I can't keep my eyes open as I hold an ice pack to my left, bruised eye. I'm sitting in the principle's office, waiting for Daddy to come and pick me up from school. I'm so terrified of what he's going to say to me, as I've never been in a fight before and I feel disappointed in myself since he always told me to be good and to stay away from trouble. Cindy is sitting in the chair exactly opposite me, clutching her stomach and holding a cloth to her bloody nose. Neither of us have said anything to each other – we're both just waiting.
"Allison, your father is here to see you," Mrs Quick informs, standing aside and letting him walk through the door. "And Cindy, your mother is here also."
A tall lady with burgundy colored hair walks through the door, embracing Cindy. "Mommy!" Cindy beams.
"Cindy, what happened honey?" Her mother asks, adjusting the cloth on her nose. "A bloody nose?"
"Daddy..." I say quietly.
He examines my eye and sighs. "You wanna tell me how you got this?" he asks, trying to stay calm.
"I think I can explain that," says Mrs Quick. "Mr Jackson and Mrs Edwards-"
"Miss, actually," Cindy's mother corrects silently.
"My apologies," Mrs Quick says and continues, "your daughters were involved in a fight this morning, and let me just tell you it was not an easy sight to see."
"Is that so?" Daddy asks.
"Yeah, Daddy, it is..." I say, guiltily.
"Cindy?" Cindy's mother asks, confirming.
"Yeah," Cindy admits, hanging her head down. "But forgive me, as I would just like to say that I am terribly sorry for all of this. Allison, I didn't mean to punch you."
"Allison, do you have something to say to Cindy?"
I stare at Cindy for a moment, sensing behind her fake apology. She glares at me. "Nope," I say, not taking my eyes off of her.
"Allison, apologize now!" Daddy says, nudging me.
"No, no, and no. Cindy pushed me up against the lockers and called my dad a freak! Why should I be the one to apologize when I didn't start anything?"
"Right then, you will both be suspended from school for two weeks," says Mrs Quick, writing something down in a folder.
"What? No!" Cindy says, surprised. She stands up from her seat. "This kind of thing doesn't happen to me!"
"Sorry, but until you two learn something, you aren't coming back."
I roll my eyes. Fine by me.
"Well I can assure you my daughter won't be acting up again after this, honest," Cindy's mother says.
"Mine either," says Daddy. "Hopefully," he mumbles.
Cindy and her mother exit the room and just as Daddy and I are about to leave too, Mrs Quick calls my name, "Allison," she says.
I turn around. "Yes?"
"I'm really disappointed in you."
☾
The limo ride home was silent. I kept avoiding Daddy's questions since my eye and head are throbbing and all I wanna do is just get home as soon as I can. Of course, this isn't the first time I've gotten a black eye in my life. I've been abused enough by Kyle and uncle Peter in so many different ways to know what pain feels like. I slump back in the black leather seat, leaning my head back and rubbing my temples, holding the ice pack on my bruise.
"Listen," Daddy begins after a while, "I don't mean to lecture you while you're in this condition, but do you mind telling me what happened...exactly?"
I groan. "I already told you what happened before. Out of no where she just pushed me up against the lockers and started calling me a freak, and you a freak, and then I had enough of her, so I just punched her so she would shut up, but then she went for me again."
He sighs loudly. "Allison, have I taught you nothing about how to stay out of trouble and not lose your temper?"
"Actually, you haven't. You just told me to stay away from trouble. And besides, I did. She came onto me first," I explain for what feels like the one hundredth time.
"Alright that's it. You're off school for two weeks, right? I'm going to teach you a few things you must know before starting school again. A kid shouldn't get suspended from school, ever, especially only after a short time of starting."
I roll my eyes. It's sure going to be a long two weeks break.
~To be continued :)