“Shouldn’t have made a scene at the art show then,” Karen says under her breath, but loud enough for everyone to hear.
“Excuse me?” I’m standing up now.
“Seriously? What is wrong with you?” Emily snaps at Karen, and the fact that someone other than me or Bo is saying something takes a lot of the pressure off.
“Sit down, Ms. Flores. Principal Cappa was simply stating the rules, like he does every year before prom,” Mrs. Havens says.
“That’s bullshit,” Bo says. “Why didn’t he say anything about same-sex couples last year? He literally said they just made that rule so we couldn’t go.”
“Language, Ms. Taylor.”
Bo crosses her arms and sits back. Usually, she would be standing up and arguing at this point. I guess there comes a time when that gets exhausting. I’m not exhausted yet, though.
“He could have talked to the two of us about it instead of making a public announcement,” I snap.
Everyone in the school knows that the announcement was about me and Bo.
“Sit down, Ms. Flores, or I’ll have to ask you to go to the principal’s office.”
“You don’t have to ask me,” I say, and I grab my bag and head out. Two seconds later, the door opens again.
“Wait!” Bo’s jogging to catch up with me.
We walk to the principal’s office together, hand in hand.
26
Si Te Amo Y Respeto . . .
I stand up straight and march like I’m proud, but I’m fucking terrified. I’ve never been sent to the principal’s office in my entire life. This is a normal thing for Bo, but for me it feels like the end of the world.
One of the office ladies tells us we can go in to see Mr. Cappa, and we’re still holding hands. I think Bo wants to prove a point, but I’m holding on for protection. It feels safer than going in alone. Mr. Cappa sighs when he sees us. He’s sitting at his desk, and he gestures for us to sit.
“I was about to call you two in here. Do we have another problem?”
I use my best smart voice. “That announcement was in bad taste. It was humiliating, not to mention just completely wrong. Girls go to prom together as friends all the time.” I want to keep going off and call this whole thing out as the bullshiterious miscarriage of justice that it is. I resist the urge so he’ll take me seriously.
“If you two wanted to go to prom as friends, it wouldn’t be an issue. There was an inappropriate public display of affection at the art show. Some of the students and parents were made to feel very uncomfortable. And as you know, this school operates by the laws of the Catholic faith. Homosexual activity is not permitted on this campus. I’m sorry, but that kind of inappropriate behavior can’t go unpunished.” He hands both of us a detention slip.
I laugh. It’s easier to laugh than to cry right now.
“Do you want to be the one to tell my parents about this, or should I call them?” Bo says. This is why I like her parents. She knows they have her back. I can picture Emma raising hell over this.
“I will inform both of your parents of your behavior today.”
“Great.” Bo smiles sweetly, like this is a game. I, on the other hand, am not fucking smiling. I got after-school detention . . . As supportive as she is now, Mami is going to KILL me.
“You’re free to go.” He waves his hand toward the door as if to shoo us away. I thought arguing with the principal would be a lot more satisfying. Now I just feel sick.
For the rest of the day, Bo and I are practically celebrities. Well, we’re admittedly not the most-liked celebrities. I’m not oblivious to the whispering when we walk by. It doesn’t take long for news to travel here, and by second hour, everyone knows Bo and I got detention for my promposal. Bo smiles when she sees me between classes, like this is normal. Like we’re not being punished and publicly humiliated for something I wanted to celebrate Friday night. I force myself to smile back.