Chapter 19 - Punishment

For the rest of class my stomach felt as twisted as the shoelaces a child is learning how to tie. I didn't want to get in trouble, but then again if the principal called the police the punishment would be far worse. I saw that program on MTV about the high school pranks and scandals, and usually the police weren't lenient. Especially since most of the offenders were soon-to-be-graduates. However, I was a freshman, and I'd only been in school for two weeks for that matter. If I turned myself in, would he be merciful? Or if they somehow link me to the crime would it get worse? Would I be suspended? Expelled? Would he call James and me in to congratulate us on a good prank? I doubted that, but a girl can dream.

I tried to pay attention so that no one would suspect that I knew about what happened, but I couldn't focus for any longer than a three-year-old could. After Miss Wesley got our class to settle down, she was back to business. However everyone else was pretty wound up. I heard hushed whispers of who they suspected was involved or how it was accomplished. I wanted to scream at them "I was involved! I watched it happen! Stop torturing me with this already!"

When the bell finally rang, I thought it would have been a relief, but in reality I got so nervous that my hands were shaking. I wanted to do the right thing, but I really didn't know what that was. Maybe I should see what James was doing…

I wanted to go to his locker, but since it was far away from the main offices, I decided to wait and see if our paths crossed. Maybe he was already at the office? It wasn't too far from my locker, and I did promise Mr. Darnell that I would look for my "gym shirt". I could peak in for a second to see if the principal was busy.

On my way to the lost and found, I passed by the Janitor's closet, which was the hot spot for scurrying men in navy jumpsuits, carrying cans of air freshener and cleaners of every sort. Part of me wondered how the stink bomb explosion had been, but an even bigger part of me was more concerned about what punishment would be involved for an infraction like this.

The lost and found was basically a milk carton on the floor of the secretary's office with a sign marking it as that. From what I'd heard, after every week the items in it were allowed to be taken by anyone unless it was something valuable like a cell phone, textbook, etc. I asked the secretary if I could look through it and she obliged. I mostly fiddled with its contents, not really looking at anything. It was pretty empty since it was Monday, so I didn't have much to occupy my time with. With the time I did gather, I was mapping routes in my mind. Thinking of where the principal's office was, ways to get near it, ways of avoiding it.

I figured after standing there looking like an idiot for two minutes, I relented with my "search" and thanked the secretary. The principal's office was down the hall, in its own separate corridor along with the VPs' offices. There was no way to be inconspicuous about it, unless I was Fang and became invisible. If I checked it out, I knew I couldn't make up any logical excuse for being there if someone questioned me. It was a hit or miss. But it wouldn't hurt to look; I had time in between periods.

I sighed, feeling something deep within my stomach that told me I should go. There was no avoiding it now. I felt like I was being led by an invisible rope to the long door at the very end of the hall. I could have retreated, but I was afraid that someone may have developed mental Cowboy wrangling skills. Hey, you never know with the people in my life!

When I reached it, I opened the door with a sort of calm nobility. I was ready to face the principal, although I wasn't so ready to face my mom when she found out.

I entered into a small waiting room, reminding me of a doctor's office – which instantly made me twitchy – with a small reception desk in the right hand corner. An elderly woman sat behind it busily typing away at a computer. She looked up when she heard me enter. "Yes?" she asked, lowering her bifocals on her nose in a critical fashion.

"I need to speak with the principal," I said. My eyes darted to the other wall, which had a door sealed shut. The plaque on it claimed it to be Mr. Sean Reinhard, Nimitz High Principal. I bit my lip at this domineering set-up. It reminded me of a prison, or worse: a hospital.

The woman nodded to herself. "Yes, he's meeting with someone right now. When he's finished you may speak with him."

"Thanks," I muttered to be polite. I sat on one of the cushioned seats along the wall nearest the reception desk. They were comfortable, I noted sourly. It was most likely that way to ease a student and/or parent's tension before they met the principal. That was a devilish tactic on the school's part.

I sat tapping my finger on my knee for only a couple minutes. The door snapped open, the knob held by a sleek looking man with a clean-shaven, shiny bald head. I recognized him from orientation as Mr. Reinhard. His head was so reflective I wondered if I could see myself in it; he probably had it professionally waxed. Maybe I needed to call him Mr. Shiny Head.

Out shuffled a hunched form of someone I recognized very well. My eyes widened but I wasn't going to say anything. A very somber looking James took a seat next to me. Mr. Shiny Head and the receptionist talked for a second while James and I shared a significant glance. I wanted to tell him everything was okay, but he looked at me like I was a ghost. "What are you doing here?" he asked frantically, but also quietly. "I told them I did this alone so that you wouldn't get in trouble."

I shook my head. "I can't let you take all the blame. It wouldn't be right. That's what friends do." He half smiled at me.

"Miss?" Mr. Shiny Head asked, looking directly at me. "You may come in." He stalked off into his office and I followed after him.

His office was pretty nice, considering that the rest of the school was crappy. A large mahogany desk stood regally in the middle of the room. The walls were painted alternately white and navy, while the one behind the desk was framed with at least ten degrees and certificates awarded to him. On his desk were a nameplate, a framed photo of him with a pretty woman, a desktop computer, and a large desk-calendar that lay on its surface. He took a seat in a large leather chair behind it and swiveled it in my direction. I seated myself at the leather couch on the other end.

"So, why are you here to see me…?" He trailed it off to ask for my name.

"I'm Maxine Ride," I told him. He nodded to himself, as if recalling my name. "And I wanted to talk to you about the stink bomb incident."

His eyebrows rose slightly. "What about it? I already have had someone confess to doing it, so if you're turning them in it's a bit too late for that."

I sighed. As much as I didn't want to, I had to do it. "James Griffith wasn't alone." His face was set in stone, careful not to show any emotions. "I didn't make it, but I watched him set it up. I'm just as responsible as he is." I looked him dead on despite the way my heart was pounding.

He considered what I said carefully. "Mr. Griffith told me that he did this by himself." He sat back in his chair and rested his chin on one hand. "Are you doing this because you think that it will lighten his punishment or are you honestly confessing?"

I kept my gaze steady. "I was there, I saw it. I made sure no one was watching."

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said convincingly. He straightened up and typed something on his computer's keyboard. "If you say you're involved, I have no choice but to reprimand you, too. However, I will take into consideration that you spoke up willingly. You may wait in the other room while I call your parents. For the rest of the day you're suspended and I'll call back when I thought of a proper punishment."

I rose and he ushered me out of his room. James had already left, so I assumed that he had been whisked away too. At least the police were going to stay out of it.

I felt like I was waiting a century before my very pissed mom walked through the office door. Her face said it all, that I was in more trouble with her than I was with the school.

"Maxine Ride! You are in so much trouble when we get home." I walked toward her and she followed me out of the school grounds. "This isn't like you to be involved with a stink bomb. What were you thinking?"

That it would be a hell of a story, I thought, but I wouldn't tell her that. "I'm sorry," I said honestly. "I thought it was going to be an awesome prank." Which it was, but I never would get to experience the full pleasure of it since I was being sent home. I did feel bad for it now, despite how cool it was, and I knew I wouldn't do it again.

Mom looked at me sternly once we entered her car. "You don't know the other side of this stupid action," she said as she started the engine. "What if it backfired? What if someone got hurt? You have to think of these things, Max. I thought I taught you how to use your head."

I looked at my lap the whole time. I may not be a coward to Mr. Shiny Head, but Mom was a completely different story. She would add so many chores to my already hectic schedule that I'd be working until the crack of dawn. Not only that, but I knew I disappointed her. I felt worse about that than of actually setting off the bomb.

"We'll talk about this later once I've calmed down and once Mr. Reinhard calls," she said more levelly. "I need to get back to work, so you'll be home alone. There is some lunch meat in the fridge if you're hungry."

We eventually made it back to home, and she dropped me off at the bottom of the driveway. I swore more smoke was coming from her ears than from the exhaust pipe. I marched off solemnly; I knew I wouldn't hear the end of it from Fang when he got home.

I spent most of the day watching TV, not that there was much on to begin with. There wasn't anything on since they don't expect teens to be home at this time unless they're ditching or sick. This was the worst way to stay home from school: knowing that a punishment is pending and my mom was furious with me.

At around noon Mom returned for her lunch break. She calmed down immensely; working with animals helped her release some steam. However she didn't acknowledge me as she walked straight to the fridge and grabbed a protein shake.

After twenty minutes the phone rang, an ominous sound in the awkwardly silent room. Mom snaked her hand around it before I could get there. "Hello?" she said in her business voice. I crossed my arms over my chest impatiently. "Oh, yes, hello Mr. Reinhard." She paused as he said something to her. "Yes, of course. What did you have in mind?" Normally parents would sound concerned or anxious, but not Mom; she was all business. "Okay, thank you so much. Alright, I'll let her know. Thanks again, bye." She hung up the phone and looked at me crossly.

"Yes?" I asked nervously.

"You got lucky," she sighed. "Mr. Reinhard was very lenient on you since you didn't claim to be involved with making the bomb –"

"Mom, you know I didn't. I'm not good with machinery and gadgets."

She rolled her eyes. "He was also impressed that you confessed on your own, so he said that you have to spend the next couple days with him after school and that you aren't allowed to go to the Homecoming dance or football game."

"That's it?" I asked, confused. I guess it turns out Mr. Shiny Head was a lot more merciful than I took him for. "It's not like I was gonna go to Homecoming anyway."

She sighed. "I hope you really appreciate this because I'm not going to be as overlooking as he was."

"Yes Ma'am," I responded automatically. It took all my effort not to salute her.

"So, what's the punishment, criminal?" Fang asked me after he'd returned home from school. He was sitting on the kitchen table going over homework.

Ella walked over, munching on a granola bar, looking very confused. "Yeah, why weren't you on the bus, Max? Why is Fang calling you a criminal?"

I rolled my eyes and was tempted to shoot Fang the bird, but I resisted since Ella was here. She was too young for those kinds of obscenities, even if she was twelve. "I helped a friend set off a stink bomb in school, okay?" I said. I wasn't afraid to admit it since Mom had gone back to her vet practice. Ella looked appalled while Fang's face was smug. "And I only have two days of after-school detention and I'm not allowed to go to Homecoming. So ha ha, you can't ask me to the dance Fang."

He seemed a little disappointed that my punishment was so light. "Oh, damn it. It would have been fun to see you in a dress."

This time I did shoot him the bird.

I have to say that some reviewer guessed correctly about what is going to happen, although I think everyone has picked up on it already. SeeksDreamsAndFindHope, no I don't mean for Max and James to fall for each other. Maybe I'll need to say something so that it's implied that they're only supposed to be friends. Chickeerafish, I want to meet this real live Edward! Even if he isn't the best looking guy, a good personality definitely makes up for it! And I died at your 50+ exp. date crack! :D Bookwurm96, I do feel honored. :) Kina Kalamari, I wasn't just thinking of Twilight, I was thinking of all the vampire books/movies/TV shows out there. I mean, I love a good vampire book but it's fun to joke about. BTW, if anyone knows a good werewolf book, please recommend! I only tried to read one and it was so bad I didn't get past the second chapter. To all the Iggy nickname advisors, thanks for the suggestions! I'll try to think of something that'll work. Hopefully I don't have to write about it too soon.

So keep reviewing!! And also take my poll if you haven't!! Last time I checked it was tied. You must break it or else I'll decide what I want to do for that situation.