Chapter 6
I’m bored to death in second period AP Chemistry when the speaker beeps with an announcement. My teacher sighs and lowers his dry erase marker from where he’d been writing equations on the board. This all boring stuff we learned last year, so I haven’t been taking notes.
Above us, the principal’s voice rings out through the speaker.
“Attention Robert Cullen High School students. It has come to my attention that two of you participated in the vandalism of a greenhouse that belongs to Little Lone Stars Daycare next door.”
What? That old building didn’t belong to the school?
He continues, “I am asking the persons responsible to come forward immediately. If you know any information that will lead to finding the culprits, please come forward. Tips can be made anonymously through the school’s website under the link that says contact us. I hope everyone understands that when one student does something terrible, it reflects badly on all of us. Please come forward immediately. Thank you.”
I chew on the inside of my lip until it bleeds. My teacher turns back to the board and keeps writing his equations. I glance around the classroom and no one seems to care about what we just heard. This is an AP class, so it’s full of smart people who usually never do anything wrong. Do they all assume someone else did it? That no one in this room is capable of mindless destruction?
I tap my pen rapidly against the desk. I can’t believe that thing belonged to the daycare. The idea of destroying a piece of school property is kind of hilarious, especially one that’s not in use. But now that I know it wasn’t even on our campus, I feel like shit.
A new type of fear slivers its way up my spine when I think of what would happen to me at home if my parents found out what I did. My dad is hard enough to deal with on a day when he’s not pissed at the world. My palms go sweaty at the very thought of him finding out the truth.
I shake my head and roll my shoulders, telling myself to get it together.
I don’t know why they made that announcement. They clearly don’t know who did it, so it could be anyone. Someone who doesn’t go to school anymore, or even a total stranger just passing through town. I take a deep breath and tell myself to chill out. They won’t find out that it was me and TJ. They just won’t.
After class, TJ practically slams into me in the hallway. His eyes are wide. “Dude, you keep your mouth shut.”
“About what?” I say, shoving him off me as we walk to our third period class.
“You know what,” he hisses.
“Dude, shut up. Just don’t even talk about it. No one will find out.”
He shoves me on the arm. “You better not crack and go narc on me.”
“Why would I tell on you?” I say in a hushed voice. “I’d be telling on myself too, you dumbass. My lips are sealed.”
TJ nods once, his jaw tight. “Good.”
*
I’ve pretty much forgotten the whole thing until seventh period athletics. As soon as I hit the locker room and change into my practice soccer uniform, I realize the loud rock music isn’t playing like it normally is from Coach’s office.
As we file out of the locker room and onto the field, Coach tells us to stand in line in front of the bleachers.
“Have a seat,” he says. He seems pissed, which is odd because Coach is usually laid back and fun. Two people down, TJ is glaring at me and I have no idea why.
“You know where I just came from?” Coach asks, but it’s in that way where we know he doesn’t want us to answer. “A meeting with the police and the school administration. I spent an hour watching a security video, trying to figure out which of my athletes were the two men responsible for vandalizing a small business’ greenhouse.”
I nearly crap myself on the spot. I don’t dare look over at TJ so I don’t give us away. Coach is taking turns staring us all down. I lift my eyebrows like I’m totally shocked to hear this news, like I can’t believe one of my teammates did something so stupid.
“Next time you decide to commit a crime, make sure you’re not on a security camera, and make damn sure you’re not wearing the Hornet’s soccer hoodie.”
He paces the length of the bleachers where the fourteen of us are sitting. “I was so proud of my varsity team this summer when we were doing training. And now, on the first day of school, you’ve gone and ruined our reputation.”
“Not all of us!” Mickey Russo says. “You said it was two people! You can’t blame this on all of us!”
Coach whirls on him. “This is a team. What one of you does reflects on all of you.” He turns back to face us, his eyes narrowed. “Two of you are guilty and I hope you both come forward. I’ll give you thirty seconds to be honorable and do it now.”
He goes silent and we all sit here. My heart is pounding, but I know he doesn’t know who actually did it or he would have taken us to the principal already. I casually glance down and then look slightly to my left. TJ is looking straight at me. I look away.
The thirty seconds seems to take forever. No one says a word. No one does anything.
