Chapter 5
Haley and Nathan were in Principal Burlie's office at Tree Hill Elementary School.
"This is ridiculous," Nathan said. "You're not expelling my son."
"He committed an act of violence," Principal Burlie said.
"He moved a chair out from under someone," Haley said. "I did that when I was his age and I had to sit at the wall at recess and that was that."
"Times have changed Mrs. Scott," Principal Burlie said.
"Look," Nathan said. "We've grounded him and he knows what he did was wrong."
"Please," Haley said. "Keith has agreed to apologize to the girl."
"And there's only one more month until kindergarten graduation," Nathan said.
"Yeah," Haley said. "You're really going to deny my son his graduation?"
"Rules are rules Mrs. Scott," Principal Burlie said. "Keith is expelled."
"This is not happening," Nathan shouted. "He is not expelled!"
"Oh it is happening," Principal Burlie said. "Now you have 15 minutes to clean out Keith's cubby and get the hell out of here."
Nathan and Haley looked at Principal Burlie and each shouted at her at the same time.
"Bitch!" Nathan shouted.
"Whore!" Haley shouted.
Haley and Nathan walked out of the principal's office into the waiting area.
"I can't believe Keith was expelled for that," Haley said.
"I know," Nathan said. "She can't just do that."
"Psst!" Marcy the secretary said.
Nathan and Haley walked over to Marcy.
"You didn't hear it from me, but the superintendent Mr. Carver is coming to the PTA meeting tonight," Marcy said.
"So we can argue our case," Nathan whispered.
"No you can't," Principal Burlie said from behind them. "PTA meetings are for parents of students. Your son is no longer a student."
"No, but our daughter is!" Nathan shouted. "So hah!"
"The elementary school PTA is different from the high school PTA," Principal Burlie said. "So hah!"
"We will get into the PTA meeting!" Haley shouted. "You aren't going to stop us!"
"Yeah," Nathan said. "You haven't heard the last of us!"
Haley and Nathan stormed out of the office.
"How are we going to get into that PTA meeting?" Nathan asked.
"I don't know," Haley said. "But we'll find a way."
Later, Nathan and Clay were running on the beach.
"Can you please slow down?" Clay asked.
"No," Nathan said. "Running helps me deal with my anger."
"Why are you so mad?" Clay asked.
"The stupid principal at Keith's school expelled him!" Nathan shouted.
"Keith was expelled?" Clay asked. "For what?"
"He pulled a chair out from underneath someone," Nathan said.
"That's it?" Clay asked. "I did that once when I was in kindergarten and all I had to do was stand in the corner facing the wall."
Nathan suddenly stepped on a sharp seashell.
"Oh my god!" Nathan shouted as he stopped running.
"Are you okay?" Clay asked.
"No!" Nathan shouted. "My son was expelled and I stepped on a seashell!"
"Here," Clay said. "Let me look at it."
Nathan and Clay sat down in the sand and Nathan held his foot out. Nathan's foot was bleeding.
"Is it bad?" Nathan asked.
"Oh my god!" Clay shouted. "Blood! So much blood!"
"Clay?" Nathan asked.
"Sorry," Clay said. "I really don't like blood."
"That's okay," Nathan said.
"Let's get you to my house," Clay said. "Try to not walk on your bloody foot."