I Don't Really Know...

Chapter 11: Everything Revealed

I tip-toe downstairs, avoiding that one creaky step that gives anything away.  As I step into the kitchen, my brother Jaison watches me.  His eyes are widened, his mouth shaped into a perfect “o.”

Mrs. Lasdon eyes me, her mouth in a disapproving frown.  She turns to the phone, silently, and pushes the replay-button, replaying the message.  I hear the drawl of an old man’s voice, probably the Principal.  I narrow my eyes at the phone, knowing what’s about to happen.

“Hello, this is the school of Westridge High School.  I am speaking about the student named Zoie Linda.  Due to trouble caused among students by this person or persons…”

I roll my eyes.  I hate it when they have programmed phone calls.  No one says “persons,” anymore.

“...Zoie Linda shall be permanently suspended for one week, 5 days.  Thank you, have a nice day.”

I lower my head and start to shuffle my feet.  I knew this was going to come, I was going to hide it with the fact that I couldn’t come to school because of my black eye!!  I look up from under my eyelashes at my brother and guardian, who are staring me down.  I don’t say anything, as I know that it wouldn’t be a great, intelligent idea.  We stand still, and I think I hear crickets everyone is so hushed.  

“Zoie….May….Linda….what….exactly….WERE YOU THINKING???!!!!  IT’S THE SECOND DAY OF SCHOOL AND YOU’RE ALREADY SUSPENDED WITH A BLACK EYE??!!!!...”  Mrs. Lasdon screamed profusely, for about 20 minutes.  I just sat down and let her rant.  As soon as she quieted down, she stared me down as I squirmed under her gaze.  What’s going to happen now? I remember when Jaison broke the dining table back in Alaska by trying to build a fort on top of it….I escaped outside.  I didn’t know if he was going to make it out alive and breathing.  

As soon as she finished talking, I looked at her in the eyes, determined to show her that I wasn’t afraid and was proud of what I’d done.  Even though I was.  BUT, she doesn’t need to know that.  We stare hard at each other.

“Hand.  Over.  The phone.”  It rang loud and clear in the air.  I didn’t protest, knowing this would come soon.  I reached to my back pocket, took out the prized possession, and held it in the air near her.  She snatched it away quickly before I could take my hand away.  I grimace as she throws it in HER pants pocket.

“Ms. Lasdon, you don’t know what happened-”

“YES I DO!!!  I KNOW YOU WENT ON A TRASH-WORTHY RAMPAGE FOR NO APPARENT REASON!  AND GOT SUSPENDED FROM SCHOOL FOR A WHOLE, ENTIRE, WEEK!”  She yelled.  I look out the window, seeing the neighbors with confused expression while glancing at our house.  Uh-oh.

“It wasn’t TRASH-worthy!  I was --”  I pleaded

“GO. To.  Your.  Room.  NOW,” Mrs. Lasdon growled, turning away and walking to the living room.  I look desperately at my brother, who shakes his head, as if saying Sorry.  He turned and walked back to the dinner table, returning to his homework as my heart dropped to the floor.  

I thought what I did was the right thing to do!  Not being a bystander, defending victims of disgusting, ratty, know-it-all high schoolers.  I don’t understand what I did wrong…  I mean, granted, I did punch a woMAN, who very unfortunately happened to be the Principal’s man/woman child.  

I drag myself out of the chair and trudge upstairs, going to my computer and playing sad music.  Yes, I play sad music when I’m sad.  It fits the mood.  I pick up the “Life Story” I was forced to write, and now present tomorrow.  As I practice reciting aloud, I cringe everytime I think of earlier today.  Why was I so stupid?!  It’s obvious that the victim didn’t want help, it’s just...ugh.

I groan in annoyance loudly and throw the paper across the room.  If I’m not going to be in school for a week, what am I doing?!  I’m completely wasting my time.  I flop onto my bed and sign into my computer, listening to music and drawing on my old drawing - pad.  I draw a pair of angel wings, feathers and all, when my computer chimes loudly.  I look over, seeing an iMessage saying, “Hey!  It’s Steff!”  I grin widely and jump onto my computer.  

Steffanie Blackwood had been one of my friends back when I was in Alaska.  We were in school together from middle school to being juniors in high school, until I got the nasty message of moving here.  We had met in the weirdest way-running into each other in an empty hallway.  We literally crashed into each other and decided to walk to our next classes together.  I smiled as I remembered the day we met….

I frowned, realizing my shoe lace was untied.  The hallway was empty, so I threw my notebooks on the ground and knelt down right in the middle of the hallway.  After finishing, I grabbed my stuff, sharply turning around a corner.

To come crashing into a poor girl, knocking each other to the ground.  Supplies went eskew everywhere, scattering across the echoing hallway.  

“I’m so sorry, this was all my fault!”  I cried, scrambling to pick myself up.  As I tried, I stepped onto a pencil and plummeted back onto the ground.  I exclaimed in surprise, not hurt, but a bit embarrassed.

We sat there for a moment.  I looked at her, after falling on my butt, and giggled.  She smiled and crossed her eyes, and we started laughing together.  After we helped each other get up, we gathered each other’s binders.  

She had shining, round - shaped, dark blue eyes and golden-blonde hair.  Her hair was unbelievably curly, thick, and down to her waist.  I probably looked like trash compared to her, with my light brown eyes and mousy-brown, frizzy hair that fell to my shoulders.  She was very thin, compared to my bigger figure.  

“Sorry about that!”  She said quickly, smiling.  I laughed  and shook my hand like a Stop action.  

“No, no, it was my fault, I wasn’t looking.”

“We both weren’t looking!” She chuckled, and I smiled widely.  

“So...what’s your name?”  I asked randomly.  “I’m Zoie.”

“Steffanie.  But you can call me Steff,” she answered.  We walked down the hallway together to our next classes.

And that’s how it started in middle school.  

As I think about that, I quickly reply to her.  

Zoie26:  Hey, wazzup?!  :)

VampireLover:  Heyyyyy :) how’s it goin in the new school?

Zoie26:  Terrible XO - already got suspended for a week and um...a black eye?.... :)

VampireLover:  OMG ZO!  u HAVE to b joking.  What did u do?????  

Zoie26:  I kinda punched someone...and they punched me back...and they were the principal’s daughter (or son) :P

VampireLover:  Jeez….hahha bad luck :P but seriously, suspended?  r u sure???

Zoie26:  call and everything-Lasdon already took away my new phone… :((((((

Zoie26:  BUT it was because of this girl named Vanessa and her stupid friend Alicia XO  

VampireLover:  Wait-what’s her full name….what does she look like?  

Zoie26: idk Vanessa Wilkaz, blonde hair and blue eyes, thin, annoying, shld be expelled, u know…..what, does she remind you of someone or something? XO

VampireLover: I thk i might know her….and she’s my cousin.