True Love is Not a Diamond Ring

Corina sat in the uncomfortable office chair, feeling like a prisoner heading to an executioner. She didn't care to look at whoever was next to her.

A boy in a lower grade walked out of the office, sighing and looking rather diappointed.

"Corina Ghirlanda! Taylour Dawsin!" The voice of Mr Brown it her ears, and she got up, casting a furious look toward Taylour, who had been sitting next to her. Corina entered the principal's office, stiff as a board, and standing up just as straight.

"Sit," he commanded. Both Taylour and Corina sat in the padded chairs immediately, acting like robots.

The burly man swiveled his chair to face Corina. His shirt was too small, Corina observed, and it looked like the shirt was acting like a corset. She grimaced inwardly.

"Corina, I understand you punched Miss Dawsin in the face yesterday?" Mr Brown said skeptically, gesturing toward Taylour, who had a smirk plastered on her face. It seemed like that smirk was engraved onto her face nowadays.

"Yes, sir," Corina replied quietly, staring with glassy eyes at her folded hands.

"Do you know why, Taylour?"

"No, sir, I was just with my boyfriend and she screamed and hit me," Taylour said pathetically, voice higher than normal. "It hurt so much!" She put a hand to her bandaged nose. Tears rimmed her eyes, but only Corina knew they wre fake. "She's been my best friend for years, I don't know why she would do that!"

"Liar!" Corina threw in. She gave Taylour a look that seemed like it just might kill. "She said she'd help me get back with the guy and the next day I went to Starbucks, and what do I see? Her practically eating his face off!" Corina spat with venom.

Mr Brown raised his caterpillar eyebrows, and said to both, "It seems you're both at fault here."

Corina leaned back, calm, and happy to hear that Taylour had been accused too, while Taylour let out a furious outburst.

Taylour's crocodile tears stopped, and her face took on a tint of red as she screamed, "What?! I didn't do anything! I didn't even touch her!" She hit a hand on the edge of the mahogany desk, and rose to her feet.

"On the contrary, you lied to Corina, tormented her via phone, spread rumors of her brother, and provoked her," Mr Brown interrupted before she could begin again, an out-of-place smile making its way onto his face.

Taylour uttered another nasally, infuriated scream, sounding much like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

"A week's worth of detention for you, Miss Dawsin, and a week's suspension for you, Miss Ghirlanda, starting tomorrow."

Corina stood up, grabbing her books and blue bag. "Thank you. May I go now, sir?"

He nodded. "Yes. Go to class quickly."

"Thank you, sir."

Taylour stamped her foot and as Corina walked away, she hear Taylour scream, "Detention? That's not fair!"

"Miss Dawsin, you may take another three days' detention also!" she heard Mr Brown say faintly.

A smile slid onto Corina's face.