Lilies for a Lifetime

Chapter 5 // Girls, Girls, Girls

Sophomore Year / Age 15...

"Good afternoon, Mr. Williams," Mrs. Cotler, the Greenville High principal, announces.

Scott gives the woman a respectful nod as his son sits beside him nervously. Hayden doesn't meet the principal's eyes as he looks at his lap.

On any other occasion, Hayden would usually be annoying the crap out of the principal with annoying jokes and witty comments, but in the presence of his dad, he doesn't want to disappoint him.

"What brings me here?" Scott smiles.

"I just wanted to bring us together so we could talk about Hayden," she informs. "I have a couple of concerns."

Scott looks at Hayden when he notices that, for once, his son is eerily quiet. He reaches over and gently rubs his shoulder as he waits for the principal to continue.

"He's failing almost every single one of his classes besides football," Mrs. Cotler says. "He has multiple detentions on his record and many teachers have complained about him.  He's acting out more and more and I don't know what else to do besides confide in you. I mean, is there something I should know about going on at home?"

Scott shakes his head. He then scrunches his eyebrows up and stares at his son once again. Hayden always says what's on his mind, so it's weird to him that his son has been withholding certain things when he always has stories to share.

Hayden crosses his arms and slouches in his chair.

Nobody gets it.

Hayden feels so goddamn lonely. He has the greatest friends in the world, yet they can't carry him on their backs at every moment. His dad is irreplaceable, yet he is feeling the strain of them being so far apart for so many days in the year. No matter what girl Hayden obsesses over, dates, and kisses, they never last because they can never like Hayden for who he truly is.

He can't focus in school because he always wants to be the person that everyone's eyes are drawn toward, and not because he's stupid, but because he is genuinely an interesting person. Nobody takes him seriously. Most people only tolerate him because friends with popular football captain Leo Gaines.

His facade to make people laugh isn't working as well as he expected because he is only responded to with scowls and glares. He does every little thing to branch out and meet new people, yet nobody gives him the time of day because they think he's a waste of oxygen.

Since when is the class clown beat down the worst?

"Is there anything that I should know?" Mrs. Cotler offers. "How can we adapt our teachings to make it beneficial to him? Don't get me wrong; I'm sure he's a wonderful kid, but that doesn't translate to what we are seeing here."

"Hayden?" Scott addresses softly. "Anything to say?"

Hayden looks away in shame.

Scott sighs before looking back at the dispirited woman.

"I think it would be best if we talk about it at home," Scott smiles. "Maybe then we can set up another conference and discuss it again."

Mrs. Cotler nods, "Okay, sounds like a good idea. Have a great rest of your day."

"Will do."

Scott and Hayden exit the office and walk through the now-empty school hallways. Neither says a single word until they get into the car and start driving home.

Scott sighs, "Hayden, what's going on? You usually tell me everything?"

"It's hard to do that when you aren't here half of the time," Hayden grumbles, looking outside of the window.