Senior Prank (9781620957295) (10 page)

Word soon got back to Elvis, Jose and Lamont, who were finishing up Ms. Blossom's chemistry lesson. Text messages were flying rapidly around the school.

Elvis got one. It read, “Hian and Bear suspd 3 days.” He informed the other two.

“I feel bad for Hian.” said Jose, “That kid wouldn't hurt a fly.”

“Tough break.” said Elvis. “Didn't think that would happen. But remember say nothing and keep quiet. We ain't out of the woods yet. Who knows what's going on behind the scenes.”

Jose mentioned to Elvis he would like to ask out Missy Pulston. He has wheels now and access to places he couldn't go a month ago. At the same time, he says, Catalina has been pressuring him, telling him “You still owe me.”

“She's such a nice girl; I can't break her heart,” he told the others. “But at the same time if she lost 40 pounds, we might be able to get together. Do you think Missy would go out with me? She seems out of my league or nationality.”

“You won't know if you don't ask,” Lamont told him. “The worst she can do is say no. Besides, I don't see guys beating down her door. Test her out first, see if there's any interest and you can go from there.”

Lamont was having his own positive issues. He has been practicing his starts in the 200 meters, trying to run the 100 meters and running with the 400 meter relay team. He realized the more valuable he was to the team, the more brownie points he earned with Mr. Potts. He welcomed competition, knowing it would make him better.

“Man, I'm getting closer to beating G in the 200,” he said to Jose and Elvis.

“He beat me by a chest yesterday. I'm enjoying this. We'll find out more this weekend when the team is going to a big fall meet. I've come to realize that if I get serious about this running stuff, I can probably amount to something. That's big to my mom and dad.”

Elvis was also having a big out of school issue. One of the band's members had a little sister, Karen, who was hot for Elvis. She came to practices, some of the band's performances, and always played up to Elvis, hoping to catch his attention. She was two years younger than him, and under normal circumstances she'd be a good catch, but the fact she was close with his fellow band members kept him from making any moves. He discouraged her, saying he didn't like mixing business and pleasure. She went to a nearby high school, which allowed him to see her only when the group got together.

Elvis wanted to be just friends, seeing no long term benefit to a romantic relationship.

The bell rang, dismissing the class. As the trio headed to their next class, they ran into Winston, who was headed to the football office.

“Gentlemen,” said Winston to the trio. “How you doing? By the way, can I talk to you for a minute?” They all stopped, and now it was face-to-face.

“You guys don't know about any of the stuff that happened yesterday?” he asked them, wanting to gauge their body language for signs.

“Nope,” said Jose. “That's sick what happened.”

“Man, I can't believe someone would do that stuff at such an important time,” Lamont said, some sarcasm in his voice.

“What stuff?” answered Elvis.

“Just wanted to make sure you guys weren't involved,” Winston answered. “I'd hate to think such students would be involved.” Winston then turned and headed off.

“Again, say nothing and keep quiet,” Elvis warned the others. “He's smarter than you think. He's going to test us. You can't give him an opening.” With that they each went their separate ways.

The rest of the day was uneventful. About 2:30 p.m., a half hour before dismissal, Winston sat in his office handling some routine matters, when he received a call from one of the school board members who he considered one of his best friends.

“Earl, I don't want to alarm you,” said the caller, “but I just got word there's a move underway to fire or demote you after yesterday. Many of the board members and county administrators feel it reflected badly on them. They want someone to pay. You might want to plan for what's going to happen.”

“Thanks, I'll do that,” Winston answered. “You up for golf Saturday?”

“Sure, what time?”

“I'll get back to you.”

“Again, Earl, watch yourself.” the caller said. “Goodbye.”

“Thanks for calling. It's good to know you have a friend when you need it.”

Just after the call, Hian's parents showed up wanting to know why their son was suspended.

Winston invited them into his office, and first put a caveat on the conversation. “I only have a few minutes to talk. I have to help monitor the student parking lot upon school dismissal. Who knows what can happen there? So, what do you want to know?”

“Why my son suspend?” said Mr. Hguyen in a rough English accent.

“His language in English class was inappropriate,” he answered back, not knowing if Hian's parents understood. “Bad language. Cussing.”

“Hian not know what he say,” said Mr. Nguyen. “He say he remember only seeing Ms. Forty, then Jose, then in the hall and yelled at.”

“I can only say his language was inappropriate,” Winston answered. “I know that Hian is a fine young man, and this wasn't in his character, but he said it so we have to take action. I'm sorry,” he said, standing to end the meeting and getting ready to head out.

“We sorry, too,” Mr. Nguyen said. “We don't want Hian to be a how you say it, trouble maker. Hian want to end up doctor.”

“He's a fine young man, he just needs to watch his language.” With that all got up and exited Winston's office and headed their separate ways.

While walking to the school parking lot, Winston remembered Hian's father mentioning the name Jose. Bear had earlier mentioned Elvis and now Hian brought up Jose. Two of the school's top prospects for misbehavior were brought to the forefront. It was time for some evening detective work, and if he played his cards right, some connecting the dots work that would lead to his guilty parties.

Jose and Elvis were now suspects. He didn't know how, but at least he had a lead or two.

That evening at home Winston sat quietly at his office desk listing in chronological order all the incidents that went sour during the governor's visit. By each of them he put the letter I for intentional or A for accidental. There was a few marked with a U for unsure. He was in essence making a list, checking it twice, trying to find out who was naughty and nice.

More troubling was that none of these acts appeared to be against the law. Instead they were against school policy or the laws of proper etiquette. His only recourse would be to find the perpetrators and punish them. He was determined to do so in order to clear his name and possibly save his job.

Under his accidental list were the water bucket on the governor's wife, the television on in the lunch room (that was a daily staple), the football toss, and the animals on the loose.

On the intentional list were the mice, McCarthy's media center class, the poker game, the flagpole lingerie, the couple making out, the football field fire, student locked in the bathroom, the campaign signage, and the reporter on the scene.

On the latter he could have chased the reporter away, telling him he did not have a visitor's pass. A janitor had told him today that the toilet flooding was a result of a roll of toilet paper being stuffed into the toilet, backing it up, making it an entry on the I list.

Listed under unsure were the conversations of Missy, Hian and Big Bear. They seemed intentional but the fact none remembered their incident indicated they might have been somehow influenced to act that way. Knowing teenagers as he did, he figured it was a bet, dare or act for a financial reward.

Some of those in the I group would be impossible to investigate. Mr. Diaz, the only administrator that saw the couple kissing said he had no idea who they were as they ran in the opposite direction not revealing their faces. So many students used the restroom in one day it would be impossible to pin down who clogged the toilet.

He decided he would seek out Coach McCarthy and Major Charles for allowing their students to partake in activities not allowed in school. This would be the umteenth time he had to discipline the coach, but because of his football success, the principal usually backed down. The Major was well liked and led one of the best ROTC units in the state. Winston knew the ROTC leader would never permit a poker game in class, but made a vow to speak to him and remind him of the school rules for such activity.

For the mice, he thought he would call a number of pet shops in the area asking if any student had purchased a large number of mice in the last week.

So, if he was going to find fault at that moment, it would be with the Missy, Hian and Big Bear. He had already suspended two of them, but wanted to see if there was any connection between their actions and Jose and Elvis. He remembered their names brought up in discussion with Hian and Big Bear. He'd loved to prove their guilt.

At 11 p.m. after a few hours of reviewing this list, Winston's wife entered the room, and said, “Good night, I think it's time for bed. You need to start letting it go. Sooner you move on the better. Love you.”

“I got a call today saying that a few people on the school board want to fire or demote me,” answered her husband. “If I'm going down, I want to take those who caused this mess to go down with me. I need somebody to love me tender, not berate me. It's a lonely battle I'm fighting.”

“Let it go. Besides, you ought to retire anyway. It's time.”

“But I still love what I do most of the time,” her husband answered. “The kids keep me young. It's very rewarding when things go right.”

With that Winston put the paper into his briefcase and went to get a snack and turn on the news. As he slurped his ice cream cone, he perked up to what was being said. There was Tom Roberts, reporting from the school board offices.

“Rumors are swirling about the future of Thomas Jefferson principal Earl Winston,” Roberts said. “It's my understanding that a few members of the school board, embarrassed by the actions at his school during the governor's visit two days ago, want to see him fired or demoted. We'll have to see how it plays out. Back to you in the studio.”

With that Winston lost his appetite. He jumped up, turned off the television and tossed his cone in the garbage. He did this before reaching the caramel center, his favorite part. It was off to bed. He decided then and there that Jose and Elvis would be called into his office the first thing in the morning. He thought he'd bring them in together and that way they will be unable to collaborate their stories.

Worse yet was that it was now public knowledge about his future status. He wasn't sure how to address that matter. Instead, he thought it would best to just treat things as usual while playing detective. If he could find someone to blame, it might save his hide. He could always retire, although he thought retiring under pressure was considered the same as being fired.

During the first period the next morning, Winston sent two students to get Elvis and Jose out of class. The pair arrived in his office, sitting side by side, showing disdain for being brought there. They had no idea what Winston knew, but were determined to stay their course and deny any involvement.

“Jose, Mr. Winston wants to see you now in his office,” the secretary said. “Elvis you'll be next.”

As Jose entered the office, Winston said, “Good morning, Jose, welcome, have a seat. How's the family? I need to ask you a few questions.”

“The family's good,” Jose answered. “Questions about what?”

“I need to know if you had anything to do with any of the misbehavior or incidents that happened while the governor was here?” asked Winston. “Your name was brought up by one of the suspended students.” He purposely did not mention Hian by name, hoping that Jose would bring it up and confirm the story.

“I had nothing to do with anything, Mr. Winston,” Jose said. “I think somebody's trying to pin this stuff on me. I don't know who you're talking about, but I see hundreds of students every day. That day was no different.” Wisely, he avoided any names.

“I wish I could say I had something to do with some of the stuff that happened,” he continued. “Some it was pretty good stuff. Hey, I wouldn't mess with you with what was at stake. Besides my dad would kill me if I got in trouble. Again, I had nothing to do with anything. If I did know I'm not sure I'd snitch. That could be more painful that any punishment you'd give me.”

“Well I just want to warn you that any such future actions will result in suspension or expulsion,” Winston calmly said. “Now you're dismissed and can go back to class. One last thing…if you hear anything don't be afraid to come tell me in confidence.” His pass was stamped return to sender.

Jose left, winking at Elvis on the way out, as to say “he got nothing from me.”

It was Elvis turn to sing as Winston called him into his office, this time trying a different approach.

“Elvis, you know you are one of the most respected students in the school,” he started. “Recently we had some incidents during the governor's visit that reflected poorly on the school. We're trying to learn who might have been responsible for some of these happenings. Maybe you can shed some light on them.”

“I wish I could Mr. Winston,” Elvis said. “I have my eyes and ears out to for the people that did these things. Shame on them. But whoever did them is good about keeping it hush hush. I haven't heard anything.”

“Okay, Elvis, I'm going to level with you,” Winston said, cutting through Elvis's sweet talk. “Big Bear said you arranged for an agent to talk to him before he spoke to the governor. I don't have to tell you what happened between the governor and Big Bear, but the question is did your agent have anything to do with it? Possibly doing something to Big Bear.”