Chapter Text
Monday, February 23, 2026
1:30 pm
Manhattan elementary school
Peter was sitting in one of five chairs looking at the floor while Payton sat in the one next to him and was looking up with a small smirk on her face. It was only Monday right after break and they were already in trouble. The principal, Mr. Hadley looked tired while Leroy and his dad Mr. Barren was sitting in two of the other chairs. Mr. Barren looked pissed while Leroy held an ice pack to his nose. There was one chair in between Payton and Mr. Barren. “Where is your dad?” Mr. Barren snapped. “We live like twenty minutes away from the school and get driven in by him, he’s probably busy when you called.” Payton replied.
“Mr. Hadley, Mr. Jackson is here.” A voice came through a little receiver sitting on Mr. Hadley desk. He sighed and said “Let him in.” A few seconds later, Payton and Peter's dad came in. He was dressed in a dress shirt and pants but his jacket was in his hands. To a normal person their dad would look calm but Payton could see that he was not happy, his black hair normally out of his face was is his face but Payton could really see it in her dad’s eyes.
“Took you long enough.” Mr. Barren snarked looking him up and down. “My apologies. I was in the middle of a tour when I got called so I had to find someone to take over my tour while I came to pick them up.” He said sitting beside Payton. Payton looked down, she had forgotten her dad was doing a tour of the aquarium today. “It’s ok Mr. Jackson. Now if we could, I would like Payton to tell me what happened.” Mr. Hadley said. “Excuse me?! No. My son will go first and then when we have what happened on file I will be suing this little one.” Mr. Barren cut in. Mr. Jackson just looked at him with a straight face but one Payton knew very well as she got that look a lot. Mr. Barren swallowed thickly and Mr. Hadley revised his previous asking Payton to tell her side of the story as she was the person who threw the most powerful punch.
“Well me and Peter were on our way to our next class after lunch when Leroy came storming out of Miss. Smith's room.” Miss Smith was the English teacher. “Apperently he had broken one of her things when she was off two days ago and thought it was me and Peter that told her. Peter tried to tell him that he was wrong and that we had no idea who told her. He didn’t believe Peter and shoved him against the locker and Peter's head hit the locker with a bang. I immediately pulled him away from Peter before he could punch him. Instead he turned to me and tried to punch me. He missed me but kicked me in the stomach instead. After that I punched him. I didn’t mean to do it that hard but I had to do it or he would have continued to hurt either me or Peter.” Payton finished. Peter kept his head down and even Payton was looking down, she knew she was going to get in trouble at school. Maybe not home because mom and dad always told her to stand up to bullies but most definitely at school.
“My son would never!” Mr. Barren said. “Mr. Barren please.” Mr. Hardley said. “It’s true. My son was attacked by these little rats but she’s trying to twist the story.” he shot back. Mr. Jackson just looked in between Payton, Mr. Barren and Mr. Hadley before he spoke. “First, how would you know that she is lying?” “I… well… My son told me the story already.” Mr. Barren stammered out. “Ok. Second, Mr. Hadley, are there Cameras in this school?” Mr. Jackson asked. “Yes sir there are. Would you like me to pull up the video from this?” Mr. Hadley replied. Leroy’s face lost a bit of colour as Jackson just nodded.
After a few minutes of Mr. Hadley trying to find it he turned his computer so the rest of the room could see the screen. He hit play and exactly like Payton described, Leroy came storming out of Miss. Smith’s room as Peter and Payton came into view. There was no audio but you could see he was mad and then pushed Peter against the locker. Then Payton grabbed him and pulled him away from Peter before Leroy could punch him. He turned towards Payton and tried to punch her instead but missed but then kicked her. That’s when Payton Punched Leroy in the face. The room was so silent you could hear a pin drop.
Mr. Hadley turned his computer back toward him before speaking. “As Leroy started the fight he will be in trouble. Mr. Barren your son will be suspended for two days. Mr. Jackson Payton will Be suspended for the rest of this week and next week.” Mr. Barren looked mad but Mr. Jackson just nodded. Payton thought privately that her dad would almost ask for Leroy to have more of a suspension but he said nothing just stood up. Payton and Peter followed him and as Leroy and Mr. Barren stood Mr. Hadley spoke again. “Mr. Barren please stay. I would like to speak to you as this is not your son's first suspension.” Payton was so surprised she almost laughed but held it in until they got out where she let out a shaky laugh. Her dad just hopped in the car as Payton and Peter raced to see who would get the passenger seat. Payton lost and had to sit in the back.
Five minutes into the car ride Payton finally spoke up. “Dad, are you mad at us?” He looked at her in the rear view mirror before replying. “Why would I be mad? Like both me and your mother have said before. It doesn't matter if you get in trouble because at the end of the day you stood up to your bully.” She stayed silent for the rest of the car ride and when she walked through the door of her home her mom was sitting on the couch watching a show with their little sister, Alex, sitting on the floor.
“Hey Annabeth.” Her dad said. “Mom!” Payton yelled. Annabeth turned towards the door at the sound and smiled and got off the couch. “So how’d it go?” she asked, kissing their dad. “Well… Payton is suspended for two weeks and I just took Peter home.” “Thank you Percy.” Annabeth said. “Of course. Now what do we want to do?” Percy said, hanging up his jacket. “I bought ice cream.” Annabeth said, moving to the kitchen. “Yes!” Peter and Payton said at the same time. “I’m taking this as a yes for ice cream then.” Annabeth said, pulling out four bowls as Percy got some utensils. One thing about getting suspended with her family Payton realized. Depending what she got suspended for it doesn't matter for them. They settled on the couches, Payton and Peter on one couch and Percy and Annabeth on the other couch. They agreed to watch the Disney Hercules movie and just settled in together. They ended up watching three movies before going to bed.