Disclaimer: I still don't own this.
It must really blow to be you: Ultimatum
*****
So, here I am in the office staring at our new principal, an icepack on my lip. I find it slighty odd that he doesn't have a nameplate on his desk. I know he told me his name when I came in but damned if I can remember. The initial rush of finally standing up for myself has worn off and the reality of the situation crashes in. I am in deep shit. My parents are gonna kill me.
"This isn't the first time you've been in this office for a disturbance. Is it, Mr. Connor?"
"No, Sir." My throat feels dry. Thankfully, the door is open. If I wasn't I might start hyperventilating.
"Normally the penalty for fighting is three days out of school suspension and we will have to notify your parents."
I stay silent just repeating the mantra of "fuck fuck fuck fuck" over and over in my mind. If my parents find out about this...I'm as good as dead. Things will be worse than before...FUCK!
"But luckily for you," the new principal explains "Coach Willis has come up with something more constructive."
I takes a few seconds for my brain to register that. Coach moves from his spot by the door to stand over by the desk where he can look me in the eye. "Casey, I always said we could use your speed. Our track team is trailing this year and I think you'd be a positive addition."
Well...that was random... Where are they going with this? "I'm not really into sports."
"Maybe you're not understanding us, son. If you join the track team then we'll overlook this one tiny infraction and forgo your punishment. That's the ultimatum."
Wow... I really wasn't expecting this. "Isn't this kind of like blackmailing me?"
"Think of it as manditory participation."Coach smiles. I glance at the principal and he nods.
"Thank you, sirs!" I said. This is great! My parents never have to know.
"Well, this is the first time I've seen you in here and I hope it's the last. Is that clear?"
"Yes, sir."
"But if this happens again, the gloves are off and we call the police."
"I understand. Thank you." I stand shake their hands and walk out.
By this time it's lunch, I make my way through empty halls to the cafeteria, then grab a seat by Stokely. "Hey Stokes." I smile weakly not wanting to reopen my split lip.
"Hey Case, Stan told me about the fight. Are you all right?"
Before I can answer a hand falls heavily on my shoulder. I look over at its owner and recognize a smiling Zeke. "How ya doing there, Ali?"He laughs taking a seat next to me. "Man! I can't believe you took down Trevor and Josh. That's awesome!" His voice seems overly loud even the the noisy cafeteria. I avoid the few stares we get.
"I'm here too." Stokely mumbles.
"Hey Stokes. Can I have your milk?" She sighs in mock annoyance and hands him the container. He continues, "Dude they are so pissed." Zeke laughs again and opens the tiny carton.
"Why should they be pissed? They had it comming." Stokely added.
"Because," Zeke emphasised the word, "They get a three day suspension that starts wednesday which means that they miss the game on friday, while little Casey here gets nothing." He ruffles my hair and I lightly smack his arm away.
"Not nothing." I throw in. "They're making me join the track team."
"I never pictured you for a jock." Stokely says, half-joking.
"Hey Case, can I have your roll?" I pass it to him. "Don't worry. You'll be used to those tiny shorts."
"Shut up" I say but I can't help smiling.
Stokely returns to reading the "hitchhikers guide to the galaxy". I eat the poor excuse for what the school considers food. Thinking about the turnaround my life has undergone. There isn't much time for that though as Zeke jumps back into conversation.
"Stokes..." he sing-songs "Can I have your pudding?"
Stokely slams shut her book and, ignoring Zeke, looks right at me. "Casey, You're on the honor roll. You're smart, right? Explain something to me. Why is it that this guy here makes more money selling contraband to the student body than the faculty makes teaching it and yet he's always mooching off of us?"
Zeke pretends to be hurt by her words then bursts into grinning again. "You know me. I'm a contradiction."
"No, a contradiction is Casey being a jock."
"I'll never be like them." I spit out.
Zeke's smile fades. "Hey, I know what you mean but we're not all like that."
"You know I didn't mean you Zeke."
"And what about Stan?" Stokely asks.
I can't help the bitter laugh that breaks from me. Stokely only raises an eyebrow in question. "Stokes, Stan was at the fight today. He didn't lift a finger to help me."
"Bullshit. He held Gabe back from kicking your ass."
I feel my anger build. "What about Trevor and Josh? He didn't try stopping them. He never even said a word! Don't stick up for him just because he's your boyfriend. I don't know why you two are together. The Jock and the Loner, It's too Breakfast Club." I regret the words before they're even all the way out of my mouth. Stokely's face goes pale.
"Whoa, chill out" Zeke seems as stunned as I am.
"Forget it." Stokely gathers her stuff and stands. She walks away without saying a word.
"Shit." I mutter. I really don't know what made me say that to her. I just got so pissed when she was defending Stan.
"I'll talk to her man." Zeke says.
I smile my thanks. Suddenly his whole body stiffens as if he just remembered something. "Shit! What time is it?"
I glance at my watch. "ten minutes before the bell."
He stands. "I have business, my friend."
"I thought you were done with all that."
"Are you kidding me? Do you know much dough I rake in? I just stopped making and selling Scat. See ya."
I go back to eating my lunch, trying to stay inconspicuous. My life is so much easier when people ignore me. A flash of something white flies into my field of vision. I look down at the table to see a folded up note. Quickly grabbing it off the table, I glance up to see a girl walking away. I know who it is even though I only see her from behind...It's Delilah. She tossed me a note without even bothering to look at me...such an ice queen. I stare dumbly at the folded paper in my hand. I really thought I was over her. But staring at the familiar script I've seen so many times on post-it notes attached to articles that need editing I feel my stomach turn. No. I'm not anywhere close to over. My finger traces the writing, noting the heart she used to dot the "I" in her name.
I leave quickly, note in hand, and find a deserted hall. I unfold the note carefully. It's blunt, so very Delilah.
Casey,
Meet me in the library tomorrow before lunch.
Delilah.
~TBC~
yay! another chapter done. I'm going to try to have one chapter a week. I'm sure I can do it once finals are over. Thank you to all the people who reviewed (and to all the people who read this and don't review cause nobody ever thanks them.) I need reviews. I need them or I will explode. That happens to me sometimes...
It must really blow to be you: Ultimatum
*****
So, here I am in the office staring at our new principal, an icepack on my lip. I find it slighty odd that he doesn't have a nameplate on his desk. I know he told me his name when I came in but damned if I can remember. The initial rush of finally standing up for myself has worn off and the reality of the situation crashes in. I am in deep shit. My parents are gonna kill me.
"This isn't the first time you've been in this office for a disturbance. Is it, Mr. Connor?"
"No, Sir." My throat feels dry. Thankfully, the door is open. If I wasn't I might start hyperventilating.
"Normally the penalty for fighting is three days out of school suspension and we will have to notify your parents."
I stay silent just repeating the mantra of "fuck fuck fuck fuck" over and over in my mind. If my parents find out about this...I'm as good as dead. Things will be worse than before...FUCK!
"But luckily for you," the new principal explains "Coach Willis has come up with something more constructive."
I takes a few seconds for my brain to register that. Coach moves from his spot by the door to stand over by the desk where he can look me in the eye. "Casey, I always said we could use your speed. Our track team is trailing this year and I think you'd be a positive addition."
Well...that was random... Where are they going with this? "I'm not really into sports."
"Maybe you're not understanding us, son. If you join the track team then we'll overlook this one tiny infraction and forgo your punishment. That's the ultimatum."
Wow... I really wasn't expecting this. "Isn't this kind of like blackmailing me?"
"Think of it as manditory participation."Coach smiles. I glance at the principal and he nods.
"Thank you, sirs!" I said. This is great! My parents never have to know.
"Well, this is the first time I've seen you in here and I hope it's the last. Is that clear?"
"Yes, sir."
"But if this happens again, the gloves are off and we call the police."
"I understand. Thank you." I stand shake their hands and walk out.
By this time it's lunch, I make my way through empty halls to the cafeteria, then grab a seat by Stokely. "Hey Stokes." I smile weakly not wanting to reopen my split lip.
"Hey Case, Stan told me about the fight. Are you all right?"
Before I can answer a hand falls heavily on my shoulder. I look over at its owner and recognize a smiling Zeke. "How ya doing there, Ali?"He laughs taking a seat next to me. "Man! I can't believe you took down Trevor and Josh. That's awesome!" His voice seems overly loud even the the noisy cafeteria. I avoid the few stares we get.
"I'm here too." Stokely mumbles.
"Hey Stokes. Can I have your milk?" She sighs in mock annoyance and hands him the container. He continues, "Dude they are so pissed." Zeke laughs again and opens the tiny carton.
"Why should they be pissed? They had it comming." Stokely added.
"Because," Zeke emphasised the word, "They get a three day suspension that starts wednesday which means that they miss the game on friday, while little Casey here gets nothing." He ruffles my hair and I lightly smack his arm away.
"Not nothing." I throw in. "They're making me join the track team."
"I never pictured you for a jock." Stokely says, half-joking.
"Hey Case, can I have your roll?" I pass it to him. "Don't worry. You'll be used to those tiny shorts."
"Shut up" I say but I can't help smiling.
Stokely returns to reading the "hitchhikers guide to the galaxy". I eat the poor excuse for what the school considers food. Thinking about the turnaround my life has undergone. There isn't much time for that though as Zeke jumps back into conversation.
"Stokes..." he sing-songs "Can I have your pudding?"
Stokely slams shut her book and, ignoring Zeke, looks right at me. "Casey, You're on the honor roll. You're smart, right? Explain something to me. Why is it that this guy here makes more money selling contraband to the student body than the faculty makes teaching it and yet he's always mooching off of us?"
Zeke pretends to be hurt by her words then bursts into grinning again. "You know me. I'm a contradiction."
"No, a contradiction is Casey being a jock."
"I'll never be like them." I spit out.
Zeke's smile fades. "Hey, I know what you mean but we're not all like that."
"You know I didn't mean you Zeke."
"And what about Stan?" Stokely asks.
I can't help the bitter laugh that breaks from me. Stokely only raises an eyebrow in question. "Stokes, Stan was at the fight today. He didn't lift a finger to help me."
"Bullshit. He held Gabe back from kicking your ass."
I feel my anger build. "What about Trevor and Josh? He didn't try stopping them. He never even said a word! Don't stick up for him just because he's your boyfriend. I don't know why you two are together. The Jock and the Loner, It's too Breakfast Club." I regret the words before they're even all the way out of my mouth. Stokely's face goes pale.
"Whoa, chill out" Zeke seems as stunned as I am.
"Forget it." Stokely gathers her stuff and stands. She walks away without saying a word.
"Shit." I mutter. I really don't know what made me say that to her. I just got so pissed when she was defending Stan.
"I'll talk to her man." Zeke says.
I smile my thanks. Suddenly his whole body stiffens as if he just remembered something. "Shit! What time is it?"
I glance at my watch. "ten minutes before the bell."
He stands. "I have business, my friend."
"I thought you were done with all that."
"Are you kidding me? Do you know much dough I rake in? I just stopped making and selling Scat. See ya."
I go back to eating my lunch, trying to stay inconspicuous. My life is so much easier when people ignore me. A flash of something white flies into my field of vision. I look down at the table to see a folded up note. Quickly grabbing it off the table, I glance up to see a girl walking away. I know who it is even though I only see her from behind...It's Delilah. She tossed me a note without even bothering to look at me...such an ice queen. I stare dumbly at the folded paper in my hand. I really thought I was over her. But staring at the familiar script I've seen so many times on post-it notes attached to articles that need editing I feel my stomach turn. No. I'm not anywhere close to over. My finger traces the writing, noting the heart she used to dot the "I" in her name.
I leave quickly, note in hand, and find a deserted hall. I unfold the note carefully. It's blunt, so very Delilah.
Casey,
Meet me in the library tomorrow before lunch.
Delilah.
~TBC~
yay! another chapter done. I'm going to try to have one chapter a week. I'm sure I can do it once finals are over. Thank you to all the people who reviewed (and to all the people who read this and don't review cause nobody ever thanks them.) I need reviews. I need them or I will explode. That happens to me sometimes...
