"Both of you, stop." Dark commanded, holding up one hand to them. Bernice huffed and came further into the room, arms folded across her chest. She glared at the three of them, until at last her gaze settled on the twins.
"You two, out." She barked, but despite her ferocity, Dark was pleased, because it meant she was going to give him time to speak to her alone. When the twins had exited, she sat across from Dark and neither spoke for a long while. Dark was having mild flashbacks to when he was in high school, except this time he had power, something he never had when he was a kid.
"What do you expect me to say?" Bernice asked at last, "Those kids are incorrigible and they get into more trouble than any other student at this school, and I can't keep giving them passes because you don't leave me alone if I refuse to, and you can't keep undermining my authority with them."
Dark rolled his eyes, annoyed by yet even more bias being shown by his boss, "There are so many incorrect things you said in that statement I do not even know where to begin. This is the first time Alec has been in your officer, so do not lump him in with Xander--who, by the way, has been doing so well lately and you cannot look at his recent record and pretend otherwise," He began to list off her mistakes on his fingers, "you are not giving them passes, you are giving them what they deserve, which is a fair chance, and I am not undermining you, I am standing up for the kids who you, for some reason, have entirely written off."
"A few weeks of good behavior does not automatically undo everything the rest of the year, and you know it," Bernice snapped, gesturing to her file cabinet, "do I need to talk you through every. Single. Infraction. on Xander's permanent record?"
"No, what I know is that those kids, and I really do not understand why I cannot get you to understand this, have come from an unstable home, difficult home. I don't even know the depths of what they have lived through, what they have survived. People brought up that way are not going to adjust as easily as those who come from loving homes because they have never had anything in this life that they did not have to go and fight for the right to claim as theirs," Dark clenched his hands. It was a difficult argument to keep having to make because every time he said those words he had to confront how he never had anyone to have that fight for him, and he refused to drop it, "But now, now they are finally in a stable home with people who actually give a damn about them and now Xander is doing better."
"And yet, Alec is doing worse. Where does that fit in your philosophy? He was skipping class."
"No, he was not. He was forced in that closet by that kid Logan, and if you do not believe me, check the hall cameras," He hoped Xander was not listening in, because he was sure he would never be forgiven for not going along with his intended lie, but Dark knew he was not going to get anywhere without telling the truth. So, he recounted the story as he understood it, "Alec borrowed my wife's sunglasses because he decided he wanted to try makeup--which, by the way, is not against the dress code, and if it is, then you need to march half of the girls in this school down to your office, as well as yourself--and I guess he did a bad job and was embarrassed and could not figure out how to remove it. Then Logan and his--goons, decided to take the glasses from him and break them and then accused him of wearing makeup to try to get male teachers to find him attractive. Then, yes, Alec broke and swung his backpack at Logan, and he already knows that was wrong, and you saw how apologetic he is, but that does not excuse Logan of lifting him up and imprisoning him."
Bernice crossed her arms, "What you are saying is that Alec reacted violently to a non-violent situation, and Logan responded."
Dark swore in Arabic, but not under his breath, "Why do always take his side? Go through Xander's record, see how often Logan is involved in his incidents. He has been bullying my kids their entire time they have been at your school and probably while they still were in middle school. You have done nothing about it, nothing. And you refuse to even acknowledge that there is a problem."
"That is not true."
"Really? Because unless you have magically managed to never send Logan to detention on days when I am running it, he has never once been punished, meanwhile, Alec and Xander are not even the only students he is cruel to," He wanted to lash out, more than anything he wanted to yell at her and tell her she was a natural fool who was terrible at her job and a vendetta against kids 'from the wrong side of the track,' but he was old enough to know that would not get anywhere. So, with a clenched jaw, he spoke honestly, "It is no secret that I do not like you, Bernice, but if you are so obsessed with whatever donation his parents give to this school, then--I will not respect you either. It is not just about Alec and Xander, Bernice, it is about Logan being able to get away with anything he wants and then punishing the students who cannot take it anymore."
"It is far more complicated than--"
"Bernice," Dark interrupted, and came as close as he ever had to raising his voice, "I am constantly being called down here if Xander so much as breathes in a way you find disrespectful. How often have Logan's parents been called in during the school day?"
"Well, they work--"
"And I literally work here, for you!" He inhaled and pulled himself back together before saying, "look. Send my kids back to class. Let Alec go with a warning. Xander is only here because he was scared for his brother, and not even you could fault him for that. Then call Logan's parents and set up a meeting--after their work day ends--because I will not let this go on any longer. Not as a foster parent, and not as a teacher. I want to sit down with his parents, and you, if you are brave enough, and talk to them, because it is only going to get worse, and soon enough, you will lose control of your school."
They fell silent again, once more staring daggers at each other, vying for dominance. Just like before, Bernice broke first, "Fine. But you let them know that I am watching them both, and you. I will not continue to be so lenient."
"No, I would not expect you to be." Dark replied, and then walked out of Bernice's office. Looking down at the twins, he said, "She said you can both return to class. Alec, she let you off with a warning."