My Heart's Choice (On Hold)

Chapter 32

The sound of Rhea's heel tapping the floor, fills the silent office as Principal Cooper watches the three of us, his eyebrows furrowed together.

"I have all the reason to believe that Miss Evans might be right in this case," he says, watching me with his small beady eyes.

"I object," Mason says for the hundredth time since our arrival at the Principal's office.

Before a single word could escape his lips, Principal Cooper's phone rings on his desk. Following a minute of total silence apart from the ringing tone, all four of us stare at the caller ID.

'Bad News'. That's what the letters on the screen says.

Principal Cooper looks at us for a moment before rejecting the call. He clears his throat, pretending that nothing disturbed whatever he was going to say.

"Considering the grades of both of you, I have to decide that the essays have indeed been swapped," he says.

"That is because it was swapped since day one," Mason says, his tone sounding bored and annoyed.

"That's not true, Principal Cooper. I would never do that!" Rhea says, the tapping of her foot coming to an abrupt halt.

The phone on the table rings again. Bad News is the caller ID.
Principal Cooper stares at the device for one moment, apparently caught in a dilemma, before sweeping the phone off his desk and answering the call.

"I'm busy," he says in a hushed tone, sounding a lot timid than usual.

He listens to whoever Bad News is for a second before rolling his eyes.

"Look here love, I'm busy now. I'll call you back later okay?" he hangs up and turns the phone off.

I can see Mason holding in his laugh with much effort but somehow he fails and a short muffled snort fills the air. He covers it up with a cough.

Principal Cooper gives him a deathly glare, before turning to me.

"Miss Sanchez, is Mr Young telling the truth?" he asks, massaging the bridge of his nose.

"Ofcourse I am," Mason speaks for me.

"I was talking to Miss Sanchez."

"But why don't you understand?" Mason rises to his feet, "I helped Rhea do that. So I know what I am telling you!"

Principal Cooper leans heavily onto the back of his chair, looking like he wants to be anywhere else rather than here.

"No, sir. He's trying to save his girlfriend! That is all a lie. I never did anything like that to Dana," Rhea breaks into a sob again.

Gosh! My life's a joke now!

"Alright now!" Principal Cooper gets to his feet holding his hands in the air signalling us to shut up, "This is my final decision."

"Both of you," he points to Rhea and I, "will write an essay each after school today. I shall have Mr. Mills look into the whole thing. And he shall decide who's right."

Mason flashes a grin in my direction to which I reply with a tight smile.

"But Principal Cooper," Rhea protests, "I - I... I mean we have a game this weekend and I have practices today-"

"That will be taken care of Miss Evans. You'll be excused for today," Principal Cooper says with a finalising tone, "Now get back to class."

Rhea gives me the evil eye before spinning on her heels and stomping away.

Mason chuckles at her before meeting with my pointed look.

"What?" he asks, stepping out of the office with me.