The Secrets We Keep

The Eleventh Chapter

Part Two: Was It A Murder or A Suicide 

Hayden

The next morning, I really don't want to go to school. I throw my tie around my shoulders as I march into the kitchen and place a slice of bread straight into my mouth. Toasting, buttering, and lathering it with jam is just too much effort. Everything feels like too much effort these days. 

"Hayden, why I'm being told you threatened to punch someone in the face yesterday?" My mom's cross voice asks from the breakfast nook. 

I chew before answering. She, my dad and, Damien are all civilly seated down to eat. But for once, it's not my table manners that are on trial but my people-person manners. Who knew threatening bodily harm was not socially acceptable? 

"Who snitched?" I demand, my mouth still full of bread. Damien grimaces at the sight of me but shakes his head, wordlessly telling me it wasn't him. I narrow my eyes but I know he's not lying. 

"Mrs. Reynolds did. She told me she heard you threatened to get physical with one of the boys. What's going on? Why are both of my children acting up like this?" Mom's last question is directed up to the ceiling as if God will give her the answers she needs. 

"You're the one who raised us hooligans so you tell me," I say as I open the fridge and start drinking OJ from the plastic bottle. 

"You know, I'm really disappointed in you if this story is true," my dad says, his voice gruff, as he dusts off the crumbs on his hands. He's been silent this whole time and it never occurred to me that he might have a problem with my behavior.

I feel my face drain of color as I stare at my dad all dressed up for work. He seems unusually serious and it fills me with dread. When Dad's mad, it's somehow worse than with Mom. Mom's always angry with me so it's like business as usual. But he's the one who's usually in my corner. 

"Oh?" I say, screwing back the lid to the orange juice. 

"You announced to this kid you were going to punch him in the face?" My dad asks with his detective, no-nonsense face on. I nod, and busy my hands by putting things away into the fridge. My dad sighs dramatically. "How many times have I told you, Hayden, that as a woman, you always need surprise on your side? You punch first before he has time to react." I smile when I realize he's just messing with me. 

"Really?" My mom demands, standing up. My dad and Damien share a smile as she rolls her eyes at all of us. "God, I'm surrounded by animals." She points her finger at me as she starts gathering up her work things. "Hayden, I swear to God, you better not actually punch someone. Remember what Headmaster Gibbons said."

Damien stops smiling at the reminder. Two more strikes between us and we're out.

-

At school, it's clear people have heard about what went down yesterday. I see a few people I've never even talked to point at me as I walk by. 

"That's her! I heard she roundhouse kicked Christopher Wallace in the face!" 

I grimace and pick up my pace. What is wrong with people? I didn't even touch him and now people are acting like we reenacted a scene from Cobra Kai. 

I expect things to get better as the day wears on, but it only seems to get worse. More people stare and point and laugh and share incorrect witness accounts. It gets so bad that I choose to have lunch in the bathroom and dig out my cap to cover my hair. 

Only, apparently, that goes against the school dress code. Which I soon find out. 

"Miss Andrews, if you don't take off that hat, it's detention!" One of the teachers calls to me as I head out of the bathroom and to my lockers. "I mean it, if you don't take it off in the next two seconds, I'll write you up!"