1000 Paper Cranes

Chapter 24 - 489

"Action because he stood up to a bully?" My father was incredulous and was making no effort to hide it on his face.

"Dad, it's okay," I shrugged. "I mean, I guess I broke a rule."

"No, son, it's not okay." He was furious. "I won't let the school punish you for handling your own problems. Schools are so quick to intervene these days—"

"Steve!" My mom barked, cutting him off. "He broke a rule. We have raised our son better than that. I understand you've got this incredible sense of justice, but—"

"Annemarie, this boy has been terrorizing our son. And he has reported it to teachers and staff and they have done nothing. They can't just pick and choose when they want to act. I'll march into that principal's office and—"

"Steve, enough!" My mom was angry. I have never heard her raise her voice. "I've negotiated with the principal; the school will forgive Jordan's lack of judgement if he will serve some community service hours at the school this weekend. He and Marc will be cleaning up the campus and doing whatever Principal Ammerman asks. We can talk to Mrs. Foster about her lack of discipline with her child. But right now, I'm doing everything in my power to not have our son suspended."

When my mom finally turned back to me, I was grateful that looks couldn't kill. Her hair seemed to grow with anger, curls spreading out around her head as if somebody had a run a balloon through them. For a moment, she was part banshee and her screams meant my sure demise.

"Jordan Alexander Johnson," she began so loud that the glasses on the table in front of her vibrated. "I'd like you to remind me of any time I have ever once told you to get even. Please cite, with documentation, the exact moment I told you that vandalism was the answer to any problem. If you can't provide that kind of documentation, I suggest you get upstairs, go into your room, shut the door, and don't open it until I have decided that I can look at you without wanting to scream. I have never been this angry in my entire life and I don't intend to ever get this angry again. Am. I. Understood?" She emphasized her last three words like individual sentences.

I could only nod, I was so terrified. I had not been mirandized, but I knew that everything and anything I said would be used against me. So, instead, I just hurried upstairs, locking myself in the sanctuary of my bedroom and opening a book.

I had really screwed up. It had felt good when I did it, but had I Jonathan's abilities with computers and Robin's aptitude at mathematics, I would gladly have built a time machine to travel backwards and stop myself from doing it

And then I sat bolt upright. I felt a cold sweat break out on my forehead and my hands began to shake. The other thing. The actually horrible thing we did. What if they found out who did that? I was so angry when we planned it. I was so hellbent on vindication for Joanna that I didn't really think it through. I could never hide it from my mom, she was too perceptive. And if she reacted like this to manure in a locker, I didn't even want to think about how she would react to cyberbullying.

I reached for my cell phone but remembered I had left it downstairs. I needed to call Robin. I needed a paper bag to breathe into. I needed to disappear and live somewhere my mother couldn't find me. I should not be having such a large reaction to getting it trouble, but it was my first time. And my mom had never looked so angry before.

A knock came from my door. I was too terrified to answer it, so I didn't say anything.

"Hey, buddy," my dad said in his soothing voice. "Listen, your mom is really pissed. It's probably best you walk lightly for a while. I've actually never seen her this angry before."

I wanted to scoff. I wanted to raise my voice, or argue, or something. I just felt this well of emotions inside me that didn't make sense; they were illogical.