The Connected

Chapter 15

*hides behind computer screen* sorry, so unbelievably sorry that this took so long. Writers block, then new work hours, followed by a bad cold and before I knew it, a month had passed. I'll be updating every other week for now, so thank you to everyone still with me :)

This is Nathan's chapter...happy reading!

*Sang*

He can't be serious.

"He did what?"

The headmaster blinks at me, obviously frustrated at having to repeat himself, again. I hear Nathan chuckle from behind me, and his presence helps me not snap at the balding, beady eyed headmaster.

"Cameron was in a fight today with another student. The other boy now has a broken nose and a busted lip and your brother refuses to apologize for his actions."

I can only shake my head in denial. My Cam, my little shadow, would never do something like this, not without a damn good reason.

Turning my head, I stare at my favorite 12 year old in the whole wide world, trying desperately to understand what made him hit someone. Nope, nada, nothing, can't think of anything, but I know that kid must have deserved it.

Knowing he probably won't tell the truth with Mr. Buble in the room, I sigh. "Mr. Buble, sir, could I have a minute to talk with my brother in private?"

For a second I think he's going to refuse, but then he stands and straightens his suit jacket with a huff of annoyance. "Certainly, Ms. Sorenson. I have to go meet with the parents of the other student anyhow."

Once he's gone I turn back to face Cameron. "Cam?"

He glances at me before his shoulders slump. "I'm not going to apologize." Oh brother.

"I didn't ask you to. But I want to know what in the world happened to make you hit another kid like this," I tell him sternly. If he thinks he can just pout and get out of this, then he's got another thing coming.

There's another long moment of silence, and briefly I wonder if he'll even answer me, but then he mumbles something quick and short under his breath. "I'm sorry, I don't speak mumbling, could you repeat that?"

My joke seems to lessen some of the tension in his shoulders and I get a small but sincere smile from him.

Cam sighs then, long and loud and full of angst as only a preteen can accomplish while he sends a still silent Nathan a hesitant glance before turning to me. "He was bullying someone else."

"Oh, Cam."

My heart warms at the thought of my little shadow standing up for this other kid, but I still have to do the mature thing, violence is not the answer and all that. "Why don't you tell me what happened?" That may have been phrased as a question, but he knows I'm not asking.

"We were learning about connections and centers, because most of the kids in my grade have their marks already, and the teacher had to leave for a few minutes. This butthole started pinching and poking at this girl in class. He was teasing her for not having found any of her connections yet, saying that nobody would want a weak ugly center like her and I couldn't let him do that," the longer he speaks, the faster his words come, and I hate how upset this made him.

"But she's not ugly at all, she's really pretty and quiet and nice and her powers are actually really strong already. She made a tornado as tall as the school building in class last week, it was awesome! Then I told the butthole to stop and he starting telling me I was a freak because I didn't have a mark at all yet, and he said...he said that since my parents didn't want me, that nobody else ever would. So I hit him, and then I got in trouble."