The Struggle

✦1

As I sat alone in my principle's office, I fiddled with my fingers and repeatedly lifted my tongue up to the roof of my mouth to make a clicking noise.

I sighed heavily and let my head fall back so my eyes would look at the boring, white titled ceiling. After a few long minutes, I stopped making the annoying clicking noise and allowed myself to slowly drift into a dark peaceful state. Sleep.

Sleep. It was something I hadn't done in a long time. Something I wished I was able to do without waking up in the middle of the night all sweaty and out of breath, something I craved for dearly but could never do without feeling watched and unsafe.

I sighed again when I heard the sound of the door to my principle's office opening.

The sound of multiple shoes shuffling around the office filled my ears and I absentmindedly started to grind my teeth while flaring my nose. I was annoyed.

Let's just get this shit over with.

I opened my eyes and immediately sank deeper into the chair I was sitting in as my eyes met with every single pair of eyes in the room.

I let out a little laugh "Is this some type of intervention?" I said while crossing my arms and smiling.

Everyone looked at each other. My first hour teacher took a step forward and took a deep breath.

"Zaire, your academic performance in school is amazing. 4.0 GPA, number 1 in the student percentile and here at SunCounty High, that's extraordinary! But.. your behavior is another thing" she said with a frown forming on her face.

I looked at everyone. All of my teacher's were here, the dean's, and most importantly, the principle.

What's about to go down? I wondered curiously in my mind.

The next one to step up was my 3rd hour teacher, Mr. Holmes. "You've been caught smoking marijuana in the boys bathroom a handful of times, have gotten caught in the middle of fights and many more things that we can't let slide anymore..."

My eyebrows furrowed and I sat up a little straighter  than before, are they thinking what I'm thinking?

My principle stepped forward next "Mr. Woods, unless you join an extra curricular activity and make an effort to try and cut pot out of your life by doing therapy in and out of school, we have no choice but to expel you" he said with the confidence in his voice wavering a bit.

I sat in my chair, anything but shocked.

I clicked my tongue and genuinely thought about their proposition for a moment.

They don't want there valedictorian to be a pothead I said to myself. Why does it even matter? I've worked my ass off these past 4 years, trying to defying the stereotype that 'potheads' are lazy.. and this is what I get? A fucking intervention?

I glared at the floor and balled my fists up. I couldn't understand why they're acting like what I decide to do in my free time, affects them personally.

The principal sighed and rubbed his forehead while the hopeful looks on my teacher's faces died down slowly.

I got up from my chair abruptly and grabbed my backpack, trying to stuff all the contents back inside since officer Harty decided to 'randomly' checked it to make sure there wasn't any paraphernalia inside. Sure enough he found something that I forgot to leave at home since they were proposing such an offer to me.