Chapter Text
Clay
Clay Jensen settled into his office, arranging his things, but focus kept slipping away. His eyes kept drifting toward the file on the desk a file he had every right to open and read, yet he wanted to focus on settling in before starting work.
He fought his curiosity, truly, but eventually lost the battle and surrendered with a long, dramatic sigh. Clay was fairly sure the principal next door had heard it.
When his eyes finally locked on the file, he read the name printed across it with full concentration: Jackson James Maybank.
He straightened and opened the folder his first individual case, no supervisor, no mentor, just Clay.
Ignoring the noise of students in the hallway and the girl standing silently in the corner of the office, he began to read.
Disrespect toward authority. Unstable mood. Frequent absences. Repeated fights with peers. Improper behavior. Escaping school grounds. Random outbursts toward teachers and students.
Clay frowned. None of this would help him understand the boy, let alone help him.
No mention of his life outside school. No background. Nothing human.
Just labels and complaints from tired teachers opinions, not attempts at guidance.
He closed the folder and lightly knocked his forehead against the desk.
In fifteen minutes, he'd have to meet this kid, and the only thing he knew for sure was that everyone thought he'd be trouble.
"No," Clay muttered.
He wouldn't judge before meeting him.
If the file was useless, he'd make a new one himself.
His eyes fell on the clock. Minutes passed one, five, fifteen.
The hands ticked past 10:45 a.m.
When Jackson was ten minutes late, Clay began to lose hope.
Then a sharp knock pulled him out of the fog in his head.
"Come in," Clay called.
The door opened, and a blond boy stepped in hair messy, grin wide and arrogant. He didn't ask for permission, just tossed his light backpack onto the table. It hit with a loud thud, scattering some of Clay's pens and papers to the floor, before the boy dropped casually into the chair across from him.
Clay smiled in return, determined not to give the kid the satisfaction of getting under his skin.
"You must be Jackson James Maybank," he began, pretending to read the name off the folder.
Jackson's expression soured at the sound of his full name.
He glanced at the brass nameplate on the desk, then smirked again.
"And you must be Student Counselor, Clayton Jason Jensen," JJ mocked.
"Clay," he corrected smoothly. "You can call me Clay."
"Good," the boy replied with a crooked grin. "You can call me JJ."
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Cora Wardwell
Eli Wardwell
OBX cast as they are
13 Reasons Why cast as they are