Westpoint Tales - Entangled Tales, 85 - Justin & Billy

(Highschool - Main Entrance.)

Billy was awakened by a gentle kiss. He flicked his eyes open to look straight into Justin’s.

“Good Morning, my Sunny One.”

“Mmmm. Do that again.”

“Do what again? You mean this?”

He kissed him again, but when Billy began kissing in earnest, he backed off and grinned.

“Whoah! Not good to get so excited first thing in the morning. We can’t cut school on the first day back.”

“Fuck school. Come to bed.”

“No way, Boy. Here, I brought you this.”

He picked up a breakfast tray from the floor and held it while Billy shuffled into a sitting position.

“Cool. Breakfast in bed. Thanks, Sweetcheeks.”

“All part of the service, Milord.” He picked up another tray for himself and sat cross-legged at the end of the bed, smiling at his delighted mate.

Billy smiled back at him, sipped the hot coffee and studied the tray – a large glass of OJ, on a paper napkin, in the corner, two fancy plate-covers with ornate silver handles, and, between them, a glass vase containing one single rosebud.

“Where’d you get the rose?”

“I pinched it; from the gardens around at the Square. I left a $2 coin to pay for it though.”

“Anyone else would’ve just pinched it. Hey! This is a yellow rose.”

“Yeah, sure it is - yellow for friendship.”

“Friendship? Don’t you love me anymore?”

“Don’t be silly, Billy. Of course I love you; but you’re my friend too – my best friend ever.”

“You’ll have me crying again in a minute. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had too. So, what have we here? You didn’t cook this breakfast did you?”

“I didn’t cook it. I don’t want to poison you. Well, aren’t you going to look?”

Billy lifted the covers and grinned. “Burgers for breakfast?”

“Yeah, burgers.” Justin took the covers off his own. “Billy’s Burgers – simply the best. There’s this great little burger-bar right next-door and they’re doing breakfasts now.”

“This is so cool, Sweetcheeks. Thank you. One day I’ll have to get up early and take you out for breakfast.”

“Great! It’s a date. Where will we go then?”

“There’s this great little burger-bar right next-door.”

“Cheapskate.”

“Arse’ole.”

“Arse’ole.”

“Love you.”

“Love you more.”

As they walked to school, Justin was thinking, what a contrast to the first time he’d walked there last year. Then, as now, it was a dull overcast day – where had Summer gone? There were kids all over the town, heading towards the various schools, some in cars, some on bikes, but mostly on foot and in groups and pairs.

That was where the similarity ended. Last year he’d walked alone and lonely; now he was in the midst of a friendly crowd that was growing larger all the time. Best of all, he was walking between his twin and his best-friend, both of whom he loved dearly. Life was good.

It didn’t stay good for long though. As soon as they got to school, it started. Mrs. Lewis was standing waiting for them, by the main doors.

“Good morning, Boys. Ah – where is Billy, Justin?”

“Good morning, Mrs. Lewis. He’s not far away – went to see his cousins I think.”

“Oh. Justin, would you come with me please – Mrs. Lowry wants a word with you, and with Billy too. Jonathan, would you go and find him please and tell him to come to the principal’s office right now.”

“Okay, sure. But what does she want?”

“I don’t know, she didn’t say. But she wants to see both of you and me too. Shall we go?”

Jonathan ran off to find Billy and Justin and Mrs. Lewis walked around to the office. She knocked on the door and opened it when told to ‘enter’.

Mrs. Lowry looked up. “Ah, Emily. Thank you. Come in, both of you. Where’s the other one?”

“He shouldn’t be long. I’ve sent Justin’s brother to find him.”

“Good, good. Well, you’d better sit down while we wait for him.”

“What’s this about, Mrs. Lowry?”

“All in good time, Justin. We’ll just wait for Billy. I’d rather not have to go through this twice.”

“Go through what twice?”

“What we have to discuss. We’ll just wait.”

They sat making small-talk about the weather and about Billy’s burgers for a few minutes. All three were relieved at the knock on the door. Mrs. Lowry looked up.

“Enter.”

The door opened and Jonathan appeared. “Morning, Mrs. Lowry. You wanted to see Billy? Here he is.”

“Thank you, Mr. – ah – Reynolds now isn’t it? Send him in and wait outside please. No. On second thoughts, I think you should come in too, Jonathan.”

They both came in and sat on the chairs indicated.

“Thank you all for coming so promptly. I have asked Mrs. Lewis to be here as a support person for you as I understand that she is your friend. However, she is also a teacher, so, if you prefer, we can wait until your guardians can get here.

Jonathan is here purely as a witness. You have no part in this, Jonathan. Do you understand?”

“Okay, Mrs. Lowry. I’m a witness.”

Justin said, “Mrs. Lewis, I’m proud to be your friend and we’re happy for you to be our support person as long as it doesn’t compromise you. You are on the school staff.”

“Thanks, Justin. I’m not sure what this is about but, if it is what I think it is, I may not be on the staff much longer anyway.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Lewis,” said the Principal. “Boys, please understand that this is nothing personal. I am just doing my job. Sometimes I hate my job. I have notices here addressed to you both – notices of suspension.”

“You what?” Jonathan snapped.

“Please, Mr. Reynolds, you have no voice in these proceedings. Don’t make this harder than it already is – just watch and listen. I think it will be best if I read these notices out loud. They are both the same, one is addressed to Mr. Justin Jonathan Reynolds and the other to Mr. William Robert Mathieson.

“At the inaugural meeting of the newly constituted Board of Trustees of Westpoint High-school, Monday 29 January, the following matter was brought to the Board’s attention. Article 17 of the constitution and charter of Westpoint High-school reads as follows:

‘It is recognized that the school has a responsibility to protect the moral sensibilities of all students currently in its care. Therefore, any persons known to engage in lewd and immoral conduct shall be liable to immediate expulsion.’

The Board has therefore resolved that you shall be suspended forthwith and you are invited to speak to the next meeting of the Board, on Wednesday 31 January, where your permanent expulsion from this school will be discussed.

The notices are signed by Mr. Colin Stephens, Chairman. Mr. Stephens is the father of Bradley, the boy who was shot last year, so I think that we can guess what the motivation behind this was.”

Jonathan snorted from his corner. “Where’s mine, Mrs. Lowry?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Where’s my notice of suspension for lewd and immoral behaviour? If Justin and Billy are guilty of that, then so am I. So are most of the kids in this school, and probably half the staff too if the truth is known. Are you going to suspend the lot of us?”

“Mrs. Lowry?” Justin spoke up. “Mr. Stephens has a grudge against me. If he has found a way to expel me, well, rules are rules I suppose. But there’s no need for Billy to be involved. Couldn’t you let him stay on if I just leave quietly? I’m in year 12 but Billy is only year 11.”

“Shut up, Justin,” Billy interrupted. “If you’re guilty of this garbage, then so am I.”

“So am I,” Jonathan agreed.

Mrs. Lewis said, “Mrs. Lowry, may I have a pen and paper please?”

She passed over a writing-pad and a pen. Mrs. Lewis quickly wrote on it and passed it back. Mrs. Lowry looked down and read it.

“Really, Emily? Are you sure?”

“As sure as I’ve ever been about anything in my life. I stood in the teacher’s lounge, last year, when this boy spoke to the staff after Jeremy Carver died. He told us that Jeremy was killed by the bullying in this school and I was thoroughly ashamed.

I am not going to be ashamed again. If this ridiculous charade is going to be played out, then I am resigning from my position. I don’t want to be associated with this school any longer.”

“Mrs. Lewis, you can’t do that! Please don’t resign, it’s not your problem.”

“Shut up, Justin. I can, I have. I’d be ashamed to stay here.”

“I appreciate where you are coming from, Emily,” Mrs. Lowry removed the page, ripped it up and dropped it into the waste-paper basket. “However, I cannot accept this. We can do much better than that.”

She picked up the pen and started writing, speaking aloud as she did.

“To Mr. Colin Stephens, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Westpoint High-school. We, the undersigned, hereby give notice of our intention to resign from positions held by us at Westpoint High-school. Such resignations to take effect from 8.0am, on Thursday 1 February, unless the suspensions of Mr. Justin Jonathan Reynolds and Mr. William Robert Mathieson are rescinded and suitable, written and public, apologies are forthcoming from your committee for your actions. Signed, Julia P. Lowry, Principal.”

She passed the pen and pad to Mrs. Lewis who smiled and signed as well. “Thank you, Mrs. Lowry.”

“Thank you, Emily. I will not be ashamed by this school either.”

“Mrs. Lowry, Mrs. Lewis, thank you but you can’t do this. This is your careers here, your incomes.”

“Justin, be quiet!” Mrs. Lowry smiled. “We won’t work for a school that we can have no pride in, and, Young Man, don’t presume to tell your friends what they can or cannot do.”

“But. . .but. . . thank you, Ladies. But this is a really big thing – you can’t!”

“We can, Justin,” said Mrs. Lewis. “The way Mrs. Lowry has worded it, it is not a resignation, it is notice of intention to resign. They won’t accept it, they won’t be able to, not after all the rest of the staff have signed it.”

“But how do you know that they will sign it?”

Mrs. Lowry said, “Superboy, off-hand, I can’t think of anyone who will not want to sign it.”

Jonathan spoke up. “Mrs. Lowry, Mrs. Lewis, thank you. You’re both bigger than I thought. But, could you do one more thing? Could you send copies of the suspensions and your responses to the Westpoint News?”

“Excellent idea. I will speak to the staff and then I will deliver copies there myself. You can expect to see them in tonight’s paper.”

“Thanks, Ladies. Thanks especially for Billy. He really doesn’t need to be tipped out of school just yet.”

“Justin, it doesn’t matter. We’ve already got a job and if you’re going then so am I.”

“Gentlemen, apart from justice for this mean and spiteful little act, I really think that you have no idea how much this school and this town owe to you.”

“Owe? Nobody owes us. We’ve done nothing.”

“Justin, before you came here, this school was full of bullies. Now there’s none and it is a much safer and more pleasant place to be. Who do you think is responsible for that?

Now, go home, Boys. You are still suspended, at the moment. We can’t do anything about that. I suggest that you both go and tell your grandmothers what has happened. That should stir things up! Jonathan, it is time that you went to your classes. As principal, I couldn’t suggest anything, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there wasn’t a mass walk-out of the students in protest at these outrageous suspensions. Especially if, as you say, most of them are guilty of lewd and immoral behaviour as well. It’s going to be a nice day out there too.”

They took their notices of suspension and left. Jonathan borrowed them and got Mrs. Burston to make copies on the office photocopier before he left.