Hell School

Chapter 11

 the unending trial...

 I inhaled and exhaled sharply as the door opened. We entered and it shut itself.

 It was the gathering of old nerds and geeks alike. A couple of four eyed men and women stared at us. They readjusted their glasses a few number of times, before calling us to take our sit. 

 The room was curtained perfectly, preventing any ray of light from entering the room and killing every noise on the outside. 

 The room smacked of strong lemon flavored tea, and fresh ccrackers. The round table was really round with Ronald and I sitting at the front edge of the table, where every eye can see us. 

 Principal Damon was not on the table and we were shocked. He stood on a podium like a coordinating umpire. He was the one who tabled our offence before the twenty seven men and women making up the round table.

 Some of them looked familiar; we'd seen them on TV talk shows, public seminars giving speeches. They looked old - over fifty years except one man. He looked younger than the rest. Like the rest of them he was dressed in black suit and a blue tie. Unlike the rest of them, he had no need for round or box eyed glasses. They scanned us with scrutiny, looking up and down our body.

 "Where is your neck tie?" One of them asked pointing to me.

The room echoed his voice. The coldness went down my spine, as I dipped my hands into my pocket and squeeze out the brown tie.

 If first impression were going to be our judgement criteria, then I am way past guilty. Ronald came prepared. His cloth was neatly ironed, including his shirt's polo was supposed to be flied on a random day. He snickered at me, as I tried to knot the tie. I made a couple of mistakes nervously but I eventually did it. They watched me make a tomfoolery of myself and noted it down.

 "Welcome to the board once again, men and women of the Round table," Principal Damon said flagging off the trial and they all responded with muffled speech and a slight nudge of their heads forward.

 "This school's disciplinary strictness is not a new thing to everyone sitted here," he cleared his throat, then continued, "students compliance to the rules and regulations of the school and of the society is of high importance in building them for the outside world," he gazed at us, adjusting his tie, "nevertheless, in the process of discipline, the place of leniency should not be overlooked, irregardless of the offence."

 There was a moment of mumbling amongst the board. Principal Damon has never sounded like that. As a matter of fact, the word 'leniency' and everything related to it does not exist in his diary. We were not his favourites, despite the fact that I have never missed a class or missed an 'A', he just doesn't seem to show me his good side. But today, it was clear he was definitely taking our sides.

 "What do you mean by leniency?" The young man asked with a puzzled look.

 "Yes, Principal Damon what do you mean by that?" Another asked, goggling at us through his round eyed glasses, "are they related to you?" He said, taking a sip of his tea.

I frowned at him, so did Ronald. His decision alone does not matter, but his words can influence the other board members to give us a harsh punishment.

 "No, they are not family and what meant was that they are final year student," Principal Damon went on, "and giving them a harsh punishment could taint their reputations within the society," he added.

 "Should that not be the more reason why they are supposed to adhere to the rules and regulations of the school?" The man said, and they all agreed.

 "True, but it should be considered that these boys have never been on the black book,' Principal Damon replied, "so a warning should suffice."

Ronald and I watched Principal Damon plead our cause, and we smiled at each other. He must be worried about the news of Yvonne's death, but he had something more to his actions.

 "You could have done that yourself, why call a board?" The young man questioned.

 "Their offences needs to reach the ears if the board," Principal Damon replied.

 The man sitted directly opposite to us, the only man we could identify clearly, probably the head of the table, cleared his throat, "let us hear them," he said. 

 "Student 1312 - Jimmy Pearson: unauthorized breaching of the school's security room and CCTV database only," Ellie's voice echoed in the room. My heart started to beat really fast as I heard my offence. It sounded bigger than the act itself. 

 "Student 1313 - Ronald Hart: masterminded the unauthorized breaching of the school's security room and CCTV database together with his accomplice. s*x within the school premises and cutting out the footage," Ellie announced.

 Ronald was very composed and call after hearing his offence. He would be expelled I exposed him stealing the school's hard drive but I wouldn't do that. The CCTV footage of how everything went was then displayed on the projector screen except the s*x tape.

 "What do you have to say for yourselves?" The head of the table asked us.

 "We are..."

 "We are sorry sir and such won't repeat itself," Ronald said, cutting me off. He made me sound even more stupid. Although I wanted to plead guilty as well, but cutting me off was not it.

 I just prayed for the trial to be over with and I will give him a piece of my mind.

 After much deliberation from the board, they decided to vote. The room became rowdy and unsettled. Each member voted for either a definite or indefinite suspension for me, while for Ronald it was either an indefinite suspension or a permanent expulsion. 

 After thirty minutes, the voting was over and our fates was decided.

 "After a split decision from the table and the principal," Ellie said, "Student 1312 - Jimmy Pearson and Student 1313 - Ronald Hart are hereby on an indefinite suspension, but will be allowed to participate in the school's upcoming Hell week."

 My ears tingled. We both get the same punishment for different offence. Ronald plastered a smirk on his face knowing fully well that I was only an accomplice, but there is no pleading with the Round table. The unending trial was over and the Hell week was the only thing I could look forward to.

 "You may now take your leave," Ellie said.