Enamour [boyxboy]

Chapter 44 - A Trip to the Principal's Office

Chapter 44

A Trip to the Principal's Office

•Ethan's POV•

"I was wondering how long it would be before this whole scandal blew up," Principal Walker says as I open the door to his office and enter.

He's pacing behind his desk. Jake, America, and Tyler are all sat in seats, facing him. I take the spare seat on the end, next to America, glad there's at least one person between Jake and I. Though I'd be lying if I wasn't worried about Jake and Tyler sitting directly next to each other.

The football coach stands to the side of me, with a deep frown on his face, hands behind his back while resting against one of the many bookshelves.

"What are you doing here?" I lean over whisper to America. She just shakes her head and shrugs at me.

I can feel Jake's eyes on me, but I try my hardest to ignore him and focus on Principal Walker.

Walker says, "it's nice of you to finally join us, Ethan."

"Of course," I reply.

Though it wasn't nice. I basically had to be dragged here by school security from one of the hallways I had ran to – to cry, to let it all out, to think. And while I was nowhere near done with thinking it all over, I knew one thing for sure: Jake and I must seriously talk.

"Now," Principal Walker says, "first things first, we have to deal with Tyler, which is why the coach is here."

I dread what's coming next, something I'm sure we all have realised by now – especially Tyler.

The coach clears his throat. "Tyler, I regret having to do this, but I have to kick you off the senior football team."

Even though Tyler likely knew this was coming, he speaks up. "You can't be serious, coach. I'm the captain!" He's lounged back in his seat, legs open, head resting on an arm that's propped up on the arm rest. He looks as though he's ready for another fight, despite the black eye, bruised cheek and busted lip – evidence enough that he'd barely gotten out of a fight that just occurred. But in his eyes – in his eyes, you can see his regret and disappointment in himself.

"I have to be serious about this," the coach says. "Even if you didn't throw the first punch, you participated in the fight as much as Jake did, and too many people saw it to sweep it under the rug, so to speak."

Jake speaks up then. "Please, don't kick Tyler off the team. It was completely my fault, I started the fight. Suspend me, but don't get Tyler in trouble."

I look to Jake. Though he's nowhere near as beat up as Tyler is, he still came out of it with a black eye and bloodied nose. But he also had regret in his eyes.

"We're getting to that, Jake. Your willingness to step up for Tyler is honorable. But it was too big of a scene to be left unpunished," Principal Walker says.

"I'm sorry, Tyler," the coach says.

"Yeah, I'm sorry too," Tyler says, getting out of his seat with a groan and leaving the office, but not before slamming the door behind himself.

"You can go now, coach. Thank you for your cooperation," Walker says.

With that, the coach leaves the principal's office.

"If you don't mind me asking, Walker," America speaks up, her tone totally casual, despite the situation. She doesn't give Walker time to respond, she asks her question anyway, "why am I here?"

"You're a witness," he replies.

"Okay," she says. "But so was the entire football team."

Principal Walker chuckles to himself a little. "If I'm being honest, I wanted you here so it's not just Ethan and Jake. I've heard the rumors around school, I know what happened. I don't need to be stuck in the middle of a huge emotional, messy teenage relationship. I've had my fair share of those."

We all laugh a little, despite the honesty of the statement.

He's right, if America wasn't here, it'd likely turn into a mess with just Jake and I.

"Besides," Walker adds, "I'm a principal, not a therapist."

Jake laughs even more. It warms my heart – despite everything – to hear that chuckle of his. It's one of my favorite sounds, and hearing it for the first time since the wedding makes me really realise how much I've missed and needed Jake.

Because even just his light chuckle could cure my heartbreak.

"Now," Principal Walker's voice takes on a more serious tone. "I'm sure you know what's coming next."

Jake just nods.

"Unfortunately, I have to suspend you. However, due to the circumstance and pretense of the fight, and the situation that you are in, I've lessened the sentence from a week to three days. So, you'll be back here next week."

Jake nods again. "Thank you, Principal Walker."

"Of course," Walker says. Jake gets up from his seat and leaves the office. It took every effort to not ask him to wait for me, to tell him I want to talk.

Walker then turns to America and I. "As for you too, it's been a big day, so I'm give you the rest of the day off."

Both America and I mutter thank you's simultaneously.

"Now, get out of my office. That's enough drama for one day."

America and I exit the office, turning left down the hallway. I barely make it two steps before someone behind me speaks.

"Ethan."

I turn around. It's Jake. Waiting for me.

I turn back to America, holding up one finger, indicating to just wait a minute. She nods and smiles at me, making her way halfway down the hallway to give Jake and I some privacy.

As I walk up to Jake, I notice his hazel eyes. They're so hopeful.

"Hi," I say awkwardly. I'd hug him if we weren't in such a difficult situation.

Then he starts. "I'm so sorry, Ethan. I'm so sorry I got into that fight, and I'm so sorry it was with Tyler because that's the last person I wanted to fight with, I promise you. Hell, I didn't even want to get into a fight. I was just so angry because we hadn't talked, and I had messed everything up. And I swear to god I don't blame you for anything that happened between you and Tyler because I'm hardly one to judge. I'm just sorry for fucking this all up and-"

I place a finger to Jake's lips to hush him. Sadly, I can't shut him up with a kiss right now, so a finger is the next best thing.

"Jake?"

"Yes?" He muffles between his lips that I still have my finger pressed lightly against.

"Shut up." His eyes fill with laughter then, and he smiles a little. I feel pieces of my heart slowly form back into place knowing I put that smile on his face rather than the past few weeks of constant sadness. "I want to talk to you, I really do, just not yet, not right now."

He nods. I remove my finger from his lips. Immediately I miss the presence of his skin on mine, of his soft pink lips.

"I understand," he says, and even though he's not smiling anymore, his eyes are shining with hopefulness and happiness.

"Just wait for my call?"

"I'll wait, even if I'm old and wrinkly."

I laugh lightly at him. "Thank you," I say.

"I'm sorry, again, Ethan," he says. But I put my lip back on his fingers.

"No more apologies, you have nothing to be sorry for."

He nods.

I turn around and walk back to America. She wraps an arm around my shoulder.