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Chapter 42

The snotty girl was a little beat up, but I didn't have a scratch on me. My eye doesn't even bruise. The school called Momma and Matt. I know I am going to get it when I get home but I don't care. I stood up for a friend and that is all that matters to me. 

The school bus ride home isn't long. We are the third stop anyway so I wasn't expecting it to be. Momma and Matt are waiting for me when I walk in. The school told them what I did and that I was suspended for three days. 

Matt immediately tears into me. He is yelling as loud as he can. Momma isn't happy either, but I didn't expect them to be. The more Matt yells at me the more I think to myself that I maybe made a mistake. Maybe I shouldn't have fought that girl after all. 

Normally it is Max that is in trouble for fighting. Max was the one with the reputation for being suspended all the time, but not this time. It was even to the point to where if he got suspended one more time than he was going to be expelled. My step-mom figured out a way where he wouldn't get expelled. All Momma had to do was go up to the school and sign something. She didn't do it. I guess that it wasn't so much she didn't have the gas to go to the school as it was she didn't really care about it. She would rather have him in boot camp, military school, or alternative school. 

"Go to your room," Matt yells pulling me out of my own mind. I do as I am told and retreat to the sanctuary of my room without a word. I lay on my bed and stare at the ceiling. It is supposed to be a punishment, but it is more of a gift. I don't have make conversation with them.

After awhile I hear the door slam shut. Matt has left and I assume Momma has gone with him. The hours tick by, but I am not bothered. It is quiet, almost deafening. Momma and Matt eventually return hours later.

I take a deep breath and rise from my bed. I have to make this right. If I am forced to stay home for three days I would rather them not be angry with me. There would be no peace. I exit my room to see Matt coming down the hallway. 

"What are you doin out of ya room," Matt questions. I can feel the tears welling in my eyes. The begin to fall freely.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," I sob. I wipe the tears from my eyes but I force more. Matt seems taken aback by my apology. His shoulders drop and the cruelness in his stance seems to shift.

"It's okay Ray," he says. He pats me on the head then continues to his room. 

We talked for a bit and it was all okay. The next couple of days while I was suspended were okay. It wasn't bad. We didn't argue. We joked around. Everything was cool. He wasn't mad at me anymore. I was happy about that.