Jack looked Bernard straight in the eye. “Now that you've spelled it out for me, I've decided that they will not be handing in the essay after all.”
“Is this how you teach your children responsibility? Or is it simply that you are running away from the truth? I think the school counselor would be interested in hearing about this.”
Jack turned on his heel slowly and focused his eyes on his children’s English teacher and his former high school enemy. Bernard took in his features slowly and felt a quiver move down his back. Jack walked slowly, but with each movement it was apparent that Jack was using every ounce of his strength to keep from losing his cool on the Steeplechase English teacher. Jack didn’t stop walking until he was toe to toe with Bernard, with eight inches of height over Kendricks, Jack was not someone with whom you wanted to start trouble. Bernard was all too familiar with that notion.
"Is that a threat?!" asked Jack incredulously.
"No, I am their teacher," Bernard firmly responded. "If they do not hand it in, I will fail them."
"Is it possible that Tristan can write an essay on another relative, use another family member such as a grandmother or aunt or possibly her grandfather?" asked Jack sensibly.
"That was not the assignment. Good day to you. I have a class to teach," Bernard said as he tried to slither away from Jack.
"I will go to the dean and report you. You are meddling, once again. You did the same thing when Adam and Liam were in your class too. And let’s not forget the hell you put my wife through. You'll get more than a slap on the wrist this time, I assure you. Do not test me," replied Jack with a heated expression clear upon his face.
A sly grin emerged across Bernard Kendricks’ face, "The fact remains that you still have not told your children the truth about their mother."
Jack, reaching his breaking point of control, took one finger and firmly pressed into the chest of Mr. Kendricks.
"That is none of your business. Your job is to teach my children English, not pry into personal matters! Press the issue, and I'll have your job this time."
Bernard puffed out his chest, and bravely stated in a hushed voice, “You are the reason she is dead, and you don’t want to explain that to anyone.”
As a look of contempt grew in Jack’s eyes, Bernard allowed a smile to curl from his lips. Finally, Jack retorted, “We both know the reason she is dead is because of you. You might have been able to hoodwink the police, but you don’t fool me for a second.”
*
In classroom 219, bouts of chatter erupted while their teacher was temporarily disposed. Bets in the form of juice boxes and a stiff wager of a dollar seventy-five in quarters were placed on Joey Binn’s desk as theories were forming and the general population of 219 was under the impression that Mr. Kendricks was getting his ass kicked in the hallway by Jack Morrow.
"Five bucks says Mr. Kendricks comes back with a black eye," replied a plump boy with spiky blond hair named Ellis.
"I say ten," quipped Kevin, a hyper kid who sat in the front of the class.
"Hey, Tommy, ain't that your dad?" asked Kelly, a girl with short frizzy hair. Tommy laughed while Tristan nervously tapped her fingers against her desk.
Blake, who was sitting quietly in his desk behind her, thankful for the momentary reprieve from iambic pentameter, tapped Tristan on the shoulder.
"It will be okay, you know. He'll set him straight," Blake explained. With a smile he leaned back in his chair without care just in time to see Mr. Kendricks walk back through the doorway. His face red, his eyes wild. Mr. Kendricks looked like he had something malicious up his sleeve.
"Attention, children," said Mr. Kendricks as he peered over his classroom full of teenagers crammed into tiny desks. "Regardless of what you may have heard, the Biography Assignment is required curriculum. Any student who fails to hand it in, will receive a failing grade in this class."
The look on Tristan’s face said it all. A mixture of anger, frustration and exhaustion washed across her features. As the tears welled in her eyes she rushed out of the classroom. Tommy, concerned about his sister’s well-being, rallied.
Shooting up out of his seat, Tommy shouted, “Then fail us!” as he followed Tristan out into the hallway and to the Principal’s office hoping to catch their father before he left, but as the reached the door to the office, the secretary advised him that he was already gone.
*
Later that afternoon, Tristan opened the rusty locker that housed her many text books and began loading up her already fraying book bag. Being enrolled in advanced placement classes certainly weighed down her book bag, so she utilized her locker wisely. Tristan slammed her locker shut to find Cole standing on the other side.
“Coming over after school?”
"Yeah, it's your sister's birthday isn't it?"
“Five o’clock it starts, but come whenever. We’re having a ton of food. Your Dad is invited too.”
“Cool. I’ll see you then!”