Red For Rebellious

Brain Freeze

“Mrs. Bran, I need you to tell me exactly what happened.”

The principal stood before me, a cup of steaming hot coffee in her hand. Mrs. Johnson was a stern woman, with short red hair and two evil looking green eyes. I had heard rumors about her and I knew she was ruthless when it came to violence in school.

Sighing, I looked down at my hands. “Like I said I don’t really remember a whole lot. I was very tired this morning, and it sort of went by in a blur. They’ve never liked each other before, this kind of thing was bound to happen.”

The look on her face said “I don’t believe you”, and I didn’t blame her. I remember every single word between Colton and I. I would probably never forget some of the things he said. Either way Mark had started the fight, and if I told the principle than he would surely be suspended or maybe even expelled.

“I want to know who started the fight Sutton,” she said calmly, leaning down and across the desk.

“I don’t know! It all sort of just happened!” I exclaimed.

Mrs. Johnson clasped her hands together and lowered herself down into her chair. I was scared of her, there was no doubt about that, but there was no way I was getting Mark in trouble. I would go down before seeing him go down. Even after the whole thing, I didn’t want to see Colton get in too much trouble.

“So you’re telling me that they just both threw a punch at the same time? Who egged who on, and who threw the first punch Sutton?”

“For gosh sakes I feel like I’m being interrogated for a murder! Fights happen all the time, just give them a detention and move on!”

My outburst even surprised me, and as soon as the words came out I covered my mouth. The surprise in the principals eyes was evident as she stood from her desk and crossed her arms over her chest. “Fine, then you can join them in detention for withholding information. Now get to lunch.”

I grabbed my bag and was out of her office in seconds. Her evil eye almost had me forgetting about what Colton said, but at this point nothing would stop me from thinking. How could he have said that about Melody and I? He knew how sensitive I was about her, yet he still chose the low blow. It didn’t make sense, Colton never acted like that.

Maybe I didn’t know him as well as I thought I did.

Or maybe he was so hurt by what I said that he thought it was alright to hurt me back.                  

“Sutton you’re alive!” Vee shouted just as I rounded the hallway corner.

She threw her arms around me dramatically. “I thought I would never see you after you stepped into her office.”

“Don’t be so dramatic,” I said rolling my eyes. “Anyway, what’s the verdict with Mark and Colton?”

“Suspended for the rest of the day, three weeks community service and three weeks of detention.”

“That’s not too bad.”

“For Mrs. Johnson that’s like vacation. What did she ask you?”

“It doesn’t matter. But I get to join Mark and Colton for those detentions, or at least some of them,” I replied as we stepped into the lunch room.

Vee gasped. “What? But you didn’t do anything! She can’t do that!”

“I’ve withheld information, or so she said. This is my punishment for not cooperating,” I told her.

The lunch room seemed to go quiet as we walked over to the lunch line. A few eyes lingered on me a bit longer than “comfortable” but in a few seconds, everyone seemed to be chattering again.