Bubble Gum Kisses
CHAPTER 46

**Kapittel 46**

***Vanessa***

**"I was just kidding!"**

I shook my head, ignored them, and continued talking to Asher.

To: Asher

Uh yeah...?

To: Asher

What about it?

From: Asher

Nothing.

My heart thumped at his response. I was supposed to feel relieved, but something didn't feel right. To: Asher

Asher, what is it?!

To: Asher

You're scaring me!

From: Asher

Hang on, give me time to type.

To: Asher

Then type faster.

From: Asher

I'm leaving you on read.

To: Asher

I was kidding...

From: Asher

Ik.

From: Asher

Usually, a first offense is only consequent with a warning. From: Asher

The second offense requires detention and a reflection paper. From: Asher

You only get to do community service on the third offense.

To: Asher

Wait.

To: Asher

What?!

From: Asher

Student handbook, page 45, article II, section 5, subsection C, third paragraph.

After hearing his response, I immediately ran to the door, opening it to notify Mom. "Mom, I'll be late for dinner in a bit!" "Okay, honey. Just heat the food when you eat!"

"Okay, thanks!" I replied and ran to my study desk in an attempt to search for the student handbook I got from the registrar, almost throwing my stash just to replace the goddamned book. I was agitated, I wanted to replace that page immediately. If it was true that my offense was not liable for community service then that meant...

"What's going on?" Nikki asked, obviously confused.

"I... I need to go, guys. I got something to do." I stopped jumbling my things when I heard her. My chest has this turmoil boiling inside me, I needed some time alone, and for that, the calls needed to end. I'm sure they'd understand. I was too occupied with my thoughts that I didn't notice I had placed the phone on the phone stand connected to the desk, showing them a full view that I was throwing my things away just to replace a single item.

"Did something happen?" Seandhe asked worriedly. His question pierced my heart. It was obvious that they were concerned for me, but this problem did not involve them. I mustn't involve them too.

Vanessa, breathe. Get yourself together. Don't break down what you've recently built.

"I'd be lying if I said nothing happened," I answered, a small smile stretching on my lips. "I'm sorry for cutting this call short, but I need some time for myself right now."

"Oh... okay." My heart broke hearing Nikki's crestfallen voice. I felt guilty for disappointing them, but I need to prioritize myself right now, as well as replaceing the handbook. "Take care." I grabbed the phone to wave them goodbye.

"Van," Harley called. "You know that we'll always be here for you right?"

"I know," I murmured with a small smile before ending the call.

I just hoped I was punished accordingly and not due to any factor interfering. Finally replaceing the book, which was just on the surface of the desk, along with my textbooks, I flipped the pages instantaneously and with full force like my life depended on it. There I found the page and section Asher implied, under the minor offenses.

"Whether these criteria are considered applicable by the succeeding persons in positions of the Discipline Committee, the Student Affairs Head, and the Student Formation Dean... the final verdict is determined by the Guidance Counselor... In such that either one or two violations were committed by the students, they are obligated to perform the following, in adherence with the level of offense, and jurisdiction of the Guidance Counselor... and shall be recorded in the student's name...." My eyes moved fastidiously from left to right as I seeped all the information entailed.

"General misconduct that may be liable under this includes but are not limited to the following... violation of basic campus rules... lacking evidence... unable to adhere to the SAO's uniform guidelines..." I mumbled the text word for word as I scanned the page. I got past what he had listed in the text. But there was nothing about assault or anything like it being listed as a minor offense.

To: Asher

But this applies to minor offenses like improper wearing of the uniform, not wearing the ID, and stuff like that though?

From: Asher

Turn to the next page.

I did as was told. My jaw smacked down the floor, and my eyes widened and my eyeballs left when I read what was articulated in the next page. What... the fuck. My veins constricted and it felt difficult to breathe as my face became hot. There it was, printed in an elegant text on the fine sheet of paper that emanated the smell of expensive print.

Assault that includes but is not limited to: Punching

Kicking

Mockery Pushing

Taunting

I didn't finish the rest that was written and immediately replied to Asher.

To: Asher

What the heck? Punching someone is just a minor offense?

From: Asher

You should be glad it's just a minor offense. The penalties for major violations are heavy.

From: Asher

That doesn't stop others from being assholes tho.

From: Asher

You didn't ask on what grounds you were penalized?

From: Asher

Here I thought you were some smarty pants who'd shout "I know my rights!" when incriminated or something. To: Asher

I was scared okay?!

To: Asher

It was my first time getting called to the Guidance Counselor. I didn't know Mr. I-got-called-more-than-once.

To: Asher

What are the major offenses then?

From: Asher

Oh, you know.

From: Asher

Aside from things like cheating, arson, vandalizing, fighting with a teacher, illegal shit, scandals that can affect the school's rep, and other stuff.

To: Asher

Wait, you're not denying you got called more than once?!

To: Asher

Vandalizing is a major offense, and violence is not?!

From: Asher

I'd be lying if I say I didn't.

From: Asher

I'm starting to question which side you're on.

From: Asher

Especially that you're the assailant.

To: Asher

We're not talking about that right now.

From: Asher

But anyway, you only punched Friso once. If you're actually reading the handbook, it states there that assault escalates to violence when one punch becomes two, and the other party retaliates. The same goes with kicks, among others. I turned the phone away to read the entire contents of the page and saw that he was right.

To: Asher

But what if my offense was treated as major since the video is posted on the school's Reddit? To: Asher

Plus, it said there that penalties are at the Counselor's discretion.

To: Asher

Ms. Caswell was kind enough not to put it in my record too. Doing CS for it is nothing.

From: Asher

I'll give the benefit of the doubt.

From: Asher

But if we stick to the book, it sucks for u that they had you do CS when you were just supposed to be warned.

From: Asher

Anyways, gtg. It's spaghetti night. Can't miss it.

From: Asher

cu tmrw.

"What the heck?" I found myself grinning seeing his texts getting more minimum one after another. I plopped on my bed, emptily staring at the ceiling, processing what just happened. I... was meant to only have a warning? My stomach growled but I wasn't in the mood to eat. All the information I just learned ate me whole. Now the time was passing so slowly again. A sigh escaped my lips. I was angry. Somewhat frustrated. There was a rumbling turmoil inside me that I couldn't process. My chest tightened as my thoughts went deeper. I wanted to know the truth, on what grounds I was tasked with community service as a penalty, but I didn't want to at the same time. I didn't think I'd handle the truth if it ever came out. No, I couldn't bear to hear it. They said that ignorance was bliss. Yet, willful ignorance turns into a crime. I'd rather... do crime I wouldn't take to see the naked truth itself.

Still, I should give the benefit of the doubt, right? Maybe I was somehow right. Especially since Asher mentioned major misconduct penalties like stuff that could affect the school's rep. It was in the handbook, too. Ms. Caswell surely punished me justly, right?

No. I bit my lower lip. This didn't feel right. My blood boiled as the devil cooed in my ear that she didn't punish me justly. If following the book itself, what I did was a minor misconduct. My first minor misconduct at that! I did community service when I shouldn't have?! I was supposed to only have a warning, what the fuck?

But it said there that violation at any level will be recorded in the student's name. Therefore, even if it was just a warning, I should have had my name on record. But she didn't do that. Urgh, this was confusing. This all seemed like someone asked Ms. Caswell to do all that.

Wait.

What if someone did? But who would be?

The night was cold, clouds huddled in the sky, and the winds blew hard like a storm was coming yet there wasn't. But realization struck me like lightning itself. No else could be capable of such things other than the devil himself: Friso. No. No freaking way.

Fuck. I bit my lower lip when a familiar saline liquid got into the corner of my mouth. The other one flowed down the side of my face, reaching my ear. For no known reason, I was crying again.

Thank you for reading Bubble Gum Kisses! To keep up with my works, future works, and endless frustrations on Twitter:

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