I sit quietly in the principle's office, waiting for him to speak. He sits silently in front of me, behind his large desk.
"Would you like to tell me what happened?" Principle Winter's questions.
"Jason was verbally attacking me." I respond.
"So you felt the need to punch him?"
"Well, I didn't punch him..."
"Don't lie to me Gerard. I have witnesses who say that they saw you punch Jason."
"Well their only saying that because they hate me."
Principle Winters sighs and hangs his head.
"We all want to help you, but you just don't seem to get it."
"Get what? That I'm mental?"
"Gerard, we've already been over this. No one is judging you."
"Easy for you to say." I mumble.
"I think a week's worth of detention will do you some good. Now off you go." Principle Winters finishes.
I stand up slowly and saunter out of his office. I find Kellin waiting for me by the door.
"No one is judging you". What a loser.
"What do you want? Haven't you caused enough trouble today?"
Why are you taking the heat for all this? It's Jason's fault really. He started it.
"You know that it would be his word against mine."
I walk to the parking lot to find Frank leaning against a tree.
"Hey man. Sorry for what happened at lunch today." He says.
"It's cool, though you didn't have to punch him."
"Of course I did, he was being a dick. So what happened?"
"I got a week of detention."
"Yeah? Sorry about that too...I kinda have a history of getting into trouble, and I was afraid that the police would get involved."
"No problem."
"Right, so, you wanna walk to this coffee shop just down the corner with me?"
"Sure."
I follow Frank down the street, smiling to myself.
It's not a date. Stop acting like some stupid little girl.
I ignore Kellin's voice and clear my throat.
"So where is this coffee shop exactly?" I ask.
"Right here!" Frank says pointing to a glass door.
I follow him inside and we wait patiently in line. Once we get to the front I order first.
"One medium coffee, milk and two sugars." I say.
"Same here." Frank pipes up.
I reach into my pocket to pay but Frank beats me too it. I start to protest but Frank cuts me off.
"It's the least I can do after what happened today." he says.
"Thank you." I reply.
The woman at the cash register gives us a funny look but I don't mind. After our orders are put in we take an empty table by a window.
"So what makes you different?" Frank asks suddenly.
"Wha-what?"
"You said that you were different, or more imaginative as you later put it. So I was wondering, how so?"
Ready to tell him how weird you really are?
"Stop it!" I whisper shout.
"Okay, what are you doing man?" Frank asks, clearly startled.
"What do you mean?" I ask back, pretending that nothing happened.
"You keep talking to yourself."
"No I don't."
"Dude, just tell me."
I take a deep breath.
Here goes nothing.