Chill by Colin Frizzell Read Free Book Online Page B

everything was going as he’d expected it to go. He turned and started to walk toward the office.
    â€œYou too, Ms. Surette.” Ms. Surette was still staring at the mural. It was as if she could see it through the curtain. Dazed, she looked at the principal. She nodded.
    The principal quickly caught up to Chill. Mr. Sfinkter wasn’t far behind, followed by Orchid and her camera crew. Ms. Surette looked at the wall again before following.
    As I watched them disappearing down the hall, I knew that Chill wasn’t going to slip out of this trick as he had all the others. I also saw that he’d accepted that fact.
    The students had booed when they put the curtain back up and were now laughing and talking.
    â€œHe’s going to get expelled for sure,” I heard Mac say.
    That’s when I made my break for the lynch mob that was heading to the office gallows. I got there just before everyone went inside.
    â€œI did it,” I yelled.
    They all turned around, including the camera.
    â€œIt was me.” I hadn’t thought this through. “I got into the school. I broke in last night. And I changed the mural.”
    I saw a vein in Mr. Sfinkter’s forehead start to throb.
    â€œIs he an abusive teacher?” the cameraman asked.
    â€œEveryone in my office!” Mr. Gondale said before I could reply.
    We all filed into the office. The principal stood at the door. He stopped the cameraman.
    â€œNot you!”
    â€œFreedom of the press!” the cameraman said.
    â€œJust wait here, Don,” Orchid told him.
    â€œI can’t let you in either,” Mr. Gondale told Orchid.
    â€œHe’s my son!” she firmly stated. “Now get out of my way!”
    And he did.

Chapter Seventeen
    They didn’t care which one of us had done it. In their eyes, we were both guilty enough to be punished. Mr. Gondale and Orchid started venting immediately with simultaneous scolding.
    The principal was ranting to all who wanted to listen and those who didn’t.
    â€œIn all my years. I have never seen anything like this. There is no excuse,” he babbled.
    Orchid got involved too. She questioned his ability to run the school and accused him of not supervising his students or teachers.
    But most of Orchid’s shouting was focused at Chill and me.
    The more people yelled, the calmer Mr. Sfinkter became. Ms. Surette stood in the corner, looking like someone had asked her a question she didn’t know the answer to. Chill sat in a chair, listening intently but not saying a word.
    I tried to defend us, but all I got out was “But...He...Well...” And eventually “Sorry.”
    â€œSorry isn’t going to cut it,” Mr. Gondale said. “You’re both going to be suspended immediately while we determine whether or not to take further action.”
    â€œWhat about our exams?” I asked.
    â€œIf you’re allowed back, you’ll have to do the semester over again.”
    A small smile crept across Mr. Sfinkter’s face.
    â€œWhat?” Orchid said.
    â€œThis school has a zero-tolerance bullying policy,” Mr. Gondale said. “And they have to learn that there are consequences to their actions.”
    â€œWhat about his actions?” Ms. Holinground said, pointing accusingly at Mr. Sfinkter.
    â€œI think Mr. Sfinkter is the victim in all this, wouldn’t you say?”
    â€œNo, no I wouldn’t say!” she yelled. “What we saw out there is the effect. I’d like to know the cause. And your ‘zero-tolerance policy’ should be just as stringent for teachers who bully as it is for students.”
    â€œThat’s insulting,” Mr. Sfinkter said, no trace left of the smirk that he wore so proudly moments before. “How dare you accuse me—”
    â€œKeep your bow tie on, Bozo,” Orchid said, cutting him off.
    I do love her so.
    â€œAll I’m saying is that there should be some kind of