Part 2

I’m sixteen and I’ve had my license for a few months already and even though I’ve asked very nicely for a car, so far Kiran’s answer has been no. It’s not that he can’t afford it, he says I don’t deserve one. What does that mean? It’s probably all the shit I get into. I get my sarcasm from Jessica and I talk before I think. A little mischievous like my father. I still feel it’s unfair because Kiran had a car at sixteen and he gave Malachi his fair share of gray hair.

So, here I am, waiting for the principal. I knew my father was on his way, I’d seen it and I would know for sure the moment he stepped through those big front doors. Kiran had an air about him. The other moms always smiled at him and Jessica says it’s because he used to be the Casanova of Seward. She still calls him Superstar and he always smiles because he knows more about that than we  do. I guess some things should stay secret.

“Kai,” Kiran said as he walked into the reception office and told Miss Harper he was there to see Mr. Rush, his old principal. She smiled broadly at him and I’ve never seen her smile unless it’s directed at my father. He sat down next to me and gave me this look. I couldn’t help but smile.

“What did you do this time?” He asked me with a half-smile on his face. Kiran could be very understanding, being a badass himself, he only really gave me shit when it was necessary, except with the whole  car story.

“Dad, Mr. Jones…” The door of the office opened and Mr. Rush walked into the reception area. Kiran stood up and shook hands with Mr. Rush.

“Kiran, always nice to see you,” Mr. Rush said and my father smiled briefly. “We can talk in my office.”

I followed Kiran inside the office and we sat down in front of Mr. Rush’s desk. I wasn’t unfamiliar with the room and it probably looked exactly like it did when Kiran went to school here. Photos adorned one wall and student files were stacked on his desk.

“What is it this time?” Kiran asked. I never let the office call my mother because she could blow a fuse when it came to me quicker than you could say ‘go’.

“Kai called Mr. Jones an idiot, in front of the whole class,” Mr. Rush said and I saw Kiran clench his jaw and glance at me. I could see the anger swirling in his eyes. It was the second time this week that he’d been called to come to school and it was only Wednesday.

“That’s not entirely true, Mr. Rush,” I said and Kiran crossed his arms over his chest.

“What happened, Kai?”

“Okay, maybe I wasn’t paying one hundred percent attention in class, but Mr. Jones stuck his ruler in my face and told me that he saw an idiot on the other end, so I just asked him which end,” I said.

Kiran burst out laughing and Mr. Rush was  clearly not impressed by that. “Shit, Kai.”

“This isn’t funny, Kiran. Kai can’t go around saying things like that to his teachers,” Mr. Rush said. He was reprimanding my father and I could see that the anger was back in his eyes. Kiran had a quick temper but Mr. Rush didn’t seem to notice.

“I’m starting to get the idea that Mr. Jones doesn't care much for Kai in his classroom,” Kiran said. I felt relieved instantly because he had my back. “Kai can’t ask on which end the idiot is, but old Jonesy can effectively call him an idiot? Am I understanding you clearly?”

Kiran had this way of looking at you that made you fear him. It was a wolf thing we all had but with him it was more intense, an Alpha thing or maybe just a Kiran thing. His eyes had darkened slightly but it was faint enough for humans not to notice.

“You honestly call me to come into school because you’re suspending Kai over bullshit like this? You can’t expect anyone to keep quiet when a teacher leaves that door wide open,” Kiran said. 

“Kiran, it’s not–” Mr. Rush tried to say something but Kiran wasn’t done.

“Fine, so Kai’s suspended. How many days?” Kiran asked him.

“Two days. He can come back on Monday,” Mr. Rush said, his voice sounding a little deflated.

“If Jonesy ever calls Kai an idiot or any other name for that matter again, I’ll see him personally in his classroom so he can pick on someone his own size. You forget that I used to be in his class and if he thinks that Kai’s got a mouth on him, I’ll show him where Kai gets it from,” Kiran said and he reined in his Alpha aura as he looked at Mr. Rush.

Mr. Rush seemed to be at a loss for words as he opened and closed his mouth a few times before he did speak. “Kai also needs to apologize to Mr. Jones.”

“Not a chance. Kai will not be apologizing to Jonesy, but if it’s that important to you, Jonesy can start by apologizing to Kai,” Kiran said and stood up. 

“Kiran,” Mr. Rush said, looking exhausted and not pleased at all.

“I get why you think he needs to apologize. Students need to respect their teachers, but it works both ways, Leonard. Jonesy can’t expect Kai to respect him if he treats him like that in class. I’m sure the two days away from school will give both parties time to reflect,” Kiran said and turned to me. “Let’s go, Kai.”

Yeah, my dad was a complete badass and he had just handed Mr. Rush his own ass. I grinned as we walked out of the office and back into the reception area. Miss Harper cast her eyes downward and looked at Kiran through her lashes as she smiled at him. I shook my head. It was just too weird to see her flirting with my dad.

Kiran put his arm around my shoulder as we walked out of the school doors and into the parking lot.