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“I don’t know. It’s not like him. I’ll be there in a few. Thanks, True.” He hangs up without another word just as I pull up to the school.
It takes me a few minutes to figure out where the school office is. This place is a damn maze. It’s a wonder kids make it to their classes on time here. I finally track it down, after asking two separate adults for directions, and rush inside.
Coop is sitting in a chair, his head hanging and hands folded into his lap, like he’s terrified of what comes next. His jeans are all dirty and his hair is so messy. It’s like he’s never brushed it a day in his life.
There’s another kid sitting in a chair on the opposite side of the room who is clearly much bigger than Coop, less worse for wear, and has a look on his face like he’s bored, except when he glances at Coop. If looks could kill... If I had to guess, that was the boy Coop got into a fight with.
“Coop?” I say his name to get his attention. When he looks up, I gasp and run to his side. His left eye is bruised black and blue and his lip has a little cut in it and is starting to swell. “Oh my god!”
Tears immediately spring to his eyes, and I’m filled with red-hot fury and cold ache for my sweet boy. “I was just defending myself, True! I swear!” He immediately starts crying, and his little body shakes so hard, I have to hug him tightly to steady him.
“Liar,” I hear the other kid mumble, but ignore him.
I lean back and grab Coop’s face between my palms and gently wipe away his tears, making him look at me. “I believe you,” I whisper. “Are you okay, sweetie? What happened?”
“What happened is he and Bobbie Fisko here decided to use their hands instead of words to settle their differences,” a man says, coming to stand behind us. I press a kiss to Cooper’s head and then wait until he looks at me.
“It’s okay, Coop. I’m here now,” I reassure him, so he knows I’m on his side, no matter what. “I believe you,” I tell him again, knowing he’s the kind of kid that needs reassurance. I stand and turn to face the older man, feeling myself shaking with anger.
“I’m Principle Oaks,” he says, reaching out a hand for me to shake.
I do so politely and lift a brow in confusion. “I don’t understand. Cooper isn’t the kind of kid who fights. He’s a sweet kid who wouldn’t hurt a fly.” That’s not even an exaggeration. He was genuinely upset at me the other day for killing a fly in the window instead of setting it free.
“Well, both boys are saying the other one started it. No one saw it until after the fight had already started, so we have to suspend them both. Fighting is not tolerated here.”
I furrow my brow at him. “Tell me, does this other boy, Bobbie, get called to the office often? Because I can say without a doubt that Cooper never has,” I challenge, knowing damn well Coop never would start a fight.
“Now, Miss, as I said, no one saw the fight. The boys were rolling around in the dirt at the end of recess when everyone was going inside and got broken up by their teachers. We can’t make assumptions based on past behaviors.” He crosses his arms, and I don’t know how I find the strength not to kick this old fucker’s shins, but I resist.
What a load of bullshit. The door to the office opens, and a woman comes in and goes to Bobbie’s side. He immediately turns on the water works and the mom falls for it.
“What did that boy do to my son?” she asks upon seeing Bobbie covered in dirt and his shirt with a little hole in it. But nothing else is wrong with him, while Cooper looks like he got his ass beat.
“That boy?” I ask her, not hiding the venom in my tone. “Your son is easily twice his size and obviously a grade or two ahead of Cooper! If anyone is at fault here, it’syourson! Let me guess, this isn’t the first time you’ve come up here because he’s beaten up a kid smaller than him?” I accuse, not taking this lady’s crap.
“How dare you! It’s not my boy’s fault, yours is a little troublemaker!” she scoffs. “With such an aggressive mother,” she screeches, stepping forward like her height will intimidate me.
“Mrs. Fisko, Miss True, please,” Principle Oaks tries to step between us, but I’m fuming. I lift my hand to the older man's face, silencing him because this old twat is also responsible for this bull shit.
“Oh, I dare, lady! I’m not his mother, but I’m a damn good nanny and give Cooper all the love he deserves,” I reply angrily, stepping around Principle Oaks to point a finger in her overly botoxed face. “You, on the other hand, suck as a parent. If your boy touches another hair on my boy’s head, there’s going to be hell to pay. You could learn a thing or two from me, maybe your son wouldn’t be so desperate for attention that he fights smaller kids just so you’ll show him some love! Teach him how to keep his wordsandhis hands to himself, you–” I pause because small ears are listening. “Brussel sprout!” I hiss.
I take another step forward and feel my hand start to raise. I'm not above socking this bitch in her messed up bitchy mouth.
But a pair of arms wraps around me, keeping my arms to my sides as they yank me away from the potato peel. A hard chest is pressed against my back, and I’m about to question why the principal thinks he can put his hands on me when I hear Milo’s voice. I hadn’t even noticed he’d arrived.
“Maybe we shouldn’t have a fight with another kid's mom in the office and just take Coop home,” he whispers, instantly calming me down. Well, mostly calming me down. “Thank you, Principal Oaks. We’ll be leaving.”
Cooper rushes to my side and grabs my hand, pulling me out of the office, with Milo quickly following behind.
* * *
Milo
All sorts of worst-case scenarios are running through my mind as I speed through the streets to get to my son. I trust True to have his back, but all I care about is making sure he’s okay.
What could possibly have possessed Coop to fight another kid? Was the kid bullying him? We haven’t heard him say anything before about being bullied. Then again, he doesn’t talk to me about school like he does with True. Have I been too absent since I hired her? Is this my fault for not seeing the signs?
I try to shake off the thoughts as I arrive, but my worry that I may have caused this by missing the moments I have been with Coop is plaguing me.
