High School Troubles

"Our...our parents?"

The officer did not answer, but merely got up, walked over to the white telephone hanging on the wall, and held it in his palm. "Who's calling first?" he asked.

Jen sighed next to me and stood up, walking over to the telephone. When she took it from the officer, he went to sit back down at his desk. I could tell he was staring at me out of the corner of my eye. Jen started talking on the phone, and she sounded so calm though. Unless she was really scared, but good at hiding it. I looked down at my lap, holding back tears.

Oh, God. When my mom finds out about all of this, about everything. About Kassie, how I almost got expelled, and now, I framed a person for stealing.

I looked up to see Jen gently set the phone down on the receiver and join me again on the chairs. I looked now at the officer; he gave me a look that said 'your turn'. I got up slowly from the chair. My legs were shaky and my knees were weak. My arms felt heavy as I picked up the phone with a hesitant hand. I glanced back at Jen who gave me a weak and hopeless smile.

I dialed my home phone number as a warm tear slid down my cheek. Why hide it? It doesn't matter now, I thought. I listened to the long rings in the phone until,

"Hello?"

"Uh, hi. Mom," I replied. I wasn't sure what to say. How do I word it? How do I tell my mother I am at the mall jail? Or whatever you want to call it.

"What's wrong?" Is it only a mother's gift that they know when something is wrong?

"Um, Mom, I'm at the mall,"

"What, do you need me to pick you up?"

"Well, actually, I'm at the mall jail." I waited for her response.

She let out a small, stifled chuckle. "You're joking. Stop. Just, stop. Don't even joke about that. That's absurd. How can--"

"No, Mom," I cut across her rant. My voice cracked. "I am. Can you just, come?"

"Oh...okay." Then a dial tone filled the slot of her voice. I could tell she was disappointed. Or maybe it was confusion?

I joined Jen again as I took my seat. No one spoke. I guess we just sit here and wait for them to show up?

...

Finally, Jen's mom was the first to walk through the door. I looked at Jen. Her expression was still the same, despite her mom walking in. Her mom took a seat and asked, "Officer, What is the problem here?" She looked livid.

"If you can please wait until the other girl's parent or guardian gets here, then I will explain, ma'am." Jen's mom did not retort, but instead sat quietly in her seat, eyeing me the whole time.

A little while later, my mother showed up, and closely following behind her was Kassie. Oh, gosh. Kassie. Everyone found themselves a seat as the officer explained to the parents about what happened, what we talked about with the officer, and he even showed them the tape. After the tape was finished, Kassie spoke out in a purposeful and confident declaration,

"That was them. That was Jen and Amelia, right there. I know it. And anyways," she gave a deliberate sigh, "they've had a grudge against me since, heh, well, who knows how long? They've also gotten me expelled from my old school. Isn't that right, Amelia?" She turned to me with devious, squinted eyes as the corners of her lips curled into a sly smile.

I stayed silent. The officer, though, spoke instead, "What are you talking about, with this expulsion? Care to tell me?"

"Gladly," Kassie said. She sat up straighter in her seat, as of high importance. "At the beginning of this school year, I had first met my friend here, Amelia. We were good friends, but there was this one person that was mean to us at school, and Amelia came up with this idea to steal the girl's grades and pass them out throughout the school." My mouth dropped open in horror. "And of course, I refused her idea and we--"

"Hey, do you want to tell them the truth, or are you going to lie some more and make these things up as you go along?" Jen had jumped from her seat in anger, yelling at Kassie, who was still, oddly, smiling.

"I believe you'll have time to tell your side of the story later in due time, Jen," Kassie replied calmly. "So, if I may continue," she cleared her throat and went on. "I refused, but she insisted we do it. I could not, in spite of how hard I tried, convince her otherwise. And since she wanted me to take part in this, as she threatened me unless I did so, I tried to take as little part in her 'idea' as I could. Later in the school year, Amelia went to the principal with Jen and requested in my expulsion, blaming everything on me, and making people believe I came up with her foolish idea. Of course, I stood my ground and refused her story. She was angry, and didn't expect me to go against her, so she became mad at me. Eventually, it all resulted in my expulsion." Kassie shrugged and gave an innocent smile.

All throughout her fake explanation, Jen and I gave Kassie bewildered looks and scoffs, along with some shocked expressions of Jen's and my mother. "But that sounds so unlike my daughter," my mother said. "I highly doubt she did any of that." It seemed that no one was listening to her though, as the officer disregarded her.

"So," the officer began, "want to tell us your side of the story?" He looked at both Jen and I.

"Yes. Yes we would," Jen replied.