Bed of Roses | e.n.

Chapter One: Authority

[this is not the complete version]

   Chapter One: Authority

   "'Morning," Tom greeted as he put on his seatbelt and turned so that he could touch his cheek with his father's before whipping around and reaching into the backseat to mess up Rae's hair. "'Morning, Raisin," he grinned at her and Rae smiled, fixing her hair as she greeted him back. He faced the front again.

   "I see you woke up rather late, huh?" his dad commented as they drove away from the town.

   "Yes," Tom replied, taking a rather large spoonful of his oatmeal and carefully putting it into his mouth.

   "Oh, Tommy, Tommy!" Rae piped up from the back and Tom hummed in response. "Did you hear? Did you hear? Tell him, daddy, tell him!"

   Their father smiled just a tiny bit, the corners of his mouth lifting up slightly. "A new family is coming into our world."

   "What?" Tom asked, perplexed. "Someone's giving birth? Who? Is it Mrs. Pritchett?"

   "Nobody is giving birth, Tom. I meant there is a new family moving into town."

   "Oh," Tom said, scraping the bottom of the jar for its last bits as they pulled into the parking lot of the school. "Well, see you later, dad." He usually collected his things first before going inside whereas Tom and Rae would go ahead.

   "See you, son."

   Tom already saw his John and Darius sitting at the stairs of the entrance doors of the building. As Tom got closer, he could tell that they were having a heated debate about some other unnecessary topic that Tom almost always knew nothing about. As he got within earshot, he realized that this week's topic was far more redundant than the others.

   "I'm telling you, man, Stacy looks incredible in black," Darius was saying. Tom rolled his eyes just as Darius looked up and noticed him, flashing him an incredulous look. "Steinfield, my man, please tell Mr. Skeptical here that the Stacy who normally wears these horrendous palettes of clothing looks incredible in black clothing."

   Tom widened his eyes, looking at his friend with a horrified expression. "'Clingy' Vicky? The one you sit in front of in History? Dude, no. You do not want her to know you said that."

   Darius looked confused. "What? Why?"

   John groaned. "Because, like I've been trying to explain for the last forty-five minutes, there's a reason she's been given the nickname that she has now."

   "She immediately latches onto very guy that so much as compliments the way she trips, for Christ's sake. She'll suffocate you like a boa constrictor. She's worse than a boa constrictor."

   "Well, damn," he muttered, scratching the back of his head. "There goes my view on things."

   John chuckled as he shook his head. "So, did you study for the test today?"

   Tom's head snapped up at his friend, John's face as he widened his eyes. "Whoa, whoa, there was a test?"

   "Well, sort of. Mickey just told me last night. Warned me about it, actually. She said the teacher surprised them with a pop quiz, so most likely we'll be having one as well." Mickey was short for Michaela, who was John's girlfriend.

   Tom groaned. "Oh, come on. Hey, we're friends, right? Let me copy."

   "You know, for the son of the principal, you sure are dumb."

   "Shut up."

   "Oh, I'll shut up. Just so you won't copy off of me."

   "Now that's just cruel."

   "So is life."

  "Don't hit me with the deep stuff so early in the morning."

    Not even half an hour since they departed, Tom felt his phone vibrate within his pocket. Sighing, he took it out and read the message.

Need to talk to you about something. Five minutes, max.

   Tom swallowed as he turned back to his friends. "Uh, guys, I'll catch up with you later," he said, standing up.

   John and Darius nodded. "We'll be waiting for you at the school field," Darius told him and Tom nodded, waving them goodbye as they walked away.

   Tom frowned as he pushed open the doors, heading straight for the office on the left wing of the school. It was a normal sight, with the lockers lined up against the walls and different doors appearing after a moment of browsing through. A door with a silver plate on the door appeared in front of Tom's sights and he knocked once, then twice after a pause. It opened after a second.

   "Tom."

   Tom sighed, turning on his heel and walking past the principal and into his office. The principal shut the door as he went in after Tom as Tom let his bag slide to the floor. The principal walked around him before finally seating himself at his desk, where a shiny, triangular block stood at the edge, 'Principal M. Steinfield' engraved onto it. He motioned for Tom to sit. "You look good."

   "What may I do for you, sir?" Tom asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

   His eyebrows furrowed. "Is there any reason for you to be so tense around me, Tom?"

   On impulse, Tom shook his head. "Of course not, sir."

   "Then I don't see why you're being the way that you are now."

   "I'm sure I'm not the only one to act this way around you, sir."

   The principal didn't even flinch. "There's a new student coming in tomorrow," he said, folding his hands in front of him and shuffling his seat closer to the desk. "I know it's almost the end of the school year but her parents insisted and... we couldn't refuse. They have authority. Anyway, I want you to show her around the school, hang out with her for a few days, fill her in on what we do around here — but I want them all to be positive remarks, Tom," he warned. "And don't mention the passing of the local university's professor."

   "Of course, sir." He couldn't help but wonder, though. Could the new girl be the girl from yesterday? At the fabric shop, that is.

   You mean the one you were an asshole to?

   Yeah, definitely not mentioning that to him. "Well, um," Tom muttered. "Is there anything else, sir? That you want me to do, I mean."

   The principal's eyebrows furrowed. "Stop muttering, Tom, you know I don't like it when you do that."

   Tom bit his tongue. "Yes, sir."

   "Good," the principal straightened his tie. "You may go now."

   Tom collected his things. He stood up and was about to open the door when the principal stopped him once again. "Tom," he began, "tell your mother I'll be at a meeting until late, will you?"

   "Sure thing, dad."