Chapter 22: Something Unexpected
Chapter TWENTY TWO
**Oliver West**
Detention last Friday was worse than I could have imagined. Kieran didn’t show up, which should have made me relieved, but it didn’t.
Mr. Denver, the detention supervisor, was nothing like what I expected. From the moment I walked into that classroom, I knew I was in for hell.
"Well, well, if it isn’t our little troublemaker," Mr. Denver had said, his beady eyes looking me up and down with disgust. "I’ve heard all about you, West. Fighting in the hallways, causing drama everywhere you go."
I’d tried to keep my head down, focus on my homework, but he wouldn’t let it go.
"You know what your problem is?" he’d continued, pacing around me like a predator. "Boys like you think you can act however you want, dress however you want, be whatever you want. But there are consequences for that kind of... lifestyle."
The way he said ’lifestyle’ made my skin crawl. He kept making comments the entire two hours, little digs about my appearance, my voice, my mannerisms and by the time detention was over, I felt sick to my stomach.
Now, walking into school this Monday morning, that tight feeling returned to settle in the pit of my stomach the moment Mom’s car drove off.
The endless chatter from students followed me into the hallway. They were talking about all the fun they had during the weekend.
I wished I could say the same about myself. It was one of the worst ever. As if Friday wasn’t already tough enough, Mom didn’t even allow me to visit William.
Every second I had to be studying a book in front of her watchful eyes. Well, thanks to that, all my assignments and projects were done and completed, and now I just couldn’t wait to "wow" all the teachers.