I Get A Kick Out of You

Chapter 52

Writing was much easier when you didn't have a deadline. It was also a bit more difficult. Cassie liked having that pressure on her, but she also enjoyed the freedom because it didn't put a strain on her creative range. Personally, she believes this is the best book she's ever written. She doesn't plan on handing it in yet, though. She thinks she can write three more, maybe even six! Her ideas for this were endless!

While she was jotting down some ideas in her bulky and unorganized notebook, her phone started to ring. She didn't look at it before answering, "Hello?" She was in such a trance, she don't entirely care who it was. She just wanted to get back to writing!

"Uh, yes, Mrs. Cumberbatch?" She recognized that voice. She's heard it many times over the years. She set down her pen and sat back in her chair. "Principal Gardner. What can I do for you?" Principal Gardner was always intimidated by Cassie and it made her happy. He's told her she's the most passionate parent he's ever come across and that scared him.

"Mrs. Cumberbatch, I'm afraid I have to ask you to come down to the school. Ethan is in my office facing a suspension." She sat up in shock. "I...I'm sorry, what? What happened?" She started getting her things together to leave as he told her, "He got into another fight. Please, if you come down I will explain further."

Cassie got ready quickly and made sure to grab Madison before heading out. She was in the middle of her nap, so she was fussy and cranky the entire ride there. Cassie couldn't blame her because she felt exactly the same!

When she got to the school, she was immediately led into the Principal's office. As he led her to sit down, she got a look at Ethan. He looked absolutely terrified. She's never seen him like this. Whatever's going on, it has got him spooked and spooked bad.

"Mrs. Cumberbatch, I'm sorry for calling you in like this, but this is a serious matter. As you're aware, Ethan's been in many fights this year, too many to where I can no longer keep sending home notes to be signed."

Cassie slowly turned her head to look at Ethan. He had his eyes tightly shut and his hands in a prayer position. Yeah, you better pray, you little shit, she thought to herself. When she looked back to Gardner, she smiled and kindly asked, "May I see those slips again?" He had them out and at the ready in Ethan's folder.

He handed them over and as she looked them over, he said, "I also wanted to ask if you were the one who actually signed these. Normally, when a child comes home with more than three, we get a call from a parent. Seeing as you are the most involved parent we've seen at this school, I got concerned."

It took every fiber of her being not to start screaming at Ethan. There were ten notices that had her signature on them, none of which she knew she never signed. She cleared her throat, then said, "Yes. Yes, I signed these. Um, tell me, how will this effect his scholarship?"

Gardner looked to Ethan, who put his hands over his face and groaned. Gardner turned back to Cassie as he said, "I'm sorry to be the one to break the news, but...Ethan has lost his scholarship. He lost it after the third notice. I typed it out in the slip."

Cassie quickly shuffled through the papers until she found the third one. She read it carefully, then clenched it in her fists. "Well," she said, "clearly this one wasn't me." As a matter of fact, it wasn't. This one had Joel's signature.

It was hard to hold back her tears. She was so angry, so disappointed. She was so sad. "Can he get it back?" Gardener sighed, then leaned back in his chair. "He could have," he told her, "had he not gotten in trouble today." Cassie slumped in her chair, one arm holding Madison, the other going over her mouth.

He continued, "However...I am willing to forgive today's incident under some circumstances." Cassie sat up at that. "Anything," she said, "name it." Gardner looked to Ethan as he said, "He speaks to a therapist, serves two weeks of detention - that will not go on his record for the sake of the scholarship - and he's off the basketball team the remainder of the season."

Ethan perked up at the mention of basketball and looked at him wide-eyed. "What?" He asked. "Seriously? No! Mom!" Cassie handed Madison over to him as she said, "Take your sister and wait outside for me. Don't you dare think about arguing." Ethan took his sister and dragged his feet out of the room.

As soon as the door shut, Cassie turned to Gardner and said, "You've got a deal. Is there anything else we can do to ensure he doesn't do this again? Where does this happen?" Gardner shrugged as he said, "During lunch, in between classes, on the court during practice. From what I understand, the kids have started to spread a nasty rumor about him. Unfortunately, that's all I know. I don't know the details of the rumor. Now, I'm not going to suspend him, but I am going to request you take him home early. I'll have his teachers give work he missed to Cillian. It's Friday and Thanksgiving break officially starts Monday, so I don't imagine he'll have much. He'll have the week to mull this over and truly think about his future."

Cassie walked out of that office absolutely furious. She didn't even acknowledge Ethan sitting on the chair outside with Madison. She just kept walking. He quickly got up once he saw her and tried to catch up.

"What's happening?" He asked. "Am I off the basketball team? Did you talk to him?" Cassie spun to look at him so fast, it made him jump. She took Madison from him, then said, "What's happening is you're going home right now and packing for our trip tomorrow. Before that, though, you are handing over your license and your keys until you graduate. Better make the drive home worth it. I'll see you in ten."

On the way home, Cassie called Ben. Before he could even properly answer, she was yelling at him about everything that happened. He couldn't get a word in. Even when she parked in the driveway, she told him she'd call him back and hung up.

Ethan was only a few seconds behind her. As he walked up to the house, she handed him Madison once again. "Take her inside and pack. Those keys better be on my nightstand when I get back. I'm going to go ask your father why in the hell he would sign something like that without telling me about it. Unless you signed that, too?"

She was clearly flustering him, which brought her more joy than anything at the moment. "He signed it, but I asked him when he was really flustered and told him it was for a field trip." Cassie scoffed. "Who...who are you? You know what, just go inside. I can't look at you right now, Ethan."

With that, she got back into her car and took off. Ethan let out a heavy sigh, then took his sister inside.