The Ivy League

The Ivy League Part 24

[Re-cap]

“Uh oh,” Grace said, nudging me. “Look who’s coming.”

           On one side, Jake was making his way towards our group. On the other side, Nate was trying to get closer, looking worried and as though he had something important to say. In the middle, making a bouncing beeline for me, was the Principal, Mr. P.

           This was going to be interesting.

***

           They all reached me at the same time.

           “Courtney, I need to tell you something,” Jake informed me, out of breath from pushing in between a couple making out. I always do that, too.

           “Courtney, there’s something you should know…” Nate began at the same instant, towering over everyone around us.

           “Ms. Meyers, I need to speak with you,” Mr. P. puffed, wiping sweat from his shiny bald forehead, looking as much like a bouncy ball as ever.

           “Okay,” I said, answering all of them.

           The three of them beamed at me, all three reaching for my hands. Unfortunately, I only have two, so they realized that I’m kind of in demand at the moment.

           Mr. P. frowned in confusion at Jake and Nate, who had each managed to clutch one of my wrists before Mr. P. could.

 “Mr. Howe and Mr. Anderson. Why aren’t you with your homeroom classes? This is a fire alarm, not a social gathering.”

           “Same difference,” Nate muttered, but he left after giving me one last searching look. As I watched his tall shoulders maneuver through the crowd, I wondered what Nate needed to talk to me about. Maybe something about the play. But it was going well and we had practiced every scene; all that was left was nailing down a few points and rehearsing in costume. I grinned, knowing what my favorite scene to practice was. Maybe rehearsal after school today had been canceled or something.

Jake, too, aimed a scowl at Mr. P.

           “I’ll tell you what I need to say after school, okay?” Jake asked, looking into my eyes and taking my hand. I simply shrugged, a bland expression on my face betraying no emotion. I could tell that unnerved Jake who left after a particularly noisy puff from Mr. P., looking guilty but annoyed. Once again, I wondered what Jake needed to tell me. Maybe he had decided to confess about the Ellen-and-Leah thing on his own.

           “Shall we step into my office?” Mr. P. suggested, already bouncing his way down the hill that surrounded the side of the school where all the evacuated students were now standing.

           “Um,” I said, but decided against arguing. Shooting a panicked glance at Grace, Jeremy and Jay, I hurried after the Principal. I took advantage of the path that Mr. P. was so good at clearing as alarmed students shoved each other out of the way as they saw Mr. P. bouncing in their direction.

           “Isn’t this a fire alarm, though?” I asked apprehensively as we left the crowd and stepped into the quiet halls. “Shouldn’t we wait until the firefighters give the all clear?”

           “Yes, but this isn’t a real fire alarm,” Mr. P reassured me as we made our way to his office. “Some joker decided to pull the alarm. We’ll find out who did it.”

           “You can do that?” I asked nervously.

           “Oh yes,” Mr. P. replied happily. “We have cameras all over the school.”