The Art of Falling by Jenny Kaczorowski

Author:Jenny Kaczorowski
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2013-03-13T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

The worn carpet outside Principal Erikson’s office looked older than the high school. Bria studied the bits of color left from the rainbow stripes now ground into the navy background. Not nearly as beautiful or interesting as the boy seated next to her, but definitely safer.

“I’m sorry,” Ben said, speaking in a whisper to avoid drawing Mr. Cole’s attention away from buffing his nails.

“For what?” She refused to look at him. It was easier to stay mad if she didn’t have to see the consequences of her anger.

“Whatever I did to hurt you.”

She snapped her head up and narrowed her eyes. “If you don’t know, it’s not a real apology.”

“I get that things are weird between us, but you don’t have to ignore me.”

“I’m not ignoring you.”

“You’re avoiding me. Which is fine. I get it. I just thought we ended things better than that.”

“Bria? Ben?” Principal Erikson stuck his head out of his office door and waved them in.

Bria bounced to her feet and marched in with Ben on her heels.

“Good morning,” she said, folding her hands in her lap.

“I’m told the mural has been fixed?” he said, scanning a piece of paper.

“Yes, sir,” Ben said. “Although most of the credit belongs to Bria.”

She clenched her jaw, but kept her chin up and her head straight. “I think you’ll be happy with it. It’s a lot better than it was before I ruined it.”

“I spoke with your parents and, given your academic records and the honors you’ve each brought to this school, I believe your punishment has been served in full.”

“Thank you, sir,” Ben said.

“That being said, you’re both on probation. If either of you step out of line, you’ll both be suspended. Keep your grades up, honor your commitments to the school, attend every class and don’t be late.”

“Why both of us?” Bria said, gripping the arms of the chair. The last thing she wanted was anything that still tethered her to Ben.

“Because I still don’t know who is to blame for this and you’re obviously in cahoots about something.”

She pressed her lips together to hold back a retort.

“For how long?” Ben asked.

“The end of the semester.” He looked between them and shook his head. “You’re both dismissed. Get back to class.”

“Thank you, Principal Erikson,” Bria said, rising.

Ben followed at her elbow, waiting until they reached the locker-lined hallway to grab her arm. “Stop.”

“We have to get to class or we’re both going to get suspended, remember? I don’t want to ruin your scholarship.”

“Will you stop worrying about me? I’m worried about you.”

She froze, running a hand through her ponytail. “Don’t.”

“Something went wrong between us and it’s not just that you don’t like me. We used to be friends and now you won’t even look at me.”

She spun around and stared him full in the face for first time since the gym. The open anguish in his eyes startled her. “You really don’t know, do you?”

“The last thing I knew, you rejected me.”

“Because it’s better to end it now before either of us gets hurt.

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