Page 20 of Something Rad
“That’s what I said, son.”
I let out a sigh, my gaze falling to the floor. When I return my attention to the principal, I have on the best puppy dog face I can manage. “I did it for love, sir.”
“Love,” Principal Whileyman scoffs, echoing me. “I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t know love if it bit you on your nose, kid.”
“Denise is a very special girl, Principal Whileyman,” I respond, deepening the frown on my face. “She makes me very happy.”
“Yeah, well,happyisn’t going to pay to remove the tire marks you just left on our gym floor. Or give those students back their first pep rally of the year.”
I shake my head, fighting the grin pushing its way on to my face. “I gave them a memory they’ll never forget instead, sir. And showed them the power of love all at the same time. I think it’s by far a decent trade off.”
Principal Whileyman blows out a long breath, staring down at his laced together fingers before returning his gaze to me. “Mr. Summers, I’m serious.”
“So am I, sir,” I say, holding up my hands. “Serious as cancer.”
“No, actually, that’s the thing,” he says, an edge of grit to his voice. “You’re never serious. About anything.”
I drop my hands slowly, my brows pulling together.
“It’s your senior year, kid. It’s time to grow up.”
A choked laugh escapes me. “Sir?”
“The stunts and wise cracks may have been cute your freshman and sophomore year, but they’re not going to slide anymore. You’re graduating this year. Why don’t you act like it?”
“I don’t know what you mean, sir.”
“Clearly,” Principal Whileyman says, shaking his head. “Look, kid. I’ve let you get away with far more than I’d let any other student. You know that. You know I respect your father. Your family.”
I bite down on the inside of my cheek, looking away.
Right. He respects my father. My family.
But not me.
I look back at Principal Whileyman as he speaks again, pushing the thought away and forcing my usual indifferent smirk back on my face.
“I know you think you own this school, Robbie, but there’s several hundred other students here that would say otherwise.”
“I don’t know anything, sir.”
“Well, finally something we can agree on,” he replies curtly, pulling a yellow notepad from his desk drawer. He clicks a pen open and scrawls across the paper for several seconds.
I lean forward, trying to catch a glimpse. “Whatcha got there, sir?”
“I know you weren’t the only person involved in this little show,” Principal Whileyman says. “And don’t you worry, your basketball minions and the cheerleaders involved will all have detention for the next week.”
I’m forced out of my seat. “Sir, no–”
“Don’t bother,” he says, holding up a hand and cutting me off. “They made their choice.”
My mouth closes as quickly as it opened. I do feel a twinge of guilt…but he has a point. And besides, if we’re all in detention together, how bad could it be?
“Well, if we did the crime together, I suppose we’ll do the time together,” I say.
“Oh, you won’t be with them,” Principal Whileyman says, tearing the yellow page from the notebook.
“Uh, sir?” I question, thinking I must have heard him wrong.
