Chapter 14 Honey
HONEY
My phone buzzes with another text from Ian, and I shove it in my purse so I don’t have to deal with him.
Last night’s date left me feeling gross, like I needed a shower when I got home.
I sigh. It’s been three days since the fire.
And Beau never stopped by again.
Which is totally fine. We said we were scratching an itch. He can consider it good and scratched. Were it not for the shed fire, I wouldn’t have seen him anyway.
So I have no reason to feel guilty that I had dinner with Ian. None whatsoever.
I’m about to head to class when Trish calls out, “Assembly this morning. We’re on a special schedule. Check your email.”
Dang it. Now we won’t have time for the exercise I planned for first period. “Any idea what the assembly is about?” Because the principal never surprises us with last-minute changes like this.
“The shed fire.”
That reminds me. “I’ve been meaning to thank you for not sticking around to help.”
Trish’s eyes go saucer-wide. “My car was in peril. Not everyone has a rich daddy to bail them out, you know.”
I freeze. What did she just say? “I pay my own bills.”
“I’m just saying that if you had a cataclysmic event happen, your family would give you money. I don’t have that.”
I suppose that’s true. And I’m grateful to have that support, but I don’t like the accusation in her eyes. She’s looking at me like I don’t have to work for anything, which isn’t true.
Annoyed, I head for the auditorium and grab a seat next to Laura. The kids stream down and fill in the seats. On the stage, a somber Principal Erickson stands with the fire chief and the sheriff.
In front of the stage, those two newspaper students, Keith and Sabrina, are arguing about something. Sabrina tries to take Keith’s camera, and his nostrils flare. Adrian marches down there and points to the seats, and they reluctantly sit.
Once the bell rings, the principal welcomes us. “I wish we were here to do something fun, but unfortunately, I have a very serious issue I need to discuss with you. As you all know, we’ve recently had two fires, and Fire Chief O’Neill thinks they might not be accidents.”
People gasp, and the students turn to each other and start whispering.
The principal holds up her hand until everyone gets quiet again.
“The chief and Sheriff Reynolds want to conduct a more thorough investigation, which is why I need you to answer our questions openly and honestly. If a fireman or the sheriff stops you in the hallway to talk, please share whatever you know. If you’re uncomfortable, you’re welcome to call your parents so they can join you.
And as a final warning, there’s no smoking at school. ”
She welcomes Sheriff Reynolds to the podium.
He rubs his bushy white mustache. “Here’s a little fire safety tip.
Please don’t put out cigarettes in trash cans.
That bathroom fire y’all had here two weeks ago sparked because some genius did exactly that.
They tossed a lit cigarette into a can full of paper towels.
Maybe they didn’t realize it was still lit.
Regardless, having that kind of contraband at school is a Class C misdemeanor. ”
When the assembly ends, and I’m back in my classroom, the students can’t stop talking about it.
Nora Jean raises her hand. “Miss Honey, do you really think someone’s been setting fires on purpose?”
“It’s hard to say without knowing all the details. I hope they’ve been accidents. I don’t like thinking the worst of people.” I motion to my students. “We need to review the first act of Romeo and Juliet. Please get out your notes.”
“Miss, I don’t get why these families hate each other,” Sarah says. “Do we ever find out what happened that made them want to mow each other down in the streets?”
“Unfortunately, we don’t. It’s just an old grudge.
” As students get out their notebooks, I walk around my desk and slide back to sit on it.
“Have you ever had a friend, maybe someone you grew up with, and they did something that hurt your feelings, so you stopped talking? Then, one day, you can’t remember what happened, only that you don’t like that person?
” A few kids nod. “Maybe it started like that.”
Sarah frowns. “But when Benvolio tries to make peace, Juliet’s cousin Tybalt tells him off.”
“True. So the inciting incident might have been something worse. Whatever the case, it’s gotten bad because the prince says this is the last time he’s going to put up with fighting in the streets. How many times have they brawled like this?”
“Three times,” Emilio says.
“Very good. Now, based on what we know about Tybalt so far, how would you describe him?”
“A hothead.”
“A dumbass.”
“A badass.”
Ignoring the curse words, I chuckle. “He’s definitely intense. Consider that first scene where the servants from both families are fighting, and Benvolio breaks them up. He asks for peace. Then Tybalt appears. How does he feel about peace?”
“He hates it!”
“Yes. Can anyone tell me his famous line in this part? It’s okay if you have to refer to the play.”
Nora Jean holds up her hand as she reads the line out loud. “‘What, drawn, and talk of peace! I hate the word, As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee…’”
“Tybalt takes issue with Romeo’s cousin, Benvolio, who has his sword out. That’s what he means when he says he’s ‘drawn’—his weapon is out.”
“But Benvolio is trying to stop the fighting, right?”
“Exactly. Let’s consider his name, Benvolio. In Italian, it means ‘well-wisher’ or ‘good will.’ It makes me think of the word ‘benevolent,’ which means ‘kind’ or ‘has positive intentions.’ Do you think Tybalt has good intentions?”
“No!” Emilio shouts.
Thomas’s hand flies in the air. He’s usually quiet, so I’m excited he’s showing interest. When I call on him, he points at me as I’m taking a sip of coffee. “Is this like your family’s feud with the Walkers?”
I choke and try to use the extra moment to think of what to say. By the time I can breathe again, I decide I don’t want to add to the drama. “Does anybody really care about that these days?”
The kid nods as Emilio frowns. “In the Wild West reenactments downtown, they always have a Walker and a McAllister in the shootout.”
Damn. Forgot about that. I decide to go with my truth. “I’m good friends with Paige Lewis, who married Rhett Walker, and I’m going to be in Baylee Reyes’s wedding when she marries Maverick Walker this winter. Does that seem like a feud?”
Thomas looks crestfallen. “So y’all aren’t gonna shoot anyone?”
Would my brother Trig like to shoot someone? Possibly.
Will I let him? No.
Even if Beau does make me crazy.