Asked to Compromise

“Just because this is technically a break doesn’t mean you can stay in your room all day.”

I rolled my eyes at Haner, ready to shut the door in his face. Why he was here, I didn’t know. As soon as I made way to close the door, he held it open with his hand, slipping into the room. I gritted my teeth and turned to face him slowly.

“Just because you technically own this building doesn’t mean you can come into my room whenever you feel like it,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. I kicked the door shut with the heel of my foot.

“I can and I will,” He said arrogantly. He sat down in the desk chair, looking at me like he was expecting something.

“What?” I snapped. “What do you want?”

“First off, I want an apology,” He said seriously. “Second, maybe a thank you. Matt was definitely going to give you a second punishment for walking out like that the other day. I told him not to.”

“I’m not apologizing for shit,” I scoffed. “I’m not thanking you either.”

“You should. God, why are you so stubborn? What did we ever do to you?”

“It’s not so much what you did,” I told him. “I just don’t want to be here. I hate it here. I want to go home.”

“Acting like a child and throwing tantrums won’t get you there. Those kids that went home for break, you know how they got that?” He asked. “They earned it. They changed as they were here to do so. You only walk out of those doors after you’ve earned it. As far as I’m concerned, you haven’t earned a fucking thing, Priscilla.”

My eyebrows rose in shock that the whole professional teacher thing went out the window and he’d just cursed at me.

“So, no, we’re not trying to keep you here. Our goal for all of you is for you to come in and get out a better person. It’s our job. It’s why you’re here. If we’re too harsh on you, too bad. We’re not here to be your friends unless you want us to. I have other things to do than be on your case all the time. I’ve just been given the job of trying to figure out what’s wrong with you and how we can help. I’m playing fucking guidance counselor, for Christ’s sake.”

“Then leave me alone. I’m not forcing you to be here. I’m not going to talk to you like you’re a damn therapist,” I said.

“I’m not leaving. We’ve had to put up with your shit for almost three months and you can’t take it when one of us comes at you. You’re not as tough as you want everyone to think you are. I see right through that.”

“You don’t know me,” I said, biting the inside of my cheek and clenching my fists.

“Didn’t you tell me that before? If I don’t know you, then tell me who you are.”

He stood up, standing directly in front of me. He grabbed my arms and unfolded them, holding my clenched fists in his hands. I looked down at my hands in his and then to his face, glaring into his dark brown irises. I wanted to pull away from him but it was like I was stuck. He was stronger than me anyway, and wouldn’t have let me go.

“I’m just asking for a compromise here,” He said, lowly and more softly. “Talk to me this one time and I won’t repeat it to anyone. Then, I’ll get off your back about everything else.”

If it meant him leaving me alone for the rest of the school year…

“Fine,” I scowled, snatching my wrists from his grip and sitting on the edge of my bed. “What do you want to know?”



However many hours later, it started to get dark outside and footsteps in the hall made their way to the cafeteria for dinner. I’d actually opened up to Haner and talked to him about everything. Everything that had happened, everything I felt, why I acted out, everything.

It surprised me that he knew exactly how I felt and could relate to me from when he was my age. He explained that he and Sanders, Sullivan, Seward, and Baker had all been best friends since before high school. They were the “bad kids” and when they grew out of it, they decided to help other “troubled” kids. They started their very own private and accredited alternative high school.

I didn’t even know what happened. He’d asked me basic questions, like what my favorite color was and what my hobbies were back at home. We had some things in common; both our favorite colors were purple. But when he asked about my parents, my family, and how the trouble started, it got to me.

I was not a fan of crying in front of people, even my parents. Still, Haner had some type of comfort aura as he sat next to me. His tattooed arms wrapped around my back as I cried into his chest. He held me there, like he’d personally had all of his students cry to him at one point or another. It was no big deal to him.

I could say that I felt relieved to let it out and say what I’d never got to say to my parents. I felt weak and vulnerable for telling him, no matter how many times he tried to assure me that crying was not a sign of weakness. To me, it was.

I sniffled and pulled away from his chest when his cell phone started ringing in his pocket. He kept one arm around me as he took his phone from the pocket of his jeans.

“Hello?” He put it to his ear. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll be down there. Give me two minutes.”

He put his phone down, muttering under his breath about something. He looked back at me apologetically.

“I’ve gotta go, there’s some type of commotion going on in the cafeteria,” He said, rolling his eyes. “But thanks for talking to me. I always keep my promises; I won’t tell anyone what you just told me, alright?”

I nodded, wiping under my eyes with the sleeve of my shirt.

“Crying still isn’t a sign of weakness so keep your chin up,” He smiled, tapping my chin with his thumb.

I snorted and gave a half-hearted smile. He stood up with his phone in hand, making his way towards the door.

“Goodnight, Priscilla,” He flashed another wide grin and a wave before closing the door behind him.

I flopped back down on the mattress, staring up at the ceiling.

I made my decision then.