A/N: Two in one day! I'm on fire! Thanks for all this support, and I want you all to know that I made a playlist here ( http(:)/ / hard - to - scare / wildest - fantasies, be sure to check it out for all your Ren x Gabrielle needs! Also, i've been doing some reading on ADHD, and one of the side effects is irritability, so i'm going to be using some of that here . . . enjoy the chapter! - E

Gabrielle had watched with minimal shock as Ren was chased out of the bathroom practically as soon as

"You too missy," without even a sound of protest, Gerry the drunk librarian, fistful of Ren's hoodie, and a tight grip on Gabrielle's forearm

Are you actually kidding me?

"I will not tolerate it, Ren," Mr. Dubar began," Not in my school. So what have you gotta say for yourself?" Mr. Dunbar puffed himself up, making his resemblance to a fish all the more prominent.

"What do I have to say? I was on the gymnastics team for three years. Got drug tested all the time. If I smoked weed, I'd be off the team." Ren shot back immediately, reassuring his companion in some way.

"He had a joint..." Mr. Holland tried to appeal to Mr. Dunbar, "You even know what one looks like?" Gabrielle fired back, legs crossed

"Were you going to smoke it or sell it? Mr. Holland says you were with Rich Sawyer when this went down."

"I don't even know that prick." Gabrielle scoffed.

"Hey! Language." He had no idea how bad language could get.

"Ren, level with me." A twinge of panic wormed in the dark-haired girl's chest. If he said something, he'd be a target. "Was it Rich's joint? You can tell me.

There was a moment between the yelling, where Ren looked over at Gabrielle.

Don't do it moron.

"I don't do drugs." Gabrielle felt a warm feeling in her chest. Yes.

"You can test me. And when it comes out clean, I want this guy investigated for barging into the bathroom stall with me. That's gross."

Dunbar huffed. Not a good sign.

"But, since we don't have the evidence, I'm going to let you both off with a warning." Gabrielle had been in Principal Dunbar's office enough times to know that he never actually gave punishments, he just stated what the student/ ex-student/ lurker did wrong and then insulted them about unrelated topics.

"Gabby, I knew your brother, you know I did. He was wild, like you, trying to have lots of fun, but that's, sadly, what got him killed." The thin girl bristled, pulling the oversized sweater around her tighter in an attempt to transport into another dimension away from the assholes in Bomont. Many things had been said about Bobby in the years since the accident, but that was a new one.

"What i'm trying to say, is that, if you continue on this path that your on, it is going to lead to nothing but sin and an empty life."

"Your wife left you, how empty is your life?" She mumbled down into her lap, only loud enough so Ren could hear.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Ren," Dunbar attempted to look earnest, and failed. "listen to me, you have to understand something. You see, life is not some big party. I don't care what the rap music people say, marijuana is just wrong." Ren didn't do drugs, he didn't even like drugs. It was a known fact in his Boston High School, but Bomont was somehow still in denial that no one would pressure you into drugs.

" Son, listen to me. Ren, I knew your momma." The boy's head was then filled with images of his mother, hair higher than the Empire State Building desperately trying to avoid a very desperate adult Principal Dunbar.

" That's right. I knew Sandy."

'Sandy,' thought Gabrielle, 'That's a nice name.'

She had a wild spark, just like you. Running off up north, trying to live the high life might have been fun, but it also led her into getting

into some kind of …" The Principal trailed off his lecture, as Gabrielle watched with baited breath, as Ren's ears began to steam

"unexpected trouble."

A pure silence followed those words. The kind of silence before someone gets beheaded. The kind of silence before something explodes on the Forth of July. Terrifying silence.

"I'm thinking when you say 'unexpected trouble', you're talking about me." Dunbar lowered his gaze slightly.

"Right? Right?" Ren's voice raised, "Look, believe me, don't believe me. Suspend me, arrest me. I don't care." Gabrielle bowed her head.

"Never talk to me about my mother again. Do you understand?" Off again with the Road-Runner like speed, Ren left the office, Gabrielle's forearm in his hand.

Not a good day to be Gabrielle's arm.

"Hey!" Was heard from a slightly tipsy Librarian, as well as an exasperated ,"Let them go."