The principal naturally believed in his number one student. Besides his academic performance, he was favored by most teachers for his polite speech and behavior; he reported school violence, including Paige, a few times. He helped with any event they held; Jace even organized learning groups and improved the grades of his classmates.
"Is that true?" the principal asked Lance, scrutinizing him. Lance had two buttons of his shirt open, was not wearing his blazer, and his necktie was loosened and crooked. His hair was a bit on the longer side, but still within school regulations, where boys shouldn't have overly long hair for a display of unity.
But the look in his eyes was somewhat unnerving, though he couldn't see an indicator of drug abuse.
Lance felt a bit helpless. Although he saw people taking drugs on the street and he could surely get his hands on them, he never did, and this was something he never even considered. Being controlled by an addiction, he would never allow it.
"No." It was interesting meeting one's opponent this straightforwardly. From what he knew from Paige's story outline, that prick would be his fiend for a long time. He thought they would dance around, silently stabbing each other for a few years.
But something diverged; he had to speak with Paige about this abrupt change.
The principal cleared his throat.
"Would you be willing to take a drug test? I have to inform you that we cannot force you to do it as long as the witness doesn't come out himself and your guardian is not here."
Jace gripped his blazer and taunted Lance in his thoughts, 'Come on you little junkie, let's end your journey before it starts.'
While Lance looked at Jace's eager expression, Paige's hand flew up.
The principal massaged his temples. "Paige we are not in a classroom; what is it"
"Oh" she put her hand down.
"Why am I here?"
Lance chuckled, feeling a bit more relaxed, somehow.
The head teacher snorted.
"You were reported to have a connection with this." He had never liked Paige; it didn't matter how good a student she was if she bullied everyone for just looking at her.
"Mhmm." She contemplated a bit. "Was I reported by the same person as Lance?"
The principal looked at Jace, who paused and then nodded.
"And what did that person say about me?" she tilted her head.
"That you were involved with him buying drugs." He answered, getting the premonition that he was too hasty, seeing how laid-back they were and how composed Lance was.
"So... that person was there when Lance and I, whom I met this morning for the first time, were buying drugs. Lance got high for his first day of school and then we staged our first meeting this morning. There are, by the way, witnesses when I asked him for his name. And all that for the possibility that your witness would report us. While he himself wants to stay anonymous, meaning we weren't even aware that we had been seen buying drugs?"
The headteacher suddenly took a threatening step in her direction.
"Maybe you are high too? Who even pushes students down the stairs?" he spat.
The principal made a calming hand gesture and sighed.
"Paige, would you please take a drug test too?"
"No problem. But I want to talk to that witness if we both test negative. There have to be consequences for slander," Paige answered.
Lance silently nodded while enjoying being protected for the first time ever. Even if it could be that it happened only by accident, and she was just defending herself.
The head teacher seethed.
"Yes, pushing a student down the stairs has consequences too."
"Yeah." Paige, nodding blankly and looking absolutely innocent, could not agree more.
Lance laughed silently, and before the head teacher could blow his top, he was interrupted by the principal.
"Good, go to the infirmary and take the tests. We'll know more tomorrow."
Both teenagers stood up and walked out.
Lance asked on the way, "Why?"
"Jace is reborn, and I have no idea why. The system said it is in the plot, but that's not true."
"So Jace is reborn...." He stopped all of a sudden.