Rejected

9: Interrogations

"Come in, Sam." The principal said.

Sam closed the door behind him as he walked in the room. The principal gestured for Sam to sit down in a chair across from her desk. Sam sat down in the chair. It was soft but uncomfortable.

"So, Sam, what do you know about the events in the auditorium?"

"Not... much?" Sam said, his voice quivering.

"There's no need to lie, Sam. Nothing you say will be used against you."

"No, really. I don't know anything." Sam said, his voice evening out as best as he could. "I came in late."

"Really. In that case, I'll have to write you up."

"What!?" Sam asked. "You said nothing would be used against me!"

"Yes, I did." The principal said ominously. "And it's true if you tell me what you know."

"I- I really don't know anything."

"Is that absolutely true... Moose?"

"Moose? What's that?" Sam asked. He tried to make his voice as full of shock and surprise as possible.

"Don't pretend like you don't know." The principal slammed a hand on the table.

"I- I really don't." Sam said.

The principal fixed Sam with a hard glare. Finally, she said, "if you remember anything else, my door is always open."

Sam stood up from the uncomfortable chair. Then, he left the office.

When he closed the door behind him, Sam was met with the anxious face of Gabriel.

"How was it?" Gabe asked.

"I- I need to talk to you in private."

Gabriel's face turned even more worried. "Let's go." He grabbed Sam's hand and led him out of the office.

"Wh- why don't you have to be interrogated?" Sam asked.

"I'm not in your class and I wasn't in the room during the silly string-pocalypse." Gabriel led Sam into a bathroom. It was the same bathroom that they had met in. On the wall, Gabriel's graffiti 'Live A Little' was untouched.

Gabriel took Sam's hands in his own. His eyes were full of worry.

"What happened?"

"I- I think-" Sam's eyes watered. No. You are not going to cry. Not in front of Gabriel. "I think she's on to us."

"Us?" Gabriel asked. "You too?"

"She called me Moose, but I denied it."

"So you think she knows that you're a part of the operation?"

"Yeah." Sam's voice quavered. How is it that, two days ago, I had a quiet life, was a perfect student, and never got in trouble. And now, I'm hiding from the principal!

"Don't worry, Samwich. I'll make sure that they don't find you out."

"How?"

He smiled. "I'm the Trickster. I have connections."

~~~~~~~

The rest of the day passed without abnormality. Sam was able to catch his bus this time. He took his normal seat next to Kevin, who was reading some text for his literature class. Kevin looked up as Sam sat down.

"So who's this Gabriel you're hanging out with?" He asked.

Sam did a double-take. "What?"

"Who's your new friend?" He repeated.