Valentine

6- Cobalt

Notes: Self deprecating

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Blood stains on knuckles and skin. Bruises causing imperfections on the skin they tainted with the war. Crude hisses and profanity mixed among the screams and cheers. The group— sea of students parted by teachers.

The smell of antibiotics and painful stings against wounds. Silence and awaiting consequences. Unmerged problems and conversing that solved nothing but shit.
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Silent except for the clock ticking. A nurse writing down notes and clicking on a keyboard. The two sat in the back of the office, no one glancing or even coughing. Clawd held a tissue to his bleeding nose and Valentine held an ice pack to his cheek. They still had dirt on their clothes, as well as stray drops of blood.

Adrenaline that helped fight dissipated and allowed ache, but more so panic. There would be sure consequences for one, but there would also be parents called. Suspensions put and questions asked. The staff sucked. The counselor was bad at their job, the administrators too worn out to care. Headmistress Bloodgood wasn't too bad though, but she never had reason to be strict either.

Eventually they are forced to change from the bloodied clothes and get cleaned up. Only then do they go to the Headmistress' office, parents already waiting and begging for answers.

The two teens sat on their respective sides in their chairs and the Headmistress had her hands folded on the table. They had already viewed the security footage, and it wasn't looking too good for Clawd. She stared at them sternly before speaking;
"Do you two understand why you are here?"

Valentine rolls his eyes and Clawd gives out a scoff if only to not mimic the other.

Ms.Bloodgood pinched the bridge of her nose and continued with the permission of silence. "This is completely unacceptable, you should have gone to the counselor for help before getting in such a tousle."

Valentine's father cuts in before the teens could think of a response. "My son is not in the wrong, it's not his fault that rabid dog pounced on him out of nowhere!"

Immediately, his wife tries to calm him and speaks in embarrassed hushes. Clawd's father wouldn't stand for the blatant disrespect.

"My son isn't the problem, clearly you can't raise your child right!"

It was only downhill from there as the dispute escalated. Ms.Bloodgood only got the room quiet when she threatened expulsion on the two.
"Well, now that we are properly able to have a mature conversation, I want to ask what were you thinking?"

Clawd sat silently and bit his lip; despite trying to seem open and calm he was cracking his knuckles anxiously. After a good minute he finally started to explain himself. "Well- He's dating Draculaura and I know he's going to break her heart. I tried to talk to him and deter him but he kind of ignored me, and..."
Clawd stopped after that, not wanting to admit what he had done. He swallowed thickly.

"And?" Ms.Bloodgood questioned, canting her head in a gestured ask to continue.

Though Clawd didn't have to continue, Valentine did for him. Gladly even. "And he decided to attack me out of nowhere."

Clawd chewed the inside of his cheek and turned to look away. Ms.Bloodgood silently questioned his reasoning but didn't give the thought any voice. "I understand your frustration, but violence isn't the answer and I cannot punish Valentine for having relations."

He would've protested, but the headmistress continued. "Valentine will serve four days of in school suspension. Clawd, you will have a week of suspension."