Steven's gun was waving between the two of our faces. Not really pointing anywhere, it warbled in his shaking hands. He spoke to us but the words didn't make any sense. I could see him losing control. He cocked back the hammer, I closed my eyes. Everything echoed around me. My hands, legs, body unable to move, like a heavy weight all over me. I could hear our principle crying next to me and Steven shouting. CRACK! My sense came tumbling back into me. I opened my eyes as Mr. Paterson's head landed on my shoulder, the blood from his mouth sliding down my shirt. He sat up, eyes wild and rolling. "I skipped one class, just one Mr. Patterson! It's not like I was going to pass math anyway! It's not like I was ever good in the subject, all the teachers made fun of me and you knew it! Everyone did!" Steven said. His arms hung at his sides, his breathing slowed. Quickly, he grabbed a seat and spun it around, he sat facing us, his hands draped over the back of the chair. Steven stared, unblinking. "Remember my brother Chad? Remember how he used to skip school with us, David? We would goto the creek and smoke just because we could. Or we'd grab a burger and talk about how stupid the other kids were for staying in school." Steven laughed hollowly and shifted his gaze past me. "I haven't seen him in over 2 years. Dad sent him away to a 'correctional school'. Two years, David! He still has two more to go." Steven raised his gun and scratched his cheek with it. The metal scraped along his teenage goatee. I spoke softly. "Steven, why are you doing all this? Mr. Paterson can't bring back your brother, or make your Dad change. He hasn't done anything to you!" Steven glared at me, his lip beginning to curl. "You're wrong, Dave! You're wrong! Do you know what he did this Wednesday? Do you know why I haven't been at school? Haven't been returning your calls or coming over?" Steven prodded Mr. Paterson with his gun barrel. Mr. Paterson looked flinched and looked up. "I'm not going to tell him, I think you should. Go ahead, tell him what you did!" Steven said. Mr. Paterson's eyes slowly slid to me. His faced was red and puffy. "I gave Steven a suspension." he said, his voice weak and wavering. Steven hit him in the head, lurching him forward. "Tell him why, Mr. Paterson!" Mr. Paterson winched. He slowly rose. "He skipped his math class for the third time this week." Just then sirens sounded. I could hear people marching up to the cafeteria doors. The sound of boots and straps. A voice echoed over a megaphone. "Steven, this is captain Williams, let the people inside go. We're not going to hurt you. Send the people in the cafeteria with you out and we can talk." The megaphone clicked off.