Jason took a glance at the iron-wrought gates, perhaps a second longer than he had wanted to. After all, it would be the last time when he would walk through those gates for a very long time. Scenes from his past flashed in his mind like a silent movie as he traced the intricate designs on the gate; the many mornings when he had clambered over it hurriedly to the point of almost tearing his uniform in a bid to escape detention for being late; the equally numerous afternoons when he had, along with his gang of friends, clambered over it once again, this time, in the opposite direction, with their Discipline Master hot on their heels.

Brushing away the solitary tear that had started to form and threatened to flow down his cheek, Jason adjusted his uniform, and walked slowly towards the Grand Hall, taking in all of the sights and sounds of his surroundings. The sounds of his juniors enjoying their time kicking a soccer ball in the pitch, the slightly pungent odour of the ammonia coming from the laboratories just to the right of him, the feeling of the wind as it blew against his cheeks, his face and his entire body.

It just wasn’t fair. Everything didn’t have to end like that. Not when everything was just starting to be alright!

“Sit down, Jason. The principal will call you in shortly.” The receptionist informed him, as Jason took a seat outside the room. The receptionist looked at Jason sadly, and sighed loudly. He looked up at her; a face of pity and worry was all over her otherwise attractive face. Jason knew what was going through her mind; it was what everyone said about him, all his parents, his aunts, his uncles, his cousins, everyone. How can such a promising young child be reduced to such a sorry state today?

“Jason, the principal is ready to see you now.” To the receptionist, it sounded almost routine. To Jason, it was a death sentence. Despite his cool and roguish exterior, Jason’s interior was just like any other sixteen year old in his school, frightened, worried, confused, and of course, ever-searching for his true identity; for what he was going to become in the future. That is, if he still had a future after everything.

Love can be kind, like the guardian angel that watches above us, silent in whatever is being done. Love can also be merciless and evil, like the devil who kills without mercy.

Nothing had changed in the principal’s office since Jason’s previous visit. That occasion, he had been caught fighting in the classroom with another student from a neighbouring class; the reason, as Jason so wittily put it, was because we had our own differences. Now, he was being brought in for a totally different reason. Even Jason himself wished he hadn’t been so careless; he wished he hadn’t been so naïve, so stupid, so foolish.

“Jason. How many times have you been here already, since the start of the school term?”

“Six, sir.”

“On what grounds?”

“Two times for fighting, three times cos of defiancy, once for truancy.”

The principal sighed. He was getting too tired for all these problem kids already. But this time, Jason had gone too far.

“Do you have any idea what the consequences would be for what you’ve done?”

Jason did not reply this time. All his witty remarks; all his well-thought out excuses would not work this time. Sighing heavily once again, the principal continued.

“Jason. You were caught with Cheryl in a classroom last night, and you were both naked! Do you seriously have ANY idea on what you guys were up to?!”

“Sir, we were just having fun-“

“Fun can be carried out in other ways, other methods! I knew you are young; you are just reaching puberty, but this, this is simply ridiculous!”

“Sir, I can explain, it was the alcohol-“

“I don’t want to listen to your excuses anymore!”

“Sir, please, just one more chance-“

“Jason, as of now, you are officially not a student of my school.”

Labels: The Moment