Chapter 7 - Cofrontations, Confrontations

School the next day was the same. I have yet to talk to Mr. Simpson about Saturday. I'm not sure what I'd say to him. Sean was also strangely upset with me the whole day. I told him the reason why I couldn't go with him to The Dot was because I was sick. I think he believed me, but he still seemed very upset with me. It wasn't like it was a date or anything. He said so himself. Anyway, I have more important things to deal with.

I sat on the front steps at school, trying to ignore Amy's glares and Jay's attempts at being funny. It wasn't going as planned.

"...so the guy comes up to him and says 'Are you gonna eat that?' He looks at him and says 'No. Why?' The guy leans in close to him and whispers 'Because that isn't chicken."

Alex laughs, only to make him feel better, but the rest of us just stared at him.

"Jay," I began, "There are no words to describe how deeply you need help."

"What's it to you anyway vamp?"

"I swear to god, Jay. If you say something like that one more time, I'm going to punch you in the face."

Jay raised his hands in front of my face and began shaking them. "Oh, look. I'm shaking. Why don't you go back to California blood sucker?"

"That's it!" I yelled. I got up from where I was sitting, walked over to him, and before I punched him in the face I said, "You should have shut up when you had the chance."

Jay immediately got up and inched his face close to mine. "What the hell is your problem?"

"I told you to shut up! But because your brain is too small to comprehend such a task, I punched you in the face. Anything finally making sense?"

Alex got up and started to walk towards us.

"Why you little--"

"Jay!" Alex yelled, pulling Jay back, "Lay off, all right? She's not worth it!"

"You better watch who you're talking to, freak, or next time you won't be so lucky." Jay threatened.

"What are you going to do Jay huh? Hit a girl? Oh yeah, what a real man you are." I mocked.

I looked down at Sean and glared. "And you!" I yelled. "What are you just sitting there for? Would you have let him hit me?"

"There's nothing to worry about. Jay wouldn't hit a girl anyway. He's all talk. Besides, fake a headache and he'll probably leave you alone." Sean retorted.

"Fake a headache? What the hell does that mean?"

"Yeah Cameron, what does it mean?" Jay mocked.

"Shut up Jay!" Sean and I yelled in unison, still looking at each other.

"Come on Jay, let's go. They're having another one of their cat fights again." Alex pulled Jay in front of her and pushed him up the steps back into the school.

"What is wrong with you Sean?"

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you? I know you weren't sick on Sunday!"

"Says who? What does it matter anyway? It was just a dinner that you offered to take me to because you didn't help me unpack!"

"Ugh! That's not the point!"

"What is the point then?--Wait, I get it. You really did think of it as a date didn't you?"

"Oh, get over yourself Parker."

"It's true! You like me don't you?"

"Like you? Parker, I barely know you! You haven't even been here for a month!"

"That's irrelevant! Just admit it Sean. You--"

"What is going on here?"

Sean turned around and I looked up to find the principal, Mr. Raditch, with his hands on his hips and the same grunted look on his face that he's always had.

"Nothing Mr. Raditch." Sean groaned, "We're just having a discussion."

"A discussion huh? Did ever occur to you that you're little discussion is causing a public disturbance?"

"No, sir."

"I'm going to give you two one warning, but any further disturbances and you two will be headed straight for my office. Now get to class."

"But Mr. Raditch, lunch isn't even over and--"

"No need for another...discussion, Mr. Cameron. With your record I don't think you could afford another visit to my office. Now do as I ask. You too Miss Smith."

We nodded and Mr. Raditch went back into the school with a satisfied look on his face. Sean turned around and gave me look before going back in the the school as well. I was only a couple feet behind Sean, too wrapped up in my own thoughts to realize I had walked into the wrong class.

"Parker? Did you need something?"

I snapped back into reality and blushed in embarrassment.

"Sorry Mr. Simpson, I got side tracked on the way to gym."

"Don't worry about it. We all daydream."

I thought of just leaving, but then I remembered what happened at The Dot, and I had to know.

"Mr. Simpson, can I ask you a personal question?"

"Sure. Ask away."

"How do you know Christine Nelson?"

"Christine? Oh, you mean Spike. She's my wife, why do you ask?"

"This is going to sound a little weird, but my dad has a picture of her in a book with her daughter."

"Our daughter Hannah?"

Hannah?

"No, Emma."

Confusion spread on his face, but it soon turned to shock.

"Emma? How do you know about Emma? Have you seen her? Where is she?"

"Whoa, Mr. Simpson, calm down. She's just a cousin. I found a picture of her and Christine in a box I was going through. My dad says she's just a cousin, but Saturday I saw you two at The Dot and he freaked out. Now, I know it's probably not my place to butt in, but is there any way you could tell me why he would do that?"

"I don't know your father personally, so I can't exactly explain his behavior. Now, you have to answer one question for me. Why would your father have a picture of Emma?"

"Well, he says that him and Christine were very close. I still don't undersand it, but I haven't questioned him about it yet. And what's the deal with Emma anyway? Did she runaway or something?"

"Parker, Christine gave Emma up for adoption years ago. Almost sixteen years."