Perfect Student

Chapter 18

I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat, squeezing my thighs together before crossing one leg over the other. My hands were shaking so I pressed them together, interlocking my fingers and ignoring how they had suddenly become sweaty. Did they think I cheated on an assignment or was trying to con my way into becoming the valedictorian?

"I've never cheated on a test in my life," I blurted out as the principal opened his mouth. He paused at that, and humor flashed in his eyes before his face grew strict once more.

"Be that as it may, Ms. Johnson, a very serious infraction occurred this weekend and we have reason to believe you might be involved." He angled his face down and scanned my expression, trying to discover the truth from it. I looked back at James with confusion. He walked forward and sat in the chair beside me, sitting noticeably taller.

He looked at me with something like contempt and I shuddered.

Mr. Rodriguez cleared his throat again and I wondered if it was a nervous tic or meant to be intimidating.

to be intimidating.

"Ms. Johnson, it appears that someone may have been trespassing on school property this weekend and went so far as to vandalize one of the classrooms. Do you know anything about that?" he asked, mustache twitching.

I froze in place, very aware that the hairs on the back of my neck stuck up automatically.

"No, sir," I said in a slow voice, keeping my eyes on his. I couldn't bear to look at James, who had crossed his arms over his chest the second he heard my lie.

"There was writing on one of the whiteboards, comparing Mr. Mason to something unfavorable," Mr. Rodriguez stated, making my cheeks flush. I blinked and couldn't stop myself from picturing Hunter's scribbling on the board, in bright red lettering.

"W-why-" I stuttered, trying to ask an appropriate question that wouldn't condemn me.

"Why do we think it's you?" James asked, voice icy. I looked sheepishly at him and nodded. He leaned forward towards the principal's desk and grabbed a piece of fabric that had been folded on the floor. My tan cardigan hung in his hands as he held it out to me with a furious look. 

"Is this yours?" he asked, already knowing the answer. I couldn't lie to him as easily as I could to the principal. I must've worn it last week and he recognized it. 

"Yes," I said with a forced smile. "I must've left it here Friday afternoon." 

"The janitor came in last Friday to wax the floors of each classroom. All student belongings that he found were returned to the Lost & Found, with the exception of this sweater," Mr. Rodriguez stated. "Which happened to be in the vandalized room."

I grabbed the sweater and placed it on my lap, obviously humiliated.

"But I didn't-" I began, with a pleading look. James interrupted me, displeasure clear in his tone.

"Then who did, Ms. Johnson?" he demanded, making me cringe at the use of my formal name. I looked into my lap, unable to answer. If I didn't speak up, James would think I wrote it and I might get in huge trouble. 

If I condemned Hunter, I might be in worse trouble.

"I did it," I admitted. Anxiety wriggled in my stomach, and I prepared myself for the consequences. The principal sighed deeply as if to express his disappointment and the nodded, making a small note on a paper in front of him. Was that my school record? What was he putting?

"Trespassing is a misdemeanor, young lady. It could be punishable by fines or jail time, and certainly suspension or expulsion," his voice boomed, echoing in the small room.

Tears filled my eyes and I whimpered, praying for a lightpunishment.

"I'm so sorry, sir. It'll never happen again," I said passionately, looking up at James shyly. I meant my words for him, but his face was blank, watching the principal.

There was a long, silent pause while Mr. Rodriguez considered what to do next.

"Since your record is clean with this school and you are a continually dedicated student, I will let you off with a warning this time. Additionally, we will be calling home and you will be attending detention with Mr. Mason for a week," he stated resolutely.

I must've had some look of relief because he added, "Longer if Mr. Mason sees fit!" I turned my face down and nodded abashedly, praying the punishment would end there.

The bell rang overhead, signaling that the first class of the day was about to start. James checked his watched and stood. One of the older women who sat behind the front desk ran in and handed the principal a bright green piece of paper.

"You may both go," Mr. Rodriguez decided, not sparing us a look or final grim expression. I stood up suddenly and tailed James out the door, trying to keep up with his quick pace. His long legs made him miles faster than me, meaning I had to jog to keep up. He stopped outside Mrs. Cliff's classroom, making me screech to a stop behind him. He faced me and his face was steely. His nostrils flared and he finally released his anger, speaking sharply like a boiling kettle as his face grew red.

"I can't believe you would do such a thing, Addy!" he said, unsparingly. His hands clenched into fists, and I shrunk down from his anger, praying it didn't get worse. He noticed and softened immediately, relaxing his hands, and letting out a hiss of air to regain control.

"I'm sorry," he said, knowing exactly what I was worried about. "I didn't mean to get so angry. But this just isn't like you, and it worries me."

"I'm sorry I broke into the school. I was just messing around! I really didn't think anyone would notice," I confessed, shrugging my shoulders pathetically.

"I'm not so mad about that," he said, with an unbothered wave of his hand. "I'm more upset that you think you need to lie to protect someone. You're putting your future on the line for something you didn't do?"

My head whipped back, and mouth opened as I realized I had it all wrong. He wasn't mad because he thought I wrote it?

"Who are you protecting?" he requisitioned, raising one eyebrow. His tone was still fervent, but the anger had mostly dissipated. "Trinity?"

"No!" I shouted in defense of my friend. Trinity would never make me do something like that.

"Who then?" he begged, throwing his arms up in the air. The thought of James guessing who it was and confronting him made my heart race with fear. I couldn't have him getting hurt because of me. Not again.

"No one! I'm an adult now, and I make my own choices!" I shouted, crossing my arms over my chest, and leaning towards him. I still had to angle my head back hugely to see his eyes, which made my anger look feeble.

"You chose to come into the school and write something on the board, knowing it could jeopardize the entire future you have planned for yourself?" he scoffed in disbelief.

I nodded, knowing that my voice would probably break if I tried to lie again.

"That's not you," he explained, shaking his head.

"Maybe I'm not who you thought I was! Maybe this is who I am now!" The hallway was empty and quiet, making my voice echo.

He squinted his eyes and I tried to stand tall, ignoring his scrutiny. After a minute, he sighed and shrugged his shoulders. He grabbed the door handle behind him and walked back into the classroom without another word.

It wasn't the way he yelled at me that made tears come to my eyes as I walked to my first period. It was the indifference I saw on his face. Something had just shattered between us, and he wasn't going to do a thing about it.