Daffodil Sprouts🌼

Ch. 19 ' Oh Harsh Jason.

The principal's office is just as I remember it; a room larger than it looks at first glance. The door is stationed at the end, so that when I enter, a brick wall is by my right. To the left, a tall bookshelf cuts off the better-looking —judging by the walls— rest of the room. For all I know, that place probably contains a ten-inch plasma t.v the principal uses to entertain himself while we students go through hurdles in the classroom.

Seated in one of the two chairs stationed in front of principal Derrick's table, is Leo, and it takes me more willpower than power to drop myself into the chair next to him.

"Good morning—" I greet, then realise my mistake. "I mean, evening. No, after . . . noon."

Even if I want to deny whatever Leo accused me of, these jitters have given me off.

The principal grins; a surprise to me, because you don't smile at an offender.

"How are you?"

You don't ask an offender how she is either. Something is wrong.

I promptly plaster a smile on my face. "I'm fine, Sir. And you?"

"I'm also fine, m—"

"Sir," Leo cuts in, a scowl on his face.

Principal Derrick frowns. "Don't interrupt. I still don't believe you accused this adorable young girl of such a heinous crime. Slapping you and ruining your possessions?"

I press my lips together. Slapping someone is a heinous crime?

Whatever the case, principal Derrick feels Leo is lying. The day I came here for the first time with Mom and Philip, I was my happy self; smiley, sweet, talkative, and bubbly. I aced the tests too —a miracle, really— and the principal couldn't be more impressed. That could be helping.

"The proof is here for you to see," Leo says.

Indeed, I think, not being sarcastic at all. On the table is Leo's broken phone and a dented helmet.

"Let her speak," principal Derrick snaps. "And if I find out she isn't guilty of all you've said, you're going to be in big trouble."

Leo looks away, shaking his head.

Sure of my innocence, principal Derrick turns to me with a smile, wordlessly telling me to rubbish Leo's claims. My face clouds up. When I marched up to Leo and slapped him, it was all about the anger I felt. I wasn't thinking. It's only now I realise how foolish my action was.

"I . . . I . . . "

"See? She has nothing to say."

"Will you be as quiet as your legs were last session? Remember, they managed to score no useful goals, nor give any assists."

Leo goes poker-faced at principal Derrick's words. Meanwhile, I can't help but wonder. No useful goals?

"Own goal?" my mouth asks, acting on its own accord.

"Own goal," confirms principal Derrick.

Before I can react, Leo speaks. "It only happened because I was near the goal post. I wanted to pass it to Sean and it just . . . went the wrong way. It was a mistake."

"Even Isaac Newton can't explain that mistake of yours."

"I wonder what Newton has to do with this," Leo murmurs.

Principal Derrick responds, and Leo has something to say again. They go on and on, and I realise the principal's reluctance to believe Leo springs from his dislike for the boy and his like for Jason. Jason being a good footballer is what is helping.