may shatter on impact (tronnor)

39. Interviews & Answers

"Troye Mellet to the office, please," a voice crackles over the loudspeaker, echoing through the empty halls and into the gym classroom. Mr. Angelou stares at me, waving his hand towards the door. I set down my pencil and walk slowly towards the office, having no idea what I was going there for.

"Troye Mellet?" the brown haired receptionist says when I walk inside.

"Y-yeah."

She tilts her head towards a hallway off to my right. "Last door on the left," she tells me, then goes back to typing up data or something.

I follow her directions, pushing open a beige door with the words "Mrs. Lilly Jones" printed on it in all capital letters. "H-hello?"

The two women inside rise. One has red hair and brown eyes, her blazer neat and way too tight to be in a high school. The other has blonde hair and looks like she might fall asleep at any minute, a packet of papers in her hand and a coffee in the other.

"Troye Mellet?" the blonde haired one asks. I nod. "This is Amelia Simmons, she's here to talk to you. I'll be outside."

Oh my God -

"Hi, Troye!" Amelia Simmons says brightly. "Let's sit down, shall we?"

"I - I t-told - "

"Ah, yes, I know, however I really just need about five minutes of your time - "

"P-p-please I c-can't - "

"Hm...Would it make you feel better to have a friend with you?"

"I - "

"Perfect! Mrs. Jones? May we call down..." she turns to me, waiting for a name.

My hands are shaking and Mrs. Jones' office is too small and the desk too big and the chair made for someone twice my size -

"C-connor F-franta?" I ask, stumbling over his name the same way I'm being forced to somehow stumble through this interview.

Five minutes.

I can't - I can't - I have to -

Five minutes.

Mrs. Jones nods. "He'll be down in a minute."

"Let's sit down, while we wait, then, Troye?"

I stare at her, hands trembling oh my God I have to talk about it and sit down.

"How've you been, Troye?"

"F-fine."

not fine at all, help me, help me -

"That's great! Have you been in contact with - Ah! You must be Connor?"

"Yeah," he says, sitting in the chair next to me. "What's happening?"

She smiles brightly, her eyes demonic. "I'm Amelia Simmons, reporter for the Boston Globe. You can just call me Amelia. I'm doing an article about the aftermath of school shootings..." she rambles. I wince every time she says "school shootings", until Connor is gripping my hand and she begins her questions. "So, Troye, are you still in contact with Oakley's family?"

I open my mouth speak, oh my God, speak - and I can't speak, there's no sound, I can't think, Tyler -

"Do you want to just say it in signs?" Connor whispers. "I can speak for you? Or we could just leave?"

I swallow and let go of his hand to sign my answers.

"I'm just going to translate for him, Amelia, alright?" Connor says sweetly. "It's easier on all of us."