“You were freakin’ boss today, dude!” Lea mentioned, breaking the silence between the pair. They hadn’t really spoken much in detention (mostly since they weren’t allowed to talk). “Didn’t know you had that in you.”
Joseph was silent for a few more paces before responding. “Thanks…”
“Why haven’t you stood up to Andrew before?” Lea inquired curiously. “Obviously, you could have. Well, if it was one on one.”
Joseph shrugged. He had a reason why he hadn’t before, but he apparently threw that out the door yesterday. And yet, he didn’t care to share that reason. Besides, it was always him on his own against them, and there was no way he could have won. So why bother? He never expected to win.
“You shouldn’t have to take that. You should have stood up for yourself. You have the right,” Lea chided, internally wincing. God, he was being such a hypocrite.
“I guess…” Joseph muttered reluctantly.
“Well, I don’t think they’ll bother you for awhile,” Lea said, as they arrived at the driveway of the red-head’s house. “You want to come in for a bit? We could play video games or watch something.”
Joseph grimaced visibly looking at the house. Honestly, he didn’t want to spend too much time in that house. And, after today, he’d really just like to chill on the hill and shift. “Not really…”
“Fine, you want to go to the hill right?” Lea made an educated guess. “Well, I’m going to join you so come in while I drop off my junk.”
“Fine,” Joseph gave in reluctantly, knowing there would be no way to persuade Lea otherwise. They walked up the pathway to the door.
Lea opened the door with his key and let Joseph in. A voice drifted from the other room, startling the two boys.
“Lea, is that you?”
“Uh yeah, it’s me,” Lea clarified, nervous all of a sudden of the tone of the voice. “You’re back awfully early today, Mom.”
“I got everything set up today so I came home early. Lea, why did I get a call from your school today?” a high stern voice asked.
“Um… well…”
A woman approached them from the kitchen. She had the same fiery red hair just like Lea. She had a softer face, though. She wore a white lab coat, one that made Joseph shiver a bit since it reminded him of a coat a doctor would wear. She wore a stern, annoyed expression on her delicate features, but upon seeing Lea’s beat up stature, her face melted into a face of incredulity and concern.
“Lea, honey…” she sighed, shaking her ginger ponytail in disbelief. “ What kind of trouble did you get into this time?”
