The Headmaster's Secret (♡Completed♡)

47

Alex's P.O.V.

"You can't just take my kid."

"Marcus, you have no legal rights to Kaden.", I snapped over the phone, "Marie gave me full custody of him in her will. And I'm pretty sure my lawyer is better than yours, so I'll gladly take you to court and send your ass to prison. You're lucky all I did was get custody."

"Alex...", Kaden whispered from across the couch.

"Fine. We'll set up a court date. But good luck getting him to say shit about me. Blood is blood Alex. And you're not shit when it comes down to it."

"We'll see about that." He hung up as I sighed, "Don't worry K. I'm gonna handle it." He moved across the couch, hugging me tightly,

"I-I don't wanna go back there Al."

"You won't. I promise. I have a really good lawyer and people in law who like me a lot and I know they'll help us, okay? I'm gonna keep full custody of you and hopefully put him in jail. But it's gonna take some hard steps from you too okay?"

"I'm not ready."

"I understand that kiddo. But I really think you should start therapy and you will get to a point where you're ready. I think it's better for you to fight through reliving some really terrible shit to make sure he doesn't do it to anyone else ever again. Because no matter what, I'll be there to help you work through that aftermath and we'll get through it however you need. If you need therapy or to join a sport or extracurricular to avoid thinking about it, that's more than fine."

"There's one thing."

"Okay. What is it?"

"I-I don't like being on the first floor. I know I don't like heights but I hate being farther from you and Mia more. It makes me really nervous."

"Okay. That's an easy fix kiddo." I heard the door open and close,

"Dad?"

"Jake!", Kaden cheered, jumping up. I followed him into the entryway as he hugged Jake, "I missed you."

"I missed you too kiddo."

"Hey kid.", I said hugging him, "How's school?"

"Good. Great." He stopped, looking past us, "Hey. Mia, right?" I glanced back as Mia nodded from where she sat on the stairs.

"Mia this is Jake, he's my son.", I explained.

"You're way too old for him to be your dad.", she said to Jake. He hesitated,

"It's... a rough story..."

~~~~

Kaden had been getting really close with a kid in seventh hour. I let it go on for about a week until I noticed them both dip into a closet as the bell rang for fifth hour. The halls emptied as I walked over and swung the door open, making them jump apart from each other. I sighed,

"Boys you know better than to ditch class to... hang out in the broom closet. You both have detention tonight." Both of them clearly panicked as Kaden stepped slightly in front of Justin,

"It was my idea. He just went with it after I convinced him. He shouldn't be in trouble."

"You both made the same mistake in the long run Kaden."

"Life isn't about the long run, it's about how you got there."

"Nice try but save it for your valedictorian speech kid. Both of you get to class, now."

"But-"

"Now Kaden. Unless you'd like to have a separate conversation with me right now." He sighed as Justin walked off to class quickly.

"Please don't bring it up in class.", he whispered, "I-I know I screwed up and-and I deserve to be in trouble but neither of us are ready for people to know... that..." He paused, "But I understand if we're in trouble again." I laid my hand on his shoulder,

"Kid, it doesn't matter what you do, I will never speak a word of your secrets to anyone but you. No matter what. I'd never try to humiliate you like that. But you should also never be embarrassed to be who you are. In any way."

"Are-Are you mad I didn't tell you?"

"Of course not." He nodded a little. I glanced around the empty hall before sighing and hugging him, "I love you for you Kaden. That's it."

"I love you too."

"Good. Now go to class."

~~~~

Kaden shuffled into the house later that night, after detention.

"Hey kid. You alright?" He glanced at me but said nothing, dragging his exhausted body up the stairs to his room. I gave him a few minutes alone before making my way up to his room. I peeked through the cracked door, seeing Kaden on the floor next to his bed, two textbooks on the ground as he sobbed into his arms. I knocked softly, "K?"

"Go away.", he chocked out.

"I really don't wanna do that. Can I please come in? You should talk to me."

"All I wanna do is hit you Alex." He wiped his face with his sleeve before looking up at me, "Are you coming in or what?" I sighed, doing so and closing the door,

"If you even try to hit me, you'll be in an insane amount of trouble. Do you understand?"

"I know."

"Good." I sat across from him, moving the books, "You need to breathe and take care of yourself for a bit, not schoolwork. Why do you wanna hit me?"

"Because this is all your fault. If you would have just left him out of it everything would be fine."

"Kid, he did the same thing as you. I wasn't gonna let you take the fall and I won't in the future either. But you making a bad decision is not my fault. That doesn't mean I won't help you through it in whatever way you need me to, but it isn't my fault."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"It's okay." He paused,

"Justin's dad used to hit him. He-He wanted to come here so he could get scholarships and get into college but he's terrified of getting beat like he does at home."

"That won't happen." He stayed quiet. "How'd he take detention?"

"Don't know. He isn't talking to me."

"I'm sorry kiddo." He shrugged. "How'd you take detention?" His eyes filled up with tears again,

"I-I just wasn't ready."