In Love, Against All Odds

Aftermath of the Fight

As we walked into Principal Sanders' office, the tension was thick enough to cut with a knife. The place looked like a mini courtroom, with all the framed degrees and books lining the walls, making everything feel way more serious than it should've been. Bradwin was pacing by the window, his jaw locked tight, while Patrick stood by the wall, arms crossed, looking pissed but calm at the same time. Adri and I stood together, both of us nervous as hell, trying not to look at each other too much.

"Mr. Pennington, Mr. Jackson, Ms. Carter, and Ms. Scott," Principal Sanders said, his voice all business. "I've reviewed what happened in the cafeteria today. Fighting isn't just against university policy—it's also dangerous. This kind of behavior won't be tolerated."

He paused for a moment, making sure we were all listening. "Kat and Adri, you're getting a warning for your involvement in provoking the situation. But because there was actual physical harm involved, Patrick and Bradwin will be facing suspension."

"No way! That's total BS!" I shot back, stepping forward, my voice shaking with frustration. "Patrick didn't even start this mess! He was just trying to help us!"

Principal Sanders raised his hand, cutting me off. "I get your frustration, Kat, but the rules are clear, and they apply to everyone."

I felt like my heart dropped. No matter how much I argued, it wasn't gonna change anything. "This is bullshit," I mumbled under my breath, more to myself than anyone else.

Bradwin smirked, loving every second of my frustration. "Guess you're not so special after all, huh, Kat? Looks like your little boyfriend's getting what he deserves."

I could feel the rage bubbling up in me, but before I could fire back, Adri was already on it. "Shut the hell up, Bradwin!" she snapped, her eyes blazing with fury. "You're the one who started this whole damn thing! You've been a jerk to Kat for months."

Principal Sanders cleared his throat, signaling us to calm the hell down. "Alright, enough of that," he said. "Patrick, Bradwin—go to the nurse's office. You need to get checked out before you head home. Suspension starts tomorrow. You'll be handling your work remotely."

That was it. We were dismissed like we were nothing. Bradwin walked out first, his shoulders all stiff, looking like he'd just won some battle. Patrick stayed close to me, his presence somehow making the situation feel a little less messed up.

As we walked down the hall to the nurse's office, Adri let out a frustrated sigh. "Great. Just great. And my phone got wrecked in that stupid fight," she muttered, pulling it out to show me the cracked screen. The display flickered, then went completely black. "It's not even turning on."

I frowned. "Shit. That sucks. Can you get it fixed?"

"Not anytime soon," Adri groaned. "And if I tell my parents, they'll kill me for getting into a fight. Oh, shit, what am I gonna do?"

"Use your old phone for now," I suggested.

Adri nodded but made a face. "Ugh. That thing glitches like crazy. I guess I'll have to manage."

When we stepped into the nurse's office, Mrs. Phillips, the nurse, was already looking us over with a concerned look. "What happened?" she asked, eyeing Patrick and Bradwin, who was nursing a busted lip.

"Nothing we can't handle," I said, trying to keep it light.

Patrick pulled off his shirt, revealing a nasty bruise on his side. My stomach twisted at the sight. Without thinking, I grabbed the first aid kit and knelt beside him to clean the wound. My fingers brushed his skin, and I had to fight not to let my heart race.

"You didn't have to do that, you know," I said softly, focusing on the bandage to distract myself.

Patrick shook his head, his lips curling into a small smile. "And let you deal with Bradwin alone? Hell no. I'd do it all over again if it meant protecting you."

Adri was sitting on the other side of the room, patching up her own scrapes. I could see the anger still in her eyes. "That idiot's lucky I didn't call the cops on him. He's gonna wish he hadn't laid a finger on me," she grumbled under her breath.

I raised an eyebrow. "Adri, you good? I know he went too far, but we'll be alright."

She looked up at me, her eyes softening just a little. "Yeah, I'm good. Just pissed. But seriously, if Patrick hadn't stepped in, I don't know what I would've done."

I glanced back at Patrick, who was watching me carefully. "You shouldn't have gotten involved, though. You didn't deserve the suspension for something that wasn't your fault."

Patrick met my gaze, his eyes steady. "Kat, I would never let someone hurt you. If getting suspended is what it takes to keep you safe, then so be it."

My heart did this little flip at his words. "I just... I wish there was another way," I whispered, not sure how to deal with all this tension.

Patrick chuckled lightly, clearly trying to ease the mood. "Guess we're both a little dramatic, huh? But I wouldn't change it. You mean too much to me."

I felt my cheeks warm at that and quickly looked down at his side, focusing on applying the bandage. "I appreciate it. But maybe next time, let's leave the fighting out of it, yeah?"

"Deal," he said with a wink, a little mischief in his eyes. "As long as you promise to stand by me."

"I promise," I grinned, feeling the heat in my chest. "You're stuck with me now."

We finished up with the nurse, the tension slowly fading as we joked around about the absurdity of the day. Despite everything, I felt lighter, knowing we had each other's backs.

As we walked back down the hallway to meet the others, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of something more. Patrick's support, Adri's fire, and the bond we all shared were something special. Despite the mess of the day, I felt ready to face whatever came next.

"What's your plan now, with the suspension?" I asked Patrick as we reached the cafeteria.

"Maybe I'll just spend it with you," he said, his eyes lighting up. "We can finally catch up on all those shows we've been meaning to watch. What do you think?"

"I'm down," I replied, my heart doing that fluttering thing again. "Text me, and we'll figure it out."

"Sounds perfect," he said with a playful nudge, then headed toward his locker.

I watched him go, feeling a little lighter. Things were crazy, sure, but I knew this was just the start of something good. As Adri and I walked into the cafeteria to meet Vinita, Brailey, and Alista, I couldn't help but smile. After all the chaos, there was still something beautiful about this new chapter we were starting.

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