It's not that Lon'qu hates his job. He just hates trouble. But still, here he is trying to break though a girl Lissa had sent after patching her up in the health office from another fight to his office. The girl, Severa, had a head of red hair that was as fiery as her temper. Her eyes sharp brown eyes narrow at me.
"I didn't do anything, "she spat.

"If you did, you would be in the principal's office, not here." I calmly replied. She pursed her lips and sucked on my words. Good. She could think a bit more. "This is the third fight you've gotten into this month, and the " reading from my clipboard with the information that Sumia, the assistant principal gave me.

"I've tried everything. I've given her detention, campus beautification, and I've talked to mom but I think she doesn't even care. I hate parents like that. I mean, aren't parents supposed to care and love you at every stage of your life?" Sumia asked me.

"How you raise your child says more about you than your child," I tell her. "What happened to her dad?"

"He and her mom divorced a few years ago, and nobody knows where he is anymore." She leans close in to me and whispers in my ear. "I think he moved into the city and got into something bad. I don't mean to make assumptions, but I think he's dead right now, and her mom doesn't even care. How cold hearted is that?"

I shrug. I don't enjoy guessing someone's personality until I meet him or her. The world could use less judgment. "That is your opinion. And I will have mine."

"So, I've gotten into a few fights before. What's wrong with that?," Severa questions.

"So, you keep getting hurt and sending people to the health office." Severa smiled at that last part.

"Stop smiling. It's not good to hurt people who don't deserve it," I scold. I don't need a bully to roam this school.

"But they do deserve it! They were talking mean things about my mom. And only I get to be rude toward my mother," as she uncrossed her arms and sat up straight. "They called her a whore to her boss. Sure she works a lot, but my mother is not a whore! Nor is she sleeping with someone as gross as her boss! He's like 70 with really nasty hair."

I stare at her. Her proud eyes are misted with the threat of tears. For a brief moment, I saw the ghost of me as a child reach out and cradle my heart. akes me back to when Mother had to work multiple jobs to just support her and me. I rub my face and sigh.

"Go."

"What?"

"You heard me. Go. I've decided you're not a trouble kid."

"Really? Thanks-"

"But I don't want you to actively picking fights, especially since you're so small. Stop putting yourself through unnecessary pain. Fight the battles that need to be fought." She looks up at me and for a moment I think I've broke- she just ran away.

After talking with Severa, she was the last student I needed to meet with. I headed towards the teacher's lounge or the "barracks" as we referred to it. I open the heavy doors to the calming scent of coffee and office supplies. I pour myself a cup of coffee and sit at an out of place wooden table on a squeaking plastic chair.
"Afternoon, Lon'qu." I look up to see Sumia, the associate principal, and the mother of the school staff. She sits down next to me. I'm surprised she didn't spill her tea, considering how clumsy she can be. "How was your talk with Severa?" I shrug.

"Alright. She didn't respond well to my questions, but I know where most of her problems are probably coming from."

"Her mother right? So I was thinking…" Sumia fidgeted in her seat. "I know that you don't enjoy to meet with parents and prefer to deal with students at school; however, I think this time it's better to meet with her mother," she said breathlessly. I look at her.

"I know what I'm doing," I reply, but I can't deny that meeting with Severa's mother could solve all her problems at once. "Fine. I'll ask her to come in tomorrow afternoon." Today's Thursday, so I'd be meeting her Friday afternoon. Not my favorite way to start off the weekend, but it beats being dragged by Gaius and Vaike to go out drinking with them.

"Terrific! I'll email you her contact information. By the way, her mother's name is Cordelia. Good luck!"