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[color=slategray][sub]A [@Silent Observer] & [@Universorum] Collab
Featuring: [color=997fdb][b]Marshall Radley[/b][/color] vs. [color=074460][b]Principal Evans[/b][/color]
Mentions: [color=31ba9f][b]Jamie Callaghan[/b][/color] [@smarty0114]
Setting: Wednesday morning, during homeroom, in the principal’s office[/sub][/color]
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[indent]The longer that the day progressed, the more things that Marshall could remember from the night before. The clouds that were his hangover were beginning to part and the sunlight streaming through them allowed him to see things a little bit more clearly. He was glad that he didn’t forget anything, because now he could savor the memory of his first kiss with Jamie, locked in his heart forever. He would also savor the image of Jamie with his shirt unbuttoned and his lips kiss-swelled as he stared up from the bed. Of course, what followed that scene was Marshall noticing the bruises covering Jamie’s chest and stomach, and the story that explained where they had come from. Being the awful best friend that he was, Marshall had immediately assumed that they were Owen’s doing. The truth was, however, that Owen had prevented those very bruises from becoming something much worse. Owen had defended Jamie, and the principal had suspended him for it.

This would be the first unspoken step that Marshall Radley would take on repairing his shattered friendship. It wasn’t right that Owen got suspended. It wasn’t right, and Marshall wouldn’t stand for it. Armed with nothing but his backpack (containing the sentimental gift from Owen) and his dramatic temperament, Marshall Radley skipped homeroom and missed the morning show in favor of marching into the principal’s office to speak with the man directly.

[b]“Can I help you, Mr. Radley?”[/b] The blonde school secretary spoke up when Marshall stepped into the office.

[color=997fdb][b]“Hello Miss, I’m here to speak with Principal Evans. It’s very important.”[/b][/color] Marshall responded in a tone that he made sure was both polite, but also held enough urgent inflection that she would not question him on it. Putting the right amount of emotional inflection in his words was one of the skills he’d picked up as a drama club star over the years.

[b]“I will let him know that you are here, please take a seat.”[/b] The secretary responded before rolling her desk chair over to her phone. She picked it up, dialed just four buttons, and then reported into the receiver. [b]“Good morning, Principal Evans. Marshall Radley is here in the office and would like to speak with you if you are able.”[/b]

There wasn’t a sound from the other end of the receiver at first. The principal was wondering what he could have done that would make Marshall Radley want to see him, especially this early. And wasn’t it a Wednesday? There was a sigh from the other end of the line, which was followed up with a, [color=074460][b]“Okay, send him in.”[/b][/color] It was, after all, a principal's duty to handle situations like this. There was probably a screaming match in the drama room, or they’d double booked the auditorium again. Something simple, and easy, like that.

The secretary stood up from her chair and walked around the desk to open the door to Principal Evans’ office. [b]“Mr. Evans can speak with you now, head on in.”[/b] She said as she gestured for Marshall to step through the door. He did so, and thanked her on his way through the doorway. 

Marshall closed the door behind him and quietly took a seat in one of the chairs in front of Principal Evans’ desk. His eyes shone with the fight he had within him as he looked up at the principal, but his face remained otherwise expressionless, as to not give away his hand completely. [color=997fdb][b]“Good Morning, Principal Evans. I came here to discuss something that took place on school grounds yesterday.”[/b][/color]

[color=074460][b]“Well, I was expecting something like that. What’s the problem, Marshall?”[/b][/color] Principal Evans adjusted himself behind the desk and got comfortable. He had dealt with the kids often enough to know when it was about to be an argument, and that meant he at least needed to get comfortable. [color=074460][b]“I’m sure it’s something we can work out pretty quickly.”[/b][/color]

[color=997fdb][b]“Oh, I sure hope so, Principal Evans. You and I both have plenty of things to get to, I’m sure.”[/b][/color] Marshall responded with a gentle smile. He crossed his ankles and folded his hands on his lap, also choosing to get himself comfortable. [color=997fdb][b]“You are already aware of the issue, since you have taken [i]some[/i] kind of action on it… but, a hate crime took place in your school yesterday afternoon. Blatant homophobia. Three boys called a student a quote fag unquote and proceeded to physically assault the gay student against a set of lockers. This assault took place until another student stepped in to stop this bullying and prevent the situation from escalating into something much worse. It has come to my attention, as a concerned student at this school, that you made the decision to suspend this student, Owen Lyon, is that correct?”[/b][/color]

[color=074460][b]“Didn’t this same student — not even a month ago — threaten to kill you? Owen Lyon has shown violent tendencies in the past, you know. Besides, the other students were punished as well — they have their own punishments.”[/b][/color] Here he was, defending himself and his decisions against an impassioned student. Just another day in this shitty job he hardly even wanted anymore. The principal took a sip of water from the glass on his desk, [color=074460][b]“I’m sorry, but my decision is final.”[/b][/color]

Marshall’s eyes widened in disbelief. Did the principal of this school, his superior in authority, just answer his question with another question? This wasn’t proper debate in the slightest. Marsh sat up straighter and responded, [color=997fdb][b]“Owen and I have a complicated history, that isn’t the point of this conversation. That altercation also did not take place on school grounds, so it should be of minimal concern to you. What [i]did[/i] take place on school grounds was a hate crime. Student versus student. Owen stepped in because he had to, there are video tapes of what happened. Kids record everything these days, you well know that. Owen tried talking them down first, handling it civilly without violence. He did what he did because he [i]had[/i] to to protect another student. Protecting students should be [i]your[/i] job, should it not? Where were the security guards? Why did it take the action of a student to step in and stop a crime from taking place? Owen Lyon did your job for you, and you suspended him for it. Perhaps your decision shouldn’t be so final.”[/b][/color]

[color=074460][b]“Of minimal concern to me? You must not have been at the last couple PTA meetings. All I’ve heard about is how that party should be of my concern. And maybe your right, Owen helped out — that’s fine. But there’s a zero tolerance policy and for God’s sake, Marshall, he roundhouse kicked someone in the face! Don’t you kids like getting suspended anyway? Time you don’t have to spend here.”[/b][/color]

[color=997fdb][b]“A fat lot of good that zero tolerance policy is doing you, huh?”[/b][/color] Marshall retorted quietly and rolled his eyes. [color=997fdb][b]“And yes, he kicked someone in the face. He kicked an intolerant, ignorant, violent bigot in the face.”[/b][/color] The drama star shook his head in increasing frustration with the supposed man of authority sitting before him. [color=997fdb][b]“AND, what does it [i]matter[/i] if kids like getting suspended? That shouldn’t be your response at all.  You are punishing a student because he violated your zero tolerance policy, a policy for which you [i]clearly[/i] do not have enough preventative measures in place to support. Owen shouldn’t have had to step in, but he had to, because the school wasn’t there for the student body to prevent this violence. If you think your PTA meetings are a headache now, I guarantee that they are about to get a heck of a lot worse, Principal Evans. This suspension is getting talked about, I’m here and I am a loud personality in this school. Jamie, the assaulted student, is one of the kids in charge of the school newspaper, and you [i]know[/i] he has a big mouth. So many of the students in this school are LGBT, or are the children of LGBT parents… and now we are aware of the fact that this school isn’t a safe place for us. Even our principal isn’t in support of us, since he punishes kids who are only trying to do the right thing. These are people who both attend your school, and fund it.”[/b][/color] 

Marshall caught his breath in mid rant and then sighed. He wasn’t defeated, not nearly, but his argument was getting redundant. [color=997fdb][b]“I obviously can’t force you to change your mind, Principal Evans, but I can ask you to reconsider. Reconsider Owen Lyon’s suspension. Do something preventive, like hiring more security, and having a school wide seminar on tolerance. Prevention does more than reaction, and all you’ve done is react. Do the right thing, Principal Evans, that’s what Owen did. He doesn’t even [i]like[/i] Jamie, trust me, he did this because he had to, not because he [i]wanted[/i] to.”[/b][/color] Marsh adjusted the strap of his backpack and stood up. He’d said what he needed to say, and he was done here, for now.

[color=074460][b]“OKAY. Alright. I can’t hire more security, but I’ll reconsider it. He’s serving today either way, that much is happening no matter what. But maybe I can let him back by Friday instead of next Monday.”[/b][/color] The Principal was beginning to get the sense that if he didn’t give Marshall something, then this was going to becoming a cycle — and it was a cycle he desperately wanted to avoid. [color=074460][b]“I’ll see about a seminar. Are you satisfied, Mr. Radley?”[/b][/color]

[color=997fdb][b]“Placated, at least.”[/b][/color] Marshall said with a small victorious smirk. [color=997fdb][b]“Have a good rest of your day, Principal Evans. I have to get to first period now.”[/b][/color] He said with a wave and headed out of the office, thanking the secretary politely once again on his way out.[/indent]