by Lea Coll
“Mr. Arrington, good to see you again.” My voice was surprisingly professional despite my nerves.
I looked around the room to determine where I should sit.
“Everett will be joining us. He can sit there.” Principal Bryant points at the chair in the middle, to the left of Mason.
I sat on the chair on the other side of Everett’s, grateful for some space between Mason and me. I didn’t want Principal Bryant to sense familiarity between us.
I smiled as reassuringly as I could, hoping to convey we’d talk later.
Margaret closed the door, leaving us in silence.
Principal Bryant cleared his throat, folding his hands on his desk. “We’re here because we have Everett on video, using the fire extinguisher in the boys’ locker room during basketball practice on Friday evening.”
Mason sat ramrod straight in his chair, his hands on his thighs. He no longer looked worried. It was like a mask had replaced any emotions or thoughts he was having. It made me wonder if this is what he did when he’d flown. Had he been in combat? Had he dropped missiles on people? Had he killed anyone? My mind raced with a thousand questions. None having anything to do with the reason we were here.
“I’d like to talk to Everett with you present. Then we can discuss how to proceed,” Principal Bryant droned on.
“I’d like to see the video.” Mason’s voice rang out loud and clear.
Principal Bryant turned his computer screen toward us, hitting play on the video. We watched as Everett came into view, holding a fire extinguisher, looking both ways before entering the boy’s locker room.
I snuck a glance at Mason. His jaw was tight, his eyes hard. “Everett will pay for the damages.”
“Let’s talk to Everett. I’d like to see if he admits it.”
He wanted to see if Everett felt bad about his actions. Kids tended to cave quickly when questioned, but Everett had been closed off with me. I wasn’t sure if he’d be different with his father present.
Principal Bryant pushed the intercom button on his phone.
“Yes?” Margaret asked.
“We’re ready for Everett Arrington.”
“I’ll call him from class,” Margaret said.
Principal Bryant looked from me to Mason. “Mr. Arrington, Mia mentioned you’d recently come home from your deployment.”
“Yes.” Mason’s expression was neutral, he gave nothing away.
“How are things at home?”
“Fine.” Mason’s stoic expression faltered for a second as he glanced at me.
“Sometimes in situations like this, where the mother leaves, or there’s a divorce, kids act out. I understand of course, but we can’t have students destroying school property.”
“I understand you want to punish the person responsible. I want to make sure others weren’t involved. Everett’s been acting out, but this seems like an escalation from his prior behavior. I thought things would improve with me home.”
“He’s the only one on the tape.” Principal Bryant’s eyes darted from Mason to me.
“It’s hard to believe he acted alone. You know how it is when you’re a kid you do things in groups you wouldn’t do by yourself.” Mason’s tone was reasonable.
I was mesmerized by the way he held his body, the matter-of-fact way he delivered his words. I wanted to nod in agreement.
“I don’t know about that.” Professor Bryant leaned back in his chair, adjusting his glasses.
Mason leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. He was deceptively relaxed, but I could see the muscles tensed in his shoulders and neck. “I do. You see, I was one of those kids causing trouble in school. I want to get to the bottom of this as much as you do.”
“That’s why Mia is here. She might be able to help us figure out what’s going on.” Principal Bryant gestured at me.
Everett opened the door, his eyes cautious. “What’s this?”
“We want to talk to you about something that happened on Friday night.”
“Did you damage the locker room with a fire extinguisher?” Mason asked.
Everett stood by the door, his eyes darting back and forth between us. He swallowed hard.
“We have you on video,” Principal Bryant said.
“You do?” Everett’s eyes widened.
He might not have known cameras were installed in that particular hallway after a fight broke out last year between the athletes.
“They said—"
“They said what? Tell me what happened, Everett.” Mason’s expression and tone was serious, holding a warning if he wasn’t honest. It wasn’t a threat of what he’d do to him when he got home, it was the voice he used to command his subordinates.
My eyes flew to Everett, who ran his fingers through his hair. “I don’t know if I should—”
“Are you protecting your friends? Because the way I see it, they’re not here with you now. I think they set you up to take the fall.”
“There’s no evidence that anyone else was involved. Why don’t you have a seat, Everett, and we can talk this out,” Principal Bryant said.
Everett sat next to his dad, his gaze on the floor.
“I need you to talk to me. Tell me what happened,” Mason asked.
The struggle played out on Everett’s face—worry, stubbornness, until resignation settled in. “Yeah, I did it, so what?”
My heart dropped. I’d hoped he’d at least be apologetic. The vulnerable boy I spoke to on Saturday was nowhere to be seen. In his place was a surly kid who had something to prove. Why the change?
“I thought you liked it here. You wanted me to buy a house, get a job.” Mason’s tone was incredulous.
“You want that,” Everett said, his voice tight.
“You don’t?” Mason asked.
My heart broke for Mason because Everett knew how to get to his dad. I leaned closer to Everett. “If you’re covering for other people, I want you to know they aren’t your friends.”
Everett looked at me as if he’d just noticed I was here. “What do you know about being the new kid in school? You act like you know everything.”
“I was never the new kid in school but I know what it’s like to be abandoned by a family member. I think I have an idea of what you’re feeling. I don’t expect you to believe me, but I want to help you. I want you to get past this, make good friends, fit in here.”
I glanced at Mason, who was watching me. I couldn’t discern his expression.
Principal Bryant started to speak, but I held my hand up. There was more silence in the office than anything else. My job was to wait the child out until they finally got the courage to speak. The clock ticked for a few seconds before Everett said, “They said if I did it, they’d leave me alone.”
“Leave you alone?” I sucked in a breath. Had I gotten this all wrong? They weren’t his friends, but they were bullying him?
“Yeah, they’ve been messing with me since day one. Leaving shit in my locker, notes, shoving me in the locker room.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Mason asked.
I didn’t want Everett to shut down because Mason’s tone was a little confrontational.
“Everett,” I said quietly, waiting for him to look at me. “What did they say to you exactly?”
“If I did exactly what they said, they’d stop. I was supposed to use the extinguisher in the locker room, making sure to destroy the kids’ stuff and Coach Pemberton’s office.”
“Did you believe them?” I asked.
“I just wanted to fit in. I don’t want to move again.” His voice was so soft I almost couldn’t hear him.
My stomach twisted painfully. “I know what it feels like to not fit in, but it will get better, I promise you. The choices you make affect your future. Is this who you want to be? Someone who gets into trouble? Someone who destroys school property? Someone who does what other kids say out of fear?”
“No.” Everett’s eyes stayed on mine as he listened.
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p; “Part of growing up is knowing who you are and your boundaries. It’s a continual process. I’d like to help you, but I can’t if you don’t talk to me.”
“Who else was involved?” Principal Bryant asked.
Everett’s lips shut firmly.
“Everett—” Mason chided.
“It’s okay. I can talk to him.” Maybe he’d be more willing to talk outside of Principal Bryant and Mason’s presence.
Principal Bryant nodded. “Mia will follow up with you.”
“Of course. I’d be happy to talk to him.”
“Everett will pay for the damage. Let me know what the damages are. He’ll accept any punishment you have in mind, but I want the other kids brought in too. I want the bullying to stop,” Mason said, agitation creeping into his voice.
“He hasn’t named anyone yet. I assure you we will do what we can to figure this out.” Principal Bryant said.
“I’ll talk to him.” Mason stood. “I assume he’s suspended.”
“He is suspended for three days. This is his first serious infraction. Thank you for coming in. I hope this is the first and last time.”
“Me too,” Mason said, pulling open the door so Everett could precede him out the door.
He didn’t acknowledge me. I wanted to run after him and talk to him. To give him advice, but this was something Mason should handle on his own.
When I was back in my office, I pulled out my phone and started typing.
Mia: I’m here if you need me.
Chapter Thirteen
Mason
It was my first day of my new job. I hadn’t even made it inside when I’d gotten the call from Mia. I had to tell Mark I had a family emergency. He didn’t press for details but if school kept calling me in for meetings, I’d have to tell him what was going on. I hoped I could handle Everett’s behavior before it escalated further.
“From now on, you go to school, and you ride the bus home. You call me when you get here. There’s no reason for you to be hanging out after school. You got it?”
“Yes, sir.”
I liked the sir. I wish he’d shown the same sign of respect in the principal’s office when he admitted fault. I wasn’t coming on too strong. My dad would have done worse if I’d damaged school property.
“We are going to talk when I get home from work. You’re not to leave the house for any reason.”
He was silent, looking out the window.
I wanted to ask why he did it, but he’d already said. I wanted to know what he was thinking, but he wasn’t. The frustration between his actions and what Mark would think of me built until my fingers tightened on the steering wheel, my jaw ached from clenching it.
“I’m sorry,” Everett said quietly.
Those two simple words calmed me slightly. It was good he’d admitted he was wrong.
“I never should have listened to those assholes.” Everett shook his head.
I wanted to berate him for his language, but it was more important to let him talk.
“I know, but you’re making things harder for yourself.” How do you explain to a kid that your reputation was everything in school and in life?
“I know.” His voice was sullen, defeated.
I parked in my parents’ driveway. I didn’t have time to deal with this like I wanted. I had to get to work. “You’re home all day. Got it?”
He nodded.
“What you did was serious. You damaged school property. The school could have called the cops. We’ll talk when I get home.”
His shoulders hunched forward, Everett pushed the door open, shutting it behind him. I waited until he was in the house before backing out.
“Everything okay?” Mark asked when the receptionist led me into his office.
I wanted to think Everett’s bad choices would not continue. “I took care of it.”
A few seconds ticked by when he didn’t talk. This was my chance to tell him. My gaze rested on a picture frame on his desk of him with a woman, presumably his wife, two kids, a boy and a girl. Maybe he’d understand.
No. In the military, if you were at work, family wasn’t a concern. You had to push out whatever was going on at home. Everything felt so far away when I was deployed. Nothing mattered but my job. “I’m not prepared to talk about it yet, but if it comes up again, I will.”
Mark nodded, but his jaw was tight. “I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt this time.”
The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I wanted to smooth them down with my hand, but I didn’t. The pressure was greater than ever to fix things with Everett.
Mark explained Cole Security’s operations. Then I met with the other pilot to look over the planes and what was expected. He seemed grateful to have someone to share the load, not resentful or competitive like I feared.
When I had a free moment, I checked my phone. There was a message from Mia.
Mia: I’m here if you need me.
A tingle ran down my fingers and up my arm. Was it a play on words since I’d mentioned needing her on Saturday? Or was she acknowledging there was something between us? The simple answer was she was merely offering to help me as she’d always done. She was a kind, caring person. Of course, she cared about Everett, and by extension, me.
My fingers itched to respond. What was the right thing to say? Thank you wasn’t enough. My throat tightened as I tucked my phone away. I’d call her later.
After work, I drove home, trepidation about how to deal with Everett built the closer I got. Should I take Mia up on her offer? She was a counselor. I’m sure she’d have insight on how to handle it. Maybe she’d learned something more about the bullies. I pressed dial on my phone before I could change my mind.
The ringing of the phone filled the space in my truck, my heart rate picking up speed at the thought of talking to Mia.
“Hello.” Her soft voice filled the cabin.
“Sorry, I probably should have called you at work.” Was she dressed casually, lounging on her couch with Stark’s head in her lap?
“That’s alright. I’m home.”
I cleared my throat trying to clear my head of the image of her in her home. “I’m sorry to bother you, but I wanted to talk to you before I talk to Everett.” I pulled into my parents’ driveway. I could see the TV through the window playing a video game. My parents weren’t home yet.
“Have you spoken with him yet?”
“Only a little. I said we’d talk when I got home.”
“Try to let him come to you if you can. Cook dinner, give him a safe space to talk.”
That went against everything I believed in. I wanted to walk in there and demand answers and the name of every single kid who’d bullied him.
“If you go in there guns blazing, he’ll be defensive. He’ll close up.”
I smiled. “How did you know my instinct was to go in guns blazing?”
She laughed softly, the sound reverberating in my chest. “It was just a suspicion.”
“Well, you’re right. I’m used to demanding answers and getting them.”
“This isn’t the ship. He isn’t your subordinate. You want to build trust. If you want him to come to you when his friends are pressuring him, you need to put in the work now.”
I ran my fingers through my hair before dropping my hand on the backrest. “This is so hard.”
“It is. I’m sorry. Kids are hard.”
My eyes still closed, the moment seemingly intimate, alone in the car. “Do you want kids?”
I don’t know why I’d asked, but suddenly I had to know.
“I do. I want them to know love. I want to give love.” The desire in her voice came through the line.
How could an adult deny love to a child in their care? My heart ached for Mia, like it never ached for anyone.
I hadn’t even reacted when Rebecca said she was leaving. I’d merely said that if that’s what she wanted she should do it. Looking back, I wonder if that hadn’t helped. If she was looking for a reactio
n from me and when she didn’t get it or she got the expected reaction, that’s why she left.
I scrubbed my hand down my face. What if Rebecca leaving Everett was my fault? That meant everything Everett was going through was on me. “I fucked up so badly.”
“It’s okay. I’m sure I will too when I have the chance—”
Her words hung in the air between us even though she wasn’t present. “Mia, you’ll be an amazing mother. You won’t abandon your child. You’ll do everything to prove they’re number one in your life.”
She laughed. “That’s what I’m worried about. I’ll be too much.”
She wanted love and a relationship. Two things I avoided before I’d gotten Rebecca pregnant. Then things fell into place, marrying her felt like the natural solution. She and the baby would be taken care of until I realized you can’t force a connection when there isn’t one.
“You can do this. Go in there. Cook him a meal. Be quiet. Let him worry about what you’re thinking. Trust me, it works when I’m meeting with students.”
“Does it work the first time?”
She sighed. “Not usually, but this is different. He’s your son. You already have a bond with him.”
Did I?
“You do. No matter how absent you were, you have a bond with him that is unique to you. No one else knows your life experiences. You know him better than I do.”
Sometime during our conversation, her words drifted over me, calming me. “Thank you.”
“This is what I’m here for.”
“No. You’re not.” My words came out harsher than I intended, so I gentled my voice. “You go above and beyond.”
“Sometimes the parents don’t like my advice. They say I’m interfering.”
“That’s because they want to be lazy assholes, not put in the work.”
“Maybe.”
“Trust me. You’re an effective counselor, an amazing person. Better than anyone I’ve ever known.” I was more open with Mia over the phone.
Mia would never leave a child or her family. Not because she was a good person, but she knew what it felt like to be on the receiving end. If she trusted someone enough to let them in, they’d have her forever. She was loyal, sweet, and kind. She was everything I didn’t deserve.