“You can’t put your hands on other students just because they get in your face. Mr. Stone, please talk some sense into your son.”
“He’s not my daddy,” Sakani countered.
“Let’s go.”
The look in Sakani’s eyes told me he wanted to say something, but the expression on my face said he’d better fucking not. I was secure enough as a man that I didn’t need to exert dominance over a teenage boy, but I also wouldn’t let him disrespect me or any other adult in my face. Clearly, he was still upset, and the ride home would give him the time he needed to calm the fuck down.
“Mr. Stone, you can talk to him at home if you’d like, but I am still going to have to suspend him. Normally, fighting at school calls for expulsion, but there are extenuating circumstances in Sakani’s case.”
I didn’t like her condescending tone as she spoke about him, but I also wasn’t in a position to object. She already said she wasn’t going to expel him, so that was a win in my book. I could put up with her ass for a few more seconds.
“I tell you what. I’m going to give Sakani three days of in-school suspension. That way, he doesn’t miss any time or assignments. Hopefully, when he returns, he comes back with a much better attitude.”
“Thank you.”
I stood from my chair, and Sakani did the same. I didn’t bother shaking hands with the principal because I could already tell what she thought of us, and I wasn’t in the mood to try to change her mind. My only goal was to make sure Sakani was good to come back to school when the suspension was over. I didn’t want him to have problems with the principal or the students, so we needed to sort this shit out fast.
“What are you two doing here?”
We bumped into Shanet as soon as we walked out of the principal’s office. She had on a cute yellow dress with a blazer that covered her arms. Her pretty ass toes were on full display in the heels she had on her feet.
“They trying to say I started a fight, Dr. E. I ain’t start shit.”
“Watch your mouth.” I wasn’t trying to come down hard on Sakani. For one, I didn’t know how he would take it. Then two, I didn’t know if he was telling the truth.
Just because the school said it, that didn’t mean it was true. Somebody else could have started it, and Sakani was defending himself. Either way, I wasn’t going to know the truth until I got to the bottom of it at home.
“Maybe I can help. Sakani, let me talk to the principal and see what we can do about this.”
“You work here too?” I questioned.
“Yes. I’m just the volunteer counselor at the group home. I work here.”
Shanet had too many damn jobs to keep up with. Ironically, every job she had caused her to be in my business. She was already playing savior at the group home; now she was doing the same at the school.
“Well, we good. Sakani, let’s go.”
“What’s wrong with you? I’m just trying to help.”
Didn’t she see that was the whole problem? She was always somewhere trying to help. It gave me the feeling that she thought everyone except her needed to be fixed. I wasn’t in the mood to be anybody’s project, so if she wanted to fix something, she should start with her damn self.
“Like I said, we’re good, but I’m sure somebody somewhere needs your help. Go meddle in somebody else’s life.”
“Isyour period on or something? Because you seem to be in quite the mood today,” Aniya noticed.
“What? No, my period is not on.”
“Then why are you being such a bitch?”
“I’m not being a bitch.”
“Yes, you are. You’re a bitch to the kids, and you are a bitch to me. So spill it. What’s going on? Can you just tell me so we can get this over with?” she pleaded.
“I don’t know. Something strange happened while I was at school the other day.”
“Something strange is always happening at that school. You know better than to be over there being a counselor in the middle of the hood.”
“Aniya, please.”
