forever - beverly marsh

home

danny sat in the principal's office, impatiently tapping her fingers against the chair. elijah had gotten in trouble and the school had to call her, pulling her away from a concert she was happy for.

the door opened, showing a pissed-off teacher and an emotionless elijah. not 'emotionless', per-say, just blank. 

"take him." the teacher pushed elijah in and shut the door.

danny pulled elijah down to the seat next to her. "what's this about? why couldn't you have just told me over the phone instead of wasting my time?" she huffed.

"your son was, once again, doing something he wasn't supposed to in a teachers class. it has been happening too much and we have warned you both about a suspension for him. he's suspended for three days," mr. wallace, the principal, informed in a monotone voice.

the two harts looked at each other, then back at the principal. 

"well, what teacher?" danny asked.

"mr. altman."

danny turned to elijah. "what'd you say or do to him?"

"he-" mr. wallace got cut off.

"i asked him, not you."

"i may, or may not, have accidentally set something on fire," elijah muttered.

danny held back a glare. "what'd you set on fire?" she bit her lip. 

he whispered something under his breath. 

"what."

"i used the ducktape, crumpled it up, lit it on fire, and i threw it with my eyes shut..." he trailed off. "it didn't hit anyone. no one got hurt."

"jesus christ," danny murmured. she turned to mr. wallace. "suspended, you say?"

"yes. he's suspended and you can't change it like last time," mr. wallace deadpanned.

"alright then. eli, grab your shit. we're going home," danny told him, standing up.

"what? aren't you going to punish him? he could have harmed a student," he challenged.

"are you telling me how to raise my son?" danny shot back.

"no! of course not," he quickly denied it.

"well, then, he's suspended and i'll talk to him when we're at home." she smiled. "let's go. maybe i'll be able to make it to the concert."

"you got it, madre." elijah nodded, opening the door.

*******

the two harts set their things down and elijah tried to make a run for it.

"eli." danny stopped him. "where the hell do you think you're goin'?"

"uh... to leave the country?" he tried.

"nice one. kitchen table. now," she ordered. 

elijah sighed as he walked to the kitchen, following behind her and taking a seat. 

"why'd you think it was a good idea to do that?"

"lighting it on fire was wrong especially throwing it with my eyes shut. i know that now and i've learned my lesson. i won't do it again. can i go to my room?" elijah rambled.

danny sighed and shook her head. "you can't keep doing that, you know. i get you're a teenager and you're gonna break the rules, but you can't keep doing this."

"i know." he nodded.

"you always gonna say 'i know' when something like this happens and shit?"

"Yes."