How Green Becomes Wood

"If it was anyone else acting this way after assaulting two students, what do you think we do you think we would do with them?" Bernice asked, "Do you understand their parents could press charges? And all we have is their word and your silence."
 
"And they have a lot of words, don't they?" Xander retorted. "And if I talked, what would you have then? My word and their words. Works about the same, don't it? So it doesn't matter what I say. They've already had their say, whatever it was, so what's the point?"
 
She rubbed her temples, "Okay." Then she picked up her phone and dialed a number, or, rather, hit the redial button.

"Hey," she said into the receiver, "I do need you to come down here. Yes." Hanging it up, she sat back again, "I called Mr. Dark down here. Maybe you will be willing to talk to him if not to me."
 
Xander's confidence slipped just a little. He hadn't really expected her to call Dark in so soon. He'd thought she'd kick him out of school entirely and make him walk home - she seemed to dislike him enough the idea wasn't outlandish to him - or at least stick him in some kind of detention until the end of the day and then he'd have to face his foster father. He'd figured he'd have a better story sorted out by then or at least have steeled himself for Dark's wrath and, worse, his disappointment. He stared at the principal, stone-faced, and tried to hide the fact that his heart had picked up speed double-time.
 
Because Dark's classroom was on the other side of the school, they had a prolonged period before he made it, during which Bernice said nothing. Secretly she was hoping Xander would decide to speak, but she wasn't going to waste her time.

When Dark stepped in, he first looked at Xander, but he, too, was intentionally hiding whatever it was he felt. Then he looked at Bernice, "What exactly happened?"

"He," She nodded towards Xander, "attacked two students in the bathroom earlier. From what I was told, he jumped them without giving them a chance to explain themselves."

"Explain what?"

"They said he misunderstood what they were saying. Xander has not said anything about what began it from his perspective."
 
Xander stared at the principal's desk, not looking at Dark. He misheard them about something? That was the lamest excuse he'd ever heard! And he'd made up some lame excuses in his day. Couldn't they have even said how they made a joke that didn't land or something? Made a comment about his shirt? Literally anything would make for a better excuse. They must not have thought about it before running to snivel their little story to the principal. He still said nothing, not daring to look at Dark.
 
Once more, Dark looked down at Xander and ran his tongue over his teeth. He knew how serious this could be and knew Xander wasn't stupid and hadn't been that impulsive in a year.

"Maybe you can get him to speak," Bernice said, standing and gesturing to the door, "I'll be just outside."

With that she left, and Dark slowly lowered himself into the chair across from Xander. He waited for a few moments to see if the teen would speak, and when he didn't, he said, "Are you going to tell me what happened." But it wasn't a question.
 
Xander shifted uncomfortably and tried to hold out, but Dark's silent, even stare was far more effective than the principal's triangle of disappointment. "They were running their mouths about stuff they shouldn't," he said at last, his voice quiet. He still didn't look at Dark. "They didn't know I was there, and they were saying... stuff. I wasn't gonna let them think they could get away with saying shit like that. Not about nobody."
 
Xander clenched his jaw, trying to find a way out of this situation. He did not expect to be here! Maybe he should have thought this through a little bit more, but it was too late for that. Finally, he admitted, "They were talking about someone else, and they called them..." He hesitated a moment before repeating a few of the words and phrases the two seniors had used to describe someone of another sexuality in "unflattering" terms, to say the least. "Didn't matter who it was about. They couldn't use words like that. Hurts worse than a fist for some."
 
Dark nodded again, sitting back finally. He looked up at the ceiling for a few seconds, "This can be really bad, Xander. I do not blame you for wanting to defend whoever it was, but it is still really bad." He looked at him, still masking his feelings, "You are going to get into real trouble for this."
 
"I know, but maybe they'll think before saying stuff like that," Xander said flatly. "If they do, it's worth it. I know I shouldn't have, but I wasn't going to take the risk of them walking free. It's not like anyone would believe me even if I did snitch on them. They'd just say it was me, and in adult's eyes, that'd line up just fine with my image."
 
Lowering his head to make direct eye contact with Xander, if Xander dared to look at him, "I understand that, Xander. They should not have been saying those things. But that does not count as a provocation. The parents of either of those boys could press charges for assault."
 
"Doubt it. No one has the money for lawyers anymore," Xander said dryly. Finally, he looked at Dark. "I know I should be worried, but I don't care what happens to me. I'm not important. Not like that. I don't want," he caught himself before saying the name. "Others to have to live with that."
 
"Still," Dark emphasized, struggling to tell if Xander really understood how serious this was, or if he didn't care, and he was struggling with his own confusing mixture of pride regarding Xander's willingness to stand up for that kind of cause and disappointment over his methods.

But he didn't have time to say anything else before Bernice entered again, "Has he told you anything?"

"Yes."

"Well?"

Dark looked at Xander, curious to see if he would, finally, speak up now, or if he would continue to stay silent.
 
Xander glanced at Dark. He didn't matter, but... how Dark viewed him did. He knew Dark was upset over methods, but he had the feeling he approved of the cause. "I won't name names," he finally said. "Whether or not you believe me," he meant the principal, "I won't name names. But I'll tell you what happened."
 
"Okay," Bernice said, retaking her seat and staring at Dark as she did so, "you do not have to name anyone. Just tell me."

Dark folded his arms over his chest, but didn't rock back at all. Remaining firmly planted, he listened to Xander recount the tale once more.

At the end, Bernice sighed heavily, looking Xander in the eyes, and said, "I understand how that must have made you feel. And I hope you understand we take what they said seriously. But we cannot have vigilante justice in these halls."
 
If Xander had been alone, he would have asked her what kind of justice she did allow in the halls, but he swallowed down his response because Dark was in the room. "I didn't think you'd believe me if I told you. I knew he would," he nodded toward Dark, "but he's not the principal. So. What are you going to do?"
 
"Well. It helps their story didn't seem quite believable." Bernice replied, but her tone wasn't affable, she wasn't joking and she clearly was not biased in Xander's favour, "but unfortunately my belief in your side of events does not change the facts. I still have to suspend you. And this is, I needn't remind you, your second suspension. They may be a year apart, but it is still significant. I hope this may be the final wakeup call you need to convince you to try other avenues."
 
"Avenues like what?" Xander demanded irritably. He started to say more, but an aid tapped on the door and quietly murmured that the parents of both boys had arrived.
 
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