When I got home that night it was normal. I helped with dinner and I played with Elle. After dinner I went into my room, getting into my bag and pulling out the notebook.
I skimmed through the pages until I found where I had left off.
For the rest of the night, I stayed in my room and read the entire notebook. I was on my bed for hours. I read it three times.
He never once talked about any of the times he actually beat talon up, he only alluded to it. He also talked about his hatred for gay people and how it made him feel powerful when he would mess with someone. I was also in there, he referred to me as a 'fucking cocksucker' and a 'faggot fucker' as well as the more simpler 'bitch' and 'motherfucker'. I got better insults compared to Talon.
I shut the notebook in anger. There was really nothing I could gain from reading it that I didn't already know.
I picked the notebook up off of my lap and practically slammed it on my bedside table before letting myself fall backwards until my head hit the pillow, huffing through my nose.
"Yesterday I requested a meeting with the principle for us, so don't be surprised if you get called down," I said to Talon after greeting him at his door.
He zipped his jacket up, frowning.
"What's wrong?" I asked blocking the passenger door of my car.
"Nothing... I'm just- nervous" his gravelly voice responded. I pulled him close to me. "It'll be fine baby," I said, slightly rocking him side to side.
He hugged his arms around me and squeezed before letting go. I opened the car door for him, shutting it after he got in, proceeding to enter the driver's seat and get us on our way.
At school, I walked with Talon to our first-class like normal. Pretty much everything went like normal but I could tell Talon was nervous the whole period. I felt bad but this was for his own good.
It was fourth hour when an office aide came into my classroom with a note. The teacher read it and then called mute up. I looked away from josh and stood up to go take it from her.
The note was for right now. I walked back to my desk and grabbed my stuff, packing it into my bag and slinging it over my shoulders after taking mitch's notebook out and handing it to josh.
"What's the pass for?" Josh whispered.
"Principal's office, I requested a visit for Talon and me, we're gonna tell her about Mitch"
I walked down the halls, I was hopeful but I was also nervous that they won't do anything, I mean this school has done stuff like that before.
I entered the large main entry hall and saw Talon standing outside of the front office doors. He had his bottom lip tucked tightly under his teeth.
I got close to him, "stop doing that, your gonna draw blood if you bite any harder" I said. Slowly he let go.
~Sorry just really nervous still~ he signed. I grabbed hand and gave it a squeeze.
"You ready to go in?" I asked after a few seconds, looking at him. He took a deep breath in and then nodded. I gave one more reassuring look and then twisted the door handle open leading him through the front office and over to the door to the principle office room. I knocked on the door and I heard her voice yell to come in.
I opened the door and Principle Miller invited us to sit down. Her bronze coloured name tag sat on her desk, shining from the light streaming in the window.
Talon let go of my hand, presumably to get more comfortable in the armchair, or because he didn't want to show affection in front of the principle, the former hopefully.
"Good morning... so what can I do for you boys?" Her silvery voice asked.
"We want to talk about a student here," I said looking at Talon who was looking at his lap where his hands were laying, fiddling. I mean I knew I'd have to most of the talking anyway.
"Alright, well who might that be?"
"Mitchell Tarantino," I said, my tone audibly lowered, just mentioning him makes me angry.
"Oh... Mr.Tarantino... what did he do now?" She asked. She's the principle, and he's a frequent flyer, she should at least have some idea of what he did.
"For a while now he's been physically assaulting Talon, practically since the first day he's been here," I said watching her nod along.
I looked back at Talon, he was just watching me and the principle talking, biting his lip again.
"In what kind of way?" Principle Miller asked clasping her hands in front of her neck, elbows resting on her desk.
I looked her in the eyes, "Well he and his friends will go find him and just beat him up for no reason. Mitch broke his leg in gym class once... there was a time where he and his friends chased him away from school into an alleyway where they beat him up and Mitch cut him with a switchblade." I pointed to the scar on his cheek, "Giving him this scar right here, and one on his hip."
Mrs. Miller sighed softly and asked, "do you guys have any proof?"
I looked at her incredulously, "excuse me?"
"Any proof, like a video of it happening or Mitch saying that he did it?"
I frowned pointing to Talon, "He's living proof, Mitch carved his initials onto his hip!"
She sighed again, "look, boys, it's not that I don't believe what you're saying, its just that these are serious accusations. It's not the same as if he just called you a name, these could be criminal offences, therefore wed have to have actual proof and evidence to be able to say with certainty that what happened happened the way you say it did. For us to be able to pursue a student in that way we have to be able to back the claims." She said, I could tell she was being truthful about wanting to help but it was still pissing me off. "Did anything happen on school grounds?"
I thought about it for a second. "They broke his leg but that was on the track field, and I'm sure they've beaten him up in the halls"
"Was there ever any witnesses? Anyone beside Mitch or his friends or your friends? Those could be biased... even so, witness testimony with no other evidence doesn't do much."
"I don't think so, Nobody said anything."
"What about anything else?"
I really wanted to get him for the time he cut Talon, but it happened away from the school in a two turned alleyway, I highly doubt any business had cameras back there because there wasn't anything important.
I tried to calm the anger that stemmed from that fact. I don't want to have to settle for less.
"They beat him up in the hallways before..."
I looked at Talon as he signed to me, ~once in the empty classrooms~ he said. I remember when he told me about that. They even did it while he was on fucking crutches.
"He said they also did once in those empty classrooms... while he was still on crutches."
After another pause Mrs.Miller responded with, "I'm sorry, we don't have cameras inside classrooms,"
"Well, why the fuck not?!" I snapped, it felt like they had taken every precaution to not help Talon before he ever even got here.
I felt talons hand softly grab my upper bicep, I knew he was trying to calm me down but it wasn't working.
"Sebastian, I am trying to help you two but so far I am powerless."
"What about the cutting? They literally stabbed him!" I shouted. I could feel the heat on my face.
"There's no proof of that. As far as I know, he could've cut himself. Also, it's been a long time since that happened, there's probably no evidence left there to help prove it."
I really couldn't hold my anger in anymore, my eyes were slanted, my face was hot and probably tinted red. "So there's nothing you can do," I stated gruffly.
"Not really, no... the most I can do is look over the tapes from the cameras in the hallway and suspend Mr.Tarantino if we find anything, and I can remove him from classes with Talon." She said moving a stack of papers.
I huffed in anger, seeing Talon pull out a small notebook and a pencil from the corner of my eye, thinking the options over. I was really holding back the urge to punch the principle in her stupid nose. I knew it was my fault too but she should be able to help us. I thought about bringing up Mitch's notebook but he was smart enough to not talk about anything criminal. I clenched my fists.
"Fuck it" I muttered, standing from my chair and swiftly walking out of the room, hearing the door slam behind me as I exited the office. I felt bad for just leaving Talon in there but I was getting so angry I needed to get out before I actually did hit the principle.
An immense wave of sadness hit me in the face after I got into the hallway. This is all my fault, If I had just told someone else earlier then we could've put Mitch away and actually punish him for what he did, but since I was keeping secrets we can't do anything and I let Talon down... I grit my teeth.
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Talons POV
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I pulled a notebook out of my bag, along with a pencil. I was a little bit disappointed that they couldn't do anything but that's what I expected anyway. I started writing down incidents in the halls, location and a time range. At least they could take him out of my classes.
After a few seconds of silence from Sebastian, he said "fuck this" standing up abruptly and exiting through the door, shutting it loudly behind him.
I was kind of surprised, he never does stuff like that, I've never really seen him that angry unless I'm telling him about Mitch or when Mitch is talking to us.
I finished writing all that I could think of, I wanted to go talk to Sebastian. I tore the paper out of the notebook and handed it to Mrs. Miller, who had been sitting quietly since Sebastian stormed out.
"I'm really sorry I can't do anything more Talon. I seriously do believe you but my hands are tied." She said after taking the paper from my hands.
I nodded at her with a small smile, it was barely a smile but I was trying to be nice.
I turned the door handle and left, making sure to close it softly after that. I then walked out of the office to see Sebastian standing not far away from the front office door. He was staring straight at the lockers with clenched fists by his side.
He turned to me, and I noticed the angry face he still had covering his features.
"I'm so sorry Talon, their just not going to do anything," he said.
~ It's okay... I mean, at least they might suspend him~ I signed, trying to calm him down. It really wasn't that bad, it'll just be the same as always.
"It's not okay... I can't help but think it's my fault... I should've done something sooner, and now Mitch is just gonna get away with it!" He said, tears springing to his eyes.
He looked down at his fist and tightened it. "Fuck!" He said, slamming his fist into the metal lockers.
"Stop!" I shouted, moving closer to him and grabbing his hands which were still balled up. "You-re gonna h-hurt yourself."
He frowned at me, his fists loosened up at first, and then he intertwined his fingers with mine. I watched as the tears slid out of his eyes.
"You have to go through so much- I just- I hate it. You deserve so much better" he said, his voice breaking.
I've never seen him like this before, and honestly, it scared me. I'm the reason he's evoking so much emotion. I don't like seeing him this sad.
I wrapped my arms around his back, and he hugged me closer, holding tightly as he softly cried into my shoulder. I didn't say anything because I had no idea what to say.
After close to a minute later he let go and wiped his eyes. "I'm sorry," he said, pausing. "What if we just leave for today?"
I nodded my head and he grabbed for my hand. I grabbed his back and together we walked through the front doors.
"Fuck this school" Sebastian said. "That's what well tell them when we leave," he said turning around and waving his middle finger at the building.
I laughed and joined in, "fuck this school!"
And we walked to his car.