Chapter 9: PUNISHED

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Charlotte Cane

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"Jesus, Kevin!" Alex shoved him, and Kevin burst into a riot of laughter with every jab from Alex.

Avoiding another shove from Alex, Kevin glanced at me and almost instantly his laughter increased. I'm not sure what was so funny to warrant the roar of unpleasant hoots and cackles from him, but obviously something about the blank, puzzled response on my face was enough.

"Don't listen to him, alright Charlotte?" Alex turned a concerned gaze on me. "This situation is already awkward enough, so I understand if you to just completely run away from us because someone---," he shoved Kevin again, "is acting like a creep."

"Relax bro, its not like she even knows it means." Kevin chortled between laughs. "I bet she doesn't even know what por---."

Kevin's voice was cut short when a familiar, fully throated, powerful woman's voice invaded our ears.

"What in the world is going on here?" Mrs. Parker, the girl's track and field coach, stepped inside of the bathroom. With a sharp frown and a heavy glare, she examined the three of us. "Passing period is already over. What the hell are you 3 doing in here? Especially you, Ms. Cane." Her finger darted towards me in an accusatory stance. "I'd expect Alex and Kevin in the boy's bathroom but most certainly not you, Ms. Cane."

I felt like my heart was going to stop. "I-I-I." My face was burning hot, and I could only manage to stammer as embarrassment and shame slammed into me. "I was...I wasn't I made, I-I."

"Enough." Mrs. Parker looked away from me with a groan and instead directed her booming voice to Alex and Kevin. "Alex! Kevin!"

"What's up Coach Parker?" Kevin slyly smiled, as if we weren't going to get in the most trouble with one of the school's strictest teachers. "Fancy seeing you here in the boy's bathroom as well."

"Shut up, Mascher." Coach Parker hissed at Kevin, folding her arms over her chest, her tall height imposing over all of us. "Let me rephrase my question." She narrowed her eyes. "What the hell were you two trying to do this poor girl?" Her keen glare settled on them. "Well, maybe not you, Trebeck." She glanced at Alex. "But you?" She pointed to Kevin, who was beaming with smiles. "I have no trust for you."

"Damn, Coach Parker. Why do you gotta be so mean like that?" Kevin grabbed his chest as if stunted. "Alex and I weren't even doing anything, she's the one who came in here invading our privacy in the school bathroom."

"Yeah, whatever." She rolled her eyes. "You two just scram before I tell Coach Finn that you two are skipping classes."

"We weren't going to skip class, Coach Parker." Kevin pouted. "Right, Alex? We were just minding our business when this girl--." He pointed to me. "--distracted us. We totally weren't planning to skip classes after this."

"Kev?" Alex sighed. "I can vouch for myself that I wasn't planning to skip classes, but not for you." He directed his attention to Coach Parker. "Okay, we're out of here, Coach."

"Yeah, yeah, you better be heading to class, or I'm going straight to your coach!" She shouted to them as they left.

Their exit seemed like the perfect time for me to hurry away as well, but the moment I turned slightly I could feel Coach Parker's eyes pierce me.

"Where the hell are you going? I didn't dismiss you yet, Cane."

I swallowed a boulder, gradually meeting her stern stare.

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"Y-yes?" I gripped my sweaty hands.

Taller than a skyscraper, Coach Parker stood straight, her disapproving scowl punching me. "You never properly answered my question earlier. What are you doing in here?"

"I-it was an accident. I didn't mean to walk into here."

"But here you are," she harshly replied.

"I-I-I really wasn't doing anything," I wearily said, pressing my eyes against the floor. I know I wasn't making a good case for myself, but what could I say? I having a panic attack and accidentally went into the wrong bathroom, because I can't ever do anything right?

"Then why are you flustered?"

"I wasn't…" I gripped my arm, the bronze color of my skin turning paler by the seconds. Of course she doesn't believe me. "I didn't…" I locked my lips and knotted my tongue. My words fall incomplete as I slip into silence.

It's better for me to be quiet---to say nothing. It's better that way for everyone.

Coach Parker stared me down and sighed. "Listen, I understand that you're not the type to get into trouble like this, Cane. But even so, I can't let this slide. I'm sure you've already heard, but we've already had a problem with one student, Heather Mackey, to be specific, doing things no parent should hear about their child doing on a school campus, especially the school bathroom."

My face flushed. Just her alluding to whatever happened, I know it wasn't good.

"The entire school is talking about it, and for some reason with all that talk you get more stupid things happening." Coach Parker heaved another sigh of exhaustion. "I can't have more rumors spreading about girls hanging out in boy's bathrooms or locker rooms. So, for today I'll you slide with detention."

"A d-detention?" My blood ran cold.

Coach Parker slipped out a tiny yellow sheet from her track suit pocket. "I'm letting you off easy, Cane." She handed me the paper. "You'll be serious trouble if any mishaps like this happen again. Now, head on to the class."

My eyes landed on the crisp yellow square sheet of paper in my wavering grasp. A detention. Father wouldn't be happy if heard I got a detention. I would disappoint him, entirely disappoint him. I swallowed a boulder, my eyes drilling into the yellow slip.

A detention.

My fingers dug into the paper as I crumbled it in my fists.

"Don't just gawk, Cane. Get a move on to class, now!" Coach Parker barked at me.

I had a detention.

I know I should be the only reason to blame, but? Neither Alex nor Kevin got a detention, and yet I did.

I was punished, and I want to say I deserve it, but why am I struggling to believe that? Why?

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