Pride & Persistence

Ian felt relief flood through him when Anjya greeted him like everything was normal. While he couldn't give her a grin, he did force a smile at her through all the hurt that was plain as day on his face. He looked like the hell he felt. Ian wasn't always the best with emotions-- he could hold it together through them sometimes, but when he fell apart, he felt it all hard. He didn't always know what to do with those emotions or how to tuck it away, so the heartbreak he was going through was clear. He was hurt-- the breakup, while he had told Anjya it was his choice, was painful.

He joined his best friend without question, sitting beside her and bending his legs up so that his knees stuck up to the air. He looked defeated in this position, leaned back against Anjya's pillows. "Let me text mom..." he murmured. The text was quick: Change of plans. At Anjya's. Movie night with her. He knew his mom wouldn't reinstate a curfew on a night he was at Anjya's, so he wouldn't have to face his parents until, most likely, tomorrow. "Okay- ready-" he put his phone face down on the bed beside him.

Anjya waited for Ian, her chest aching for her best friend’s obvious emotional turmoil . She waited until he was done, focusing on the tv as she clicked the play button on the remote. Without a word she lifted Ian’s arm so it wasn’t in her way, set the popcorn bowl on his lap and then curled up against him. Her head fell to rest on his shoulder, while one of her hands found his. It was comfortable and easy, and reminiscent of when they had been little kids falling asleep on the couch when their parents had late parties on the deck. “I’m glad you came over.” Anjya said softly, her eyes on the tv, then fell into a comfortable silence.

Ian didn't fight the physical manipulation of his arm, or that Anjya was now holding his hand and cuddled against him. Through his grief, he was able to find a small amount of warmth that came from the comfort and familiarity of hugging his friend. The countless times they had passed out cuddled together, the number of times they had consoled each other through hard times, the never-questioned support that they each knew would come from the other. It was a long, long time before Ian replied to Anjya, but when he did, he agreed simply with her. "Me too." His arm tightened around her slightly and he took a shaky, uneven breath.

Screw Em. Anjya didn’t know what she had done, but she knew without a doubt it was something awful. Ian had no reason to up and breakup with her. In fact, they had seem better than ever at lunch today- it didn’t make sense. Anjya felt her chest constrict as she listened to Ian’s uneven breaths. For a moment it was a bit too obvious that she was her mother’s daughter. She wanted to raze the ground for justice. And then her father came, because Anjya also wanted to fix it. Fix the problem so Ian wasn’t hurt.

In the end, the cuddling would have to do. Anjya watched the movie with half interest and remained comfortably curled around her friend, the ache in her chest never wavering.

OOC: D'aww, they're so cute. Does this seem like a good place to skip again?

Ooc for sure, I feel like since Anjya and Em are both controlled by me, the next skip could potentially be Salu coming to the principal’s office because he was asked to come by.

I imagine that Em’s mother has demanded Anjya be suspended, even though Em will have started the physical fight. We can have Salu fight against that, and they settle for like a one day suspension?

OOC: That sounds good to me. Do you want to set up the characters in the office for when Salu gets there?

Ooc sure

Ic

Anjya had endured her fair share of bruises in her life. Mistakes often accompanied learning, and mistakes in many of the areas Anjya had been taught through her young fourteen years of age meant bruises. Gymnastics, Jiu Jitsu , self defense, sailing- the list could go on. Her parents had made sure she was an active kid, and her father had made sure she always got back up.

Still, she glanced again at her reflection in the aquarium that filled half of Principal Jacobs’ office, the bruise that lined her was a doozy. Anjya was more upset that she had allowed the drop on her than she was about sporting the ugly purple bruise that lined her orbital and brow bone. It just reminded her about her father’s words, people don’t follow the rules of the fight in the real world. In the real world, your opponent will fight dirty.

The lip where Em had bit Anjya was proof of that. Yeesh. Aniya lifted her fingers to tenderly brush the split the girl’s teeth had caused. Her reflection distorted as a fish swam rapidly by and Aniya leaned back in her seat to glance at the clock on the wall. It tortured her with another tick of a minute.

Honestly she wasn’t sure who was coming. Principal Jacobs and VP Oxley hadn’t been forthcoming on which of her parents would be coming to sort through this mess. Maybe it was both…at least then her father would be there to temper her mother’s predictable fury. It wasn’t the fury that was going to be directed to Anjya that she dreaded, but the anger turned on the men now staring her down disapprovingly.

Anjya could handle her mother’s anger, but directed at her principal and VP? She would likely sink into a hole and die of embarrassment.

Then again… her father was potentially worse. Because he would be disappointed in Anjya. She could feel the heat of disappointment in herself building in her chest. She had let her anger get the better of her. She had confronted Em in front of everyone. She had used choice words-

And when Em had resorted to violence, Anjya had ended it. Em had gotten her good shot in- and Anjya had pinned her to the ground with a quick disarm. She had thought when the coach had run out of her office screaming it was the end of it- and arm had gotten the drop on her again with the lip-

Em probably was regretting that choice now. Well, her…and her eye…and her hair… and that disgusting pep squad uniform that Anjya had torn when taking Em down a second time. She could still hear her coach’s screams that she was off the team, but she was pretty sure she had gotten out her resignation before Coach Hensley had gotten it out.

Screw Coach Hensley. Screw pep squad. Screw Brody Hammond. And screw Em. Slut. Anjya folded her arms now and defiantly lifted her chin as she met Principal Jacob’s stare, her anger reignited.

Salu had been a lot of things in this world to a lot of people. He had been an enemy. He had been a comrade. Friend, partner, ally. Foe, opponent, challenger. Sniper. Boots and eyes. Dirty hands. Undercover. Infiltrator. Killer. Guard. Protector. A long time ago, he had been someone's son. Consultant. Teacher. Mentor. Trainer. Inquisitor.

Husband and father, though, were the two roles he took more seriously than any other. And every other hat he had ever worn showed up to support these roles.

When Salu entered the office, a secretary scrambled behind him to try to reign him in. But Salu was a force on his best days, a never-bending wall on his worst. The door to the principal's office couldn't have been opened with more purpose if he had used a battering ram. The secretary behind him jumped, stopped trying to convince him he couldn't come back here, and skittered back to the main part of the office.

Salu was dressed in a suit and tie that didn't fit him the way it was supposed to. What else was new? Somehow, he still looked like he wasn't supposed to wear the outfit. Maybe it was the intensity of his eyes, the way he almost hulked out of the shirt at the shoulders, or the way his tie was askance around his neck. He didn't try to hide the three different gun-carrying holsters at his hip, flashing visible when he moved his arms and his suit blazer opened. "What's this about my daughter being in a fight?" His voice was firm, filled with the same stony disposition that he had used in suspect 'interviews' for decades. There was no softening of his body language as he turned to spot his daughter, though a flash of worry settled on his brow at the sight of her bruise and split lip. He crossed the room to her, singularly focused now, and crouched in front of her. One hand lifted her chin, while the other met her flesh in fingertips that barely brushed her skin. He took quick stock of her injuries, but never once paused to meet her eyes. He was task-oriented in the moment, and first order of business was checking her over.

Anjya’s father’s appearance quickly answered her wondering over who would arrive, but also immediately quailed any prior assumptions on which parent would be scarier… somehow Anjya had forgotten how frightening her father could be, even though he was the most level headed of her two parents.

“Papa-“ she started to greet when he turned her way, but she fell silent when he didn’t meet her gaze. Instead he assessed her, and she allowed the assessment as her stomach twisted in nervous knots.

“Ahem, hello Mr. Darrow.” Principal Jacobs straightened behind his desk, his brow creasing at Salu’s arrival. “Thank you for joining us. If you could please have a seat by your, uh, daughter…” he gestured to the chair beside Anjya, whose eyes flicked to the man and narrowed. Principal Jacobs was a short man who was perhaps Salu’s age, but looked all the worse for it. He was balding and yet grew his hair out defiantly, slicking it back with more gel than an OB needed for a sonogram. He wore a tie that was a muddy shade of brown and a brown suit that was well kept but ill fitting for an entirely different purpose than Salu’s.

“Your daughter caused an altercation, Sir. And she isn’t talking. You should see the girl she beat up, I had to take her to the nurse personally!” VP Oxley leaned on Principal Jacob’s desk looking red faced and furious. He pointed a pudgy finger at Aniya who frowned then winced as that tugged on her brow. VP Oxley was the worst of the VPs to be involved in this. He used to be the football coach and had the demeanor of a man who once had been powerful but now sported more of a beer belly than biceps. He stood at six foot two, with deep stains at his pits and a sheen of sweat that said he was a man who was always over heated. He loved power, and he loved to exert it too.

If Salu had any intention of sitting down, it was gone the moment accusations began to be lobbed at his daughter. He drew his hands back from Anjya's face, any physical gentility he had shown her swiftly disappearing as he rose to his full height once more. "If you want this to be a civil conversation, then you will cease pointing at my daughter in my presence." Salu's words were chosen carefully, the warning deliberate and stony. He stood in front of Anjya now, as though he were preparing to protect her from a hellfire of bullets with only his chest as her shield. His eyes were hard. Salu might be calm, but it was the calm that came before a storm. "And I expect you to have hard evidence before you accuse my daughter of starting a physical altercation," he added.

VP Oxley turned redder, if that was possible. His hand currently pointing instead became a fist as if he was struggling not to point. Principal Jacobs raised his hands as if to calm the situation down.

“Let’s all take a breath, shall we? Enough violence and threats have been thrown around from what I have been told. Coach Hensley pulled your daughter off of Ms. Cooper during fifth period. There are multiple witnesses for the altercation.”

“Papa, I didn’t attack Em, she attacked ME-“ Anjya insisted to her father but was interrupted.

“So she does speak- well that is a lie, Little Lady, we have twelve pep squad members and your victim who attest to the opposite.” Oxley insisted smugly.

Salu lifted one hand at his side to silence his daughter, holding it up in a way that was not at all threatening to her, but would signal to her to not say anything further unless he asked her directly. "Do not accuse my daughter of lying," again Salu's scary calm came to the defense of Anjya. "And if the other girl is Ms. Cooper, then my daughter is Ms. Darrow, nothing less." Salu was setting the tone straight before any further conversation was had that put Anjya down. "Now, again, do you have proof my daughter instigated a fight, or only the word of teenagers who make poor decisions to protect team captains instead of the newest member of their team?" He didn't waste time-- protecting Anjya was his number one concern. "Or are you about to tell me that with all your touted upgraded security, and the offspring of about a dozen senators here, two girls managed to find a blindspot in which to have this altercation?"

Oxley opened his mouth, his mustache trembling with anger, but then he closed it and folded his arms. Principal Jacobs cleared his throat primly again.

“Ahem, Mr. Darrow, the school has conducted a thorough investigation and at this time we are now here to discuss consequences.” He informed Salu. A tactful attempt to bypass Salu’s questions. “I am proud to say we have a no tolerance policy at this school, but as this is Ms. Darrow’s first offense I have chosen to show her some leniency. She will be suspended for the remainder of the school year, she can make up her credits in summer school and return next year to normal classes. “ he offered Salu a politically polite smile.

Anjya’s heart hammered in her chest. Suspended- summer school- her exhale of breath gave away how devastating both ideas were.

“/Ms. Darrow/ should be grateful, Ms. Cooper’s father is a retired cop. He was talking about pressing charges unless we expelled her and we were able to assure him that Ms. Darrow would be suspended for the rest of the year.” Oxley swelled with delight at this, throwing the word ‘cop’ around like that held the most weight in this little battle. He seemed to miss Salu’s holsters. Or the fact that Principle Jacobs ran a hand over his face because- well- he probably didn’t want that fact coming out yet.

Salu put his hands down at his sides, raising a brow that clearly showed he was not impressed by the idea of a former police officer being on the other side of this. "So you admit to discussing my daughter's consequences with another parent? That tells me my daughter's privacy has been broken. She's a minor and cannot, nor would she, consent to that information being shared. As her father, I am appalled that you would break my educational right to her privacy," he added. Oh, Salu was no lawyer, but he knew his law. "Further, I have every right to demand more details as to your investigation. Are you seeking to accuse my daughter on hearsay alone?" He came back to the question about evidence, too smart to allow it to be sidestepped.

“I would hope you would be appreciative to know that Principal Jacobs convinced the father of Ms. Cooper to not press charges.” Oxley replied in an annoyed tone. “Mr. Darrow, perhaps you don’t understand the consequences when someone presses charges. Your daughter could be arrested for assault.” He added in a condescending tone.

“Mr. Oxley, perhaps you could escort Ms. Darrow outside and supervise her as I speak with Mr. Darrow.” Principal Jacobs insisted now. Oxley frowned. Anjya opened her mouth to protest but remained silent , remembering her father’s gesture to remain quiet.

"My daughter is not leaving," Salu's hands was now held up to the principal and vice principal to stop them both from trying to remove Anjya. "You say she committed an act on this campus that is equivalent to a crime, then she can be here to hear anything that needs said." He wouldn't see to having Anjya escorted out. "Now- again. I am asking what proof you have that my daughter started the altercation. If you think I won't press charges against the school for wrongly interfering with my daughter's education, then you haven't read the family profile for my daughter. I think Mr. Oxley should show himself out to educate himself on that before he opens his mouth one more time against me, or my daughter." He did not have to raise his voice for his threat to be clear. "Evidence? This is the last time I am asking you to work with me to resolve this before I find a lawyer who will." Salu had every confidence that his daughter did not throw the first punch. She knew better. He had instilled it in her from the time she was a toddler. So had Tellisie. Becca. Roger. Her sensais. And, quite frankly, his daughter has already said that Em attacked her. "Are you confident enough in the word of teenagers to not check the cameras? Because my lawyers won't be. And my wife tends to like making public speeches about injustice when she finds it."

Oxley swelled up, “My investigation was MORE than adequate-!” He began, a finger lifting to point at Salu. Principal Jacobs , however, had paled at the word lawyers.

“Lawyers aren’t necessary- I am sure we have a camera in the gym, we can pull the footage- Oxley, go to the security office to fetch that. “ Oxley balked. He looked to Principal Jacobs and his face splotched in color.

“B-“

“Now, Oxley.” Jacobs snapped. Oxley scowled. He hesitated one more time before he strode out of the office. Principal Jacobs took a moment to compose himself then turned to Salu once more.

“Mr.Darrow, regardless of what a tape will show, I can assure you that the damage your daughter has inflicted on the girl is horrendous. I am afraid my decision of consequence will remain.” He insisted calmly.

"And my daughter has incurred her own wounds," Salu pointed out, not sitting down or stepping out from in front of Anjya just because the vice principal had left. "It looks to me that she was bitten. On her face. Along with having been hit. Since you are so generously discussing the consequences of other students, tell me that the child who did this to my daughter will also be suspended until the end of the school year? Or is that only a privilege extended because her father was a cop?" Anjya knew full well that Salu didn't often like to exert authority of his, or Tellisie's, outside of their career places. But to protect his daughter? The gloves came off.

“Mr. Oxley spoke out of turn, I did not speak of your daughter’s consequences to Me. And Mrs. Cooper, I simply assured them that the offending party would face consequences. The last thing we want is for Ms. Darrow to have a mark on her public record.” Principal Jacobs insisted smoothly. He offered Salu a smile. It fell away swiftly. “The fact is, there is extensive damage to Ms. Cooper. She has several markings, hair ripped out- ah, there is a matter of a destroyed uniform that we will need reimbursed as well….ah, I am led to believe that Ms. Cooper also has a chipped tooth. Her parents have taken her to the hospital to be checked for a concussion- Sir, your daughter didn’t even have to see the nurse.”

Salu watched the principal closely, looking for a crack in the man's pleasantries. If there was one, it would take further digging as the diplomacy of the man began to take over. "She was struck on her eye, she should have seen the nurse," he countered, though there was no bite in the words as he knew what the principal was getting at. Slowly, he turned to look at Anjya, "Yes or no only," he instructed his daughter carefully. "Unnecessary force?" They had talked about what unnecessary force meant. Even self-defense could cross a line if unnecessary force was used. If Anjya had used more than just enough to keep Emily from hurting her, then it crossed a line. If Anjya had sought to physically harm Emily more than was required to keep her from coming at her, it crossed that line. And Salu wouldn't stand for that any more than he would have stood for her starting the fight.

Anjya lifted her gaze to her father’s. The question had her shaking her head. “No.” Perhaps it was subjective, but Anjya felt she had not done anymore damage than was necessary to stop the fight. The hair had occurred when Em bit her, the tooth probably when Anjya took her down the first time. A concussion? Probably the second time. Uniform? Who knew. Anjya folded her arms. It was hard not to blurt all of her protests out and the only thing stopping her was her father’s obvious support. He believed HER. Not them.

Salu waited a minute to see if Anjya would change her answer, then turned to look back at the principal after giving Anjya a single nod, "My daughter knows how to protect herself if needed. But she also knows where the line is from protection to fighting." He believed his daughter- that wasn't to say there wouldn't be consequences, but he believed his daughter. "When that camera feed comes back showing that my daughter was not the aggressor, I expect we will be having a different conversation about her consequences here at school."

“Ah-“ Principal Jacobs hesitated in this. “As I said we have a zero tolerance policy. Whether she started it or not…” he trailed off with a shake of his head. Anjya would have scowled if it wouldn’t hurt. “And of course , we can’t forget , Ms. Darrow has been accused of bullying Ms. Cooper. I believe she slung some rather distasteful words her way.” He added flatly. At this, Anjya swallowed. She wasn’t ashamed of her words- but she couldn’t deny them either.

"And twelve girls lying about my daughter would not count as bullying?" Salu countered yet again. "Please-- tell me, directly, what you expect of this meeting. So far, I have heard that there is a zero tolerance policy. Which means Ms. Cooper must be facing the same consequences as my daughter? You state she will be suspended through the end of the year, regardless of the order of events? Then what am I doing here?"