THINGS GOT ALOT more interesting, after she said that, from the light puffy cloud it was into the thundering chaos of it all; I swore I could already see my Dad's furry. This was not how I thought this was going to turn up, I presumed its worst stage would be her; Mrs. Russell- solely counseling us then asking us to mend things and befriend each other, and shake on it, if critical maybe even a hug.

  As much as I hated to see Dad angry with me, the hatred of me being wrong was proving to be equivalent. She decided on involving our busy parents who I was sure would not enjoy listening to her voice. I then knew this woman was always against us ready to sell us out without a thought to waste, she decided on adding that anything next we'd say would be a waste of our own breath, and we were to remain silent until our parents got here. Without a single word uttered, our mouths were sealed shut, with our heads lunged down, though we had been given the terminal penalty.

  She had us wait outside as she called our parents, Mr. Lawrence made us sit next to each other, as he talked to the secretary.

  Branden and I didn't say a word to each other, we were too crossed about our parents coming to school to even say a word to the other.

  As I sat there all I could think was the dense penalty, that was aligned with deplorable behavior; Suspension for fighting, this was going to stain my record, I always knew from the start that it was a bad idea for me to start school. The first time I looked at the school hand book and all the rules, my first attempt was to get kicked out, that way I'd go back to being homeschooled, so far nothing's changed I still wanted to get kicked out but how was a nasty record like that going to get me into Harvard.

  I had been thinking throughly all my impactful moves and careful not to do something that hindered my future, but thanks to Branden both of our records were at stake. What was even more worse at that moment was the anticipation. The thin cold tense silence that I could feel, filled up every corner in my head, It was definitely killing me, the thick vein that stretched at the left corner of my forehead, making my blood thrust up into my head; causing it to throb like hell, as images of Dad walking through those doors, catching an entire gaze of his piercing cold blue eyes emerging into mine. All of it gave me a sick intense feeling to my stomach. I wished that I could just start this day again do everything differently, most importantly avoid that stupid fight with Branden.

  I felt that I and Branden's thoughts weren't so different. He looked like he was also thinking about the drastic; playing the moment when his parents got here.

  After what seemed like eternity of waiting and contemplating, I saw a lady walk in through the entrance door, a good five foot nine, she seemed to be, excluding those high heels, she was a slender, little over middle aged, blonde lady with an open plum face, exhibiting stiffness for some reason, on her angular face but I guess she was pretty.

  She wore an oversized white with orange striped shirt, orange jacket that hung on her shoulders it matched her tight short skirt, with a whole view of willowy, long legs, tucked in black six inch high heels and what a courtesy this was, wreathed on were thin black glasses that shielded her eyes, she took them off and I peered at her again, they was something about her face, I couldn't put my finger on it she looked really familiar.

  The lady glanced around as she stopped and turned, she stood right infront of us, and that's how I noticed she had a really dark shiny tan on, for some reason, she stood with her legs alittle apart from the other, that made her skirt shrink alittle, it was alittle . I prefigured none of us knew her, what exactly did she want, I was staring at her wondering why my mind kept on trying to place her somewhere; fix her into a part, a story, a face that I swore I had seen her somewhere, but my memory of her was vague.

  I was trying not to look at that skirt that felt like it was shrinking ever so often and try to only keep focus on her frowning face, I felt a nudge on my arm and when I turned I noticed Branden squinting his eyes at me, scrunching his nose in utter distaste, his features twisted- kind of like in disgust, I rubbed my arm and had the gesture on my face of He turned at the lady as he stood up, even in the highest heels that could fit her tiny feet, Branden was still much taller than her. Her slim hand reached for his face.

  ''Mom it was-'' Branden uttered.

  And I zoned out as his words seemed to trail off, it finally hit me, this woman And the images that were failing to fall into place all slowly began to fall into one piece, I looked at her closely and I realized it was Lilah Roberts Richards also known as Branden's mother.

  I thought as I glanced at the door as someone else whom I least expected to see, Diane walked in, I hazily got up and began walking up to her, preparing myself to see Dad any second walk in and leave me speechless.

  ''Hey.'' Diane said.

  ''Hey. Where's Dad?'' I asked glancing behind her, my heart beating like I had just ran some marathon, jittery was no secret on my face. ''Is he still in his car?''

  ''Um. . About that, his not coming. His actually in Las Vegas, he'll only be back by tomorrow.'' She said. Her words resounding a thousand times in my head, outlining each word that deepened as she spoke.

  She looked at me with pity in her eyes, sad and honest, normally I'd have some dull expression on, disappointed and really dejected but she didn't know that I was actually ecstatic that he wasn't here, and not for another day, I couldn't believe my luck.

  ''Alright.'' I said. As I began to briefly narrate to her what happened before all four of us were ushered into the office. Mrs. Russell talked to Mrs. Richards and Diane about our misconduct, she said it was unacceptable for fighting to go on between students and they had a discussion about what the rules said about being caught in fights,

  After a long boring conversation on the school rules, they had a mini agruement, with our guradians putting much emphasis on how we had been good boys all this time and maintained good behaviors, that it was just some misunderstanding because we apparently couldn't enlist in anything like this, Diane said I was a very tranquil and well mannered boy, '. And I wondered was that really what she thought that I was this Mr. Goody- too- shoes, I hadn't realized I had been perceiving such innocence.

  Branden's Mom also came to his aid and told Mrs. Russell of how perfect her son was, and I and Branden must have just being upset about something and having a talk about it. Right '' that was exactly how I remembered it. If she really did know her son she would have known Branden does not talk when he's angry, I found that out half an hour ago. But I bet she already knew that I mean what mother doesn't know her own son's highly obnoxious temper, let me rephrase that it was highly obnoxious that his mother didn't know his outrageous temper.

  I wondered who really knew this guy entirely, he was some closed book; opaque glass, hard to see right through him, from time to time, I asked myself the same question of, Who really was Branden Richards?

  Definitely Not what everyone thought he was or who he posed to be, he was something more darker and uncertain, but a prodigy that was for sure, an Ass hole maybe that too but somewhat different, tender, I thought.

  The way I remember this, how he sat, still with his hands folded together, looking a few times at his mother, as she defended him, even when he was suppose to look like some scared innocent kid, I still could see the mischief and sense in him that everything was going to work out in his favor.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  It came to our chance to explain on how our fight wasn't really a fight and how we seemed to only be arguing, Branden made the whole thing up as he narrated of how we were only having a disagreement on basketball and since we had the top ranks we were trying to come into an agreement on the whole practicing on the team.

  He admitted he got alittle out of hand when he jokely tried to punch me because of something I said but I ducked it and the guy, Federico who stood behind me got hit instead.

  It was believable she seemed to buy it, from my perspective I thought this was just it appalled me that a school so prestigious and blatantly severe still run

  , Mrs. Richards and Mrs. Russell were good friends, an obvious point was not that she had started showing signs of understanding, it was how obvious she was making it, I mean it was a pretty obvious lie and if she remembered which I knew she did we were both blabbering about a girl and basketball, it was frustrating sitting there and watching him lie like that, but if I chose to say otherwise, what exactly would I get out of it? Some field with Branden and his mother?

  Everybody seemed to buy his fabrication, it was alittle true in some way, I'll give him that but he wasn't joking when he threaten Federico or really did try to hurt me with that punch. But when all was left up to me to clarify Branden's story, I blacked. Staring at all those eyes, Branden's mother give me a stare that was clearly evident she wanted me to agree with her son and Branden was no different his eyes sharp and menacing, forcing me to go with it. They had the same eyes, deep sapphire blue, cold and arrogant.

  The cynicism. I looked down and shut my eyes in frustration, this trap I was in, I was not at fault he was the only to blame I never hit anyone, he started the fight, I was to chose my words wisely or else I'd find myself in a new chapter, what was so easy to do felt like a decision that could change your life forever.

  He should have thanked me, I wasn't selfish, I chose to sympathize with him. And like a practiced political speaker, I agreed with everything Branden said. Of course I knew it was wrong and he should have been punished, if not for my sake then Federico's sake, but it was suspension here we were talking about if I said otherwise Branden would be suspended and a week of detention for commencing a fight, I could but I wasn't heartless and to be honest, neither I or Federico wanted anymore hate, it was already getting out of hand.

  I shut my eyes as I stared at the main road as we drove back home, I mentioned to Diane not to speak of this to Dad, I told her I'd tell him myself when he got back. And she agreed on that.

  After we got home, I swiveled to my room, I wasn't so much of in the worst mood, we had been pardoned not just because of Branden's fabrication but our good behavior, she did although warn us any thing next time and they wouldn't be a next time.

  That was crystal clear to me the next time I did anything as stupid as that I would be on my way back to Rome to start out another new life by myself without Dad because I knew when he'd hear any of it not even Rome was as far enough to get away from him. I thought about New Zealand, I heard the people there were really nice. It was a good place- That Dad had never been to, I was sure he'd never find me there.

  I swung my door open and walked in, slammed my door closed, tossed my bag on my sofa and went to my bathroom, I was not to even to spare any moment on my bed, I knew exactly what always happened. The best part about today was that it was the end of the week. It was such a relief, I went to take the longest rest in my jacuzzi. I cleared my head all I wanted to know or think about was absolutely nothing.

  Although it was hard to think about nothing, I seemed to keep on replaying my day again and again to a point where I could no longer feel the silence. I shut my eyes thinking about one thing that seemed to repeatedly cross my mind, I was still wondering where Tino was in all this, I didn't see him before I left, probably because we left earlier than any one else, I wondered if coach Coleman was pleased about both his captain and his vice not being there for first practice, I bet he was fantasizing on replacing the both of us. Really thought he was because he decided on casting an entire team for the second time, replacing the previous positions, he was just the type to get both of us casted out.

  I didn't mind skipping today's though, I didn't want him to see me leaping on the basketball field, this was my shot at recovery, I thought of calling both Federico and Tino just to know how both of them were, I hadn't spoken to Federico either, after Branden and I were sent to the Principal's office. He was sent to the school nurse and probably was pardoned for the rest of the school hours just like us.

  I got out of my bath twenty minutes early, went to get dressed. Then back in my room, I sat on my sofa as I tried to call Tino. He answered the first try, he sounded well I thought as we talked, turned out he was well, just had some dentist appointment to attend to, he said it slipped his mind to tell me but after fence he just had to leave, I told him about what happened after he left and he laughed his head off, mostly at Federico's acting. And we talked about how the team only had two players if they didn't have plans as well.

  Then he asked me if I was really going to tell Dad about what happened, and I joked about probably telling him after graduation.

  After our call ended, I was about to call Federico when I realized, I had never saved his number, I had it in one of my notebooks, I grabbed my bag, stood infront of my bed then turned it upside down and tossed everything out, searching for my notebook, I stopped mid way when I heard noises, car wheel screeching noises, they were coming from outside. I scuttled to my window to look out, my eyes bulged staring at Dad's black Range Rover drive in.

  I broke into a cold sweat as I backed away from the window, what was Dad doing here, a day early from his trip? I fretted, as a cold wave run down my spine, making it go rigid, as I began to immediately suppose; if his coming back early was because of me. But Diane and I agreed I'd tell him, how could he find out, unless Diane went behind my back and told him either way, I wasn't skeptical about that, she had been doing everything right so far, and I bet she feared one slip up and she would lose it all.

  I paced around in my room thinking, about alternative reasons, my mind refused to believe he was here for me solely, it just didn't feel like that would be the cause of his travel back, I recalled when I was twelve; I mistakenly fell off our pool plank trying to do a somersault I landed on the pool side and broke my hand, he was in New York for some movie interviews, he did come to see me, of course two weeks later.

  It would be unlike Dad to turn around because of me, I paced around before collapsing on my sofa, I had exhausted myself of the possibility of he's arrival for me, I laid down as I calmed myself. I switched on my television, I needed other thoughts to help me think and remain positive in some sort of negative usual outcome, I looked at my television, I was watching some Netflix movie prior, it had resumed. I stared at my screen for half an hour before hearing a knock at my door, my heart skipped a beat.

  My whole body stiffened.

  That was definitely Dad, my hand run threaded through my obsidian locks as I pushed them back in my head, the knock felt like it was miles away, it felt so distant that I began to consider if I had just imagined it, but before I could actually regard it to anything else, I heard another knock, alittle louder and aggravated this time, I actually felt like I had just been thrown at a freezing ice bucket of water. The way I felt, the numbness in my limbs.

  I considered pretending to be asleep; my television noises were kind of a give away I was not although he'd still presume I was asleep but one way or another I'd eventually face him, the closest bridge to crossing was breakfast tomorrow with him, he'd obviously tell Albert to call me down, how long until he'd finally catch up with me and I prefigured that would be even more worse.

  I climbed out of my sofa, and slowly walked to my door, every step I took felt ridiculously frightening and fazed, fear knotted up in my gut and knocked at the sides of my head burning up, I got to my door held the door knob for a couple of seconds before swallowing my so called luck, I didn't know what was going to happen once I opened that door and faced Dad; what I'd tell him, I didn't think I could face him, look him in the eye and hear his judgment or the reason why he came back, but before I could even think of anything, my shaky hands opened my door, and stared at . . . dark cold gleaming blue eyes of gloom and climbing irk, that matched the color of my terminal feeling.

  In my years of living, I never expected to ever dislike seeing my own father's face. I had always been elated to see him, he was the face I hated to see go away for a long time.

  Any chance I had with him was as good as any extraordinary present, we had our tough episodes of hardly speaking to each other but it wasn't like spending time away from each, I recalled all the facetime calls we did together when we were in different residences, even though our conversations were only for ten or twelve minutes of inquiring about the basics it was still enough to put in heart that I didn't go a day without talking to him while we were apart.

  Right, those were the days, now here we go. I was sure that I didn't want a single sight of him, I fantasized that this would have worked out incredibly great with a long text message, explaining- Branden's fabrication.

  ''Down stairs. Now.'' Were the first words he said to me.