The NEWBIE

Chapter 23

***23***

ELSA

"She was aiming for me, Principal Myers." Eugene said, exaggerating what had happened in the gym.

"No, I didn't." I said, trying to keep it calm. He was doing everything, even reporting me to the Principal's office just by accidentally hitting him in the privates. He was trying too hard, to be honest and this was his idea of revenge. "It was an accident! I mean, I was aiming for him but I didn't mean any harm."

"Mr. Fitzherbert, from how Mr. Arnold told me, you were playing dodge ball. It could've been, like what Ms. Hansen said, an accident." Principal Myers said in a business-like way. I tried to stop myself from grinning but I couldn't hide it. "So I actually see no harm done."

"No harm done?" Eugene gave Principal Myers an unbelieving look. "Are you even sure that she didn't mean it? She hit the ball in the same place where she also kicked me intently, and it had to be in the sensitive part!"

"Do you want me to let someone check that up for you, Mr. Fitzherbert?" Principal Myers said. I gave a small chuckle and then glanced at Eugene. He seemed embarrassed with Principal Myers' question. I saw him turn a little pink.

"So, Mr. Fitzherbert? Do we still have anything to discuss?" she said, looking at Eugene.

"Aren't you going to punish her? Let her do some cleaning around school?" Eugene suggested. She lifted an eyebrow and seemed to realize that he was really hitting the damage on me.

"Should I?" she said. There was a moment of silence until Principal Myers simply placed her hand on her table. "Well, case closed. You two can go now."

Eugene stood up, arrogantly. I stood up, too, following him in the door. Both of us went out, one with an unsatisfied look while the other was glad nothing happened.

"You've given me enough embarrassment in one day," his voice sounded like he was going to threaten me. "I am not done with you yet."

Instead of being scared, I just looked at him, weirdly. "You deserve it because you cheated on my sister who wasn't supposed to be dating at this age."

He didn't listen and so off he went. When something bad happens, there will always be something good.

***

JACK

When Mom called me for dinner, I quickly went down, feeling rather hungrier than ever. As I sat down, Mom looked at me as though there was something on my face.

"You look different." Mom said, placing down the food on the middle of the table. "You don't look like the Jack who grunts all the time and always had his face scrunched in front of the table."

Different? I don't feel different. Well, actually I'm less moody today.

"Anything happened at school today?" Mom asked, sitting down on the chair at the opposite side.

"Funny things," I said as I take slow bites from my salmon. "Funny how girls get mad."

"Girls?" Mom nodded with interest.

"She was some kind of crazy person out there. Funny, she is." I added while chewing. It was the first time Mom didn't told me off because I was talking with my mouth full.

"Aw, see? You open up to me now. You don't really open up things about school to me." Mom suddenly said looking slightly off. "Who's this girl? The thought of her makes you smile, doesn't she?"