Teen Trials

Broken Bones

Happy 4th of July to all who celebrate!

Hunter strode into the school with a purpose. Two weeks Emma had been at this school and he was already being called to the vice-principal's office. He walked into the small office area and smiled tightly at the receptionist. "Hunter Hart, here for Dean Murphy."

"Ah, yes. He is speaking with the principal and school counselor now, but you can have a seat here, outside his office." She pointed to an empty chair. As he walked over, his eyes fell on the chair next to his own, where his teen was currently sitting, icing her wrist.

He sat down heavily next to her, "Anything you want to tell me before we go in there?"

Emma glowered at him, "This is stupid. My old school wouldn't have called over something as silly as this."

"What is this?" His eyes moved up and down her body to see if she had any other injury outside of her wrist.

Emma knew she should tell him the truth, but she was anxious. She squirmed in her chair under his gaze, glaring at the ground. "Maybe this isn't the school for me. There are other private schools. I'd just have to drive a little further to get to them."

"What happened Emma?" His deep voice was both comforting and upsetting for her.

"Where's Momma?"

"Home. They called me. What. Happened?"

She could hear the barely controlled anger in his voice. "Dad, just ground me and let's go home."

"Okay, suit yourself. You know it's always worse if you don't come clean yourself, but if that's how you want to play this, that's fine." Hunter slouched down in his chair, stretched his legs out, and closed his eyes.

"Are you napping?" Emma hissed, looking around the room in embarrassment.

"Prayin'." He grunted, not opening his eyes.

Uh oh, Emma thought, that's not good for her backside or her social life. "It was an accident."

"What was an accident?" He didn't open his eyes, just listened.

"I..." Emma shifted in her chair, she knew he was going to be upset. "It happened in PE."

"Emma. What. Happened?" He asked again.

She knew by his tone that she was pretty much out of chances. "We were playing soccer and this girl came up on my side, and I threw my hands up while I was dribbling the ball, and I accidently hit her in the face."

Hunter thought about that for a moment, visualizing the scene Emma had just described. "Why did they call me if it was an accident?" He has never known Emma to be violent, so he was willing to at least try and believe her version of events.

"Because I guess I hit her hard enough that it broke her nose. She's like the school soccer star or something."

That reframed things for Hunter. He cracked his eyes open and looked down at the teen, who had been searching his face. "I'm only going to ask this once, and you'd better be honest."

Emma was prepared for him to ask if it was truly an accident and she had that lie ready to go. "Okay."

"Do you think she is better at soccer than you are?" He watched the confusion, then guilt, and finally indignation cross the teens face.

"No!"

He nodded slowly and closed his eyes again, "I think even for a second you are lying in there and you're getting your mouth soaped." Emma was unsure if he believed her or not, so she shut her mouth and did some praying of her own.