"Here are the facts," Kate said, as cool as an ice cube. "Correct me if I'm wrong. A verbal fight, instigated by Mr Levy, which transgressed to a physical fight, instigated by my client."
Sam's father chuffed like a disgruntled horse. "The facts are your client is a menace and fractured my son's eye socket. He is lucky we don't press charges."
"Sam is a bully!" I snapped, then cowed as Kate shot me a look.
Sam said, "Prove it."
"This isn't a trial," Kate said.
"This is a disaster," Tomic's mother said.
"This is bullshit," Tomic said.
"This is pointless," Sam's father said.
There was a moment of frustrated silence, the kind right before someone slammed their fist on the table.
Kate said, "perhaps we should discuss our terms for negotiation. Tomic has agreed not to return to school if he can complete his finals after hours."
"That's not usually how things work," Principal Peterson said.
"Well perhaps it's time to adapt," Kate said. When Sam's father scoffed, she lifted her chin, about to return a blow. "No Child left behind. From where we sit, Tomic was quite literally left behind. His grades has prevailed, despite his home situation."
Now Tomic's mother piped in, "a home situation? You mean his unwillingness to stay with his mother?"
"You left." The words were ice cold. I looked at Tomic, chilled.
"Regardless," Kate went on, sensing another rumble. "A child gets suspended for fighting countless times. Does that not warrant an investigation?"
The guidance counselor, who until then had watched the hearing with his eyes bouncing like a tennis tournament, cleared his throat and said, "actually, I spoke to Tomic the last time he got suspended. He failed to mention a home situation."
"Abused kids aren't always so forthcoming."
"Abused!?" The She-Devil screeched.
Tomic winced.
Sam's father said, "can we get back to my son? He is the victim here."
"Hardly," I muttered. Too loudly.
All eyes turned on me.
My stomach swooped.
"Something to add, Siobhan?" Principal Peterson asked.
I took a breath. "This whole thing started because of me. It was me Sam was making fun of. And it was me Tomic was defending. If you punish him, you might as well punish me."
"You weren't even there!" Sam snapped.
"On what planet is Tomic an abused child?" His mother cut in, her face flushed and outraged. "He refused to come with me! I begged him!"
"Please just shut up," Tomic said, rubbing his temples.
"Do you see how he talks to me?"
"One could say a reflection of his upbringing," Kate said.
The She-Devil spluttered and her hand swung out, knocking the water jug. It spilled right over, into Sam and his father's laps.
This was not going well.