Chapter 15 DISCIPLINE REFERRAL [DAY 1]
“You need to explain to me right now how you got your Discipline Referral.”
I was shaking. Cleo was beyond intimidating, “I-I was talking back-”
“Tell me exactly what you said.”
“I-I can’t e-exactly remember ma’am..”
“You can’t remember?” She asked sarcastically, “You lose your phone, and you get in trouble?”
“I found my phone-”
She completely ignored me, “you’re grounded.”
I was expecting that.
“For two weeks.”
That was expected too.
“I’m sending the doctor’s note to your principal.”
“What doctor note-?”
“You’re taking the remainder of the week off of school to recover from your sprain.”
“But it’s only a sprain-”
“I need you well for my studies,” she said before waving her hand dismissively, indicating that I go away. The moment I was out of her study, I stomped upstairs to my room, slammed the door, and locked it. I skipped doing my homework for the first time, and just collapsed down onto my bed.
Ignoring my responsibilities felt odd, yet satisfying. It was like a heavy weight lifted off my shoulders. It was a change.
“Two weeks,” I stared up at the ceiling.
I grabbed one of my cheesy romance novels and started reading right away.
I dreamt that one day the story of Axel and I would end up on someone’s shelf, and our love would forever stay engrained into the pages of a love story.
~*~
“Uh, hi…” I said to the old secretary who was currently doing work in the school’s office.
She ignored me and kept typing using only her index finger.
I cleared my throat, trying once again to get her attention. “Excuse me…”
She still ignored me.
“Ma’am…?”
Maybe I was invisible, because she didn't notice my presence at all. I tried clearing my throat again to get her attention, but unfortunately she still stayed as blind as a bat. I pretended to knock her container of pens over, “oops! Sorry about that!” I picked up one of the pens and put it in the container, leaving the rest scattered across her desk.
She finally looked up, but she was glaring at me. “What do you want?” she asked in a cranky voice, obviously pissed off she was disrupted.
“I’m here to serve my sentence,” I said.
She stared at me blankly.
“My punishment,” I tried again.
Her face remained the same.
“I got a DR last week-”
“Good for you,” she looked back at the screen and continued with her work.
I tried being nice, “So um, do I go straight to the ISS room?”
No reply.
“Ma’am?”
Still no reply.
“Sorry to bother you, but do I go straight there?”
She still continued to ignore me.
I wasn’t going to respect elders who had no respect for me.
Beyond frustrated with her, I slammed my DR slip onto her desk. She jumped at the sudden movement and stared at me in shock as if I had just stabbed someone in front of her. I was shocked myself that I had the nerve to do that, but I composed myself quickly.
“Do I or do I not go straight to the ISS room?”
“That’s rude of you to do, don’t you think? Could’ve gotten my attention politely,” she grumbled. I had to put invisible restraints on my wrists to stop myself from throwing something at her face. “If you do that again, it’ll be an out of school suspension.” She went back to her work.
She still didn’t answer my question. I grabbed my slip and before I left the office, I leaned next to her ear, “have you considered retiring a few years early?” I didn’t get to see her reaction, but it felt damn good getting back at someone who was rude to me, even if it was just small revenge.
I went up to the ISS room and knocked on the door, but there was no reply. I waited a little longer, and even tried knocking again, but no one came to the door. I pushed the heavy door open and made my way in.
The moment the door behind me clicked shut, my eyes quickly scanned the room.
I froze.
Air was caught in my lungs.
I swear, my entire body went numb.
All I could feel was my heart violently beating against my ribcage.
Axel Storm Spencer was currently in the room.
His feet were on the desk in front of him, and his baseball cap was pulled down enough it barely covered his eyelids.
He had headphones on and was sleeping like a baby. He was right in the back corner of the room. I looked over the teacher’s desk and saw a teacher in his late 40’s sound asleep with headphones plugged in both ears.
Justin was in the other corner of the room throwing paper balls at Ricky, who was sitting in the front row and giving him the finger. The door slammed shut and all eyes of those who were awake were on me.
“Holy shit,” Justin blurted out. “Look who showed up with a slip.”
Ricky was shocked too. The teacher and Axel were still asleep. I put the slip on the teacher's desk and tried to find a seat. I took a seat in the middle of all the desks there and put my head on the desk.
Ricky and Justin moved closer to me and started whispering. Justin stood in front of me with a smirk on his face.
“So what brings you here, nerd?”
“Dude, I think I might consider her again. If she quits being a prude and fucks me,” Ricky laughed.
I lifted my head up and flipped them off. They both started laughing hysterically. What was so funny about me flipping them off?
“Oh Rosie, you've changed,” Ricky chuckled.
“For the better,” Justin added.
“Changed since I left you,” I mumbled.
“She bites back!” Justin exclaimed.
I didn’t feel like taking any of their shit, “can you two piss off?”
They stared at me.
“Go jack each other off or some shit. Just leave me alone.”
“You are quite a girl Rosie, you are,” Ricky said as he wiped a fake tear away from the corner of his eye.
I just gave him a flat look. I wasn't planning on being nice or friendly to him anytime soon, considering all the shit he made me go through.
“Now, quit playing hard to get and get on your knees. I’ll shut you up with these nuts!”
“Fuck off Ricky.”
“Or what, what could you even do?”
I felt conscious of a pair of eyes on me. It wasn’t Ricky or Justin… someone else was watching in the room. I glanced at the teacher, and he was still fast asleep. Good. I smirked and got up.
“You really want to know what I'll do?”
Ricky raised his eyebrows. “Of course, the most you could do is attempt to discipline me.” He wasn’t taking me seriously at all.
I smirked at Ricky, “if you want to see what I'm capable of doing, try me.”
I got up from my seat as Ricky came closer grinning evilly at me.
“You’re playing with fire babe,” he warned.
I laughed, "you’re an open flame under a rain cloud.”
“Since when did you become so… challenging?”
His manner was so aggressive; I desperately wanted to leave the room. I just shrugged in reply.
“Was it when I dumped your sorry little ass because I realized how worthless you were?” He inched closer, “remember? You thought you were irreplaceable… always wanted to do things your way,” he spat out, “selfish!”
His words first hurt me, but I couldn’t let him break me down. I was in the same room as Axel, if he suddenly woke up and saw me crying, he’d probably see me as weak. I glared hard at Ricky. I wasn’t the selfish one, he was.
“You’re projecting,” my voice sounded far tougher than how I felt inside.
He looked a bit taken back by my tone, but obviously didn’t understand the meaning of what said.
“Some people are insecure deep down inside, and realize how shitty they really are… so instead of trying to accept it, they accuse other people of being that way.” I gave him a small smile, “and just for the record, I dumped you after I found out you cheated.”
He knocked my desk onto the floor and grabbed me by my shirt collar. I winced at the pain and tried prying his hands off, but he kept an iron grip on my collar and shook me painfully, “You piece of shit-”
I cut him off by kneeing him in the crotch as hard as I could. The old Rosie would’ve said ‘violence doesn’t solve anything’, but I knew it would in this case. He cried in pain and fell to the ground.
A stream of curse words flew out of Ricky’s mouth as he clutched his balls. Justin just stared blankly, not knowing what to do.
“Do something!” Ricky hissed at Justin as he held onto his crotch like his life depended on it. Well… maybe his life did depend on it.
I picked up the desk he had knocked over and sat back down in my seat. Justin looked at me, before looking back at Ricky who was still on the ground.
“Don’t mess with me, or you’ll end up like him.” I didn’t even realize I was capable of threatening people.
I smiled at him as he backed away. Ricky tried getting up, only to fall to his knees again.
Someone chuckled behind me.
I turned around.
Axel was watching amusingly. His feet were on his desk, and he was staring straight at me.
I didn’t know how to react. I felt my cheeks grow hot.
“Good job, Rose…” My heart dropped, “…aline.”
I almost sighed in relief, “thanks…?”
“He deserved everything he got, and more.” Axel placed his feet on the ground.
Ricky and Justin were watching us closely, but they didn’t dare say a single word. No one messed with Axel.
“How’d you get in here anyway? I thought you were…”
“A nerd?” I finished for him. “Stereotype,” I snorted, “don’t judge a book by its cover.”
Déjà vu.
He stared at me oddly for a moment. I held my breath, hoping he wouldn’t make any connection.
“I’ve heard that one before, Little Rosie.”
I completely ignored his statement, but focused on the nickname he gave me, “Rosie?”
He smiled knowingly.
“Don’t call me that.” Why was I being so defiant?
“Then I’ll call you nerd.” He was starting to sound like Layla.
“I don’t like it.”
“But I do.”
“Please don’t be a prick,” I turned away from him and avoided looking in his direction. Did I just blow one of the first times talking to him? God, I didn’t know what to say when I was with him. “You can call me Rosie.”
“Rosie,” his voice was so faint, so innocent. I avoided turning back to him, in fear that I’d faint if I saw my name actually come out of his mouth.
I grabbed a piece of stray paper lying on the next desk to me, and pulled a pen out of my pocket. I saw the door to the balcony behind the sleeping teacher, so I sketched it. But I sketched how it looked that night; the night I met Axel.
How his emerald eyes shined so bright, how he genuinely seemed interested in getting to know me, how he opened up to me, and how I felt like I had a chance. How my sliver of hope grew to the size of two slivers. Once I was done, I crumpled the piece of paper and tossed it onto the floor.
I needed to stop daydreaming.
Ricky was glaring at me from across the room while whispering things in Justin's ear. The teacher was still fast asleep, and glancing back I saw Axel looked like he was asleep too. His earphones were tucked into his ears, and he looked so innocent. I shook my head. I tried to avoid staring at Axel, but it was an impossible task for me.
He was so peaceful with his eyes closed. It was hard to believe, such a young face could cause so much trouble. His boyish features flared of the innocence his soul seemed to lack.
I smiled as I watched his chest rise up and down. I pretended to drop my pen on the floor, so I could get closer to Axel. I took my sweet time while I was on the ground to study his face up close without being noticed.
His jawline was so sharp, it could’ve given me a paper cut. His lips looked so soft, so kissable. His hair was long enough to cover his eyes. I felt like extending my hand out and brushing it out of his face.
My heart was still pounding against my chest crazily, yet at the same time, I felt calm. When I was talking with him this time, I felt like I was really myself with him. I didn't have to pretend to be anyone I wasn't. I said what I wanted to. Heck, I was even a bit rude, and he still said my name afterwards.
He was rough around the edges, and I could see passed that.
I kept my eyes glued on him, even as I moved back to my seat.
Faded jeans, a tight black tee, and worn out sneakers. I wish I could’ve taken a photo. It was a moment I knew I’d always remember.
“Isn’t that considered weird, Rosaline?” Ricky spoke up, “staring at someone while they’re sleeping?”
“Maybe little nerdy Rosaline has a crush on Axel!” Justin grinned.
“No one will ever want you,” Ricky made sure to add, “So why not save everyone some trouble and slit your little wrists now?”
That was my snapping point. I was a calm person, but that was it. Too far. I was far too patient with him before. I got up and glared at him.
“What are you gonna’ do? Knee me in the balls again?”
I smirked at him and shook my head. Without thinking, I grabbed a Math textbook and threw it at them. Of course, I sucked at sports and my aim was way off. I closed my eyes and begged it to hit one of their heads.
I heard a loud thump and slowly opened my eyes. Oh, it hit someone's head alright.
~*~
“I didn’t mean to hit his head! It was an accident!” I gushed, trying to convince the principal that I wasn’t guilty.
“You have changed Rosaline! What has gotten into you?” My principal was stressed out, “First you swear at me, then you throw a textbook at a teacher’s head!”
“It was an accident! I didn’t mean to hit his head! I meant to hit Ricky!”
Boy was I stupid. The principal looked at me with in disappointment and sighed. He sat down and pulled out some papers. He started writing on them.
“I’m afraid to say this, but you’ve gotten yourself another discipline referral.”
My eyes widened, “What?!”
“Actually, no- I’m sorry.”
I sighed in relief, but not for long.
“You’ve gotten yourself two more.”
My eyes widened again, this time far wider than they were the first time.
He nodded and smiled at me.
“You’re kidding! Please tell me you’re joking,” I begged.
“Next time, don't go around causing trouble. One Axel is already too much for us to handle.” He then waved his hand dismissively and handed me the two slips.
I felt like tearing up at that moment. I was so dead. My perfectly clean record was ruined by a bunch of fucking morons! I grabbed the slips and left immediately.
Once school was over, I walked over to Jaxon's locker. As he saw me coming closer, he grinned.
“How was it?” he asked, putting his books in his locker.
“I damaged Ricky’s testicles,” I mumbled, looking down.
Jaxon was quiet for a moment, before he started laughing hysterically.
“I'm so proud of you!” He laughed, “Finally got the balls to! Get it?! My pun!” He started laughing even harder. He closed his locker and locked it, and then he swung his arm around my shoulder.
“And,” I started.
“There's an 'and' too?”
“I was throwing a textbook and it accidentally hit someone else's head.”
“What do you mean ‘someone else's head’?”
“I was aiming it at Ricky or Justin, but it ended up hitting someone else.”
“Who else was in the room?” he asked.
“A teacher and Axel.”
He stopped walking. I stopped too and turned to him.
“And who did you hit?” he asked worriedly.
His hazel eyes were filled with paranoia and worry. I sucked in a deep breath.
~*~