ColeAge 10 - 11 years ago #2
I shook my head, trying to get my eyes to finally focus. Slowly, I could make out the sharp edges of Xavi’s face. He was staring at me, and he wouldn’t stop.
“I couldn’t, Xav,” I repeated. He nodded once.
“Brennon will fix it. Meanwhile, we need to get you to the nurse. I have band-aids, but not much else on me.”
It took both of them, but eventually he and Toni helped me stand. Once they did, Brennon rejoined us.
“All handled. The promise of an autograph for the program leaders and a signed copy of The Graces vinyl for Kyle’s dad, and everyone was happy to keep their mouths shut.”
My head still felt fuzzy, and I wasn’t sure what he meant, but Xavier just nodded again like he’d understood something I didn’t.
Toni still looked worried, but her frown subsided a little.
Brennon just shrugged before replacing Toni where she was drooping under my left arm, “C’mon Puck Dropper, nurse time.
Looks like none of us will be climbing today. ”
Despite Brennon’s promises and bribes, later that day, Jack found us near the back of the dining hall.
After spending the rest of the afternoon sitting alone in the nurses building with an ice pack on my head, I was finally feeling better.
She had sent my friends away before I could thank them, or before I could say sorry for today.
I planned to do it now that dinner was over, and we were due to meet like normal at the Throw.
We’d gathered in the outside corner where the hall and kitchen connected and were seconds away from ducking onto the secret path when he called out our names.
“You four! I think we need to have a chat about this afternoon!” We all turned to find him watching us from the bottom of the stairs and waving us over.
“My office,” he called, turning to head that way, “Now!”
My friends were about to get in trouble, and it was all my fault. My mouth tumbled open to finally tell them how sorry I was, when Toni croaked, “We fly together?”
Two replies came back immediately, “We fly together.” I was a bit slower, feeling relieved that my friends weren’t mad, and smiled “We fly together.”
Then, the group of us jogged to follow Jack.
When we got to the office building, he was waiting on the deck for us.
“Inside,” he pointed to the door, and one by one, we trailed in, past all the empty administration desks and single file into his private office at the back.
He followed, closing the door behind him.
A cluster of old wooden chairs–the kind that had been cracked, painted, re-stained and repaired a whole bunch–were angled to face his desk.
His chair creaked loudly as he sat. None of us moved until he sighed, “Sit, gang.”
Then, the four of us scrambled for each of the chairs.
The Director’s eyes were heavy on me, so I looked to my lap and side to side instead of back at him.
I watched my friends, one by one. Brennon was slouched in his chair, picking at the callouses on his fingers like he didn’t really care, but unlike me, he was definitely watching the Director.
Toni, too, but she couldn’t resist fidgeting.
Her knee bounced non-stop. Only Xav was stock-still in his seat, hands folded neatly in his lap, a look of robotic concentration on his face.
Across from us, Jack cleared his throat, “So, which of you wants to tell me about today?”
The question is met with silence. My throat was too clogged to speak even if I was brave enough to.
“Really? Not one of you wants to explain what happened to Kyle McLaughlin’s face? Or Cole’s for that matter?”
I had scrapes on both elbows, and a swollen jaw that was impossible to hide, so I was sure he already knew exactly what happened.
Besides, Kyle–that weasel–probably ratted us out anyways.
Still, we all sat in silence. Jack looked at each of us in turn, with harder eyes than he normally did.
Usually, he was all laughs and smiles, but not now.
The longer we went without saying a word, the more serious he got.
I was practically shaking in my chair, my mouth ready to spill open and take all the blame.
Until Brennon’s pinky finger brushed softly against my dangling hand.
He hooked it around my own and gave a little squeeze, reminding me we were all united.
And that was enough encouragement to keep my mouth shut.
Even though it was hot outside, July nights are still hot after all, there were goosebumps on my arms, and they got worse when Jack slammed his open palms against his desk.
His mouth opened, and I was sure he was about to yell just as badly as my dad does when I screw up in practice, but when the big old phone on his desk started to ring, he paused to suck in a deep breath and picked up the call.
“Hello?”
I couldn’t hear anyone on the other end, but there must have been someone, because Jack’s eyebrows flew up and he looked at us briefly before squeezing his eyes shut.
When he opened them again, he spoke into the receiver, “Hold on a second,” and covered one end with his palm.
Then, to us, rushed but quiet, he said, “We’ll talk about this later. You four, out, now.”
The four of us rose and shuffled towards the door.
The sound of our feet scraping against the timber floor covered whatever conversation Jack was having with the person on the phone.
I was the last one out of the door, letting my friends go ahead.
The sticky guilty feeling from earlier still hadn’t gone away completely, and I shook with worry that they were going to get in trouble for something I did.
The worry was so bad, I couldn’t seem to move my feet away from the Director’s now-closed door.
At the main entrance to the office building, they paused, looking back for me.
“Cole?” Brennon called, nudging his head towards the grassy lawn and the last of the day’s sunshine.
I shook my head and waved them on, “I’ll catch up.”
Brennon and Toni just shrugged and exited, but Xav stared me down for a second before giving me the tiniest smile. It wasn’t really a happy smile, though. Then, he left, too.
There was a heavy feeling at the bottom of my stomach every time I thought about Jack’s words.
“We’ll talk about this later.”
I dreaded later. I just knew it would be exactly like Dad, screaming and yelling, only this time my friends would be there, too.
And none of this was their fault. There was only one sure-fire way I knew to get rid of what I was feeling.
I needed to fess up and do it now before I chickened out again.
I turned back to the Director’s door, took a deep breath and turned the knob.
My entrance was quiet since Jack was still on the phone.
He didn’t notice me come in with his face toward the open windows at the back of his office.
They looked out over one of the main paths and the Activities Field beyond it.
He also had the receiver pressed right up against his ear and was speaking so quietly I only caught bits of what he said.
Words like ‘midsummer’ and ‘Parents’ Weekend’ stood out.
It was only when a short gust of wind forced the door closed with a small slam that he turned back around.
The phone immediately dropped out of his hand as he stared at me.
He jolted towards me, but his foot tangled in the cord.
It was an old phone after all, the kind with the curly cord.
And that stopped him from grabbing me, but it didn’t stop him from turning red or from screaming, “Get the hell out of here, Cole!”
I didn’t hesitate to do as I was told. I flung open the office door once more and ran.