Page 83 of Welcome to Forever
Click, click, sheeeeee.
When she got to the end of the hall, she realized the double doors that led out to the playground were propped open with what looked like a skateboard. Then she heard the kids’ laughter. There were two of them. Maybe three.
Click, click, sheeee.
She pushed through the heavy doors and turned toward the noise and the two boys she recognized all too well. Then she turned to look at the wall. “What do you boys think you’re—?”
The bottle of spray paint in Donald Williams’s hand pointed directly at her and gave anothersheeeeeeas it sprayed all over the front of her dress.
Kat let out a small shriek and started to chase after them. “Wait! Get back here!”
After a solid minute, she stopped and groaned in frustration. The kids were fast and it was hard to breathe through the thick smell of paint currently burning her nostrils. Maybe she should put up a reward for anyone who caught these guys, because at this point, she was willing to give just about anything to get her hands on them.
—
Micah turned off the lawnmower and wiped his brow. It took a second for the buzzing in his ears to stop. As soon as it did, it was replaced with a shrill scream.
Kat.
He jumped off the mower and started running toward the side of the school, adrenaline pumping through him like it did anytime there was trouble. He responded the way the military had taught him to. Quickly. Cautiously.
His stride ate up another ten steps and then he turned a corner, nearly plowing over two boys. “Whoa!” With one quick scan to see that the kids were okay, he understood exactly what the situation was. One of the vandals still had a can of spray paint in his hands.
Grabbing them both by the arm, Micah avoided the spray paint directed at him.
“Let me go, you asshole!” the kid on his left yelled. It was Donald Williams. And Micah recognized the other kid as Luis Grant. He was in Ben’s class.
“What’d you just say?” Micah asked through gritted teeth. “What are you two doing out here anyway?” He noticed more cans on the ground and also…“Kat?”
The same color paint that speckled the boys’ hands and clothing was sprayed across her mid-section.
He dragged the kids toward her. “You okay?” he asked, scanning her body with his eyes, assessing every scuff and bruise—and luscious curve.
“I think so.” Her eyes narrowed and she folded her arms at her chest, giving her that principal look that he had to admit turned him on. “We’re calling your parents. And you’ll be cleaning this wall after school next week,” she said, pointing a finger.
“I ain’t joining your stupid Friendship Club,” Luis said, keeping his gaze low. “I’ve heard what they do and it sounds lame.”
“I don’t think you’re in a position to be making demands. Let’s go.” Micah ushered the boys inside, letting Kat take the lead toward the office. He hoped these vandals’ parents came fast because he was ready to help her out of those spray-painted clothes. Time had been limited over the last few days, partly due to work obligations and his need to spend extra time with Ben. But he had nothing pressing to do right now, except get his hands on the woman in front of him.
As if hearing his thoughts, Kat turned back and raised a brow, a small smile lifting at the corners of her mouth.
She pointed at two chairs in her office and waited for the boys to sit. “Do you guys have any idea of the trouble you’ve caused this year?” She dragged a chair to sit in front of them and waited for their answer. Only a few weeks earlier, Micah would’ve wondered why she wasn’t screaming bloody murder at them. Now, though, he respected her style of discipline. She was calm and nurturing, and it seemed to work.
“It’s just paint. Don’t we get freedom of expression in this country?” Luis asked, evoking a chuckle from his fellow delinquent.
Kat’s gaze met Micah’s, then returned to the kids. “Sergeant Peterson fights for your freedoms in this country. Did you know that?”
The boys lowered their eyes.
“I don’t think your expressions are exactly what he has in mind when he puts his life in danger. Do you?”
The boys didn’t answer, but they weren’t laughing anymore.
“You’ve written a lot of things about the school.” She paused. “And me. If you tell me what you don’t like, maybe we can work together to fix it. I think that’s a better action than vandalizing the school and running away.”
Donald finally met Kat’s eyes. Micah couldn’t see him directly, but he heard the boy sniffling. Yeah, Kat was a good principal. Better than he ever realized. Not only that, she was a good person. She cared about these boys’ futures.
“I’m sorry,” Donald said, sniffling. “I don’t really think you suck, Principal Chandler.”
