Wait for Tomorrow | Daniel Seavey

04

Harper

"Mr. Jones, I can explain myself." I say with confidence. He knows I'm a good student. I don't deserve this punishment. I never get sent to go see Mr. Jones in this office. Today so happened to be my lucky day.

Adjusting myself in this comforted chair, I begin to prepare for the conversation. Mr. Jones's fingers are intertwined together, sitting on top of his desk as he painfully stares at me. He doesn't recognize me for the lack of times I've come across him. The only time I have ever spoken to him was the first day of highschool. I had to ask where my science class was.

"Look," his eyes narrow, waiting for my name.

"Harper." I answer.

"Look Harper, you've made a mistake and you have to learn how to accept it."

"But it wasn't my fault sir, Daniel was whispering to me."

"And you stayed silent?"

"I-I had to defend myself. He was copying me." I fluster. I can't believe I'm here right now. Looking up to my highschool years, never would I had thought I'd be in this office. My mom's going to be so angry with me. I don't even want to imagine what her face will look like. She is going to kill me.

"Well if you wouldn't have spoken in the first place, he wouldn't have imitated you." He answers calmly, shrugging his shoulders. He moves his hands around his desk, gathering some papers.

"No, not words. My position, he was copying the way I sat." My voice cracks. I'm nervous. I need to breathe.

Just breathe.

"Mr. Myers informed me that you had yelled in the classroom, am I correct?"

I nod my head slowly.

"Did Daniel yell?" He's asking but I know that he knows the answer. Daniel didn't yell at all.

I shake my head.

"Therefore you got sent here, meaning you did something wrong."

I roll my eyes. I've been here for five minutes and I'm already getting annoyed.

Just get to the goddamn point.

I know I should be patient, especially in front of the principal, but I need to get back to class. I won't miss it for some dumb conversation that doesn't need to be discussed. I know I did nothing wrong.

Yes you did.

No I didn't, it was Daniel.

"Please sign this." Mr. Jones finally breaks the silence, handing me a piece of paper and pen.

I skim through it, although I retrieve no information.

"What is this?" My eyebrows furrow and I tilt my head to the side.

"I need your signature for the detention forms."

For what?

All for some stupid situation? I can't be put into detention for yelling, can I? This is absolutely ridiculous. There is no need for this. This punishment is far worse than I thought. I'd rather have the longest lecture than that.

"Detention?"

He nods his head.

"But sir, I have soccer practice after school. I can't be late. Coach won't let me play next game. The season is almost over. I need to be in the last few games that we have."

"Not my problem. Sign."

Excuse me?

"Mr. Jones, I refuse to sign." I cross my arms over my chest and lean fully against the chair, going limp. I know that if I do not sign this paper, I'll go to detention anyways. They just need to see that I'm cooperating.