So What? (A Conor Maynard Fan/Pop Fiction)

Chapter 4 - Strike One.

Louise’s POV

Sat outside Mr Gregory’s office again, I couldn’t help but replay what Conor had been saying outside. He was talking about Josh hitting me, he was saying it wasn’t right… He was sounding protective… I looked outside, thankfully the weather had starting clearing up as we were allowed back into the school, the grey now had the occasional break where some blue sky and sunshine was fighting its way through.

“In.” Mr Gregory said disinterestedly. Conor and I looked at each other before reluctantly walking into the office we were in only hours before. Again, we sat in the same chairs we had before and sunk into them. “What the hell is wrong with you guys?” Mr Gregory suddenly shouted, making us jump.

“Whoa… Sir!” I exclaimed, not even having a chance to think of an answer.

“You’re the worst one, Louise. All this promise over the years, all the times you’ve said you’ll change and get good grades and go to Uni… You just can’t help yourself! That wasn’t even your fight!” He shouted, standing over me. I looked down at the floor and clasped my hands in my lap. It wasn’t my fault, I didn’t WANT to fight people, a lot of people just happen to annoy me!

“Hey! That’s not fair…” Conor said, anger in his voice. “She was trying to help me.” Mr Gregory’s gaze shifted from me to Conor.

“In what way was that helping?” He pointed at my face, now bruised from Josh’s punch.

“She tried to stop me hitting him in the first place! She didn’t want me to get a strike.” Conor flung his arms up in the air.

“Yeah and she didn’t succeed did she? Do you realise what you’re doing to this school? You’re causing scenes, you’re ruining our statistics, we’re probably going to get sued by Josh’s parents for not aiding him when he was being bullied!” I folded my arms and narrowed my lips. What the hell was he talking about? Bullying?

“If anything, Sir,” I said with attitude. “Josh was the bully and he just got what he deserved. Don’t dish it if you can’t take it.” I shook my head and avoided eye contact with Mr Gregory  while I spoke. He was there trying to help me from the beginning, he knew why I was like this, yet now he chooses to stand there and patronise me? No thank you.

“Louise…” He let out a huge sigh. “I know you can’t particularly ‘help’ it but you need to avoid getting into situations where violence could be an option. You need to avoid Conor.” The look he gave me was one of sympathy and kindness, what he used to look at me like when I came into his office with bruised knuckled and split lips.

“I don’t think I’m an issue.” Conor spat. I don’t know if Mr Gregory had forgotten he was in the room or what, but he jumped when Conor spoke.

“Conor, you came into this school with an attitude, you hit someone on your first day. I expect you to be setting a good example to the new students, not showing them it’s good to hit people!” Mr Gregory sat on his desk and put his foot on his chair. “Seriously, I mean bullies will always be there, we can’t get rid of them permanently, but they’re harmless in comparison to you two!”

“That’s not fair…” I spoke up, narrowing my eyes at him. “Bullies say things that are mentally scarring. We only physically scar. All the things Josh had said about Conor’s brother, all those hurtful things, and you’re saying that’s better than punching someone?” Conor looked over at me and sensing this I looked back over to him. For a moment our gaze just locked and we stared at each other for a while before he let out a small smile.

“No, of course not. That’s not what I meant.” Mr Gregory stuttered.

“Look, this is stupid. Just gimme the strike so I can get on with my life…” Conor rolled his eyes.