Watchers of the Night

by Matthew Keith

  * * *

  As usual, the main office was crowded, loud, and bustling with people. For a place that represented the epicenter of an institution that put discipline as one of the cornerstones of its values, it always amazed Paul how loud and chaotic it was.

  Following in the wake of Mr. Paine, Paul listened as the man continued to berate him about his ‘chronic’ tardiness. What a perfect word—chronic—to describe Paul’s inability to wake up before dawn. He’d always felt like his disorder was some sort of disease. It certainly had never helped him in any way except to increase his feelings of isolation.

  “How is it,” Paine went on, “that a student such as yourself—one that almost never shows up on our radar—can allow himself to be late every single day of class. Average grades, no extra-curricular activities, you’re never seen with ‘the bad crowd.’ In fact, you’re never seen with much of anyone.”

  As Mr. Paine’s monologue continued, Paul couldn’t help noticing a dark-haired girl at the front desk. She stared at him with the biggest, most beautiful brown eyes he’d ever seen. He’d never noticed her before, and with eyes like that he was sure he would have. She had a slightly olive skin tone, jet black hair, and full, lush lips. From the looks of it, she had just finished enrolling with the secretary.

  He felt himself blushing to his roots and tried to stop staring, but he couldn’t. She stared back just as directly, her brown eyes holding his, and he was unable to hold back a very foolish-looking, sloppy smile. She didn’t smile back, but she didn’t stop looking either, which made Paul get that warm, dizzy, and not altogether unpleasant feeling in the pit of his stomach, making his sloppy grin sloppy to the point of dopey.

  That is, until he ran into the back of Mr. Paine. They’d reached his office door.

  Looking down at Paul’s grinning face, Paine narrowed his eyes, “Bennett, is everything I’ve said to you in some way amusing? Do you find the fact that you’re about to enter into my office under very serious circumstances funny? Understand, sir, this is not a matter that will be taken lightly.”

  As Paine opened his door and motioned Paul inside, Paul took one last look toward the front desk, but the girl with the big brown eyes was already gone. Heaving yet another sigh, he followed Mr. Paine through the door to receive whatever punishment the man deemed to be justice.