Watercolor Road ✔

Chapter 20: Fallout

Mr. Holloway spoke with Daphne first, leaving the other three girls waiting next to the secretary's desk. She kept giving them suspicious side glances.

"How did she get that?" Jack spoke for the first time since leaving the cafeteria. She had her arms crossed tightly and stared at the floor.

"I don't know, Jack," Julia said softly.

Julia and Megan glanced at each other over Jack's head, both desperately wanting to help Jack but not knowing how.

"Jack, how are you feeling right now?" Megan hesitantly asked.

Jack let out a sharp sigh. "Honestly, I don't even know." She blinked her eyes rapidly. "I hate that she had that power over me, I just hate it." She paused. "But at least I know she can't do anything else to me, now. There will be fallout from this, sure, but at least that's expected. There won't be any more surprises."

Julia and Megan both took one of Jack's hands in their own. "Hey, we're here for you," Megan reassured her. "No matter what the fallout."

Jack squeezed their hands. "Thanks for having my back in there."

"We have your back everywhere," Julia assured her. "In the cafeteria, in town," she glanced at the principal's door, "with Holloway."

Jack scowled. "Yeah, he's going to be a real piece of work. He's not exactly the most liberal person on the planet."

As if on cue, the door opened and Daphne came out. Her eyes were red, but as she passed by the three of them, she flashed a smirk.

"Miss Harper, you can come in now," Mr. Holloway called.

Julia gave Jack's hand one last squeeze before she entered the principal's office.

"Sit down."

Julia sank into the seat opposite the principal. He stared at her across the desk. "Miss Harper," he began, "I am disappointed in you."

He stopped, but Julia didn't bother saying anything.

"You had a rough start here, yes," Mr. Holloway said. "But it's understandable, given your recent personal history."

Julia had to stop herself from chucking Mr. Holloway's nameplate at him.

"But after an initial period of bad grades and skipping school, you've been doing much better," Mr. Holloway continued. "Excellent student, you participate in school functions, friends, boyfriend, so you have to imagine my shock when I heard you saying what you said just now."

"Daphne was bullying my friend," Julia said bluntly. "I'll agree, my choice of words was not very thought out, but I don't apologize for the sentiment."

Mr. Holloway sighed. "I got a very different story from the girl who was sitting here before you," he said. "In which, you and your friends were the bullies."

On the off chance that Daphne hadn't told Mr. Holloway about Jack's sexuality, Julia didn't want to bring it up. "Well, she lied," she said. "Jack was the one being bullied. I was just trying to stand up for her."

"With such language?"

Julia shrugged. "It slipped out."

Mr. Holloway sighed. "I'm going to give you one last chance to be truthful with me."

"I am being truthful."

"Then I'm giving you five days detention," he said. "Starting now. Report to Mr. Finch, he doesn't have a class at the moment, and he'll oversee you. You're required to stay here until four, and the same on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of next week."