In Case of Rejection

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

He followed the guard to those big white doors on the far right. The pair stepped into a small room with gray walls, one Matthew never thought he'd set foot in. It looked like some sort of waiting room -- a doctor's office somewhere in Sector 3, with plastic chairs against the back wall and a dark wooden desk in the middle. On the farthest wall there were two doors, probably to other little offices, Matthew figured.

"Take a seat," the guard said, motioning to the row of chairs. Matthew approached the seating cautiously, picking the chair farthest to the right, closest to the door. He almost laughed to himself, his mind already started to form an escape plan. He knew he wasn't about to roll over for the First Five, but since when did he become this self-appointed vigilante?

The man stood in the corner, breathing. The room was so intimate and painfully quiet that Matthew could hear his every move. The way his uniform shifted when he exhaled. The faintest jingling of keys and the shuffle of his boots against the linoleum. It was startling how silent it was, compared to the ambient noise from the main hall, and the crowd walking through inspection.

Matthew was lost in his thoughts for a few moments, only launched back into reality with the clicking of a door from the far wall. From behind another white door came a woman, small in stature, wearing a dark blue blazer and pants. Up close, he almost didn't recognize her at first. It was Principal Evans.

"Matthew?" She asked, standing still in her door frame. She made an awkward, pitiful type of face. Like she didn't want to do this, but she had to. She motioned for him to join her.
Matthew stood up, feeling his head spin as he did. He skirted around the desk at the center of the room, which didn't have anyone in it, which Matthew found odd. He walked through Principal Evans's doorway, into an even smaller, grayer room.

So, this was the principal's office. Matthew felt a strange sort of pride, like out of everyone, he was the one to be there. It didn't make sense to him either.

"Matthew," Principal Evans said again, this time in a way that was declaratory and not questioning. She had shut the door and was already sitting again behind her big wooden desk. Matthew moved to sit in the small cushioned chair across from her. She glanced over the bright computer screen to her left, moving the mouse around.

"You didn't come into school yesterday, do you want to tell me about that?" She asked, this time, her voice low. Matthew glanced up at the little square window behind her desk, the sole source of natural light in the room. Outside, the sky was dark gray like the walls. Not from rain, but from ash. Matthew swallowed, dry scratchiness on all sides of his throat, and the lingering bruising pain. The room hummed in anticipation.

The truth? He wondered.

"Can I be honest?" He asked, and Principal Evans smiled softly.

"I would prefer it," she said, a mix of sternness and understanding. Matthew took a deep breath. It was a reasonable enough story. She had to be sympathetic, behind closed doors, he figured. Who was listening?

"My Dad came home yesterday. He was the one in the broadcast," Matthew said. "He said he wanted me to stay with him."

A half lie, but Matthew figured it softened the blow on his part anyway. Principal Evans lowered her head a bit, leaning her elbows forward onto her desk. She looked back up at Matthew with pain flashing behind her eyes.

"Right," she said. "You know that absences are not tolerated and are always punished."
The words came out quickly, almost like she didn't want to say them. Matthew nodded slowly, ready to start spewing apologies, but she continued.

"And you did not pass inspection today," she said, looking down at his sweater. Matthew looked down to it too, like he was as confused as she was. He was suddenly immeasurably grateful Olive brought him clothes.