Untamed Hearts

4 Confrontation

IV Confrontation

Angelo Tallerico.

  The whispers still followed me around where I went but people were still too terrified after my show down with that maggot on the field to actually say it to my face. I had added a new name to my list of others- crazy.

 

The Crazy Michelangelo with a baseball bat who wanted to kill Carson McQueen. That one actually made me smile a little.

      I walked into English Literature and could feel their gossip hungry eyes assessing me. Gossip being the delicacy it was in Atlantic Central High, the whispers intensified as I sat down in my usual seat by the window. On hearing my name at least five times I stood up to face the class and asked loud enough for everyone to hear, "Do you idiots have something to say to me?” The class went silent. "No?" I challenged, "then I'd better not hear my name again because that's like calling One- Eight-Hundred -Collect- An- Ass- Whipping! And no, that’s not a toll free call, Compadre!"

  The class was silent enough for me to hear their breathing. "Now that's a little better," I said and sat down again. The whispers died down to a hum and I closed my eyes just wishing for some - any- kind of relief.

I heard the teacher come in and call the class to order.

"Mr. Tallerico?'

My eyes snapped open at once. Mrs. Stavros, our plump Literature Teacher was peering at me through her half moon spectacles. "Vice Principal. Dreyfuss would like to see you."

I felt the blood draining from my face. So the authorities had heard the rumors. Great. Just terrific. A succession of 'oohs" and 'So Busted!' sounded through the class. Ignoring them and their mean smirks, I got up from my seat and made for the Administrative Floor. Miss. Gaines, the secretary gave me a sympathetic smile and told me, "You can go in."

  I paused in front of the door. The sign on it read, Vice Principal And Head of Student Affairs

Mrs. Patricia J. Dreyfuss.

Exhaling, I knocked thrice.

"Come in," she said from inside. I opened the door and stepped into the room.

Vice Principal Dreyfuss sat at her mahogany desk looking over a file.

"You wanted to see me, Vice Principal Dreyfuss?" I said.

She looked up and smiled warmly. "Yes, Mr. Tallerico. Come in and have a seat."

I saw the name on the blue file and gulped. Mrs. Dreyfuss closed my smile and faced me.

"My, you've grown taller. When was the last time you were in here?"

I looked around her office that was neat and decorated with pictures of her kids, "Um... you had a red velvet couch and Malcolm's high chair was in the corner."

She smiled, "Nothing gets by you, right?" and I shrugged. "I've been looking over your records Angelo and I'm impressed. From the day you stepped into this school you've maintained an admirable 5.0 GPA and you've never gotten a mark below an A. Perfect attendance record for 2 years straight, all your teachers say you're a joy to teach and you've never given them a single speck of trouble, you've won almost every prize of repute in the school, impeccable character...."