Chapter 16: Too Fool for School

1-15 for the people who are LATE.

And for those who've been waiting... Here you go ya hungry bastards:

Chapter 16: Too Fool for School

                Harold waved bye to his father as he walked across the bus loop.

                As he moved through the doors of the school he felt awash with emotions that he could not describe. Joe was gone and here he was at school as though things weren’t any different... but things were very different and there was no going back.

                Harold wondered how many of his fellow students knew what had happened.

                People passed them in the hall. Some nodded some took no notice. But it didn't seem as though they were avoiding him... and nobody mentioned the tragedy or asked him what had happened, how he was doing.

                He supposed they must not know.

                He thought about Emily, and wondered if she still thought he had... He wondered if she'd told people that he was a cheater. How much had the rumor mill ground that one up?

                Harold made his way to the art rooms and to hand in his overdue assignment.

                He approached his Miss Day, and handed her his completed drawing of the skull.

                She took it with a sigh. “Harold… I heard what happened. Are you sure you want to be here today?”

                He tried hard to steady his voice and almost pulled it off, “Yes. I need the distraction... I need life to be normal again.”

                “It won't happen that quick Harold. Life is weird even when things are going good." She looked at the drawing. "Wow this is actually quite good especially compared to the first assignment."

                "Thanks Miss Day."

                She looked up at him and he had difficulty holding her gaze, “Listen Harold, you can reach out anytime, if you need somebody to talk to. You know that?”

                "I know. It's... hard. It shouldn't have happened."

                She nodded.

                Harold glanced at the clock, it was time to get over to first period... But he had to ask, "How do you know about... You know. Nobody said anything in the halls, so I thought nobody knew."

                "Well, most of your classmates probably don't. The authorities informed the administration yesterday, and they in turn informed the faculty. But we haven't told any students. Marcy and the other admins didn't want to disrupt classes yesterday, so they intend to break the news in the first period today. They told us all ahead of time so we'd be prepared to help any students who needed it. So I'm serious, if you need anything you let us know."

                He wanted to ask her how the administration got off on putting the news about Joe on the back burner in order to keep classes going like normal. He wanted to tell her that was low and shitty. He felt anger frothing in the pit of his stomach, but he stifled it. He knew it wasn't her call. "Thanks Miss Day. I gotta get to class."

                And on his way to class, the anger he had squashed churned right back up into his throat. The rest of the school had no idea- well the students had no idea. Why would the administrators wait an entire day to tell everybody.

                His nostrils flared. He felt grimness in his jaw and on his brow, he knew his face showed his rage but he did not care.

                He thought about the news breaking in first period. His mind conjured an image of that ass-hat, Hanlon, breaking the news, and his lips drew back in a hateful sneer.

                He opened the door, and saw Hanlon standing at the front of the room.

                Hanlon met his eyes and gave a curt nod.

                Harold grimaced, the muscles in his fists pulsed involuntarily.

                He took his seat next to Emily.

                She stared dead ahead.

                He turned towards her to speak, he didn't know what to say but he knew he had to try.

                "Em..."

                She shook her head, she looked as angry as he felt.

                "Please, you've-"

                "Quiet Mr. Maria."

                Harold clenched the edge of his desk and pictured Hanlon in misery.

                He looked back at his teacher, and saw something like his own simmering anger reflected in Hanlon's eyes.

                The class was taking their seats, shuffling about and talking, Hanlon spoke again, this time at a near shout, "Silence!"

                Heads turned towards the front of the room, people wavered on the edges of their thoughts.

                "Take your seats, and stay quiet. There will be an announcement, in five minutes. Nobody will speak during the announcement."

                Harold settled into his seat with his arms crossed, and tried to burn Hanlon with his eyes. But Hanlon turned around, and went to his own desk, opened the top drawer and took out a thermos. He took a hard swallow, put the thermos back, and turned to eye the class.

                Time slid away like water off wax, and the intercom chimed. "Attention, all students of Asbury High School."

                People stiffened in their seats. Harold glanced at Hanlon, he was momentarily impossible to read. He glanced at Emily, she was leaning forward, her brow furrowed, and one curious ear cocked towards the intercom speaker.

                "It is our sad duty to announce a recent heartbreak. As some of you may have heard, a senior classman whom you all know has not been in attendance today or yesterday. Joseph Jones is no longer with us."

                At the mention of Joe's name, the expression drained from Emily's face, and her jaw went slack- her eyes wide. Her hands started to shake. She bit her lower lip, Harold saw her start to turn towards him. He looked away.

                "Joe suffered a tragic and senseless death, after being attacked by an unknown animal early Thursday morning. The hearts of our students, faculty, administration- the hearts of our entire school- go out to his grieving friends and family. We must support one another in this time of sadness. In honor of Joe, and in sorrow for our loss, we will now observe a moment of silence."

                Harold's anger had no place to go, his blood felt hot, his arms uncomfortable no matter where he put them.

                "Today we keep Joe's family and friends in our thoughts in prayers, as we grieve together. We have brought in a team of grief counselors, who will remain on campus for as many days as they are needed. If any students need time to process this, or someone to speak to, please seek them out through Mrs. Marcy or any other member of the school faculty and administration. Thank you."

                Hanlon looked across his subjects and nodded. Harold thought he could actually see the misguided superiority in his eyes.

                The students were hushed, Emily's chest was heaving but she kept it quiet. She looked at Harold, and he at her. And their eyes said more than their words could. He was still brimming with anger- and he let her see it.

                His mind was a froth of confused, impotent rage. He wanted to lash out and tear everything down.

                He was angry at the school for waiting an entire day to break the news. He was angry at the bastard thing for killing his friend.

                He was angry at Emily.

                Angry at her for misunderstanding, and misjudging him. For thinking the worst of him.

                For all the fury he shot from his eyes, he saw only sadness and shame from hers.

                And hers was a short glance, her eyes cut down to her desk almost the instant they locked with his.

                Nobody spoke and he couldn't stand it. Couldn't stomach the silence.

                He filled his voice with as much accusation as he could, and let his words fly. "Joe's dead Em. That's what I tried to tell you. After-"

                Hanlon's voice cut the flow of his retribution mid sentence, "That's enough Harold. This isn't the time, nor place. Save your lovers' quarrel for the hallway."

                He shot a glare at Hanlon, and turned back to Emily.

                Tears were streaming down her face, and she looked like an apology made human.

                And his dad's words came drifting back to him from a crowded place in his mind, 'You're mad about what happened to Joe. Don't take it out on her.... Sort it out later...'

                He thrust away some of his anger towards her and let it fall in pieces. "It's not your fault Em. It's my fucking fault."

                "Hey!" Hanlon crossed his arms. "Watch the language Maria."

                Harold ignored him. "After you left, Joe walked Kait home, he was supposed to come back so he and I could keep trying to trap the-"

                Hanlon's voice boomed- with a granite confidence, "That's it Harold!"

                Harold looked at Hanlon, and what he saw set him off kilter.

                Hanlon's arms were crossed, his chin was held high. Somewhere in Joe's death, and the circumstances following it, Hanlon had regained the confidence and bravado he'd had before his humiliation on day one. "Since you seem so set on talking about this in front of the class, why don't I just offer a little info for everbody, huh? So we're all on the same page by way of summary."

                Harold met his teacher's eyes and shook his head emphatically.

                But Hanlon's face was deadset, his eyes looked distant and unfocused, and his voice was gloating and dramatic. Harold knew the bastard saw momentary victory and intended to take it.

                "That's right class. You just learned your fellow classmate was killed. By an animal. But what you don't know is that he was also killed by idiocy."

                Harold clenched his fists around the strap of his backpack.

                Hanlon took no notice. "Killed by idiocy, that's right. He and our very own Harold Maria hatched a plan to trap and kill a wild animal. It didn't go well." He looked directly at Harold, and shook his head. "Misguided would be an understatement. I told you all the first day, some of you might stay children forever, didn't I? Well here's a perfect example of students going stagnant and-"

                Harold leapt to his feet. The teacher faltered, and before anyone had time to think, Harold hoisted his backpack into the air and hurled it with all the fury he could muster.

                Hanlon stepped back, but not far enough. The bag slammed against his lower leg, and fell to the floor.

                They looked at eachother, and Harold almost laughed at the slack jawed, idiotic surprise on his teacher's face. Then he looked at his bag on the floor, and knew he was in some deep shit.

                "You, me, Marcy's office. Now."

                He made the door in 3 strides, and tore it open. Then he spat to the rest of the class, "In class reading. Chapter 2, I'll be back!"

-----------

                The second they were gone, students started opening their books. But Emily dug out her phone, and shot Harold a text: 'I feel like such a moron. And I'm sorry.'

                Her whole body felt uncomfortable, no matter how she stretched.

                She texted more, 'I can't believe I assumed what I did. Especially considering the truth was a whole lot worse. I should have let you explain and I feel awful I wasn't there for you. I understand if you are mad at me, but I want you to know I feel like shit. And if you need someone to talk to you only have to ask.'

                She hit send, and willed a return message as hard as he could. But it did not come.

-----------------

                They walked the halls quickly, and came to Marcy's door. Hanlon took a case of mints out of his pocket, and threw a small handful into his mouth.

                Then he flung the door open, and pointed.

                Harold walked through.

                Administrator Marcy looked up from her computer work. "Harold? My God, I'm sorry about... Well, you probably heard my announcement. Listen if there's anything you need, you just-" Then she saw Hanlon behind him, and one eyebrow crept high on her forehead.

                "Hanlon? What's going on?"

                Hanlon's voice was like a grunt, and even without facing him, Harold could smell the intensity of his minty breath. "Ok Maria, would you like to explain yourself, or should I tell Miss Marcy what just happened."

                Harold shrugged.

                Hanlon continued, "Well I then it's up to me. After your announcement Harold was chatting with one of his classmates. I asked him to stop 3 or 4 times, he used profanity. I took that as an opportunity for a teaching moment, called him out- he stood up and threw his backpack, which hit me in the leg."

                Mrs. Marcy's eyebrow went back down, indeed to a lower place than it had been at the start. "Harold?"

                Harold shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, he deserved it."

                She shook her head and sighed. "So you admit it. You threw an object at another person, that's assault. If Mr. Hanlon wished, he could press charges."

                She kept speaking to Harold, but glanced at his teacher, "That said, I understand you and Joe were close. People sometimes aren't themselves when dealing with grief and loss."

                She paused and nodded, then looked back to Harold, "That's no excuse, Harold. What you did is seriously wrong. And there are definite consequences. In school suspension, for the rest of the day. Report from here to room A-27, where Mrs. Wallace is supervising. I'll arrange to have your today's assignments brought to the room and you'll stay there working on them until the dismissal bell. Go."

                Harold turned, and stepped around Hanlon to regain the hall.

                The door shut behind him, and he hesitated.

                He leaned over to listen.

                Marcy's voice. "Hanlon, what happened? Kids don't just up and throw their belongings around for no reason. Explain."

                Hanlon's voice was harder to hear, "He was chit chatting with Emily Green, right after your announcement. It was disrespectful, I told him to stop. Multiple times."

                "And you expect me to believe that he lost his mind over that? What else."

                There was a pause. "Well, as I said, he used profanities. I took that for a teaching moment, and told the rest of the class to look close at a bad example-"

                "Hanlon are you an idiot?"

                "Um. No."

                "Are you sure, because it sounds to me like you just made a bigger deal than you had to, escalated the situation, and the result was you alienated a kid who's grieving and showed the rest of your class exactly what gets your goat. And that sounds idiotic to me."

                There was no answer.

                "I'm taking Maria out of your class. You obviously can't manage him- we're in the first week for Christ's sake."

                "No, please. That's gonna make me look bad in front of-"

                "It'll make you both look bad. Not that you need any help, the two of you are doing a fine job of it already. But I've made up my mind. I can't leave him in your class if he is going to cause trouble, and I'm not going to watch you undermine yourself at every turn."

                A long pause, then Hanlon, as though he were speaking through clenched teeth: "Is there anything else?"

                "Not at the moment. I'll be investigating what happened this morning, and we'll see if it ends here."

                Harold darted away from the door, and around the corner. He grinned ear to ear, imagining Hanlon standing there trembling like a wet baby in front of Marcy.

--------------------------

                Harold reported to A-27, like he was told.

                Once he was there, Mrs. Wallace shook her head. 

"What the hell are you doing here, Harold Maria?"

                He shrugged.

                She kept talking, "I mean, I know why you're here, Marcy sent me the memo. But what the hell were you thinking?"

                And he felt ashamed. "I dunno."

                "You were a good kid when I had you freshman year."

                There was nothing else to say. He was the only student there so he could choose any seat he wanted. And he wanted to be as far as possible from the judgment of Mrs. Wallace, so he sat in the back.

                After a short time there was a knock at the door, and the security guard handed Mrs. Wallace an envelope.

                After he left, Mrs. Wallace brought the envelope over to Harold. "You're assignments. From yesterday and today. You'd better get started."

                "Can I go to the restroom?"

                "Yes of course. And Harold... I'm sorry about what happened."

                "Thanks Mrs. Wallace."

                He slunk away.

                The moment he was to the bathrooms, he hid in a stall and checked his phone.

                He read her messages.

                And he didn't mean to. He didn't even expect it. But he cried.

                He bit back his tears, and swallowed hard. Then he texted back. 'I'm not mad at you Em. I was at first, because I couldn't believe you thought I betrayed you. I'd never hurt you. I never will. You are the only peace I have right now.'

                He added one other thought, 'I'm in ISS. Can't get busted with phone. We'll talk later, gonna power down.’

                Then he actually used the bathroom, so he wouldn't have to leave suspension again. He washed his hands and his face, and when he looked in the mirror, he realized exactly how tired he was.

                No sleep at all last night, and hardly any the night before- and it showed. His face was like a deaths-head. Sunken eyes, sagging brow, faltering weakness in his cheeks.

                Harold walked back to A-27, and thanked Mrs. Wallace.

                He opened up the envelope and got to work on the classes he was missing.

-------------

Hope you liked it. I sure liked writing it. 

Okay, moving on. 

Just published chapter 17- The Truth Will Out

check back soon, or follow for updates!