Page 56 of These Family Ties
“I wouldn’t say that,” Calder snorts. “It’s worked pretty well for us thus far.”
“No, not this time. Not today.” He looks back down at the paper and up at us, dragging his fingers roughly through his hair. “I can’t let you off easy this time. I understand why you did what you did, and I hope you can understand why I have to suspend you for a week. Both of you. Alara, your body is yours. It’s not public property, and he had no right to put his hands on any part of you. Period. Had you come to me, I would have handled Aaron, but Calder’s outburst changed things.”
“My outburst?! He had it coming.” He sneers at Principal Willemsen. There’s that temper again. Choose better moments, Cal. It’s funny how we’re constantly told to ask for help, but the only ones who can help can’t hear our voices over their own shouted opinions. Yet, when our pleas go unanswered- and we’ve finally had enough – we’re punished for pushing back. Seems our designated heroes are always a step behind justice.
“Yes, your outburst, Calder. When you attacked Aaron, you didn’t just get him away from Alara. You hurt five of your other classmates and took out a salad bar and the lunch line computer. That’s five other sets of parents I have to answer to and money I have to take out of the budget to make the repairs. So, yes, you’re both suspended for a week.”
“Her? Why the hell are you punishing her?”
“Because we both know she threw the first punch,” he deadpans, and I snort.
“Self-defense.”
“And the following blows?” Mr. Willemsen asks with a smirk.
“Aftershocks.” I shrug.
“Nice try.” He chuckles. “I tried to call your – erm – father earlier. No answer. Since you're both eighteen now, I trust you can manage to get yourselves home? Gather your things, and get out of here before the end of the fourth-period bell. Don’t talk to any students you see in the hallway, especially the guys Aaron calls friends. When you return next week, we’re going to move past this, and you two are going to graduate.” He leans closer behind his desk like we’re all in on a shared secret. We’re not.
“Then you two can get out of here and start your own lives. Away from this place filled with lingering lies and rumors about your family, you can both find happiness.” He seems genuine but highly delusional. What the fuck does that file even say? Mom goes missing in the mental hospital, but Dad stays semi-sane until he loses track of the second of three triplet wives? Wouldn’t surprise me.
“So the message here is that our future is bright as long as we get out of the house that you are sending us to as a punishment for standing up to Aaron and his dumbass friends?” Calder laughs, once again stands, lifts our bags, and helps me to my feet. He takes a deep breath, opening the door, and we walk out of the office, but not before he adds, “Understood. But it will happen again. We’re not gonna let this town make victims out of us. We get back up and fight, sir. It’s what our family does. We get back up.”
***
“Well, that went well.” I snatch the sunglasses off Calder’s head and slide them on, following him into the parking lot.
“Yeah. It was a fucking blast.” He fumes, storming down the sidewalk, only stopping to light a joint.
“We get back up…” I tease. “What the fuck was all that? Are you a poet now?”
“A poet?” he snaps. “Fuck off with that shit, Alara.”
“You don’t have to be an ass about it.” I stop following him and stomp off in the other direction. Let him chase me.
“God damn it, Alara. Will you stop?” I hear a groan behind me, followed by his heavy footfalls. “Look –” his arms slide under mine and lift me off the ground. I dangle there, looking like a fucking fool… walking in the air.
“What?” I cross my arms. “Put me down before people start talking.”
“Start talking, Alara? Seriously? You say that as if they aren’t already. They were talking before we could talk at all. So…” he lowers me softly to my feet, looking like a lost little boy. A drastic change from the feral man who lashed out in the cafeteria. “What happened in there?”
“Don’t do this.” I shake my head, turn back around, and start walking home. “It’s not important.”
“It is.” He walks alongside me, every so often brushing his hand against mine. “I love you, Alara.”
“Calder?” I smile softly, knowing how deep that love goes, and ask him the same question I’ve asked every day since my eighteenth birthday. “Leave with me.”
“Alara…” he shakes his head slowly.
“It’s okay, Calder. I know.” I weave my fingers through his, knowing his list of reasons is a mile long. He’s scared, but not for himself. He fears what could happen to me. I both love and hate him for that, but the love always wins out. Love is why I want us to leave. “We should get home.”
Chapter Two
When we push through the front door, I’m hit by the familiar and un-comforting smell of home. Stale beer and cigarettes smoke cling to this place like the fucking herps. We’ve grown up in a damn wonderland.
“Daddy?” I sing, swinging the door closed behind us. “We’re delinquents!”
“For fuck's sake, Alara,” Calder hisses behind me. “Why do you always have to get him riled up? Would it have killed you to lock down your inner chaos pixie for one afternoon? I was really hoping we could spend it alone. We really need to talk –”