Only Once

Chapter Seven: Consequences

Chapter Seven: Consequences

As Spencer waited by the principal's office, he became aware of three things.

First of all, he had completely destroyed what he had left of having a somewhat successful and bright feature. Not only had he failed a math test, but all his marks were plummeting and now he was probably going to be suspended.

This makes way for his second realization. He had just been caught doing drugs on school property! He'd be lucky if he didn't get expelled. Not to mention that the school had called Joel and he was on his way over there. The thought of having Joel come made Spencer shudder; it was most certainly not going to be a pleasant meeting.

The last apprehension, which was the least significant out of the three, was that Stacey had, in a way, jinxed him. It was only yesterday that Stacey had spoken to Spencer and jokingly asked why he wasn't getting in trouble anymore.

Spencer sighed as he placed his elbows and forearms on his knees while staring at the insipid, white tiles on the ground.

He was doomed.

Ruined.

A true failure.

Deciding to preoccupy his thoughts with something else, Spencer lifted his head up and examined the small cubic office of Water Hill High School. The walls and doors were painted boring shades of white and yellow. Directly across from the plastic chair he was seated in was the secretaries', there were two of them, desks. Right beside him there was the hard, white painted wooden door that led into the office while on the other side of that there was all the faculty and staff's mailboxes stuck to the wall. To the right of him there was a short hall that led to three different doors, one for each vice principal, while on the left there was a wooden door that led to the principal's office. At the very back of the office, behind the secretaries' desks, there was a row of windows that let in plenty of light.

Looking away from his boring surroundings, Spencer fixed his eyes on the ground again. The sounds of the ticking clock and secretaries silently typing on their keyboards or occasionally answering and speaking into the phone were really starting to get to him.

It was then that the office doors opened and in barged Joel, looking furious. His small, squinty eyes were so narrowed that they barely looked open and his face was red. To add on, his hands were clenched in fists and his breathing was heavy.

His expression became even more maddened when his eyes fell on Spencer, who attempted to hide his face with his hands.

"Hello, Mr. Harris," one of the secretaries, sitting behind the desk and typing on her computer, cheerfully spoke as Joel took a seat beside Spencer in one of the plastic chairs. "Mr. Roderick, the principal, will be right with you two."

"Right, thanks," Joel grunted as he incessantly glowered at Spencer.

"Hi, Joel," Spencer meekly said when he realized Joel wasn't going to look away. Instead, his glare became even harder and Spencer gulped nervously.

"I hope you're happy, you incompetent little twit." Joel hissed quietly so no one else would hear.

Spencer's eyebrows went up in surprise. Joel had never been one to use words bigger than five or six letters. Had he been reading more books?

"And seeing as how you just ruined your life and future, don't think that I'm going to let you live under my roof when, or should I say if, you graduate high school." He menacingly continued. "‘Cause I am going to throw your sorry little ass out on the streets the moment you're done."

Spencer said nothing, suddenly wanting nothing more to see the principal and get away from Joel and his quiet, little rant.

"I honestly cannot believe you did this," Joel kept on talking. "I mean, I knew you're a moron but I didn't think you were this stupid. What were you thinking? Hmm? Do you know what you were thinking? Cause I certainly do. You were thinking nothing! Absolutely nothing! And this isn't surprising at all seeing as..."