by C. E. Wilson
“Not to mention a vice-president,” the headmaster said, clapping the blonde heavily on the shoulder. “My boy is going to make a great president next year! Wonderful for college applications, you know?”
“Yes, Headmaster,” the blonde said.
“So how many teams did you say would be participating in the tournament?”
“Around sixty, Headmaster. We have more than enough parking spots for the cars and buses, so long as the lots remain clear.”
“I understand. So we need volunteers to shovel the smaller lots.”
“Yes, Headmaster.”
The front door of the large house opened slowly, causing the headmaster to break out into a large smile. “Ahh, so they’ve finally arrived,” he said, walking to the door. “And what’s this? Darren, what are you doing here?” Before the mayor could respond, Orion and Micah stepped through the door and walked into the room. Archer and Roderick slipped in behind them and hung back. “Pardon me, Darren. I called Orion here so we could go over some last-minute information about the tournament we’re holding at the school this year.”
“What did you need me for?” Orion asked.
“In addition to your other duties in helping me organize, I’ll need you to find some volunteers for keeping the parking lots cleared out this weekend. You know the weather is calling for some snow and if the lots aren’t kept clear, we’re going to have quite a bit of trouble with parking. Could you find some people? Maybe offer some extra-credit from their teachers as an incentive? Compensation of some sort that won’t suck us dry?”
“I’m sure I could, Headmaster,” Orion said. For a rich, private school, the Headmaster could be stingy with funding. Maybe that’s why they had so much money all the time.
“And you,” the headmaster said, turning his attention back towards Darren. “I hope you’re not here because of the tournament. This isn’t anything that the mayor of our town needs to worry about. I’d like to think that I’ve got everything under control.”
“No. I’m not here with regard to the basketball tournament. I have a personal problem that I wanted to bring to your attention – something that, frankly, makes me sick to my stomach.”
“Are you ill?”
“I feel as if I should be for not knowing about the matter for so long.”
The headmaster offered Darren a seat, and gestured for someone to get him a drink. Once the cold water was in his hands, the mayor took a sip and the redness in his face started to disappear. The headmaster felt that it was safe to speak again. “What is it?”
“It’s Devony.”
“Is she alright?” the headmaster asked, looking worried. “Nothing’s happened to her, I hope?”
“She’s been sneaking out of my house to meet with an older student.”
“But she’s so young—”
“You think I don’t know that?” Darren snapped. “She just got her license and already she’s using it to get into trouble. The thought of it makes me nauseous. She would have never done such an impetuous thing on her own, so I can only think that she’s being seduced by some smooth-talking—”
“Well, when we figure out who’s been playing your daughter like this, they will pay, Darren. You and I have been close friends for many years and as headmaster I will make sure that there’s nothing ill going on within my school walls that could be prevented.”
Darren smiled, taking another sip from his water. “Thank you so much, Vance,” he said, watching the boys stiffen as he used the headmaster’s first name. “I knew I could count on your support.”
“Always. Now tell me, who is this student who is being improper with your daughter?”
“He’s very close by,” Darren said, pointing a finger at Orion. Several of the people gasped when he pointed at Orion, who looked shocked that he would accuse him so openly. “It seems this meeting came at a perfect time.”
The headmaster was taken aback for only the slightest of moments before he turned to Orion, trying to remain neutral while still faithful to his longtime friend. “Orion, is this true?”
“Of course it’s true!” Darren shouted as Orion searched for a response.
“Now, now,” the headmaster said, looking at Darren. “Let the boy have a chance to speak. I want to hear his side of the story.”
“I don’t want to hear the details.”
“Please calm down, Darren. I’m here to listen, not point fingers. Orion, is what my friend saying here true?”
Orion nodded, causing another gasp from others in the room. “It’s…it is true, Headmaster. I’ve been seeing Devony for a little over six months.”
“Six months?” Darren shouted. “How could you? You’ve been sneaking around for half a year?”
“And for that I’m sorry and I’m sorry for sneaking around and I’m sorry I didn’t take the chance to talk to you about this sooner. But I am not sorry for loving your daughter. It was wrong of me to keep the truth from you but that was how Devony wanted it to be.”
“Devony? My Devony? I doubt that my daughter would keep secrets from me unless you forced her to! Did you put your hands on her?” Darren said, getting up from his chair. “Tell me now! Did you put your hands on her?”
“Never forcibly.”
“So you touched her intimately?” he said, his face beet-red. “You make me sick! You must have hurt her! Threatened her to stay with you! I refuse to believe that she wanted you!”
“Darren, please,” the headmaster said. “Listen to the boy.”
“You know my daughter, Vance. You know how she is! Devony’s a good girl, a quiet girl, and never one to keep secrets. Suddenly, this boy is trying to tell me that she’s keeping secrets and dating him behind my back? When Orion would come to my house, Devony was too shy to even look at him! She was afraid of him! This is the devil’s work, I tell you Vance. He must have hurt her or threatened her. I refuse to believe that she could love him.”
The headmaster ran his thumb under his chin, looking at the two men. “There…there isn’t proof, Darren. Have you seen any marks on your daughter? Anything to lead to you believe that Orion touched her?”
“Proof? Look at him, Vance. Just look at him! He must have touched her!”
“Did you ever touch her out of violence?” the headmaster asked.
“You’re asking him? He wouldn’t tell you the truth!”
“Darren, please. Let him talk.”
Orion swallowed and looked up at his accuser. “If you don’t want to take my word I’ll call Devony right now and ask her to come here. She can explain things. You can hear the words from her mouth if you don’t want to believe my own. If Devony says I touched her, hurt her, or threatened her in any way, then I’ll call the police and have myself arrested.”
“Call her,” the headmaster said.
“Archer,” Orion said, texting on his phone. “Do you mind picking her up?”
“Of course not,” Archer said, stepping forward. “I’ll pick her up and bring her here – it’s only a few minutes away.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Darren said. “I don’t want her to look at him while she makes her statement. He’ll be able to threaten her with his eyes and my daughter won’t feel safe. I want her to know that she’s safe.”
“So I’ll leave the room when she gets here,” Orion offered. “Will that satisfy you?”
“That sounds acceptable,” the headmaster said, nodding at Archer. “Bring the girl here. In the meantime Orion, take a seat. I’m very sorry about all that’s going on.”
“You’re sorry?” Darren said as Archer exited the house. “How can you feel sorry for him with what he’s done to my child?”
“We have no proof of any actual wrongdoing, Darren. Relax.”
Orion took a seat in a chair near the corner of the vast room and after a minute of silence he looked over at Darren. “I never wronged your daughter, sir. You were always very compassionate when I came to visit, so I have to say that I find these accusations painf
ul to hear. Since I’ve been here you’ve been nothing but kind and patient with me and my ignorance of this country. You wanted to know about my past and how I was raised, the hardships my family went through to come to America. I actually thought you were interested in learning more about me.”
“I was,” Darren said, shaking his head. “But it’s different now that you’ve stabbed me in the back with what you’ve done to my daughter.”
“I keep telling you that I haven’t done anything.” Orion glanced at the headmaster and noticed that he was paying close attention to his words, and therefore decided to keep speaking. “When I went to your house, I would tell you all my stories and I saw that Devony was always listening. She was usually in the next room, occasionally poking her head in to look, offer a drink, a snack, or anything else to have an excuse to be around. After my junior year ended she actually approached me and asked me to tell her more about a story that she had only heard part of. I was entranced by how captivated she was by my words. If you only knew how much I hate the sound of my voice! It’s too low, too sloppy and still too heavily ridden with an accent. But still, she listened patiently as I stumbled through the words, asking questions and asking me to clarify things. I was flattered. Then after a few weeks…I took a chance.”
“You seduced her,” Darren muttered.
“No.”
“He asked her out,” Micah said.
“You knew about this?” Vance asked his son.
“I’m sorry, Dad. I helped set them up. Devony always seems so happy when he’s around. I encouraged him to ask her.”
Orion nodded. “And she said yes. I was shocked but the girl said yes.” He smiled at the memory as the sound of car doors shutting was heard outside. “Here she is now, she’ll tell you everything.”
Chapter Five
As Devony and Archer entered the room, all eyes were on them. She could see that her father was upset and, for the life of her, she hoped that the clear liquid in his glass was only water. The headmaster stood close to Orion who smiled as their eyes met.
“A life like yours retold, Orion, would win over the most cynical of us,” the Headmaster said, resting a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you for sharing your side of the story.”
“We don’t know if he’s telling the truth,” Darren said. “Let my daughter speak. If she insists that Orion never hurt her, never touched her, then I suppose there’s nothing I can do. Devony, did this boy ever hurt you? Threaten you? You can be honest. Don’t look in his direction if you’re afraid. I will never let him hurt you again.”
Devony’s blue eyes widened. “Dad, he never hurt me.”
“He never threatened you?”
“No.”
“He’s treated you well? With respect?”
“Yes. Orion’s always been respectful.”
“So why didn’t you tell me any of this? Why were you sneaking around with him?” He glared at Orion. “I’m sure you had something to do with this.”
“Dad, I asked Orion to sneak around. I’m so sorry but I didn’t think you would approve of us dating. Orion always wanted to tell you. He didn’t like keeping secrets, so don’t blame him for being quiet. It was me,” she said, lowering her head. “I’m sorry I lied to you and I’m sorry I’ve been sneaking around but it was always my choice, not Orion’s. Don’t blame him.”
Darren narrowed his eyes. “I see,” he said, clearing his throat and looking over at everyone in the room. There was a sense of relief in the air. His daughter was the sneak, not Orion. The young man still got to maintain his good reputation and it frustrated Devony’s father. “It appears that I was wrong in my accusations. I am not a man who will run away from his mistakes but rather seek to make them right. Orion, I apologize. I don’t want my daughter sneaking around anymore, so I approve of the two of you dating. But you,” he said, looking at the Headmaster, “I don’t want my child in his apartment unattended after dark, do you understand? He’s your charge so you will make sure of this.”
“I’ll keep a closer eye on him,” the Headmaster said. “I do apologize that things had to be revealed like this.”
“Yes, well, I’m upset to find out that my daughter’s a liar and a sneak. And you, Orion, you’re no better for agreeing with her. A truly honest man wouldn’t have felt right keeping secrets from a girl’s father. I hope you realize how badly that makes you look when you’re proclaiming that your intentions with my daughter are so honorable.”
“I do, sir,” Orion said, lowering his head also. “Still, I humbly thank you for your approval.”
Darren snorted, setting his water glass down heavily on the nearest flat surface. “I think I’ll leave you to your business,” he said, standing up and giving no sign that he was actually leaving. “I can see that you people have many things to discuss with the basketball tournament coming up. Please return to whatever it was you were discussing before I interrupted.”
“It’s quite alright, Darren. I’m sure we can all understand your concern about such matters when it comes to a child. Now, Orion, do you think you’ll be able to find some students who wouldn’t mind the task I mentioned earlier? You’re also going to have to talk to a few teachers, perhaps target students who are struggling with their grades. Would you be able to do that? I know you’re going to be quite busy, but this is something I must ask of you if this tournament is going to run smoothly.”
“I knew when I ran for president that I wouldn’t spend my senior year sitting around waiting for college acceptance letters,” Orion said. “I just need permission for Devony to help out the next few days. She was so helpful when I was running for president, I think I’m going to need her help again.”
“That’s up to her father,” the Headmaster said to the mayor, who was looking at his daughter with a serious expression.
“As long as it’s during the daylight and at school.”
“Dad—”
“You are not allowed into this boy’s apartment as night, Devony. School projects or not.”
“Please sir, you can have the Headmaster come visit at any time, and it wouldn’t be any later than nine on a school night, eleven on the weekends.”
“You would have her back before midnight?” Darren asked. “Surely that’s too early for a boy like you?”
“Sir,” Orion said, standing up.
“No, Orion,” Devony said. “I’ll take care of this. Dad, please understand that I’m not ashamed for loving him. I know you have a hard time understanding this but I want to help Orion with his role as student body president because I was the one who insisted he run in the first place. We’re a team now. A great team, in fact, and I want to help him when I can. If he needs help getting the tournament set up, then I want to be right there with him. I’ll help him dad, and I’ll be home early.”
“Please, sir,” Orion said, resting a hand on Devony’s shoulder. “You have to understand that this isn’t a lustful relationship. I want Devony by my side because I love her. I love her for her mind, her beauty, her words, and her soul.”
“How profound. Nothing else?” Darren scoffed.
“It’s not about that,” he said honestly.
“It’s always about that for young men your age.”
“That’s not true for me, sir. My parents taught me to wait until marriage.”
“Wait until marriage…for what?” Darren asked before his blue eyes started to bulge out. “Are you talking about sex? With my daughter?!” he sputtered in a strange mix of anger and relief.
“Dad!” Devony blurted out. “Stop, please.”
“No, it’s fine,” Orion said, drawing himself up. “Sir, that’s what I’ve been taught and I hope you’ll believe me when I say it. My parents would be ashamed of me for even thinking about sex until after I’m married. Right now I need to focus on what’s best for the school and my future and I want Devony by my side while I do so. That’s it.”
“I hate to interrupt, but can we please not have a conversation about studen
ts and sex in my house?” the Headmaster broke in. “If Darren has no further objections, then I see no reason that I should intervene with this. I want the tournament to go well and if Devony’s playing some sort of muse to Orion, then so be it. As long as they follow an appropriate curfew.”
“We’d have to start talking to teachers and students tomorrow,” Micah spoke up.
“Of course,” Orion said. “I’ll start with the math and science departments.”
“English, too,” Micah said.
“Orion, Micah, I expect you to be in my office tomorrow morning at nine with some news. Bring the proper paperwork and, Archer, please make sure you’re keeping track of the finances.”
“Yes, sir,” Archer said.
“Can I go in early too?” Devony asked her father.
“You can go to school early,” Darren said. “But no car for a week. You’ll have to find a ride.”
“But dad—”
“I don’t mind taking her, sir,” Archer said.
“Are you sure?”
“Archer’s nothing if not trustworthy,” Orion said, smiling at him. “He can drive her to and from school until you feel comfortable enough with either me driving her or letting her drive herself. It will be nice to have her around while we’re getting ready.”
“That sounds like an excellent plan, and a good point on which to end the evening. Now, good night everyone,” the Headmaster said, motioning for his advisor to open the door. “And Darren?”
“Vance?”
“I don’t believe you need to worry so much about Orion. I think you’ll come to see that in good time. I know I have.”
“Good night,” Micah said, following Devony, Archer and Orion towards the front door.
“Watch yourself,” Darren warned Orion in a low voice. “Devony lied to me so it’s only a matter of time before she starts lying to you.”
“That is the least of my worries,” Orion said, trying not to laugh. “Archer, I’ll see you the morning. You too, Dev,” he said, leaning down and kissing her cheek. “It’s going to be pretty hectic these next few days so I hope we can pull this all off, especially with the weather about to turn nasty.”
