Icing on the Cake

~12~

“Please, have a seat, gentlemen.” Mr. Strands, the principal, said to us as we walked into his office. No greeting, straight to business.

I sat down. My heart was racing and I was ridiculously nervous. I was trying to act cool and I didn’t want him to know I was nervous.

What had I done wrong? Is this actually about what I think it’s about?

“Gentlemen, I received a phone call from Mrs. P today right after free period. She was relaying that you two had signed up to go to prom together. You had signed up for grand march as well. I called you here today to tell you that it is against regulations for two students of the same gender to attend a school dance as a couple.”

“What?” Calum snapped.

I tried to speak professionally and trip him up, without stuttering. “Are you able to show me where in the student handbook it says that?” I asked. “Because I don’t recall reading that in the student handbook.”

Mr. Strands smiled. “It’s not in the handbook.” Mr. Strands had a very loud, intimidating voice. It can sound like he’s yelling when he probably isn’t. It’s frightening, to be honest.

“Then why are we bound to that rule?” Calum asked.

“This is not up for discussion.” Mr. Strands said. “Now I cannot stop you two from buying single tickets to prom and being together at the dance, but you two will not go together as a couple and will not walk grand march together.”

“But-!” I squealed.

“This is not up for debate!” Mr. Strands yelled. Or maybe he was just using his intimidating voice. “Your tickets are voided.” He opened up his desk drawer and took out a ten dollar bill. “Here is a refund for that. Now have a good day, gentlemen.”

He basically kicked us out of his office at that point. Calum and I walked out. I started crying. Being discriminated against by my own principal for my gender and sexual orientation made me sick. And what if he called my parents? What if they found out that way?

Calum said he needed to leave right as school was ending, but he hugged me and walked away. I was standing outside the school building for a minute. I then heard a deep voice scream my name behind me.

“HEMMINGS!”

Notes

Thanks for reading, lovelies! Will update soon :D