Hell School

Chapter Eight

 ... I thought we were...

 Principal Damon looked at us with disgust. He has never failed at seizing an opportunity to make life hell for his students. While I was on my misty mountain, it was eleven already, then Miranda's message came in.

'Where have you been.' 9:45pm

'Thanks to you I had to watch the movie all alone.' 10:30pm

'Don't show me your stupid face tomorrow at school.' 10:50pm.

 Her last message that came in was an emoji expressing her anger. I had disappointed her. who knows if I will still go back to school. Lucky her right? 

 At this juncture, I felt like I had sacrificed too much of myself for Ronald, but he has always been a good friend to me as well. His pitiful look will always make you help him. 

 "Welcome principal Damon," Johnson said, rising from his seat to give principal Damon a handshake.

 Ronald and I looked at each other. How did he know principal Damon?. We watched them exchange pleasantries like they had known each other for a long time.

 "Thank you for the call JJ," said principal Damon, grinning from ear to ear.

 JJ? Then it clicked in my head, Johnson was a senior at Meldow high. His slender, long legs won us our first interschool conference basketball league. I knew I recognized him, I just was not sure where. I was still in middle school then, when he made an incredible three points throw that sealed us the victory against the usual winners The Raptors of Hope Creek. That explains how he knows so much about the school's security database. Only an insider could know so much. I remembered I gave him my lollipop after the match.

 "Have your seat." He stretched his hand to the third seat in front of him.

 I am sure he recognized us the moment he set his eyes upon us. He knows too much about us for a random police officer. Ronald restructured his defense, while I lost mine. I jittered uncontrollably.

 Its not that bad right? No. It is not. It's not as if we did something dangerous. We did not kill Yvonne. Thanks to us no one would know she was dead. We are heroes. Yes we are.

 I tried to revel in my fantasy. But who was I kidding. Breaking into the school's security room is as good as breaching the FBI'S database. We could be expelled. Or even serve a jail term. No. I was not prepared for things like this. Like my mother, I just want to graduate from high school, then go to MIT, graduate with a bachelor's degree in Quantum physics, then find a job at a high paying tech company. Although my mother wants me to go to medical school and be a doctor. She wants me to continue her medical journey she started. 

 However, none of it will become a reality as this reality is about to flash in my face. Expelled. 

 Principal Damon at a glance flashed his egg sized eyeballs at us, mostly at Ronald with a frown. He despised Ronald for his indecent dressing. Bandanas are not bad, are they? Principal Damon doesn't see it like that.

 "Tell me," he cleared his throat, "what happened?" he asked facing Johnson.

 I saw pity in Johnson's face, but it was too late for that now. Pity is useless. He was hesitant for a while, looking at our faces, his taut smirk disappeared.

 "What is it?" Principal Damon's voice startled him. He was out of his rethinking.

 He smiled, "take a look at this," he showed principal Damon the video. I know he could have just lied and cover up for us - he just won't disappoint principal Damon. My eyes got wet, watching principal Damon's expression on the video. He glared at us, back at the video, then back to us - Ronald. It was clear what we were into. 

 "From where did you get this?" Principal Damon fumed at Ronald, who for the first I have known him, whimpered.

 "I- I..." Ronald stuttered gulping down a cupful of fear saliva.

 "What do you have to say now?"

He looked at me fidgeting.

 "We are sorry, sir," I said sheepishly.

 Our fate is seventy percent dependent on the board, while the remaining thirty is with principal Damon. He does not have the final say but has the power to escalate or minimize the drama. If you are lucky enough to be his favourite, which we were not - Ronald in particular, it might not even get to the board at all. 

"Sorry? It is too late for that," he said getting up from his seat, he dropped the phone on the table, "you will face the board tomorrow and the whole school will see you as a lesson."

 We expected nothing different in the first place, our only fear was the decision of the board. Suspension, which is still manageable. Or expulsion, without a certificate. No school in Meldow hills and its environs would accept us. We would have to start it all over.

Johnson peeked at us with his right eye, while watching principal Damon leave the office.

 "There is more," Johnson said reflexly. Principal Damon stopped. He c****d his head backward to us. His bald head glinted under the fluorescent light. He squint his eyes with intense inquisitiveness.

Ronald and I stared at Johnson trying to figure out what he was going to do. 

 "There is more to the video, to the story," Johnson said, rolling his eyes back and forth between Principal Damon and us

 He was able to bring principal Damon back to his seat and listen to what he has to say.

 "What is that?" Principal Damon asked with keen interest in what he has to say.

 Ronald and I wondered the same.

I guess he was trying to find a way of redemption for himself from us.

 "It is about Yvonne Sanders," he said in a low toned bass.

 "What about her? You found her?" 

 "No. But these boys said something about her death."

 "Death?" Principal Damon he asked. His sweat pores started releasing liquid. He became uneasy.

 "Yes. Yvonne Sanders is dead," Johnson said locking his eyes with the principal's. 

 He had the principal's interest and possibly bought us our redemption ticket as well.

 "Is this true?" He asked us.

 "Yes sir, it is true," Ronald responded with a reassured confidence.

 He rests his back on the chair. He was shocked. Principal Damon was no relation of Yvonne, but she was one of his favourites. And rumor has it that he once had an intimate relationship with her.