Metanoia.「skephalo」

36 | Time for me to go.

The hour hand of the clock passed the number twelve for the second time since Zak made his entrance in the office, and words didn't give a sign of wanting to stop flowing out of the Principal's mouth.

Sitting there on the opposite side of the desk, powerless and defeated, the boy in blue was fighting against those tears pricking in the corner of his eyes.

The last thing he was wishing for, was giving the woman a double victory by breaking down in front of her.

On the desk sat three sheets facing Zak, big and red "F"'s along with scribbles complaining about the blank responses on the test, were written on each paper.

As expected, in those two hours the Junior didn't hear a single positive observation from the middle-aged woman.

Taking a deep breath as an attempt to calm himself, he clenched his teeth, silently hoping for that hell to end.

"So, let's summarize your situation; shall we, Carder?" the Principal asked with her usual fake emphatic tone of voice.

Unable to contain the grimace forming on his face, Zak attempted to swallow the knot in his throat.

With all his soul and broken heart, he really didn't want to hear the consequences of his actions a second time.

"First of all," she started, a small grin forming on her lips. "your phone will be taken away for a week—"

Zak didn't resist more than a second, and immediately snapped with his squeaky voice, "Wait, what?! You never said that!"

"I did. Your lack of attention is not my fault," she bit back, narrowing her eyes.

"How am I supposed to get in contact with Callahan?!" the boy in blue objected, ignoring her tease.

"Every dorm has a landline, you can call him or answer to his calls there. He's already been informed of your situation, and he agreed with the measures I'm taking."

Hearing that statement felt like a stab for Zak, completely caught off guard by his lawyer's agreement.

He wasn't only hurt.

'And that's why I don't fucking trust adults.'

But betrayed. Once again.

At Zak's silent reaction to her words, the Principal stretched her hand out with a small self-pleased grin plastered on her face.

After narrowing his eyes and hesitating for a moment, the Junior breathed "Fine." and took his phone out of his black jeans' pocket, placing it on her palm.

"Good," she started again, putting the device away. "You'll have to participate in an extra training session every week, and the label as captain of the baseball team will remain yours."

A silent nod from Zak came in response to the new rule.

"And if your grade won't reach an average of seventy percent," the woman paused, making sure there was an eye contact between her and the student. "you'll have to participate in extra classes."

Clenching his teeth as an attempt not to snap, the boy in blue forced himself to nod once again.

"And, last but not least, about the Noveschosh situation, I'm pretty sure you understood what is going to happen," as her annoying, self-pleased tone ended the sentence, her hand slid a key with a familiar Keychain. The number fourteen was engraved on it. "Remember, you have time until tomorrow," she added.

Narrowing his eyes full of hatred towards the woman sitting in front of him, Zak clenched his teeth further.

"Go do the work I assigned you, and tomorrow you'll be allowed to participate in your classes." another fake smile grew on her lips. "You're dismissed, Carder."