I walk down the hallway heading towards my AP Biology class when someone to my right says “Congrats dude, you’re being mentioned everywhere for saving the policeman that was about to be shot. I’m surprised you weren’t!”

“That wasn’t me!”

“Come on, you’re just messing around!”

“No, I’m being serious it wasn’t me!”

The intercom speakers crackle with the start of an announcer: “Can Mark Bonez come down to the office?”

I am not a big fan of my last name. However, I pull up my hood and pull my drawstrings so it’s harder for other students to see that it’s me. Marching down the hallway, a few, no, not a few, basically all of the students stare at me. Some even pint and whisper to each other “ I wonder what he’s done know”

Yeah, I’m not exactly the best student. I’ve gotten in school suspension and detention so many times I can’t keep up. I’m surprised this school hasn’t thrown me out like the last five have.

I’ve vandalized some bathrooms. I’ve even made some of the teachers so sick we got a sub for a whole month, I think that teacher quit though. I was expelled before I could see if they were coming back or not.

Miss Young is the administrator at the front desk. Once she noticed I had walked in she told me to go straight to Principal Bentley’s office.

“You might be wondering why you were called down considering your track record, but I assure you it’s not because you’ve done anything wrong.” Principal Bentley says once I’m in the office.

“Then why am I here?”

“Officer Bradley here wanted to thank you in person for saving him last night.”

“Yes, thank you for that, it really wasn’t necessary and you could have gotten seriously injured.” He says with a really accent that isn’t quite identifiable.

“I swear that wasn’t me. I could have been my twin brother though. Jaren isn’t home all the time.”

“Do you know where he is at the moment?”

“No.”

Jaren looks exactly like me. He was born two hours before I was. I made the whole pregnancy and birthing process a joy, not. I don’t disappoint our parents but I’m not exactly their favorite of us two. In fact I think our older brother, Simon, really is.

“Why is it we haven’t heard of your twin brother at all during your time here at Tullamore High School?” Principal Bentley questions.

“You know how I’ve been expelled from five other schools? I don’t go to the same school as he does and while he does some of the same bad kid stuff I do or have, he doesn’t do it to the level it would get him expelled. We are close, I just don’t like talking about him because it reminds me of our friends that even got both of us into this mess.”

“Ah, I see. And I’ve noticed you don’t do that stuff quite as often as you did at the other schools. Is that because you’re catching error in your ways and wanting to be better?”

“Yeah, mostly. Wait, is that why you haven’t expelled me by now?”

“Your principal is leading a very well brought up school. Even I went here and was a bad student in ways you’re talking about, and look at me now. I’ve been able to go through grueling training to join the police force because I want to help students like you realize there is a chance and a way out it.” Officer Bradley chimes in.

“I’m glad to hear your perspective. It really encourages me to continue to try to be better.”

“Now you’re sure it wasn’t you that jumped in front of me and stopped the shooter from shooting?”

“Yeah, it definitely wasn’t me and if you want I can talk to my brother about to see if he really was there. And let him know you thank him.”

“Actually, why don’t I pull you out of school for the rest of the day and we go find your brother? Is that alright with you, Principal Bentley?”

“I don’t see why not. It is almost the end of the quarter and Christmas break starts next week. You have really great marks for this past semester, you deserve to take a break, Mark.”

“Alright, you can come with me then.”

“Thank you, Principal Bentley!” I exclaim.

…

Officer Bradley suggests we go back to my house to talk to my parents and start there.

Both of my parents are home today and I saw Jaren’s truck in the driveway. I didn’t exactly have my license just yet and Jaren got his shortly after our 17th birthday. Our 18th is in about a month, so yeah, I really need to be working on getting it. I can drive pretty well, I just need to take the tests.

“Hi Mom! Hi Dad! This is officer Bradley and he is hoping he can talk to Jaren for a couple of minutes.”

“What has Jaren done that would catch the attention of the cops? I would think Mark would go that far, not Jaren.” Mom is surprised and confused.

“Jaren hasn’t done anything wrong, ma’am. He merely saved my life last night.”

“And Officer Bradley mistook Jaren as me.” I tell them.

Jaren then decides to walk in the room and doesn’t notice Officer Bradley right away.

“Officer Bradley?” He now notices him after he got a glass for some milk to dip is Oreos in. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to thank you for last night. It truly gave us the advantage in taking the guy in.”

“It’s an honor, but you didn’t have to come all the way out here just to thank me!”

“What going on in here? I’m trying to sleep and it’s too loud!” Simon comes in, looking to be hungover from partying last late into early this morning. And then sleeping it off all day.