“Perhaps you should have thought of the consequences when you were committing the vandalism, Mr. Voss. You are still a minor, and alerting your parents is the next thing on my list.”
“Please don’t!” I’m begging. Crumbling in front of the girl I care about. I take a deep breath. “I’ll do anything. I can pay to have it fixed. I’ll do community service. Anything, please. You can’t tell them. Or tell my mom if you have to, but not my dad. Please, sir.”
Principal Walsh gives me a curious look.
For the first time since I got here, Clarissa speaks up. “Don’t tell his parents,” she says, her voice sounding resigned.
I look over gratefully at her, pleading with my eyes for her to forgive me. She looks away.
“Very well,” Principal Walsh says with a heavy sigh. “I won’t tell your parents at this moment. However, you will pay for the cost of rebuilding the greenhouse.”
“Yes,” I say. “Of course.”
He goes on, “You will help Mrs. Vale rebuild the greenhouse.”
“I’ll be happy to.”
She scowls.
Principal Walsh continues, “And you are kicked off the soccer team.”
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. Soccer has been my one constant since I was five years old. It’s where my heart is. Where my friends are. It’s the sole source of every friendship I have, both on the team and off it. I am a soccer player. That’s who I am.
But the other option is impossible. I lower my head and swallow the lump in my throat. “Yes, sir.”
“If you make good on your promise to fix the greenhouse, then I see no reason why your parents will need to be contacted. However, should they inquire about why you’re off the team—”
“They won’t,” I say, trying not to snort sarcastically. “They don’t care what I do in school.”
He nods once. “I will let Linda Bradley know that you’ve agreed to fix what you’ve done. You’re lucky that she doesn’t want to press charges, son. I hope you’ll learn a lesson from this.”
“I have,” I say, glancing at Clarissa again, but she’s pretending I don’t exist. “I swear I’ll never do anything like that again.”
“Good. You’re dismissed.”
Clarissa bolts out of her chair and slips out of the office before I can even catch my breath.
“Thank you,” I tell the principal and then I grab my backpack and rush after her. She’s already out of the main office and down the hallway, walking like she’s afraid a monster is chasing her.
Is that what I am?
I can’t be. I’m a good guy. I made a mistake.
I lied to her. But that won’t happen again.
“Clarissa!” I call out, jogging to catch up with her. “Hey. Wait, please.”
She clenches her jaw but she keeps walking, even with me by her side. I was worried she might actually run away from me.
“Please,” I say, touching her shoulder.
“Don’t touch me.” Her words are venom, and I yank my hand away.
“Clarissa, please. Let me explain.”
“There is nothing to explain,” she says, stopping quickly. She meets my gaze, and her eyes are hard, angry, and nothing like they were last night. “You lied to me.”
I go to say something but she holds up a hand, stopping me. “Don’t talk to me. I will get you a list of supplies for my greenhouse and then we are never speaking again.”
