There Must Be Something More

80 | Is That A Deal?

Principal Powell's office smelled of rubbing alchohol and sanitizer. It reminded me of the doctor's room when I had my bandages removed from my stomach.

Principal Powell wasn't in his desk. The only sound was his assistant typing away on his laptop. Except for the principal's, there were only two chairs that weren't occupied.

"Where's the principal?" Meredith asked boldly, breaking the cold silence.

The assistant didn't look up from his laptop.

Samuel cleared his throat. "Dan!"

The assistant named Dan looked up. His thick-rimmed glasses made it hard to determine if he was squinting at us or closing his eyes. I assumed it was from the brightness of his laptop screen.

"Samuel, it is you," he said. Dan had spiky dark hair that could use a little less hair gel. He wore a collared shirt that was buttoned way up the neck. He looked at us, his fingers laced together as if to be formal.

"What brings you here?" Dan asked Samuel. "The principal didn't invite you, at least, as far as I know."

"Yeah, he didn't," Samuel said. "We're actually here for a different reason. Where's Principal Powell?"

"Just went out," he said. "He'll be back in a jiffy. He said he saw a kid spray-painting the courtyard bench. Couldn't stand it."

"He will be back soon, won't he?" Meredith asked.

Dan looked at her. He narrowed his eyes. "Yes. Hey, I know you."

"Meredith Caraway!" Meredith introduced, holding out her hand.

Dan stared down at it. Then he looked up at her. "I'm Dan Powers."

"That's ironic!" Meredith said aloud. She was giggling.

My eyes shot up. I looked at Samuel, Trey, Lily, and Aubrey, who all gave me oblivious looks.

"Ironic?" Dan asked. He stared at her as if he had just seen the most complicated equation in the world.

"Pow-ell, Pow-ers! It's like you were meant to be his assistant!" She said. Her giggling was accompanied by the tap-tap-tap of her boots.

Dan stared at her. Then he smiled, and chuckled.

"I like her," he said, turning to Samuel.

I breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

"You know, you're not as bad as people say you are," Dan said to Meredith.

"That's because you can't believe people in what they say unless they show undeniable proof. You always have to ask for evidence." She replied, which astounded me.

Dan blinked, amazed himself. "Yes. Exactly. You know, I wish to be a historian someday."

Meredith grinned and applauded very lightly.

The door to the office creaked open. We all turned behind us and saw Principal Powell. He looked at us in surprise too.

"Principal Powell," Dan stood. "These people are here for you."

The principal looked at us. He was a very tall and a very chubby man. His dark hair was slicked back neatly. He could've passed on as a news reporter, but instead he was a principal at a high school.

Principal Powell scanned our faces first. Then he stopped at someone beside me.

"Samuel? Why are you here?" He said. He looked at us this time. "Are they delinquents? What school rule did they break?"