Right Now

47

I walk into the office and I try to keep the frown off my face. I've never been to the office before. Not in my entire life. I am a good girl and this does not happen to me. "Have a seat, Miss Chase. Your mother will be here shortly." Mrs. Macklemore says and I sit in the uncomfortable chair in her office.

"Am I in trouble, ma'am?" I ask her and she cuts her eyes up at me. I fidget with my hands for a moment and I wait for her to answer.

"You're mother will be here shortly." She says coldly and I shut up.

After fifteen minutes of solid silence, my mother is walking into the door. "Have a seat, Ellis." The principal says and motions toward the chair. "We have decided that it may be best if Emily sits out the rest of the festivities planned. Meaning she would also be forces to sit out the next week of school."

"Wait, what?" I ask her with wide eyes. "Am I being suspended?"

"Em, relax," My mom says. How can she tell me to relax? "Why is she being suspended?"

"Not suspended, just-" Mrs. Macklemore goes in to explain but my mom raises her hand to silence her with a cold look.

"Let's cut to the chase. Call it what it is and tell me why you are suspending my daughter." My mom says harshly.

"Considering her position at the auction, and the disruption at the car wash, we have decided it is better for her to not participate." Mrs. Macklemore say and folds her hands together.

"You know prom is next week, can she still go to prom?" My mom asks her.

"I am afraid not." She says. "All festivities."

"This is bullshit, Martha. You know it is. She didn't cause either of those two." My mom argues.

"Did you or did you not approach the young woman at the car wash? Did you or did you not have a history with the young man and you didn't tell anyone?" The principal asks and I go to speak, but mom stops me.

"Don't answer that," She says in her voice she might use as a lawyer. "This won't be an issue, she won't be back anyway. She will finish out the semester at Hester."

"I've already bought the stupid dress. I've helped prepare everything and I can't go because of something that wasn't my fault?" I ask her and she nods.

"We have decided it's best. None if it will effect your grades. You can still attend your graduation, but the rest must be sat out. Unless this is true, then you can attend all things at Hester, happily."

"Like she said, call it what it is." I stand up and I leave the office, still hearing the women yelling at each other, I walk down the hallway.

I open my locker and I take all my things out and stuff them into my bag as the bell for second hour rings and the hallways are stuffed with bodies. Could they really do this to me?

"Hey, what are you doing?" I turn and see Ashton and Calum walking toward me and I quickly wipe my wet eyes on my hoodie. "Baby?" Calum asks again.

"I won't be coming back." I say calmly.

"Why the hell not?" Ashton asks and Calum puts his hand on my arm. A look of realization settles on Ashton's face. "You're switching. Right now?"

"Yep, all causing a scene at the car wash and the auction. I cannot attend any festivities if I stay." I say and mock the woman who ruined the rest of my week.

"What about the Band or Bust, the parade? You can't leave now." Ashton says. I shake my head.

"Leaving? Why wouldn't you tell me about this, Emily?" Calum asks me and I look down the hallway and see my mom standing there waiting for me. I wipe my eyes again and step away from them.

"I've gotta go." I say softly and walk toward her.

***

"Mom, it's fine." I say as she walks around the living room with her phone pressed to her ear.

"It's not fine. It is far from fine. Martha super-cunt can't make decisions like this on her own. And I don't care if you are leaving, someone is still going to hear about this shit!" She says in roar.

"Yes, she can. Just drop it." I say and flip through the channels. I toss the remote down and walk to my room.

I shut the door and I fall down on my bed. I stare at the ceiling fan and I hear my phone ring. I just let it, and it rings again. The third time I sigh and answer. "What the hell? Can't answer the first time?" I hear Calum ask me through the speaker and I can't help but smile, even if he is an asshole.

"I'm not in the mood to talk on the phone." I say.

"Uhuh. So, in four hours, I'll be at your house to pick you up and you better be ready." He says. "I only have two hours of prep time, but I can mange. Wear something pretty."

"We have two different definitions of pretty, Calum." I say.

"Can you just do as I say? Jesus, woman." He says bluntly and I laugh.

"What if I'm not in the mood?" I ask.

"Well, Boohoo. You are going out with us tonight whether you like it or not," He says and I roll my eyes. "And you're going to spill all your secrets, I'm tired of you hiding shit from me."

"You are supposed to be loving and sympathetic to me. My good girl image was ruined today and I need extreme care." I say.

"Believe it or not baby, I am. You are lucky I'm not pissed off at you, dude, just do what I'm telling you for once. Be ready by five, I'll be there to get you. I love you, Emily." He says.

"I love you, too, you asshole." I say and smile as I stand, walking to my dresser. I'm glad he wasn't really mad, as I previously thought he would be.

"There's my girl." He say and I hang up. I set out a black Nirvana shirt and a pair of shorts and I walk downstairs.

"Mama?" I call out as I go down the stairs and I get no answer. I sigh and walk to the kitchen and take the left over pizza box out and take it to my room to get ready with. After I have showered and eaten most of the pizza, I lay in my bed staring at the ground with only my shorts on, having been too lazy to put on my shirt.

My door opens and I don't move, I know it's Calum, an hour early. "Not saying I don't like it, Em, but what the hell are you doing?" He asks me and I sit up. He looks down to my chests and then back up to me. "You know, you could lose shorts and we could skip the party. That would make up for almost everything." He says and walks over to me, kissing me quickly and then tossing my shirt and bra at my face.

"Does that offer actually stand?" I ask him and he shakes his head and I fall into my stomach, groaning loudly and putting a pillow over my head.

He grabs my legs and drags me to the edge of the bed, flipping me back over and standing between them and leaning down. "You'll like it, I promise." He pulls the pillow away from my face and chest.

"Last time I went to a party I was left to die." I say and he sighs.

"I'm not gonna leave you. It's just gonna be us and our friends." He says and I roll my eyes.

"Sure." I say, fulling dressing myself.

"Don't roll your freaking eyes," He says as he grabs my chin and I stick my tongue out and lick the side of his finger. "Ew. I'm seriously gonna beat your ass." He says to me and I smile.

"But I love you so so so much," I say and he scoffs. "Will you help me with my hair?" I ask him and he nods, so I pull him to the bathroom with me and lock the door.