Michael's P.O.V
"Thank you very much. I look forward to seeing you again soon. Bye for now." I spoke, bidding farewell to the members of the LEA meeting I had just been involved in.
Even though I had just finished a rather big meeting, I still had a huge workload left for the day but I'd also agreed to meet Lindsay because she informed me that she needed to speak to me about something. She also mentioned that it was important so I knew that I had to give her time out of my busy schedule.
Taking a seat behind my desk, I began cracking on with some more reports which were to be sent to the Board of Governors while I was waiting for Lindsay to arrive because I told her to come here for anytime after 2pm. Twenty minutes later, there was a knock at my door.
"Come in." I called, closing the lid of my laptop and leaning against the back of my office chair.
Seeing the door open, I watched as my daughter entered the room, gently closing the door behind her. She approached my desk and sat down on one of the chairs opposite me, placing her bag down to the floor before removing her jacket and draping it over the back of the chair she was sat upon.
"What did you need to talk to me about darling?" I asked, smiling politely at her.
"First of all, I wanted to apologise for the way I spoke to you, both this morning and last night..." She started to say before pausing for a moment and then continuing. "It's your choice about whether or not you want to press charges against Kyle. It's nothing to do with me." She admitted and I was extremely grateful for her apology because I hated falling out with her.
"Thank you for apologising." I simply replied, my smiley exterior not faltering.
"The second reason as to why I'm here is...I need to ask you for a huge favour." She announced and I was rather sceptical of what she was going to ask me.
"Go on." I addressed, hearing her take in a deep breath before she carried on speaking.
"Can Finn stay with us for a few days?" She spat out and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't taken aback by her question.
I don't think Lindsay fully understands how much of an awkward position this puts me in, being Headteacher of this school. I understand that Finn is her boyfriend, but I cannot have the LA finding out that I am having pupils staying at home with me!
"I'm afraid not darling." I answered, seeing her facial expression change drastically.
"Please Dad!" She pleaded. "Finn can't go home right now!" She cried, hoping that she would be able to change my mind.
"Lindsay, I cannot have the LEA finding out I am having students staying with me!" I exclaimed, reiterating the point. "Why can't Finn go home anyway? Has it got something to do with the massive bruise on his face? I did try questioning him about it, but he wouldn't tell me what happened. Told me he walked into a door." I questioned and from her body language, I could tell she was hiding rather an important secret from me. "What are you hiding? I can tell you know something that I don't." I added because I knew she wouldn't be asking such a favour as this if she didn't feel it necessary.
I continued to study her, the way her eyes were looking everywhere but at me and the way she was playing with her fingertips in her lap. Her body language could only be described as 'sheepish' and as her father, I could read her like a book but majority of the time, I think she forgets that.
"His father punched him in the face last night." She admitted quietly and if I wasn't listening very carefully, I would have missed what she had said.
Standing up from my chair, I slipped my hands into my pocket and walked towards the window, leaning against the sill of it as I continued looking at my daughter, but from a different angle this time.
"You know I am going to have to get in touch with Social Services, don't you?" I pointed out. "It's inevitable that Finn will probably be placed in emergency Foster care until they can find him a more suitable place to live." I declared, knowing that the prospect of her boyfriend being taken away frightened her more than anything else in the world.
I watched as she sprung up from her seat, scurrying over to me and grabbing my hand, in a plea of desperation.
"Why can't he just stay with us? We've got a spare room at home doing nothing..." She quizzed, obviously trying everything in her power to prevent me from phoning the Social. "Couldn't you just explain the situation to the LEA? I'm sure they'd understand within these kinds of circumstances."
"I've put off phoning Social Services on the Sharkey family once, but I can't do it again." I replied, shaking my head. "What his father has done has made this whole situation a hundred times worse. If I don't phone the Social this time, I could potentially lose my job. You understand that, don't you?" I told her, not as a guilt ploy but because there's more at stake here than Finn maybe being put into Foster care.
"I can't see Finn go into care! What happens if his Foster family stop us from seeing each other?" She questioned, a few tears falling from her eyes, Lindsay trying to wipe them away furiously.
A few moments later, the tears kept coming harder and faster until she was full on sobbing in my office in front of me. I pulled her in closer to me, wrapping my arms around her as I placed a small kiss to the top of her head, still continuing to discuss the topic at hand.
"I know that you love him, but he is 17 years old. I doubt that whoever he gets placed with will have him under house arrest." I spoke but she was still extremely upset as she continued sobbing into my chest.
Pulling away from me, she rubbed her hands under her eyes, which were now tear-stained and had dark patches of mascara where it had run. I passed her a tissue in order for her to clean herself up and blow her nose, watching her dispose of it in the small waste bin to the side of my desk. Once she had regained composure, she made eye-contact with me again, her eyes red and bloodshot.
"I understand that you have to do everything by the book..." She sighed, wiping her nose quickly. "I just don't want anything to come between me and Finn because I haven't long got him back..." She sniffled. "Last thing I...I want to ha-happen is for us to lose each other again." She whimpered as a few stray tears kept rolling down her cheeks.
"Listen to me Lindsay..." I softly spoke. "I will do everything it takes to ensure that Finn has the best care possible. Social Services don't just place children/young adults with any old family..." I told her, trying to reassure her. "I can also request that they place him with a family that live within the catchment area of Waterloo Road, but I can't guarantee that. However, I will try my absolute best." I reasoned, trying to make her feel better.
I'm guessing that she didn't have anything else to say on the matter because she just nodded. Seconds later, the bell went, indicating that it was the end of the school day. Seeing Lindsay pull another tissue from the box located on my desk, she tidied her face up once more before throwing it in the bin.
"I better go..." She told me, sniffling a little. "Me and Finn are heading to the hospital to check that his nose isn't broken or damaged in any way." She added, making me nod my head.
"Okay darling. After you have been to the hospital, come back to ours with Finn because I should have more news by then." I informed her, seeing her smile a somewhat sad smile.
"See you later." She spoke, picking up her things and putting her jacket on.
"See you later sweetheart." I replied, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
With that, she walked out of my office, the door closing behind her. Confident that she was no longer in earshot, I sat back down behind my desk and picked up the telephone, dialling the number for Social Services.
Placing the handset up to my ear, it rang for a few seconds before someone answered, letting me pass on all the newfound information I had just been provided with. I have to admit, I do feel a little guilty because I cannot allow Finn to say with me as a long-term solution but as Headteacher, I have to maintain a level of professionalism, even away from my job.
I just hope that the family he potentially gets placed with will take good care of him because if they don't, my daughter's heart will be broken.
****
Lindsay's P.O.V
Me and Finn are currently sat on one of the wards in the hospital, awaiting the results of his x-ray. We've been here for around two hours now because he's had to have a few tests done but these are the only results we have been left waiting for. He is sat on top of the bed and I am positioned in the armchair next to him, both of us silent.
Due to the mad rush of trying to get here as quickly as possible and the surprise that we were seen rather swiftly, we haven't really had the opportunity to discuss the outcome of the conversation with my dad.
Also, it was more so the fact that I have been putting off telling him because I am worried about how he'll react to the news. Seconds later, unexpectedly, I heard him ask the one question I had been dreading.
"How did the conversation with your dad go?" Were the words that compiled his question and I immediately felt a wave of nausea erupt in my stomach, making me swallow hard to prevent it from coming out.
Realising that there was no easy way to break the news to him, I decided to just come out and say it.
"Not very well." I simply answered before expanding into more detail. "Due to the extent of his job, he could get in trouble with the LEA if they discovered that he was having students staying with him..." I explained, pausing for a moment before continuing. "He has been left with no choice but to contact Social Services and you could be put into foster care. I'm so sorry Finn...I tried my best." I replied in a subdued manner and he sensed it.
One of his hands reached out to grab one of mine as he began to rub comforting circles onto it. This is the kind of reaction I wanted and needed because at least I know that he isn't angry at the outcome of the situation.
"I understand." He responded, taking me aback a little. "Your dad has a responsibility to ensure that I am safe and at the moment, I don't feel safe being at home. He is a good man and I'm sure that he'll do what he feels is best for me." He stated and hearing that he had that much trust in my dad really meant a lot to me.
"Y'know, I was so worried about how you would react." I admitted, letting out a huge sigh of relief.
"Don't get me wrong, the thought of Social Services getting involved is really scary, but I trust your dad's judgement." He confessed and I couldn't hide the smile I was hiding anymore.
"You don't know how happy I am to hear you say that." I replied, the smile on my face growing wider.
Now that the tension in the air had been cleared, we continued to make small conversation until we saw the curtain around the cubicle be pulled back. In walked one of the male nurses, who was smiling at us as he pulled the curtain back around, wanting to give the three of us some privacy away from the rest of the people on the ward.
"Good news Mr. Sharkey, your nose isn't broken or dislocated in any way." The nurse announced, making us smile at the results of the x-ray. "There is a considerable amount of swelling, but that should go down within the next few days. You may find that using ice will help to bring down the swelling a little." He suggested while we continued grinning.
"Thanks." Finn simply replied as the nurse smiled back at us.
"My pleasure. I will just go and collect up your discharge papers and will take a signature from you and then you are free to go..." He told us. "I will be back in around five minutes." The nurse informed us before pulling back the curtain and disappearing to retrieve the paperwork.
He returned back rather rapidly, asking Finn to sign on the dotted line before telling us we could leave. Collecting up our things, we headed for the exit hand in hand. Due to it being Winter Time, it was now dark outside, the only source of light available coming from the streetlamps in the car-park and the headlights of passing traffic.
Not knowing what to do from here, we stood outside the hospital rather awkwardly. That was until I remembered what my dad had said to me before I left his office earlier on this afternoon.
"Before I left school this afternoon, my dad asked if you could come back to mine with me..." I told him, Finn nodding in response. "He said he should have more information about Social Services."
Realising that we wouldn't get a bus for another hour or so, we walked to the nearest taxi rank, which was only around five minutes away from the hospital. We waited patiently in line, even though there wasn't much of a queue in the first place.
After waiting for around ten minutes, a taxi pulled up in front of us, the two of us clambering into the back and telling the driver our destination. Nodding, he veered off into the main flow of traffic, beginning the journey back to my house. I'm hoping that what my dad has managed to sort out has resulted in some form of good news because I'm slowly getting fed up of receiving bad news.
****
Finn's P.O.V
The taxi pulled up outside Lindsay's home as she paid the fare, the pair of us thanking the driver for getting us here safely before we climbed out. The vehicle pulled away as we climbed the small amount of steps up to her house, seeing her insert the key into the lock, turning it to open it.
Stepping inside, the smell of home cooked food and the warmth of the heating enveloped us like a hug, making me feel a sense of serenity. Once the door had closed, we heard Mr. Byrne's voice call:
"Lindsay, is that you?", leading to her responding with a quick 'Yes'. "Is Finn with you?" He added which was again answered with another 'Yes'.
Once Lindsay had confirmed our presence, we walked out to the kitchen and in my eyeline, I could see that the dining table had been set for three people, with a family sized home-made Lasagne sat in the middle of it.
I watched as Mr. Byrne dashed around the kitchen, ensuring that everything needed for tonight's meal was on the table. As he was doing this, he recognised the two of us standing there, watching him rush around like a mad-man.
"Please take a seat." He dictated but not in an authoritative way, smiling at us.
Myself and Lindsay strolled over to the table, taking a seat in front of one of the set-up places and moments later, her dad joined us, carrying a jug of ice cold water over to the table, setting it down. He plated us up a serving of the Lasagne and told us to help ourselves to the extras, such as the Garlic Bread or Side Salad.
Smiling at him, I thanked him for his hospitality, feeling grateful towards him for preparing me a meal. The three of us started to eat, the only noises being heard coming from infrequent chewing and the scraping of cutlery on plates.
Once the majority of the meal had been devoured(I will admit, it was so nice that I had seconds), he began discussing what the next steps were going to be for me and my living arrangements.
"Finn, Lindsay told me all about what happened to you last night and I would like to say, firstly, how sorry I am that you had to suffer an injury at the hands of your dad." He spoke and I couldn't help but feel touched at the fact that he really does care about me. "I've been on the phone to Social Services this afternoon and I have arranged a meeting for tomorrow afternoon which will involve myself, you, your dad and a social worker to discuss further living arrangements and other grey areas that need addressing." He explained as I nodded in compliance with everything he was saying.
"That doesn't mean that Finn will have to go back and live at home, does it?" I heard Lindsay ask, a fragment of concern in the tone of her voice.
"Social Services will decide the best possible outcome for you to progress. They will take both yours and your dad's feelings into consideration and determine the best course of action from there..." He went on to say. "If they feel it is safe for you to continue living at home, they may make the decision to keep you at home, but there may be some consequences for your dad." He truthfully described but I will admit, his last sentence worried me a little.
"What kind of consequences?" I asked, not wanting anything extreme to happen to my dad.
"Well, they may recommend that he undertake some anger management classes." He answered before picking up from where he left off. "On the flip side, if they deem it unsafe for you to remain at home, you will be taken to a Foster home temporarily until they find a more permanent solution. I know it's a lot to take in, but we are all here to support you." He addressed but I already knew it wasn't going to be a straightforward process.
"What is going to happen to me tonight?" I questioned because I really couldn't face going home, not when the events of last night were still really raw.
"I've set up the spare room. You are more than welcome to stay here for tonight." He replied with a sincere smile, me returning the gesture.
I hope both Lindsay and Mr. Byrne realise how wholeheartedly grateful I am to the both of them for going to this much effort for me. I never expected for them to treat me as kindly as they have done, especially after what I did to them a few weeks ago.
At this very moment in time, I have a warm, fuzzy feeling deep in the pit of my stomach which I very rarely get the chance to experience. It's obvious that this is what love and happiness is really supposed to feel like.
"Thank you so much Mr. Byrne. I am so eternally grateful towards both you and Lindsay for looking after me during all of this." I announced in front of the pair of them, obtaining a smile from them both.
"You are very welcome. Lindsay, can you show Finn to his room for tonight please?" Her dad instructed, seeing her nod in response. "I'll stay down here and clean up. Can you also grab him one of my old t-shirts and a pair of tracksuit bottoms for him to wear to bed?" He asked, which was followed by yet another nod and a smile.
Just as I was to leave the room with her, I couldn't stop myself from thanking Mr. Byrne again for his generosity.
"Thank you again, sir." I commented, holding my hand out in front of him.
Smiling, he shook my hand for a brief moment before breaking away from me as he began tidying up the table. With that, I followed Lindsay out of the room, the two of us ascending upstairs and into the spare room. She switched on the light, revealing the room in its full glory.
The décor was very understated, but was still tasteful nonetheless. She left the room for a moment before returning moments later, balancing a neat pile of clothes on her forearms. She placed them down onto the bed and headed for the door again, but I stopped her, grabbing her hand gently.
She turned to face me as I pulled her closer, staring into her mesmerizing brown eyes, which still managed to leave me breathless every single time I gazed into them.
"You know I love you, don't you?" I asked her, although I knew that there was no doubt that she knew.
"I love you too." She replied, smiling at me.
With that, I dropped her hand from mine as I looked down at my own, seeing the ring sat on my right ring finger. Without giving it any thought, I pulled it off my finger before I lifted Lindsay's hand up and placed the ring into her palm, clamping her own fingers over it tightly, holding my own hand there.
"What are you doing, Finn?" She asked, beaming up at me.
"This ring is my promise to you," I admitted, rendering her confused. "It was my grandfathers. Before he passed away, he told me to hold onto the ring until I met someone who brought happiness into my life, hence the reason why I want you to have it." I went on to say as she remained speechless.
Opening out her palm, she stared down at the solid gold ring sat perfectly in the centre. After looking at it for a few seconds, she gazed back up at me, her eyes slightly glossy as if she was about to cry.
"Finn...I don't know what to say..." She started to say until I stopped her from going any further.
"Don't say anything..." I whispered, wiping away a tear that had rolled down her cheek. "Just accept it."
Without warning, she flung her arms around my shoulders, hugging me tightly. Pulling away seconds later, she pressed her lips to mine as she kissed me passionately, so much emotion being generated through the natural embrace.
Before the kiss became too heated, we pulled away, allowing me to leave a swift kiss to her forehead. Saying goodnight, she left the room, giving me the opportunity to get changed ready to go to sleep.
As much as I should have been contemplating over what tomorrow may bring, I decided that there wasn't any point in me worrying. I know that I'll be alright, so long as I have my beautiful Lindsay by my side. In such a short space of time, she has become my guiding light in a shadow of darkness and I know that with her support and love, I can overcome anything.
Lindsay's P.O.V
Leaving Finn to get changed, I walked into my bedroom, closing the door behind me and taking a seat upon my bed. Opening out my hand, I studied the ring lying in it, a slight reflection beaming off it from the light.
I am still in shock that he has given me the ring that belonged to his late grandfather and no matter what happens, I will continue to guard this heirloom for the rest of my life. Placing the precious item down on my bed, I reached up and unclasped the necklace from around my neck before I slid the ring down the chain, reattaching it back around my neck as I glanced down to admire it.
This is definitely the best gift I have ever received, considering the sentimental value that came with it. I know that whenever I look at this ring from now on, I will remember that Finn is always with me.
I can genuinely say that I haven't felt this happy in such a long time and that is all thanks to Finn. I'm so excited to see what the future has in store for us.
Who knows what it may bring?