Chapter Two - I'll Do Anything

Josh counted the number of cobwebs In Principals Rockwell large office. By the side were numerous trophy's encased in a large show glass - to intimidate people - Josh was sure.

He counted the files disarranged on the table, bellying the urge to get up and stack them right. 

He noticed the worn out chair that was chipped at its edges. He noticed the creak of the worn out chair if you leant backwards.

He saw the stack of books high up on the shelves that looked like it hadn't been touched in years.

There was a portrait of Shakespeare hanging on the wall, looking directly at him.

He looked at the name tag on the desk and wondered if Principal's Rockwell had a last name. Maybe he was just Mr. Rockwell.

Simply, he was bored.

He had been here for the last fifteen minutes and the principal still wasn't here. Maybe he forgot that there was someone waiting for him in his office. Maybe he wanted him to get bored and leave so he'd be under greater punishment. Maybe he wanted to leave him alone so he would think about his acts penitently.

If that was the case, then it was working.

Tremendously.

He must have been pretty swimming in his thoughts because he didn't notice the door groaning as the principal stepped in.

His spine stiffened and his previously arched back stood up straightened. The principal sat slowly in his seat. Then he removed his glasses and looked Josh straight in the eye who acted like everything else in that office were more interesting than the principal.

His tone was no longer friendly or joking, instead it came out gruff. "I take it you know why you're here?"

Should he take his chances? What were the chances that he'd get Into bigger trouble? No. He couldn't risk it.

"Yes- yes sir"

"Sometimes I wonder what's wrong with you kids these days. In my time- "

Josh rolled his eyes. There he goes again.

"Don't you dare roll your eyes at me child. I'll have you know that I can have you in detention for the whole year".

Josh gulped.

"So we kids back then didn't have the privileges you kids have nowadays. There were no computers, no laptops, no one to drive us to school every morning. With all these privileges I expect something more from you. Something better. I expect potential. Is that too much to ask?"

Now he sounds like my dad.

"And what do i get? Rogue students. I'll have to ring up your parents about this".

"Nooo, please". Josh pleaded, falling on his knees bringing his hands together like a Catholic receiving the Holy Eucharist. "Don't do it sir. Give me a whole year of detention. Put me in the Dramatic Club. I'll join Ms. Lily's horrible music class. Please". Tears were now running down his face and the more he tried to stop, the more they streaked his plump face.

"How did you even take hold of this?" The principal asked as he held up the incriminating piece of evidence up.

Even if I tell him, he'll say I'm pointing names when it was clearly in my hands when he caught me. Then he'll ask why I took it and why they weren't near him when he saw him.

And when Brent hears of it, I'm doomed. I already have enough bullying as he remembered the many times he was giving heaps of homework to do and when they poured his home packed lunch on the floor and stepped on it. When they struck him because they knew he couldn't defend himself. And how he could still here their insults ringing in his head. 

Worm. Fatty. Over fed guinea pig.

He had enough on his plate as it was what with trying to study hard for exams and coping with his father's alcoholic abusiveness. 

Mom would be disappointed. His dad probably wouldn't care. He never did. 

WHAT!??? You ask. That's a story for another day.

He didn't need more bullying on top of that. He lifted his tear stricken face upwards and sent a silent prayer to the Lord.

"Please sir, I'll do anything"

"Anything?"

An evil glean through Principal Rockwell's eyes as he awaited his answer.

The portrait of Shakespeare felt as if he was breathing down on his neck. His skin prickled.

Josh gulped. Then he said: "yes sir. Anything".

It kinda came out squeaky but you couldn't blame him at that moment.

🍣🍞🍜🍛🍲🍩🍵🍣

"Have you seen Josh?" Zoe asked as she looked around the cafeteria.

"Didn't see him in class today" Will, one of Josh geeky friends said.

"Maybe he's in the library. You know Josh's a sucker for books". Hunter said. "No offence" he added to the two geeks sitting with them discussing about zodiac signs.

"None taken". Seth, the smaller of them replied.

Zoe was confused. Josh wasn't the kind of kid that skipped class or the rebel type. He always like being on schedule. He even had a schedule for every day pasted in his room and a copy in his backpack. And he always followed through. That's how rule-abiding Josh was.

The thought of Josh breaking his lunch schedule didn't sit right with her. 

She gobbled up her lunch and stood up. "Where're you going?" Hunter asked

"Looking for Josh. You coming?" Hunter glanced discreetly (which didn't go unnoticed by Zoe) at the blonde girl sitting near the middle of the cafeteria. "No I'm good" 

Hunter wasn't gonna stop ogling Ashley anytime soon.

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Zoey trudged through the almost deserted hallways to her locker. She hadn't seen Josh anywhere. She had checked in the gardens, in the gym, in his locker, even under the desks.

She'd even looked in his hiding place in the library which had a 98% chance he'd be there but he wasn't there.

When I do see him - she thought - he'll tell me why he's MIA lately.

Now she just had to take out her books from her locker and go to her next class before the bell rang and a hall monitor saw her or worse - Principal Rockwell - the detentionalist.

Hunter had named him that. Josh had said that wasn't even a word,.while she just went along with it.

She approached her locker and twisted in the combination.

Tada!

A whole bouquet of red roses was stacked in the top. She brought it out and a valentine's card fell out.

She picked it up. It read:

Roses are red

Violets are blue

You don't know me much

But I like you 

You'd have thought she'd think something in the lines of:

"OMG! I HAVE A SECRET ADMIRER"

Or

"Who left their flowers here people?"

But she was thinking "Is it Valentine's already? And why are these flowers writhing?"