“Mmhmm. Sounds good.”
“Sounds great.”
“Sounds perfect.”
Here’s where I respond with a stupid regular smiley.
“Buh-bye babes.”
“Night!”
Could have done without the exclamation point. Also, I don’t like that I was the last to reply. But still. There it is — proof that everything’s changed. Proof that it happened.
Please be enough proof to steel my mood until I fall asleep tonight.
I look up at my window and see that the lights are on. I turned them off when I left. Beautiful. But you know who’s beautiful?
Nikki.
I have a date with Nikki.
Friday night.
“Mr. Warden to the principal’s office.” The way Halverson’s office goon says it, I don’t know, it just makes it sting so much worse, you know? I was in second period doing my best to just be myself, but since word got out about running and the demon on my back, I can’t focus on anything else. I feel like all eyes are forever on me, so I have to put up appearances like this is a twenty-four-hour reality TV show. That’s enough pressure, especially when you kind of want everyone to keep watching, but then someone gets on the PA and says those things. If you think being dropped off at school by your parents is embarrassing, being called to the principal’s office like some sixth grader is worse. I can’t look people in the eye on the walk to the office.
But then everyone’s buzzing about what Halverson might want with me. I hear in the halls their whispers, gossip already starting.
There’s talk about me being expelled.
For running the gauntlet? Really?
I hope not. I also don’t care. But then I remember what happens to people who are expelled, especially this late in the school year. Starting over at a new school for, like, a few weeks or something is like being sent to prison. If that happens, I’m finished. Like totally done. I won’t be able to go on.
Think about something else.
Think about something else.
I have nothing in common with anybody but I still want them to like me, especially now that it’s all like this. They’re all watching.
That’s a scary sentence: They’re all watching.
Almost scarier than having to go home and face a demon that’s getting worse with each day.
Last night… yeah, I’m not thinking about it.
I’ll just repeat the excuse I’ll give Mom if she asks: I decided to rearrange my room. It was getting boring and dull the way it was. Things didn’t move, exactly. It’s just that things went missing and I wanted to keep all the things I really need close to my bed, like I’ll be able to grab the thing before it tries to nab it. I kept my laptop in my arms when I slept.
It’s getting kind of ridiculous.
The office goons make me wait like they didn’t just announce my name over the PA for the whole school to hear. Rush me in here but then I have to wait.
I shiver and start worrying that it’ll start messing with me during the day. Then again, is “messing” the right word for this? Haunting is a form of hazing, right? I guess so. Not like I’ll ask anyone for clarification.
That’s just asking for more attention.
Maybe I want more attention.
“Mr. Warden—”
Doesn’t sound like she’s asking.
“If you’ll step right this way…”
Yeah.
I walk into Halverson’s office. The place is cramped, full of books, stacks and stacks of books everywhere. Halverson’s this kind of pudgy guy, probably in his late forties. He’s got bags under his eyes. Eyes are bloodshot too.
Bet he doesn’t sleep well either.
“Hunter”—he gestures toward the seat facing the desk—“have a seat.”
“Yeah,” I say because I have nothing else to say.
I sit down and wait.
Halverson looks at something on his computer — click of the mouse, typing something out — and then he turns his attention to me. “How are you on this fine day?”
It’s a fine day? I say, “Fine. I’m fine.”
“Good, good.” Halverson nods his head.
“Yeah,” I say, nodding my head too. I don’t mean to, but when you watch someone nod his head kind of like a bird, you end up doing the same thing. Sort of like how if you watch someone throw up, you get nauseated too.
“I called you into my office today because, well… frankly we’re concerned.”
I’m concerned too. I don’t say anything though.
“We have received reports about a Falter Kingdom incident.” Halverson goes back to his computer, typing something out, still talking to me though. “Frankly, I have heard everything there is to be heard about what happens in that tunnel.”
“Yeah,” I say. I’m actually agreeing. Falter’s got a whole lot going for it. I think.
“I obviously don’t condone what kids your age do there, as it’s quite dangerous.”
That’s also kind of the point.
“Frankly,” Halverson says, turning back to me, “more than a couple parents of students attending Meadows have called in, concerned with, well, you, Hunter.” Halverson leans forward. “I want you to be honest with me. Are you experiencing symptoms of a haunting?”
Frankly, I am. Instead I say, “Yeah.”
He leans back in his chair, folding his hands. “Well, that’s unfortunate.”
What’s unfortunate? I mean, what’s unfortunate besides what I already know?
“Frankly, my hands are tied, Hunter. You’re a good kid, but I must operate in accordance with the school board’s guidelines. Due to your condition, you are deemed ill and unfit to attend school.”
I’m nodding. I’m agreeing with him. “Yeah.”
“Don’t take this harshly, because I am more concerned with your well-being. Have you”—he searches for the right words—“seen a specialist yet?”
I shake my head. “Not yet.”
“Then as of now, there’s nothing else I can do.”
“Yeah.”
“I’m going to have to suspend you until you get checked.”
“Yeah.”
“Frankly, I don’t want to do this, but as principal of this school, I am forced to act outside of compassion. You do understand, right, Hunter?”
I nod. “Yeah.”
“You’re free to return the moment you are seen by a specialist.”
Someone walks in, one of those rent-a-cops, the guys who linger around like guards with no weapons around the school.
I stand up and walk over to the guy.
“Oh,” Halverson calls out, “I’ll need a note from the priest. Proof, understand?”
I nod. “Yeah.”
Halverson leans forward, resting his elbows on the edge of the desk. “Don’t take this personally, Hunter. And please get checked out now. Today. There are plenty of places that will help you. Do you need help finding one?”
I shake my head. “No.”
“Are you sure?” The way he stresses “sure” seems so strange, like he doesn’t have confidence in me.
“Yeah. I’m sure.”
“Well, all right then.” Halverson gestures to the guy. “Ben will walk you to your car. I know you’re capable of doing that on your own but, frankly, it’s a formality.”
“Yeah,” I say.
And we walk out into the hall.
Halverson probably said something else but I’m done, no longer listening.
I don’t know how to feel about the whole thing. I guess it should be bothering me but it still doesn’t feel real.
And I’m kind of excited about how people will see this. It’s going to be good. Suspended for demonic possession. Everyone will be talking about it. About me.
And then I’m thinking about Nikki. My date with Nikki. It’s hard to take in just how bad it is to be suspended this late in my senior year when everything else is going so great.