The Heart of Nine

Chapter Four

Chapter Three

I can’t believe this. I thought she was smarter than that.

“- caught them behind the bleachers during their gym class. This kind of behavior is not going to be tolerated at this school” Principal Mast says to me, “Two weeks out-of school suspension.”

I nod my head in understanding, surprised that it’s not longer.

Kim got caught for PDA. Really Kim, really? Just yesterday I was thinking that she knows what she’s doing.

Obviously she does, just not in the way I thought.

I can’t really say that I’m mad at her; I’m too shocked right now. But the one thing running through my mind is how she’s going to explain to our brothers why she got two weeks out-of school suspension because I am sure as hell not doing it for her.

God, they are never going to let her live it down.

We walk out of the principals’ office about to go back to our classes when I stop her. She looks at me with tears in her eyes. I feel my heart crack a little at seeing her upset but I remind myself that she brought this on herself.

“Who was it?” I ask, no doubt she knows what I’m talking about.

 She hesitates. She obviously doesn’t want me to know. Is it that bad?

“Who was it?” I ask again.

“Tyler Williams” she says in a quiet voice.

My breathing stops as I take in the name she just told me not sure if I heard her right.

“Who?” I ask, praying silently that I did hear her wrong.

“Tyler Williams” she says louder this time.

Tyler Williams? What the fuck was she doing with him?!? First of all Tyler is a senior; too old to be doing stuff like that with a sophomore. Second, Tyler is Alex’s older brother! The one he hates!

I just stare at her with my mouth hanging open. She stares at her feet standing awkwardly for a minute before she walks away to her next class. I still stand there for a few minutes after she’s gone, then walk back to class.

***********************

The ride home is silent. The only noise is the car’s engine running. Alex is in the passenger seat looking out the window; Seth and Kim are in the backseat lost in their own thoughts. I’m driving trying to not let my mind wander about everything that happened today. It’s only the second day of school and one of us was already in trouble. It’s only the second day of school and I think I’m developing something like a crush on a guy I barely know. It’s only the second freaking day of school! Damn, what is the rest of this year going to be like?

I pull up in the driveway next to Ben’s car. Good, he remembered to get Liam and the twins. I kill the engine and we all get out of the car and head into the house only to be greeted by a very angry Zach, Jason, and Ben.

“Got a call from the principal today” Zach says looking at Kim. He looks…….. sick. He has big dark bags under his bloodshot blue eyes. His face looks a little sunken like he hasn’t been eating, but I know for a fact that’s not the case. I tear my eyes away from him only to look into Kim’s panic-stricken face. She’s silently asking me for help, but I have no idea what to do. I didn’t think the principal would call home.

I look back at my three angry brothers and catch Jason’s eye. He raises an eyebrow at me as if he’s asking me to explain. I shake my head at him and nod my head towards Kim indicating that she should be the one to tell. He nods his head and gives me a reassuring smile as if to say that everything is going to be ok. I just nod back, ending our silent conversation.