Cinders

~41~ Funny

Once Principal Monroe gets done telling mom and Taylor my crimes, in detail, mom is visibly shaking. Taylor actually looks a little amused, so I might have a small chance of him helping calm the waters.

I'm gonna have to strategize, though.

"Are you out of your freaking mind?" Mom asks, almost yelling already.

"If that'll get me outta trouble, then yeah. I'm pleading temporary insanity."

Dang...I'm kinda impressed with that comeback.

Before Taylor can help himself, he lets out a snort. He tries to cover it up with a cough, but mom and Monroe are already glaring daggers at him.

Taylor's gonna get the paddle too if he's not careful...

"Sorry," he says, clearing his throat and looking down at the ground, trying his hardest to lose his smirk.

"Is it safe to presume that Mr. Clark can't make this meeting?" Monroe asks, not liking the rage that isn't exuding from Taylor.

"No—He can't get away. We'll be heading there next to tell him about this though," mom says darkly.

I don't know why she's using dad as a threat. If Taylor thinks this is funny, dad is gonna find it hysterical.

"What are we looking at here, Monroe?" Mom asks, wanting him to get to the sentencing so she can pummel me.

Monroe sighs and shakes his head. "He's suspended for a week, and when he returns he has Saturday detention for a month."

"This is NOT acceptable, young man. The maturity level out of you is astonishing. I hope for your sake you grow up...And soon," Principal Monroe drones.

"Could you tell me where his classes are, please?" Mom asks, surprising all of us.

"Umm, why do you want to know that, Ms. Freeman?"

"Because I'm dragging his sorry butt to each one and making him apologize to the teachers affected by this."

Monroe's face immediately lightens up. "That is a WONDERFUL idea, Ms. Freeman. I'll write them down for you."

"Mom, can't I just write apology letters? Classes are going on. This is gonna be so embarrassing."

"Oh, baby boy—you'll find out what TRUE embarrassment is if you argue with me again. If you do not apologize correctly, to each teacher, you're also gonna be embarrassed," mom says in a tone so dark, that even Taylor finally looks serious—He still had an amused expression this entire time.

I sigh quietly, but know enough to say nothing.

Monroe hands mom the paper, and she glances over it for a moment. She then comes over to the seat I'm in and yanks me up roughly by the arm, pulling me up to standing. "Let's go," she hisses. Then she turns around, staring hard at Taylor and pointing.

"If you cannot behave like an adult, then you can just wait for us in the car."

Whoops, he's in trouble now too....And he knows it.

He throws his hands up in mock surrender. "I'll be good," he says as a smirk tugs at the corners of his mouth. He tries desperately to stop it, but he can't.

Mom sees it, and her face gets even angrier. "Unbelievable," she spits, grabbing me harder by the arm.

~*~

The first class we get to is Kindon's—I'm already embarrassed. He's in the middle of teaching when mom knocks on the doorframe. He stops his demonstration of dissecting and looks up. He gets super flustered once he sees mom. She has that effect on most men.