NOVEL NEXT Chapter 35: Lofty
Nicholas stood stiffly in front of the principal’s desk, his hands tucked behind his back, feigning indifference. He was neither concerned with the consequences of his action nor his reputation. He was aware that everyone was now talking about Nicholas and The professor but it was as if he was told and as soon, he forgot it. The only thought that stayed in his mind of the letter, the gun and the untimely demise of his wife. He did not know why it bothered him so much that Charles had decided to buy a gun. It was as though the only thought that he could bring himself to entertain was a conspiracy which was a far cry for a story he was not filly aware of. The sharp glare of Professor Orson bore into him from across the room, his fury barely concealed beneath his tightly clenched jaw. Charles Orson excused himself out of the principals office into the adjacent room where Eva sat, her face a mixture of worry and exasperation.
“You’ve crossed a line, Nicholas,” the principal said. “Breaking into a professor’s home is not just a violation of trust—it’s a crime.”
Nicholas remained silent, his gaze fixed on the corner of the desk. He could feel the principals eyes on him, pleading silently for him to say something—anything—that would make the situation less dire. But he wouldn’t. He couldn’t. Words were fuel to fire, and Nicholas had no intention of making this worse for himself. He kmew it would be held against him, it always is.
“Why didn’t you tell me about this sooner?” Eva’s voice broke the tense silence. She turned to Professor Orson, her tone sharp with accusation. “You should have brought him to me, Charles. We could have handled this without escalating things like this.”
Charles turned his head slowly to face her, his expression one of restrained anger. “That’s exactly the problem, Eva. Handling things your way has never worked. Every time he crosses a boundary, you swoop in and shield him from the consequences. Do you not see what that’s done? He had the audacity to break into my house, my home, because he believed he could get away with it.”
“I wasn’t shielding him,” Eva argued, though she faltered slightly. “I was trying to help him. He’s young—he makes mistakes.”
“And you’ve taught him that mistakes come without punishment!” Charles shot back, his voice rising. “You’ve allowed it time and time again. That’s why he thought he could violate my privacy, rifle through my belongings, and expect to waltz away without so much as an apology.”
Eva opened her mouth to reply but stopped herself, her gaze shifting to the door beyond which the principal’s voice seemed to be getting louder. A flicker of guilt passed across her face.
Nicholas who still refused to look up, made it a point to remain absolutely silent, not saying a word to clear his name, or give an excuse. He was not planning on making a clean escape, it was a plan that had no beginning or end, but it had a prupose and he had achieved it.
The principal cleared his throat, breaking the charged silence. “I will write to your parents, we can only pull some strings on your behalf, but you have gone against us, disrupted and disrespected the sanctity of staff,” he said firmly. “This is not the place for personal arguments. However, The fact remains that you, Nicholas, have breached the rules in a serious manner. As a disciplinary measure, you is hereby prohibited from leaving school grounds for the remainder of the term. Additional privileges will also be revoked.”
Nicholas tensed slightly at the announcement but otherwise remained impassive.
“And,” the principal continued, “I strongly suggest that you receive counseling. Whatever drove you to such reckless behavior needs to be addressed.” he spoke loud enough, fully aware that Eva was pinned against the walls, listening to what he was saying.
Eva’s lips pressed into a thin line, and she sighed reluctantly. Charles, meanwhile, seemed almost pleased, though the fire in his eyes hadn’t dimmed.
"That is all, you may leave," the principal said as he dismissed Nicholas without so much as a second glance. Nicholas preffered it that way. He did not like the way disciplinary measures were taken but atleast they were efficient.
He turned to leave, he had nothing else to say back, but as soon as his hand landed on the door handle the principal said in a low voice, "Do not make any attempts to go against the measures I have set for you" he warned.
'He reads my mind' Nicholas thought to himself.
He opened the door and cast a fleeting glance at the principal before he closed the door shut. The man was looked at Nicholas as though his warning still hung in the air, spitefully watching him.
“This is for your own good, Nicholas,” Eva said quietly, standing to leave as she saw Nicholas. “I’ll do what I can to make this easier, but…” She trailed off, looking defeated as she turned away.
Charles, however, lingered. He leaned in close to Nicholas, his voice low enough that only he could hear. “You think you’re clever, boy, but you have no idea what you’ve started. Stay in line—or next time, there won’t be a next time.”
With that, he straightened and strode out of the room, leaving Nicholas standing in the heavy silence. For the first time, a sliver of unease wormed its way into his chest. He was not particularly enthusiastic about this little rebellious itch that arose in his chest but he knew he would not be able to resist its whispers.
Nicholas did not look up once. He had the same blank expression upon his face as he made his way back to the dormitories but there was a thought that circled his head. There was a small voice that was already devising a plan to leave the castle, but he feared that the voice was far too lofty in its goals.
Nicholas was a firm believer of detail. He believed everything around was a detail he could not afford to miss, everything on earth could be worked into a tool. And today he was going to make a show of it.