Vita

Chapter Twenty One

I walk into physics the next morning and take my seat next to Isaiah. He's writing down the bell question of the day that's scribbled on the board, what is the definition of friction? I write it down as well, but I haven't studied friction since middle school so my paper remains blank, like it usually does.

The school speaker beeps on and the secretary's voice booms through, "Would Miss Eleanor Halewood please report to the main office."

I look over to Isaiah for reassurance and he just nods for me to go. I leave the physics room hearing the whispers of classmates coming up with possibilities of why I was called down. I don't even know some of them still and yet they all have their theories.

I walk into Mr. Cassidy's office and I remember the last time I was in here when he declared he would be calling my parents about my behavior and I called him out on how they were both dead. Oh, how embarrassed he was. Mr. Cassidy motions for me to come in and sit, and I do. I cross my legs after I seat myself.

"How great to have you back in my office, Miss. Halewood," he greets me.

"And it's a pleasure to be back, Mr. Cassidy," I mock his tone, and his nose scrunches.

"I bet you're wondering why you were called down, but I think you already know why."

"Oh, I do?" I say emphasizing my first word.

He sighs, "Our security cameras caught you and Mr. Isaiah Myhre break into the school last night. We saw that you went down in the cellar, but since I didn't have security cameras placed down there hence I wasn't thinking anyone would go down there, we don't have the footage of you two down there. And we also have no idea when you two left since the cameras seemed to malfunction after the breaking and entering."

"Mhm, I see," I say, changing my position. I can't just explain to him the whole Black Angel thing and the kidnapping. What if he even works for The Black Angel? Like the old principle, Mr. Asmodeus, the nogitsune.

"Can you please explain why you and Isaiah Myhre were down there late at night?" he questions me.

"Why are you just questioning me? Why isn't Isaiah down here too?" I ask, curiously.

"If you'd like me to call him down, I will," he starts to reach for the phone.

"Yes- please do," I say in hope for he will have a better explanation than the real one.

Isaiah walks into the office with his hands in his front pockets. A smirk plastered on his face, "You called, Mr. Cassidy?"

Mr. Cassidy motions for Isaiah to sit in the chair next to me, and he does. Then, Mr. Cassidy repeats what he said to me. Isaiah gulps down the words, digesting them, and I see the way his brain is working up a solution. He has always taken in people's words with thought. He has always cared, no matter who he talks to. And that's one reason why I know I love him because I know he listens.

"Well, Mr. Cassidy," Isaiah sighs," you caught us. And I'm impressed. Security cameras, a nice touch. The old principle, Mr. Asmodeus never had those for he didn't care about us, teenagers, and our teenager habits. But you, great, sir, you care. And if you really wanna know what Eleanor and I broke into the school for, and why we were in the cellar, I will explain."

"Please do, Mr. Myhre," Mr. Cassidy begs Isaiah.

"Eleanor and I can't get away with anything with my over-protective mother and father and Eleanor's pesky aunt, so we thought it would be a good idea to escape to somewhere private, the cellar."

"And what were you doing in the cellar?" Mr. Cassidy questions.

"Having sex, of course," after Isaiah says this so casually, I grab the chair's arms in shock, but I quickly recover, so Mr. Cassidy doesn't catch our lie. That was a smart idea Isaiah had, and it is better than him knowing the truth, or making the truth worse, but I still wasn't sure about it.

"Oh- I-I see," Mr. Cassidy seems shaken up after the casual reveal, "I'm going to have to contact your parent/guardian, both of you, for breaking and entering is illegal, and for what you two broke and entered for."

"No!" I scream without thinking, and then I close my eyes. Great job, Eleanor, you're blowing Isaiah's great plan.

"Is something wrong, Miss. Halewood?" Mr. Cassidy questions me.

"Do you have to call my aunt about this matter? I mean, you called her before already about me attacking Avery. Surely she knows about my trouble. She does, I was grounded last night already for coming home late," I explain.

"I'm afraid I have to call her, Eleanor, it's my job as principle. You two may return to class now," he ushers us to leave.

I stand up and follow Isaiah out of the office. I cross my arms and lean on the hallway wall. Isaiah stands across from me with his hands in his pockets.

"Sorry, but that's the first thing I came up with that he would most likely believe without revealing what we were really doing down there," Isaiah apologizes.

"No, it's fine," I heave a nervous laugh, "it's just I hate living with my aunt. She's so nice, but she's just- she's just not my mom."

Isaiah nods, "I know, Eleanor. I don't know what it feels like to have both my parents gone, but I see the pain of it in you, and I'm sorry that I can't help heal that."

"Thank you," I whisper and give him a hug. A tear escaping from my watering eyes. A tear for my mother, and a tear for my father.