AN: Hello everyone! Sorry that I haven't posted to this story in a while. I decided to go back to school to get my associates degree. I started online classes this past March and it is kicking my butt. I work on my writing whenever I can get the time, which is usually not that often. I will not be giving up on this story.
Anyway PLZ R&R!
Disclaimer: See first chapter.
Chapter 26
The alarm went off early one morning and the couple on the bed started to slowly rouse from under the covers. Monica turned over and saw Chandler slowly sitting up in bed as he glanced at the time.
"So?" he looked at her.
"What?" she looked back at him.
"Are we ready for what will inevitably happen today?" he asked her.
"Not really," she sighed.
"Well, we need to face the music," he told her as they both climbed out of bed.
After they got back to the house after their walk the night before, their phones showed a slew of notifications from their social media accounts. There were a few kids from their school who offered them kind words and congratulations, but most of them were very negative. Terry told them to not read them, but they did anyway after they went up to bed. Chandler decided to block anyone who said anything unfriendly and Monica did the same.
Monica and Chandler quickly got ready for the day and started down the stairs as they spotted Joey and Phoebe sitting at the counter. Charles was talking into his phone as Terry was reading through a booklet nearby. Joey and Phoebe finished up their breakfast as they listened to Charles' one sided conversation.
"Yes, believe me, we will be there." Charles spoke into the phone.
"What's going on?" Chandler asked as he joined Phoebe and Joey at the counter.
"Apparently, Terry got an email from the principal that was sent late last night," Joey told him. "He's trying to get you guys kicked out because of your announcement over social media."
"Can he do that?" Monica asked as Charles hung up.
"Not according to this," Terry closed the high school student handbook. "There is nothing that says that these two can't attend just because they're married and expecting."
"We have a meeting first thing this morning," Charles told them. "You both need to be present."
"I'll call Stan to meet us there," Terry took out his phone. "And we'll just follow all of you to school."
"Sounds good," Monica grabbed a plain yogurt from the refrigerator and sat at the counter with everyone else and next to Chandler, who was now eating an apple.
"Is that all that you guys are eating?" Phoebe looked at them.
"Trying not to throw up," Monica said.
"Not that hungry," Chandler added. "But I know I won't be able to leave until I eat something."
Everyone finished up their breakfasts and went to go grab their things before walking out to their cars. Chandler started up his car as Joey and Phoebe climbed into the backseat and he pulled out of the driveway, followed by his dad and Terry in Terry's car. The drive to the high school was silent, and Monica was shaking as they pulled to a stop in a vacant parking spot.
"Here we go," Monica looked at Chandler as Phoebe and Joey climbed out of the car.
"Come on," Chandler urged as he tried to give her an encouraging smile.
They both reluctantly got out of the car and Charles and Terry caught up to them as they all walked into the front entrance of the school. Everyone stopped to stare at the group and Chandler sighed as Ross and Carol made their way over to the group.
"What's going on?" Carol looked at Charles and Terry.
"We have a meeting with the principal," Chandler told them. "They want to kick us out of school."
"Can they do that?" Ross asked.
"No," Terry said. "We are fighting this."
"We better get in there," Charles said as the group made their way towards the office.
There were several whispers as they all passed, but they ignored it all. Chandler and Monica followed his dads into the office and they were both surprised to see Joey, Phoebe, Ross, and Carol follow them in.
"What-"
"We are supporting you guys," Phoebe said. "Without you guys here, school will suck."
"Big time," Joey added.
"He's waiting for all of you in his office," the secretary told them all. "There are some guests in there as well."
"Good or bad?" Terry asked her.
"I'm not sure," she lowered her voice. "Off the record, I'm rooting for you guys."
"Thank you," the group went into the inner office and were shocked to see Chandler's soccer coach and Stan waiting for them.
"Coach?" Chandler looked at him.
"I got word of what the principal plans to do. I think you need someone in support of you."
"Th-Thank you," Chandler got out as the rest of the group filed into the room and took their places.
"You don't all need to be here," Principal Reynolds addressed the crowd.
"Yes we do," Carol stated.
"We are all here in support of Chandler and Monica," Ross added.
"You have no right to kick these two out of school," Charles stated firmly.
"I believe that I do," Principal Reynolds shot back.
"I have read the school handbook cover to cover," Terry stated. "There is nothing about pregnant students not being able to attend."
"I have the right to make decisions like these if I think that the students involved will be a distraction for the other students in the classes,"
"Who cares about the other students?" Chandler said. "It's not like they and the teaching staff haven't treated me unfairly since I came to town because of my two gay dads."
"They are two of the best students you have," Coach Nash spoke up. "They are even graduating earlier than they were supposed to."
"I am responsible for maintaining the right image for this school, and that image does not include individuals who have not made the best choices,"
"So all you care about is the reputation that you uphold?" Monica spoke up.
"And the athletic accomplishments," Joey spoke up. "He really wants a team championship this year."
"We're pulling you off the team," Charles looked at Joey.
"What?"
"And we will also pull all the money that we have donated to this school since Chandler started living with us full time," Terry added. "Do you have any idea how much we have donated to help out all the schools with repairs, low program funding, and helping out the students who couldn't afford to attend a school sanctioned trip because of their low funds?"
"We'll expect a check for the full amount of the refund of all our donations by the end of the day today," Charles stated, leaving the principal speechless.
"Y-You can't do that," Principal Reynolds sputtered out.
"I believe that we just did,"
"This is the greatest thing ever," Phoebe whispered and Chandler nodded in agreement as Monica smiled at her.
"Ok, back down you guys," Stan stepped in.
"Thank you," Principal Reynolds sighed with relief.
"Don't thank me," Stan told him. "The bottom line is that you don't get the final decision over anything. I am the superintendent of schools. I get the final say, and I say that Monica and Chandler will be staying right where they are. Anyone who has a problem with that can start looking for another place of employment."
The group walked out of the office fifteen minutes later with big smiles on their faces. Stan was still in talking with the principal-very loudly-as the teenagers collected their late passes for the classes they were missing.
"We'll see you all this afternoon," Charles told them all as they started down the hall.
"Chandler," Coach Nash stopped him. "I have something to discuss with you, and I guess also your wife."
"What is it?"
"At our final game, there will be some special guests in attendance,"
"Special guests?"
"There will be college scouts from NYU, CU, UCLA, and other area state colleges. To watch you play."
"Me?" Chandler was shocked. "Why?"
"I know you said that you didn't plan on playing sports after you finished out your senior year, but if they like what they see you may be able to get an athletic scholarship. A scholarship will definitely help you out with your college costs."
"Seriously? I haven't even thought about what college that I want to go to, let alone what I want to study."
"Well I would start thinking about it if I were you,"
All throughout the school day, Chandler was distracted as he thought about what the coach had told him that morning. Monica wanted to talk to him about it all, but he said that he was still processing it. So they promised each other that they would talk about everything once they both got back home. He stayed by Monica's side as much as he could throughout the day to protect her from the other kids, who most were not happy that they were still allowed to attend school.
Several of them said horrible and degrading things about both of them, and for good measure, they said inappropriate things about Chandler's dads and the current living situations going on inside the house. Chandler seemed to be unbothered by it since he had heard that kind of talk since he was ten. Luckily the rest of the group was there for Monica when Chandler couldn't be because he wasn't in some of her classes.
Chandler walked into his computer essentials class and set up his work area in the back corner. He took out the notes he had done the last several days and the outline for his proposed blog project. He took out his tablet and opened it up and set it up to the school website.
"Mr. Bing," the teacher, Mr. Knox approached his area. "I'm glad to see that you're still here."
"I think you're one of the very few," Chandler saw the rest of the class giving him dirty looks.
"They'll move onto something else soon," Mr. Knox assured him as he spotted the papers that were sitting near Chandler's tablet. "So is this your proposal?"
"Yes, but I'm not sure that you will approve it."
"Interesting," the teacher skimmed through his plan. "Unfortunately, I don't think you'll be able to do it through the school website since the principal has to approve everything that gets posted on there."
"Great," Chandler sighed.
"However,"
"What?"
"If you were to post this on a public forum and give me the direct link, I could still let you do this."
"Really?"
"Absolutely," the teacher handed him a list of recommended blogging websites. "I would recommend the one at the bottom of the page."
"I'll check it out tonight," Chandler smiled at him as he went back to his notes on his first blog post.
AN: So what did you all think of this? I already have the next chapter mostly written. I just need to edit it and will most likely post it within the week. PLZ R&R!
