Music Therapy

2 || Chapter Seven

Courageous by Casting Crowns

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Shock didn't even begin to describe the whirlwind of emotions swirling through my brain right then. The knife certainly wasn't mine — it was clearly a hunting knife, and I had never been hunting, nor touched one of those in my life. So how had it gotten in my locker?

I knew for certain that no one had slipped it in there while I had been in my locker — there was no way that I wouldn't have noticed — but no one but Caitlyn had my locker combination. And there was absolutely no way that it had been Caitlyn. She was more than trustworthy and I was pretty sure that she'd never been hunting or touched a hunting knife either.

I was still standing there stupidly as everyone cleared out to go to the busses — my method of transportation probably gone by now — trying to figure out what I was supposed to do, when I heard the clicking of heels behind me, coming closer.

"Miss Richards?" Mrs. Meinke, the school secretary asked as she walked up to me, "What are you still doing here?"

"Uh..." I stalled, eyes darting back and forth between Mrs. Meinke and the very obvious, very not-allowed, knife in my locker, hoping that she just wouldn't notice it.

I internally winced as I saw Mrs. Meinke's eyes lock in on the knife, "Lynn, would you care to explain why you have a weapon on school property?"

"I...um." I floundered, trying to come up with a believable explanation on the spot. I had a feeling that she wouldn't be very much believing if I told her that it just magically appeared there.

"I think you'd better come with me to talk to the principal, Miss Richards." she said, "Having an unreported weapon on school grounds is grounds for expulsion."

That single word was enough to send me into a panic as I trailed behind Mrs. Meinke on the way to the office. I couldn't fathom the idea that I — someone that had never even done so much as turn an assignment late — could be expelled.

And then I realized what David had been threatening when he'd said something worse than detentions. And I would be willing to bet that he could easily get his hands on a hunting knife through one of his friends.

David was actually going to go as far as getting me expelled to prove his seemingly irrational hatred towards me. I was about 99.99% sure that he must have been the one to plant the knife in hopes of incriminating me. But I had absolutely no idea how to go about proving that, especially because none of the bullying incidents between him and me had ever been reported.

Trying to deal with the whole situation by myself was suddenly beginning to look rather idiotic.

"Is Mr. Sanders available?" Mrs. Meinke asked the other secretary that was manning the desk, as we walked into the office.

She nodded, "Go right on back."

Mrs. Meinke led the way back to the principal's office and I followed on shaky legs that threatened to give out from pure terror. I'd never set foot in the principal's office in my life. I really didn't want start now.

Mr. Sanders looked up as we walked into his office — evidently Mrs. Meinke had taken the wide open door as permission to barge in unannounced — with a surprised expression.

"Ah. Our star student." he said, "What you brings you two here?"

Mrs. Meinke held up the knife she had taken from my locker before we'd come down to the office a moment before sliding it across Mr. Sanders desk so he could get a better look at it, "This was found in Miss Richards' locker." she explained.