It was a given that students generally only ever met the principal on their first day at the lycée. Any further meetings were a result of either great achievement, or great disaster. This meeting was definitely the latter. His mother, sitting primly next to him, was completely absorbed by the woman, taking in every word she was saying. Louis, sitting next to her, was doing his best to disappear. He felt a crushing sense of shame. This was the last thing anyone needed… he wasn't sure how things had managed to get so out of control. Nonetheless, here they were, sitting in the principal's office, his whole future at stake.

"So you see Dr Howard, Louis here has been on a downward trajectory for the last year and a half. We have implemented several intervention strategies, as we would have discussed at our last parent information evening-"

"Hang on a second… parent information evening, Louis?"

He at least, had the good sense to say as little as possible, and didn't dare meet her eyes, "Sorry Maman."

She turned back to the principal, "It would seem Louis has been concealing a lot more than I even imagined. I can only apologise, it must have seemed like we… I, was not engaged with my son's education, Madame Beaulieu."

"Think not of it, we do recognise that your family has had a very… difficult few years. We know losing a parent at any age, but particularly in the teen years, is a very traumatic experience. Nevertheless, Louis's behaviour is now beyond our very tolerant expectations. I'm afraid that we must now place a permanent remark on his record, and impose some very rigid conditions to his continuing his education at this institution." The woman paused for a second, letting the impact of her words sink in. "Of course, you are free to withdraw your son at any time should you wish to."

"No, no, I understand perfectly. I want Louis to continue his education here, I will be keeping a very close eye on him from now onward. I can only apologise, as you say, we have had a very difficult two years and I must admit that perhaps my attention has not been so tuned in to matters here…"

"Maman…" He'd gone too far this time, he knew it, but he wasn't about to let his mother take the heat for his actions. "I am deeply sorry Madame Beaulieu. It is my fault, I knew it was wrong. Please, I want to stay here and finish… I promise I will adjust my attitude."

"Well, Louis, since starting here almost two years ago, we have not seen the great potential that was reported from our associated collége. We know from our holistic relationship that you have been underperforming form the start. However… If it were anyone else… I want you to know that we support you, and we care for you. We want you to succeed. What you have been through is truly heart-breaking, if I may be frank."

He felt tears prickling behind his eyes, he dropped his head and wiped at a stray tear as it fell. He suddenly felt utterly wretched. He'd let everyone down, and guilt was sitting heavily in the pit of his stomach.

"I'm so sorry." He muttered.

It had seemed like a release, at the time. He'd been feeling so low, he was already falling behind before his father had even shipped out. They'd talked about it, his papa had been nothing but supportive, as ever. Then he hadn't come home, things had slipped beyond what Louis felt like he could come back from, and he'd started expressing the hurt he felt in his behaviour. He'd managed to keep the worst of his offenses from his mother… until now.

When he'd thrown the tiny oztar, he'd been fascinated as it had burst into flames almost instantaneously. His friend, Georges, had brought it back from a trip off-world. He'd passed it around in school, and Louis had been fascinated. It had the potential to set fire to anything if it came into contact with just one tiny grain of sand. He had no idea why anyone would develop such a thing… Soon enough, he'd managed to persuade Georges to go in with him, and he'd plotted exactly what he was going to do with it.

He'd snuck out, in the middle of the night. He'd not been sleeping for weeks, ever since his father had finally been declared dead. He'd met up with Georges, and then he'd thrown the oztar at the same time as Georges had thrown a handful of sand. As soon as the two components made contact, the oztar had burst into an intense ball of bright flames, then smashed through the window of the school hall like a knife through butter. On landing, it had immediately ignited into a huge flame ball that they had watched with fascination from their position outside, their faces lit by the intensity of the fire inside the building. After a second of course, both boys realised just what they had done, and they had run like crazy sneaking back into Louis's house before they could be detected.

It was only for the sake of the school's excellent flame suppressant system that the whole place hadn't burned to the ground. In the morning, he'd used his mother's grief, he could freely admit this to himself now, as cover. He'd told her that Georges had been there all night, and accused her of mis-remembering. A real low point now he thought about it.

"Of course, we must enact a two-week suspension. We cannot have students committing such acts without punishment. And then we have those conditions. First, Louis must bring his grade average up to expectation – he is a very capable young man. He must reach A grade. Second, he will work in the hall during lunch to clean up after his classmates. Third, he will stay behind for ninety minutes after every school day to follow a compulsory catch-up course. This period will last until he has reached the A grade. I hope these conditions meet with your satisfaction Dr Howard?"

She couldn't look at him. He knew the signs well, she was furious with him. "I will ensure that my son meets every single condition you have specified." She turned to him then, her eyes burning with anger. "And don't think that's the last of it young man. We will discuss further punishment at home."

"And I am sorry to bring this up, but there is the matter of the damage to the hall floor and walls. Of course, our suppression system is excellent yet the intensity of the initial burst of flame…"

"Say no more. I will naturally pay for the damage and Louis can repay me – every single cent." She turned to him again, "Is that clear?"

He hung his head, even further. "Oui Maman."

"Now, I take it the suspension begins immediately?"

The principal nodded grimly.

"Okay then, Louis?"

He dared to look at her again, retreating immediately on meeting the ire in her gaze, "Oui?"

"Have you something to say?"

"Madame Beaulieu, I am truly sorry. I will turn this around. I will meet every condition. I hope you can forgive me."

"Louis Howard-Picard, you are a lucky young man. You come from a loving family and your mother here is clearly a great support to you. However, if you only take one thing away today, make it this, this is absolutely your final chance. If you step one foot out of line, one single late mark, one word spoken out of turn, you will be out of this school. Have I made myself clear?"

"Oui madame, trés fort."

"Good. Now then, go home. We will see you in two weeks and we'll see a return to your previous trajectory. Compris?"

"Oui Madame, merci."

He'd followed his mother out then, his head hanging low. He didn't dare speak. He didn't trust himself not to make the whole situation worse somehow. What had he been thinking? Well, he quickly concluded, he hadn't been thinking at all.

He thought about his father, tried to imagine how he would have reacted. He knew he would have been in for a serious dressing down. But then, he supposed this never would have happened had his father still been alive. He missed him so much. If he allowed himself to think about it, he burned with his own grief. He'd give anything for things to just go back to normal… to stumble downstairs to find his papa preparing a meal, drinking a cup of tea… snoozing in the armchair by the window.

Even when they had cleared the school premises, his mother maintained her silence. Despite his height and long legs, he was struggling to keep up with her furious march. He kept pace, lost in his own shame, his grief, his sadness.

Once they reached their street, she slowed only once their house came into sight, then halted as the silent pair reached their house. She activated the security system which granted them immediate entry. She still did not utter a word.

He followed her as she went to the kitchen area, hung awkwardly in the doorway as she channelled her fury into replicating their evening meal.

He stood to one side as she took two plates of chicken salad and a bowl of fries to the small kitchen table they used now that they were the only two in the house. She sat down and tapped her knife on the side of the plate she had prepared for him, still not looking in his direction.

He sat obediently, his usual hunger dampened by how bad he felt.

"Maman… I'm really sorry." He whispered as he picked at his meal.

"I am not ready to discuss this Louis." She replied, stabbing at her salad.

They ate their meals in silence, and as soon as they'd finished, he cleared away their crockery and drinks. She left him in the kitchen, and he heard a door closing in the distance.

He'd really done it this time…