and slightly smile at them. "I know you are. I appreciate you sticking up for her but from now on if any of your classmates need help, let me know. Ill set em straight." I wink and watch them both smirk.

I look down at my papers for a few seconds before Lucas talks now.

"What did Mr. Oscar mean that you were getting close with Ghost?" He asks.

I slowly look up from the papers and sigh. "I've just been communicating with Ghost. He had been wondering how you are all doing. But your all home now, so he's happy." 

They both look at me curious. "Is Ghost your friend?" Joshua asks.

I nod. "Yeah. Yeah, you could say that."

They both look at each other and smirk. I playfully roll my eyes. "Moving on. Who were those boys that you beat up anyway?"

"Um, Braxton Thomas, Max Veurink, and Sammy Fremling." Lucas says.

My eyes widen. "What? Those boys are like two years older than both of you!" I say chuckling. "Did you win at least?"

They both smile and nod. I laugh. "Wow. I'm not going to lie, I'm proud. But don't do it again, okay?" 

They both nod and I smile.