Abby

CHAPTER THREE

"Aaron!" He turned, looking to see who had called his name. The male version of his sister ran up to him in the crowded, but thinning hallway.

"Hey, Sean." Aaron said.

"Hi." Sean reciprocated. "What's up with your sister? She won't return my texts." Aaron looked at the ground and ran his hand through his hair.

"She's in ISS for the next four days, if that's what you mean." Sean's eyes went wide.

"No, shit." He said in disbelief. Abby embodied the rocker chic image, but she was quiet and well behaved otherwise.

"Yes, lots of shit." Aaron replied.

"I mean I knew she was blowing off school a lot lately, but..." Aaron nodded, visibly upset by the situation. "I'll go talk to her." Sean said.

"Thanks." Aaron said as they went their separate ways. The bell rang as Sean ducked inside the ISS room.

"Can I help you?" The teacher asked. Sean spotted Abby.

"Yeah. Can I talk to Abby for a minute?" She looked up at him, not because she heard her name, but because she knew his voice.

"This is in school suspension. We don't really allow that."

"Important school business, promise." Sean swore, crossing his heart with his index finger.

"Okay. Five minutes." Abby walked out to the hall with Sean.

"What's up?" She asked. He raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms, leaning against the wall.

"That's what I'm here to ask you. Did I do something wrong that I don't know about?" He asked.

"No." She answered immediately.

"Then what's going on?" She shrugged. She hesitated.

"I've just been preoccupied lately. And now I'm in here." She muttered, nodding toward the door.

"So... I saw your brother. I know it's more than that." She adored Sean. She couldn't lie to that pretty face.

"I'm just doing things a little different than I used to, and everyone's on my case about it. I just needed some space." She offered.

"We're losing the music credits because you don't show up." And the guilt washed over her. She met his eyes.

"I'm sorry." He knew she was. He hugged her to disguise the fact that she was on the verge of tears.

"I told Principal Stone that if he called you down, you'd have no problem playing better than any of us." She laughed into his shoulder. "He said that wasn't the point."

"Wrap it up, please." The teacher said, sticking his head out of the classroom door. They let each other go.

"Thanks for sticking up for me." She said.

"Of course. Just don't ignore me. You need space? Just say so. You need a shoulder? An ear? I'm your guy." She grinned. They fist bumped.

"Sean." The principal said, coming up behind them. "Get to class." Sean scurried off. Abby felt like the principal wanted her to stick around. "What was that about?" He asked.

"He was letting me know that you canned our music credits."

"YOU canned those music credits when you decided it wasn't important enough to show up for." He corrected. She nodded. It wasn't untrue. "I was very clear about the requirements."

"You were." She agreed. They had a few moments of a stare down. The ISS teacher poked his head out again.

"Abby, let's g-." He stopped mid-sentence seeing the principal with her. "Oh, I'm sorry, Principal Stone." He stammered, leaving them alone.

"Why do I get the feeling that you aren't learning a lesson from this? That it's just the beginning." She had the same feeling. Like now that everyone knew, it would just be easier. "Go ahead back in and get some work done." He said in a friendlier tone.

"Almost caught up, actually." She informed him.

"Glad to hear it." His tone didn't sound glad. And maybe it was because he wanted her to struggle now, before it was too late. She walked back into ISS, and he back to his office. This would be the year of Abby. He shook his head with sadness.