The Psycho Is Innocent | ꪜ

Chapter 20: The Unprepared Warning

Present

          THE TENSION IN the air was thicker than the slab of granite on which Ariel's hand remained clasped a top, her eyes burning a hole through her father's head. Harry leaned back in his chair, unwilling to let his gaze falter as the two fell into an intense staring match. Adele and Janet fumbled nervously with their hands, watching the scene go down, but before either of them could say a word, Janet stepped in.

"Can you two cut it out, please? We're trying to have a civilized conversation about what happened today and I feel like you both are on the verge of murdering each other. My job is hard enough, I don't want to personally transport one of you to the ER." Harry turned his attention towards his wife, "two weeks, she got suspended for two weeks for breaking someone's nose. How do you want me to feel, Janet? I think we should really call up Doctor Julian, you haven't seen her in years."

"I don't need a freaking appointment! You said yourself that I wouldn't attack someone without a reason and I had one. Theo is a pig and he had what was coming for him. A broken nose? That's nothing compared to the shit he and that baseball team has done to the girls at our school!" Harry slammed his hand onto the table, shutting Ariel up swiftly. His eyes bore into hers, "so you're a vigilante now?"

Ariel lowered the fork she had been grasping in her hand tightly down onto the table and through her gritted teeth she said: "not all heroes wear capes, dad. Sometimes they're just a redhead girl tired of seeing others be treated like shit. So go ahead and paint me as the villain, but most villains are truly just anti-heroes." Without waiting to hear a response, Ariel shot up from her seat and stormed out of the kitchen, leaving her parents and sister in a flustered state.

"Mom, Dad, do you think Tobias getting arrested has made her revert? She was making progress, even Doctor Julian said so. Now she's snappy just like before as if all the sessions she had meant nothing. Do you think it's because of–"

"Adele, don't." Her mother interjected, "we don't discuss that at the dinner table, just drop it. If we see Ariel's anger progressing then we'll contact Doctor Julian and book her an appointment. For now, let's just wait it out." Harry chuckled humorlessly under his breath and discarded the remnants of his food. "Wait it out? She broke someone's nose, Janet. There is no waiting this out. Our daughter is spiralling and I blame it on that boy."

~~~

Ariel pushed the cafeteria's door open and stepped inside, her eyes immediately swivelling towards Theo who was perched upon one of the school's lunch table. His eyes narrowed to slits at the sight of Ariel and as if it were now a reflex, he touched his bandaged nose, his gaze growing darker. Ariel ignored him and waited in silence until Principal Brick came into view, the school's janitor following in suit behind him.

"Perfect, you both made it on time! Ariel, today you'll clean all the tables. I want you to wash and dry them down until it's sparkling clean. Theo you'll attend to the kitchen. I want you to clean all the counters, sweep the floor and mop. Ariel, you'll sweep the cafeteria and Theo will mop there as well. This is me being lenient since it's your first day. Tomorrow, however, come prepared because the kitchen won't be the only place that'll see you kids sweet faces. Janitor Glen will accompany you to make sure you don't make a mess of things. When you're done make sure to stop by my office so I can dismiss you. Happy cleaning."

Janitor Glen motioned towards the cleaning supplies and smiled, "let's get started, kids."

Past