Lamia's Dream

Chapter 31

I imagined my aunt wasn’t happy to see Valerie and me in the office again.  I would never know, as I entered the administrative suite with my head down.  We were forced to sit in chairs in a different part of the office and told the assistant principal would be with us soon, since the principal was out today.  

I held the bag of ice we picked up from the nurse’s office against the back of my head.  I had a global headache that seemed to come from all over, but the part that had bounced against the structural column was particularly painful. 

“Are you ok?” Valerie asked, her look as gentle as usual.

I shook my head, not wanting to use words.

“Miles, it’s ok.  It’s over.”

“The fight is.”

“What do you mean?”

“Valerie, what do you think people are going to say about you helping me fight Tyler?”

“Are you kidding me?” she nearly shouted.

“Hey, quiet down,” one of the administrators said. 

I waited for the administrator to go back to their work.

“I didn’t need you to step in,” I whispered.

“Yes, because you totally clearly had the upper hand.”

“Whatev,” I said. 

I couldn’t stand talking about it anymore.  More reasons for the other kids to dislike me and talk bad about me behind my back. 

Miles Ward, the sissy boy who needs his girlfriend to protect him.

“You know Miles, you picked a great time to care what people think about you.”

Tyler entered, followed by the assistant principal.  He didn’t have any ice with him, but I know he’d been to see the nurse also.  A chocolate milk stain had settled into his red V-neck t-shirt.

“Ms. Wingfield and Mr. Ward, you just couldn’t stay away from me, could you?”

We didn’t bother with a response.

“So, here’s how this will work:  I’ll call you in one by one, and you can each share your side of the story.  And then I’ll give you my decision.  Anyone want to go first?”

No one volunteered.

“Who threw the first punch?”

Tyler raised his hand half-way. 

“Mr. Walker it is.”

Tyler and Mr. Ramos disappeared into his office.  Valerie and I remained silent.  I glanced over at her and she looked away, obviously annoyed with me.  Which was fine, I felt the same about her right then.  Except looking at her had a way of soothing me, too.  I imagined the emotions inside of me as two contrasting colors, whirling and mixing like two different weather patterns.

Tyler eventually emerged.  “You’re next, Ward.”

I hated the idea of leaving the two of them alone, but went inside.

Mr. Ramos was finishing typing something.  I glanced at the motivational poster and the MBA.  Hard to believe I was here, let alone for the second time this month.

At the assistant principal’s prompting, I shared.  Mr. Ramos asked and I admitted that, when provoked, I had let the situation escalate.  Instead of doing the “right thing” and telling a teacher.   I guess honor didn’t mean anything to Mr. Ramos.  If a guy disrespects you by asking out your girl or throwing pickles at your friend, those were merely extraneous details.