"You forget what you want to remember, and you remember what you want to forget."
-The Road
One Mississippi. Two Mississippi. Three Mississippi. Four Mississippi. Five-
"We need to talk urgently, Mr. Howell." Mrs. Wickenburg narrows her eyes as she stares at me. I stare around the cafeteria that is filled with students who quietly chat amongst themselves. Omera's usual seat next to Maci is occupied by Tia, something seems off about that.
Six Mississippi.
I follow Mrs. Wickenburg out of the cafeteria and into her office. I don't understand my nerves, I assume it's just because of Omera being missing. I didn't know how much of I wreck I am without her. Or maybe I'm a wreck because I'm worried what's she's doing in the attic all alone. How have I made this connection with her so quickly?
She should be released in the morning, I couldn't even finish dinner thinking about the fact that she was starving due to my actions. I'm tired of lying, I don't know if her leaving is a good thing due to the fact that I don't have to stress anymore or a bad thing because of the distance between us.
"What's so urgent?" I question the principal as I take a seat. She circles around me and sits in her own chair.
"I don't like upsetting girls with important parents. Parents with authority." She jumps to the point quickly.
I furrow my eyebrows, surprised by her word choice. "Right..."
"Omera Williams, daughter of Cheri Williams. Cheri Williams is one of the top lawyers in the country and if Omera lets her know of anything that goes on here, we'll be in so much trouble we wouldn't be able to keep this school open." She informs me.
Omera's mother is a lawyer? How did I not know that? I realize that I barely know anything about her family or life back home besides the fact she got into a lot of trouble.
"I've done my fair share of making her happy, making her the president, letting her off for looking at private files, almost everything." She continues her speech. Private files? Why would she go snooping like that?
"I even let you two continue the relationship you've had."
I take a huge breath of air and begin choking on my salvia. I've done this a lot in the past week, it's a bit annoying.
"How did you..." I clear my throat quickly.
"You both are not very...secretive. I didn't show Omera all the footage from yesterday, I did see you drop her off in her room." She admits with a brief expression.
"How long have you known?" I question her, I can't believe his is happening.
"I've known since the first day of us going to Camp Clearwaters. You don't think I noticed that both of you went missing all the time, or the fact that I left Omera to clean and she was gone the next second after I sent you to check on her. The cabin doors were unlocked, it's no secret to me what you two have done." She explains, subtly giving me a hint that she's heard us have sex. I don't even know what to do now, why is she even telling me this?
"I saw her look at you with a ridiculous amount of infatuation and you don't look at her the same."
What? The sentence is completely random and I don't know why she even felt the need to bring it up.
"What do you even want?" I ask the question that's been at the tip of my tongue this whole time. My uncomfortableness makes me unable to maintain eye contact.
"It's a simple task. I know you probably don't even like the girl all that much but it is now an order that you stay with her. Secondly, you have to convince her to stay in this school. We can't afford her running her mouth to her mother." Mrs. Wickenburg states, looking at me with a smile.
Is this why she even locked Omera up there? To get her away and make sure she doesn't know about this? Plus the fact I'm so worried about her at the moment makes me want her to stay even more.
"You're wrong about feelings being unequal. I love her as much as she loves me ." I shake my head.
"You love her?" She furrows her eyebrows, and I bite my tongue for even letting the words slip.
"I...It doesn't matter. If you let her out right now and send her to me, I'll make sure she stays." I begin formulating a plan in my head. How would I even convince her? Probably by giving her everything she asks for and acting like the real boyfriend she wants.
"Deal." Mrs. Wickenburg smirks.
_________
A/N:
Damn this is crazy.
Anyways, a return of Mr. Howell's POV and for once it is not in a bar. I was planning on writing a 'trapped in the attic with Omera' chapter but honestly it was a bit boring. Now though, Mr. Howell is willing to do whatever Omera wants. If only I could have that. Sigh...
Next update is on Wednesday!
