Chapter 4

I took her by the hand and we went together to the principal's office. My first time there ... ever! Mom is going to be so pissed at me. After going to the administration office, we handed our 'tickets' to Miss Murdock, who smiled and left to go in to tell Principal Kreisler we were here.

She came back and asked us to sit down.

After what felt like 15 minutes, we heard a buzzer go off. I practically jumped out of my chair. I got up, took Stacy by the hand and we walked back to his office.

I knocked and we went in together.

"Sit down please?" he said writing something down. He stopped and took a look at us for a good 30 seconds. He then leaned back. "There have always been two students I thought would never be sent to me. Guess what? It's the two of you!"

"Miss Sherman ... your father is a respectable man in the Clark County School District."

"Mister Louden ... I've known your mother for a long time, what was the reason you were making a scene in AP English?"

I stood up and said, "Principal Kreisler, none of this was her fault. Since about a month into the summer, we've become very close. She's wearing my track ring and we have plans to get married after we graduate next year."

He looked over at her and asked, "Is any of that true, Miss Sherman?"

She got up ... walked towards him and showed him the ring of mine she was wearing. She answered, "Everything Danny has said is the truth, Sir. Not only are we getting married next year—my father is marrying his mother on the same day. It will be a double wedding—Of course you and your wife will be invited. We plan on asking most of the senior class to come."

"So ... how did this end up with both of you in my office?"

"Ms. Branchfield saw me in the wrong chair, and asked me to move. I tried to explain, but she has always been a stickler of the rules. I got up and moved to my usual chair, and the rest of the class got noisy for a while and the next thing you know, here we are?"

"Sit down please!" he pushed a button and spoke, "Ms. Murdock—please send for Ms. Branchfield?"

From the device on his desk we heard her response, "In the middle of the class?"

"Wait until class is over. Then, send a TA to get her. Can you kids wait until she's here?"

"Yes, Sir," we both said. Out of instinct I grabbed for her hand. "In here ... or out there Sir?" I asked.

"Go ahead and wait out there. I intend to talk to her first anyway," he said.

"I don't want her to get in trouble, or she will just..."

"Mister Louden, I know exactly how to talk to my teachers. Wait outside please. Would you be asking any teachers to your wedding?"

"We would gladly ask Ms. Branchfield to the wedding," Stacy said. "Maybe she will meet somebody there!"

We left, with Stacy giggling as we walked back outside. We saw and sat where we had been before.

Walking quickly, Ms. Branchfield entered the Administration Office and saw us. She threw something at Miss Murdock and just stood there.

The buzzer went off, and Miss Murdock announced, "Principal Kreisler will see you know."

Ms. Branchfield just took off walking quickly into his office. She didn't even give us a nod of acknowledgement. After ten minutes or so, a phone on the counter rang; Miss Murdock picked it up and told us to go in.

We had heard some loudness, but not for very long before this happened. I left our schoolbags with Miss Murdock; she really is a sweet old lady. I took Stacy by the hand and walked back into Principal Kreisler's office and saw them both standing.

"Ms. Branchfield, I'm sorry that I was being impertinent to you. That was wrong of me."

Looking like every word she was about to say had been etched on stone somewhere, she said, "Petulant, you were petulant, not impertinent, Mister Louden!"

Going on, she also said, "I am sorry that I caused you to be 'petulant.' I understand that what you said was accurate. I could accommodate your sitting next to one another, except during tests and quizzes ... if you'd like!"

"Ms. Branchfield," Stacy said, "I think we might get distracted from your lessons, sitting that close to each other. Danny and I will be fine sitting where we currently are assigned. We will be sending proper invitations, but we would like to invite you to our wedding next July. We have not picked an actual day yet, but make next July as available as you can, please?"

She seemed taken aback by our kindness. "Thank you Miss Sherman. I understand your parents are getting married the same day. That should be an interesting event to watch. Good-bye!" She left as quickly as she entered earlier.