Punishment

The early morning dew set on the Evergreen Ridge High School field. The air held an eerie silence, and the fog that shrouded the field added to the current sense of mystery. It wouldn't take long for the field to turn into a vibrant stomping ground as players ran across yard lines, hitting, tackling, talking, and laughing with one another.

The head coach of the Stallions, Joel Keppler, was making his way onto the field, a ritual he performed every morning before practice. The silence calmed his heart and steeled his mind for the day's activities. Today, however, was different. He was joined by Marvin, his foster son. Joel wasn't just here to prepare himself; he was here to be a father.

"You hear it?" Joel asked Marvin as they strolled onto the field. Marvin closed his eyes to pay attention to the sounds around him. He could hear the wind moving through the blades of grass, the birds chirping from afar, and the occasional sound of a car speeding off to its destination.

"I hear it," Marvin replied softly, opening his eyes. The field felt different in the early morning, almost sacred.

Joel nodded, a small smile forming on his lips. "This is where it all starts. Before the noise, before the action, there's this. It's the calm before the storm, the moment when everything is possible."

Marvin glanced at Joel, wondering why Joel had brought him onto the field so early. "Do you always come here this early?"

"Every day," Joel said. "It's my way of grounding myself. There's a lot that goes on during the day, a lot of decisions to make, but out here, it's just me and the field."

They walked in silence for a few more moments, the fog beginning to lift as the sun slowly inched higher in the sky. "You don't have to think of much. Nothing in the future matters, the games, championships, and players. It all disappears," Joel said.

"You can forget your past, any missed catches you had, the time you accidentally stepped out of bounds," Joel chuckled as he continued walking. "You simply just exist with the air, grass, and birds."

Joel paused in his steps, turning to look at Marvin at his side. "Why'd you continue hitting him? I haven't been with you for long, but one thing I have seen is that you're smart and calm. Maybe in juvie you had to do it for survival, but you know that you aren't there anymore, so why'd you keep going?" Joel's expression was stern and serious as he looked deep into Marvin's eyes.

Marvin's gaze dropped to the ground, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides. He took a deep breath, trying to find the words. Marvin knew Joel was right. It wasn't juvie, it wasn't life and death like before. He could have easily tried to run and get Joel, but he didn't, and he wasn't sure why he stayed to fight. It was the worst decision.

"I... I don't know," Marvin began, his voice barely above a whisper. "It was like something snapped. I was angry, and I didn't know how to stop." This was the one thing Marvin knew though; he was angry. His mind was just filled with rage at that point. Something about Desmond made things switch in him, and it was just red.

Joel's expression softened slightly, but his eyes remained focused on Marvin. "Anger is a powerful thing, Marvin. I can't tell you the number of people I've seen destroyed by the anger they keep inside. It eats at them, chipping away slowly over time until one day, there isn't a difference between them and the anger."

Joel placed a hand on Marvin's shoulder. "You're already taking the first step by acknowledging it. The rest will come with time, effort, and support. Remember, you have a team behind you: me, Liv, Austin, Brooke, the coaches, and every faculty member at this school will help you. You just have to ask."

Marvin nodded at Joel's words. Whether he took them to heart and would ask for help would only be known to him.

"Alright then, let's go talk with the principal," Joel said with a heavy sigh as he turned around with Marvin and headed to the school building.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As they approached the principal's office, Marvin's heart pounded in his chest. He knew the gravity of the situation. Desmond's parents were threatening to sue and file charges against him, and the fight had serious consequences, he wasn't quite ready to return to his former cell walls. The hallway seemed longer than usual, each step echoing ominously.

They reached the principal's office, and Joel knocked on the door before entering. Inside, Principal Anderson was seated behind her desk, looking stern and concerned. Beside her sat Mr. and Mrs. Harris, Desmond's parents, their faces a mix of anger and worry.

"Good morning, Coach Keppler, Marvin," Principal Anderson greeted them, gesturing for them to sit. "Mr. and Mrs. Harris are here to discuss the incident involving their son."

"Good morning, Principal Anderson, Mr. and Mrs. Harris," Joel replied, taking a seat. Marvin followed suit, feeling a knot tighten in his stomach.

Principal Anderson folded her hands on the desk, her eyes focusing on Marvin. "Marvin, we need to discuss the incident with Desmond. His parents are very upset, and you already understand they're considering legal action. This is a very serious matter."

Marvin nodded, his throat beginning to feel dry. "I understand."

Marvin took a deep breath and recounted the events, his voice steady "After practice, Desmond came up to me and hit me, it all started from there, I was only trying to fight him off. I don't know what came over me, but I just snapped. I didn't mean to hurt him that badly."

Mr. Harris leaned forward, his face red with anger. "Not mean to hurt him? Our son is in the hospital because of you! He has broken ribs, a broken nose, and severe bruises. This isn't something we can just overlook. We are considering taking legal action and filing a lawsuit."

Principal Anderson nodded thoughtfully. "Thank you for your honesty, Marvin. We have footage from the school's security cameras that captured the incident. While it shows that Desmond did attack you first, your response was far too excessive"

Mrs. Harris nodded in agreement, her eyes filled with tears. "We need to ensure that this doesn't happen again. We want to see real consequences for Marvin's actions. A suspension and community service aren't enough. Our son's life has been turned upside down. We expect to see significant consequences for Marvin."

Principal Anderson's face tightened. "The school is taking this very seriously, Mr. and Mrs. Harris. Marvin will be suspended from school and all extracurricular activities for six weeks. Additionally, he will be required to complete community service and attend anger management sessions. We will also monitor his progress closely."

Mr. Harris's anger flared. "A suspension and community service? That's hardly adequate for the damage done. Our son's injuries are severe. We need to see more substantial measures and assurances that Marvin's behavior will change. We want to know what steps the school will take to ensure Desmond's safety and prevent further incidents."

Mrs. Harris added, her voice trembling with emotion, "We also want to be sure that Marvin's actions are communicated to his future employers and schools. This is not something that can be brushed aside. We want to see a clear plan for how the school will address this and prevent it from happening again."

Joel took a deep breath, his expression resolute. "I understand your concerns. We are committed to ensuring that Marvin faces the consequences of his actions and receives the support he needs to change. We will work with you and Desmond to find a resolution that acknowledges the seriousness of the situation while providing Marvin with the help he needs."

Principal Anderson nodded. "We will keep you updated on Marvin's progress and work with you to address any additional concerns you may have. In the meantime, we will make sure that Marvin adheres to the disciplinary measures outlined."

Mr. Harris's expression remained stern. "We are not satisfied with just disciplinary actions. We want to see tangible changes and assurances. We will be discussing this further with our lawyer and considering our options. We expect a formal response and plan from the school regarding how they will address and prevent future incidents."

Principal Anderson Exhales slowly as Desmond's parents leave "Alright, let's talk."

Principal Anderson leans forward, her expression serious "Marvin, what happened today was extremely serious. Desmond's injuries are significant—broken ribs, a broken nose, and multiple bruises. You saw his parents aren't just looking for an apology; they're demanding accountability, and they're considering legal action. This is not something that will be easily resolved."

"I need to make it clear we need to see real progress from you, Marvin. Fighting on school grounds is a serious breach of our conduct policy, and you must address your issues if you're going to move forward"

Joel Interjects "Principal Anderson, Marvin is committed to addressing this. We're going to make sure he gets the help he needs and understands the seriousness of this situation."

Principal Anderson Turns to Joel, her tone firm "Joel, as the head coach, you have a crucial role in this. It's your responsibility to ensure that the locker room environment promotes respect and discipline. This incident reflects poorly on the entire football program. I expect you to take immediate action to address this."

Joel nodded " I understand. I'll address the team and make sure they understand the seriousness of this incident."

"Good. And Joel, remember, this isn't just about today. If the environment in the locker room doesn't improve, or if there are more incidents, it will reflect on you as the head coach. We need a positive, respectful atmosphere."

Joel nods again "I'll ensure that the team understands the consequences of their actions and the importance of respect both on and off the field."

Principal turned back to look at Marvin a concerned expression on her face "Marvin, this is a critical moment for you. You need to use this suspension to reflect and make real changes. Attending the anger management sessions is just the start. You need to prove that you're committed to making better choices and controlling your anger." She emphasized her words again.

Marvin looked at her "I'll do whatever it takes to fix this."

Joel nods along with Principal Anderson's words" We'll work on this, Principal Anderson. Marvin will get the support he needs, and I'll make sure the team understands the importance of maintaining a respectful and disciplined environment."

"Alright then. I expect to see improvements from both of you. This school and its programs need to be a place where everyone feels safe and respected. Let's work to ensure that's the case." Principal Anderson ended the talk.

Joel stood up "Thank you, Principal Anderson. We'll take it from here."

Marvin stood up slowly as well "Thank you."

Principal Anderson watched as they left her office "Remember, actions have consequences. Let's hope this is the beginning of a positive change."

(A/N: What do you think?)