Principals and Mentors chapter 2
A/N: Thankyou for the wonderful reviews, I did change the principal's name as realized I had a Matthew already in one of my other stories. For fun, where do you think the family has roots based on their names? Not the C-twins though, their names aren't following traditions.
"Collin! Hey! Long time no seen!" King greeted happily across the room.
"King?! What are you doing here in the middle of the day?!" Principal Loughead asked meeting King halfway across the room.
"Just catching up with two of my kids, old friend. I believe you know both of them by now." King answered, making a sweeping gesture towards the table where Donnie tried to make himself unrecognizable, by turning to the side.
"Chris yeah, who is the other one? New kid of yours?"
"And here I thought you knew your students, principal Loughead" King teased "Why don't you and the family join us and you'll find out."
"A student?! You want me to eat my precious dinner with a student?!"
"Hate to break it to you, but you already are. Last time I checked three of your kids go to New Orleans Middle School where you are the principal."
"I'll check with Willa, but I can't say that I'm not curious."
"I'll wait right here." Donnie prayed that the Principals wife would say no to the offer, otherwise he was toast. It took a very long moment and when the principal returned with his wife and two kids, Donnie sank down into the stool.
"Something wrong?"
"He's my principal!"
"You've got a problem with that?"
"Chris!" they didn't get any further as the principal along with his family and King came to stand in front of their table. Chris stood up and greeted everybody warmly. Once he was done, all eyes turned to Donnie who could feel King's pointed look on him. Standing up on shaking legs, Donnie turned in time to see his principals shocked face.
"Donovan Williams?!"
"Hi Principal Loughead."
"King?!"
"Donnie here is somebody I took under my wings a couple of month ago. You probably remember me doing the same with his brother Nate."
"Yeah I do, I just didn't know about Donnie."
"Didn't expect you to do old friend. Donnie, this is Logan and Cassidy Loughead, you've probably seen them in school."
"Hi Donnie" Both teens greeted. Seeing the young boy looking nervous and her husband shocked, Willa took a step forward.
"Hello Donovan, I don't believe we've met before, I'm Willamina Loughead."
"Donovan Williams, nice to meet you ma'am."
"Nice to meet you too Donovan." Turning towards her husband, Mrs. Loughead proposed: "Why don't we sit down, Honey." Donnie got Logan on his right side and Chris on his right side. King sat down at the end of the table, meaning Mrs. Loughead got his original seat. Ann of course wanted to sit across from her brother, so that left Principal Loughead and the chair across from him. Donnie tried to hide the nervousness he felt when Principal Loughead sat down across from him. He'd always had enormous respect for their Principal. It wasn't just that the man was intimidating, and Donnie had heard some stories from Nate that had him shuddering at the thought of ever making their Principal so cross with him. No, the respect was mostly from the fact that the Principal never had given up on Nate enough to expel him even though the rest of the gang had been, one after the other.
"What are you doing on your free time Donnie?" Principal Loughead suddenly asked after receiving a pointed look from his wife.
"Huh? Sorry Principal Loughead, I was lost in thoughts, what did you ask me?"
"What you like doing with your spare time, son."
"Play sports, nothing much more than that. Homework eats up a lot of time." Donnie answered warily.
"Tell me about it." Logan agreed. "I've asked Dad at least fifty times if he couldn't make a rule against too much homework, but so far he has refused."
"And how much is too much, Logan?" Mrs. Loughead asked her son knowingly.
"Anything at all." He answered innocently, causing the rest of the table to start laughing.
"Truth to be told Collin, that's not all Donnie does. He spends a lot of his free time helping out in the office these days."
"Really?!"
"Yeah, he's a huge hel..."
"Hey, didn't you hang around Dylan Connors little brother for a while?!" Logan suddenly interrupted the conversation, turning towards Donnie.
"Logan. You do not interrupt people" Principal Loughead scolded his son sternly causing Donnie to cringe even though the stern words weren't meant for him. Logan on the other hand didn't look reprimanded at all. "Apologize, please."
"I'm sorry King, Chris, Ma."
"Good, now what were you saying Dwayne?"
"Just that Donnie is a really huge help around the office."
"It's always good to have something to keep teenage boys occupied." Logan seeing his opportunity repeated his question with an eye roll towards his father.
"Do you know Dylan Connors brother?"
"Sean, yeah, why?"
"I'm friends with Dylan and thought I recognized you."
"I actually think I've seen you too once or twice."
"You both go to the same school and being the Principals kid isn't exactly making you invisible, believe me I've tried." Cassidy stated, sounding annoyed.
"The school is made up of more students than just us, sis."
"I didn't know who you are." Donnie said truthfully.
"You are probably the only one, kid."
"Don't call him a kid! At least not without knowing how old he is, for all you know he could be older than you!"
"How old are you?"
"14. How old are you?"
"16, Squirt over there is 15 "
"Then behave like you are 'Cass the Ass'" Logan spat tired of his sister's attitude.
"Logan Matthews. That was uncalled for."
"Sorry." Logan muttered with a glare at Cass.
"A little more contrite, lad."
"Sorry Cass." Cassidy just nodded.
"Sorry King, Chris." Principal Loughead apologized. "Clearly you can't take the kids out of the house anymore.
"It's fine, I've had teenagers too. Speaking of more teenagers, where is the rest of your bunch?"
"Callie had an extra piano lesson scheduled last minute while Aili and Skye still are as far as I know at least, studying hard at college."
"You can always wish." Once the food was served the grownups changed the subject to work and Donnie relaxed. Sneaking a look at the subdued Logan, Donnie was surprised when he was met with a big grin and a wink.
"Dad's not as bad as he seems, he's more bark than bite." Logan whispered.
"Good to know."
"Hey, I'm sorry if I offended you." Cass suddenly apologized.
"It's okay."
"Dad got on my case earlier, seems like somebody left him in a bad mood at school. I know it's not an excuse, but I don't want you to get the wrong impression." Donnie stared at her with growing uneasiness. Had he really pissed of Principal Loughead so much that the man had been angry hours later?! How the hell hadn't he started informing King then the second he saw Donnie with him?!
"Don't tell me it was you!" Logan whispered when he saw Donnie's face. Donnie gave him a scared look trying to tell him without actually voicing the answer. "That explains a lot."
"Sorry."
"Don't worry about it. Cass is being overdramatic." Logan whispered back. At that moment Donnie's phone rang and Donnie excused himself, grimacing slightly at the name on the display. Nate.
"Hi Nate"
"Hi little brother, how's it going with King?"
"Okay."
"Just okay?!"
"You don't have to worry Nate…"
""What's going on Donovan?"
"Nothing important."
"Important enough for you to be on edge."
"Can't you just let me handle this Nate? Please. I really don't want to destroy this weekend with King."
"Trouble at school?"
"Promise to not tell King." Donnie pleaded.
"I won't lie to him Donnie. If he asks I'll tell him, if not I won't. And that is only as long as it isn't anything big. Now spill, I only have a couple of minutes left before I have to head off"
"Not here. We are at Delilah's with Chris and my principal showed up with his family."
"Let's hope he doesn't know then."
"He does." Donnie replied sadly.
"Big trouble?"
"Enough. King won't be happy." Seeing Chris rising from the table and starting to walk towards him, Donnie quickly continued: "Chris is heading my way so I have to go. Stay safe Nate."
"Always Buddy. Bye."
"Who was that?" Chris asked as he joined him."
"Nate."
"Something special?"
"He just called to check in."
"Okay then, let's head back to the table." To Donnie's surprise the rest of the meal passed without anybody bringing up school and once they headed back to the office, King and Chris seemed to be none the wiser about Donnie's trouble at school.
-Principals and mentors-
"Hi King, sorry for the late house call, but I have something I need to discuss with you." It was 8pm the same evening and King and Donnie had only 30 minutes earlier said good night to Chris and headed to King's house to turn in for
"Absolutely, come on in." King replied confused.
"Whatever I tell you will have to stay confidential. Is that okay with you?"
"Of course, whatever you need."
"First though, a question; how close are you with Donovan Williams?"
"He's like a son to me. Why?"
"Is his parents really away on vacation right now?"
"Yeah sorry about not telling you. James called earlier but I totally forgot to give you a call on his behalf."
"Are you sure you want to hear this?"
"Yes. Why? Did something happen at school?"
"I gave him a note."
"That means I'll find out anyhow, weird that he didn't give it to me."
"It's addressed to his parents as he is staying with his neighbors and didn't know the number there."
"Last time I checked I wasn't his neighbor Collin."
"He's staying with you?!"
"Yeah, didn't he tell you?! Wait a second, he lied, didn't he?!"
"If you aren't the neighbor he told me about, then I'm afraid so Dwayne"
"I just don't get it, why would he lie?!"
"I did have to give him that note for a reason Dwayne, if you are as close as you say, he probably didn't want to be in trouble."
"Too late for that. Donovan! Get down here, now!" Donnie hadn't heard the car nor heard the principal come as he had been in the shower, he had a feeling though that King wasn't happy. Quickly putting on a pair of pajama pants he ran down the stairs, his hair still wet and dripping.
"King?" Donnie greeted as he was about to come into the kitchen where he guessed King was.
"Good evening Donovan." Donnie visibly paled and stood frozen as King crooked his finger for him to join them. Shuddering Donnie slowly made his way over to the chair next to Kings, before he could sit down though he was grabbed gently by the shoulders. "I want the note Donovan." Donnie bit his lip anxiously and nodded before heading to get the note. "And Donnie? Put on socks and a shirt before you get a cold Kid." When Donnie returned with the note his principal was gone and King was sitting alone in the kitchen. Going to stand beside King, Donnie was only mildly surprised when he found himself not ten seconds later sitting on Pride's lap.
"Now what's this about Kiddo?"
"Nothing you are going to like."
"Uh-hmm" King answered, rubbing Donnie's chin gently. Learning something new every time he dealt with Donnie, King had learnt that at times it was better to just let Donnie talk even if it took some time for the kid to tell he whole story without the usual interrogation.
"It started a couple of days ago…" Donnie started uncertainly.
A/N: sorry for the cliff-hanger, but I have no idea what so ever as to what Donnie could have done. That's the way I do my writing, I start somewhere and then let the story write itself. Any ideas to help me along would be greatly appreciated. What do you by the way think of the Loughead family? Needless to say this won't be the last time you see them…