Halo Stone #4
“That’s enough!” Our principal, Mr. Wallace, had Darius.
“Halo stop!” I knew the voice was Mr. Jupiter, my English teacher, was the one who had me.
“He thinks he’s better than me because Ms. Toll let him stay in art class!!”
“I am better!!” I shouted back.
When I did, Darius tried to climb over Mr. Wallace to get to me. I was not scared and waited for him to get close. I had so much boiling in me for a while now and he was about to feel it all. Another teacher came out and helped Mr. Wallce remove Darius from the hallway.
“I HATE YOU!” Daruis blurted out at me.
“I HATE YOU TOO!”
Mr. Jupiter carried me to his office and closed the door.
“Since when you and Darius fight each other?” He asked me then handed me a bottle of water.
I was breathing hard and still so angry.
“He started it! I was at my locker then he pushed me all because he sucks at art!”
“Hey.” Mr. Jupiter put his hand on my shoulder, and I jumped up out of my seat.
I startled him because he held both of his hands up. “Halo, calm down. I am here to help you. This is not normal behavior from you or Darius. We all have bad days, and you seem to have had a few lately. Is there anything you want to talk about?”
“No.” I answered fast. “I just want to go home.”
He nodded his head then sat down at his desk and picked up the school phone.
I saw that he dialed my daddy’s cell phone.
While he did, I took a seat and put my head down.
Mr. Jupiter explained to daddy what happened and that he needed to come and get me.
I was suspended for three days because of the fight.
“Where are we going?” I asked daddy when we were in the car and not going the usual way home.
“We need to talk and I know you missed lunch.” He answered.
My stomach growled when he drove into Burger King parking lot. I zipped my coat up when we got out of the car. My boots stepped on the snow that was on the ground. Daddy and I walked inside and he placed our order. I got a Whopper Jr with cheese meal and daddy got a bacon Whopper meal.
“Am I in trouble?” I asked him when we sat down with our food.
“Depends. What happened?”
“Stupid Darius started it! He---”
“Boy, you better calm down and talk to me like I am yo’ daddy. Reel that temper back in and speak with respect like I taught you.”
Daddy’s voice was scarier than any teacher I had, Greek came in second.
“Sorry. Daruis came to my locker upset because he is not in art class anymore. It’s not my fault daddy, he pushed me and I pushed him back.
Then we started fighting. I wanted to punch his head in the floor.
” I admitted and I bawled my fist tight.
Daddy grabbed my hand and I snatched it away. I thought I would get in trouble, but he did not get angry.
“Son, talk to your daddy. What’s the matter? Lately you are easily ticked off. You stay in your room for hours and do not want to be bothered. You can tell me anything son, I am here to listen and help if I can.”
I wanted to tell him my secret, to tell him what happens after school every Wednesday and Thursday when Anna had girl scouts and I do not have to walk her home. When I got to art class with Ms. Toll and we had our special time’ together she called it.
How the sweet smell that I used to like from her made my stomach sick. Because when we were done having our ‘special time.’ She’d take me home and light a cigarette while she drove. For me not to smell like smoke, she’d let the window down and sprat her Burberry Britt perfume.
The two smells together were now all I smelled on her even when we were in school. Ms. Toll met my parents and the three of them liked each other. I did not want to tell my secret and make everyone sad or mad.
Ms. Toll tells me all the time that if I enjoy it even just a little. Then I would be a fool to mess it up. Hercules never would mess up a secret with Megara. I had to be strong and brave like Hercules. I looked at daddy and I swallowed my secret, but doing that made me cry.
“I feel different daddy. I don’t feel like myself or like my brothers anymore.”
“Okay, what do you feel like?”
I shrugged my shoulders and more tears fell from my eyes. Daddy got up and sat next to me in the booth, then he hugged me.
“No matter how different you feel Halo. You will always be me and your mother’s son and we love you dearly.
Your brothers do too when you figure out how different you are.
You can always come to me or mommy and talk to us.
Until then, we must channel that anger. Let’s up boxing and going to the range more times a week. Sounds good?”
I agreed and felt a little better. He gave me another hug and kissed the top of my head. I could try to do better with my feelings, but it was hard. Life was off balance for me now and I did not know how to get it back on track.
To make matters worse, December 26, 2008, would be the day that our auntie Imani delivered the most devastating news to me and my brothers. It changed our lives forever and what me and my brothers called a normal life was gone.