Islander

Chapter 14

My phone rang. It rang out loud and disturbing, vibrating in my backpack. Phones and other electronic devices were prohibited in my school, but well, I broke the law this time. I had the phone on me 24/7 as I anticipated Mr Sunflowers' call everyday. That call never came, for two weeks, until today. When the phone rang, my heart skipped a beat, not because I was terrified but because of my anxiety.

"Whose is that?" The teacher asked.

"Mine." I said, raising my left hand and rummaging through my backpack with my right to find the phone.

"Why do you have a phone on you?"

"Because... I..." I broke off, then I found the phone "... have to take this." I hurriedly left the classroom and picked up the call.

"Took you long enough." The voice on the other end of the line said.

"I'm sorry, I'm in school."

"So?"

"Phones are prohibited here. I could be in big trouble."

"Well, you'll sort it out. Anyways, come over to my place for dinner with my family. Bring Jasper along, I'd love to meet who you spend your days with. We'll discuss the terms of your employment during the meal."

I wanted to scream. I had the job, if I accepted his 'terms'. At that moment, I considered myself employed already since I was willing to do whatever his terms stipulated.

"Thank you Sir." I said, hiding my excitement.

"Sure, later." He said, cutting the call.

I slipped the phone in my pocket and returned to class.

"Let me have it." The teacher told me. She was waiting at the doorpost for me to finish my call.

"Please ma'am. I can explain."

"You can, and you will. At the Principal's office."

"But..."

"Quiet. Now move." She said, nudging her head towards the Principal's office's direction.

*****

"Hello Sir." I greeted after knocking on the door and receiving a mutely sounded "come in" from within.

"Yes, Adam. Sit." Okay, this new man had no idea of this school's policies. Nobody, except me of course during Effiong's regime, sat in the Principal's office except he was going to be expelled. And here I was, sitting down.

"I know what you're thinking." The Principal started. "You're thinking I'm ignorant of the precedent that had been set here by the former principal as regards that chair you're seated in."

This dude surely knew his stuff. My buttocks shifted uncomfortably in the seat as though I intended to stand up.

"I think I decide if you sit in that chair or not. And today, I asked you to." The man said, noticing my uncomfortable situation.

"Please Sir..." I started, in my usual manner.

"Quiet. You know very well phones are prohibited, yet, you broke the law."

"I needed to pick the..." I got cut off again when someone barged into the office.

"People cut me off a lot lately though." Myself told me. "True." I replied.

Look who just walked in, George. I sighed loudly and rolled my eyes. I was all friendly with this "changed" dude, but honestly, I did not want to hang with him. Not now, surely, and not ever, probably.

"The phone's mine." George started.

"Okay, first you enter my office without knocking, now you're claiming that the phone is yours?" The Principal asked.

"Well, I don't think Adam should be punished for something he knows nought about." George said, looking at me. "I planted the phone on him so he would be caught, it was just a bully tactic. One tactic I consider useless anyway, and I feel bad. If someone must be punished, punish me."

"Dude, he's offering to take the fall for you. Such heroism." Myself told me. "Such stupidity." I replied.

"Adam?" I snapped out of my thoughts as the Principal called out my name.

"Yes. I suppose we now have to share this seat?" I asked, grinning widely, and sarcastically.

"Hoew hoew hoew..." The Principal chuckled.

"This man laughs weird too." Myself told me, again. "Shut up and leave me alone." I replied. But I was right though, who laughs with a hoew?! Anyways...

"...your sense of humour alarms me Adam. You may stand, the seat will be vacant for now. But I'm placing you both under a week suspension. Any more mischief from either of you, you're out." He said.

I jerked up from the chair with a dozen Thank you Sir's oozing from my lips in those two or three seconds. George added a "Thank you Sir" with a subtle smile and left the office.

"Adam how's prepping for the competition? It's a few months away."

"It's going perfectly. I found myself a job to fund the project I'll be working on."

"The flying car? I checked the prototype's vid on YouTube. Great designs, I must say."

"Thank you Sir." I responded with a proud smile.

"Okay great. You don't have much time, use your suspension well." The man grinned.

"Ouch." Myself told me

Authors note:
Hey people. I'm sorry about my deteriorating consistency. I'm working on tons of projects atm so my time is mostly taken. I'm grateful to everybody that keeps tabs on this book to read it, and I promise to finish too. I intend to return with fire and, more. Thanks for always understanding.