Honey (Editing/Rewriting)

Chapter 24

Honey
______________

In the classroom, Honey sat at the back, engrossed in her phone as JT's "Sideways" played through her headphones. It was the last day of high school, and classes had become little more than a formality. Having aced her exams with straight A's and a flawless 4.0 GPA, she felt excited at the thought of graduating.

Over the weekend, she had applied to numerous HBCUs, eagerly awaiting acceptance from any college willing to take her. With thorough research, she had carefully selected the best schools among her choices. However, there was one in particular that stood out, yet she was uncertain if she met the criteria for acceptance.

Nestled in Texas, Harmony State University (HSU) boasted a rich and intriguing history. Founded by Sandra Stone, a black woman driven by a personal tragedy, the school bore the name of her daughter who went missing years before. Despite Sandra no longer being alive, the legacy of HSU endured through decades making it one of the oldest and most esteemed HBCU's. Honey stayed up late nights, watching vlogs about the school which made her desire to be accepted stronger each day.

She initially chose pharmacology as her major, but she knew it might change eventually. She remained undecided about it.

The tap on her shoulder jolted her from her thoughts, prompting her to swiftly remove her headphones. She turned to see a girl beside her who had initiated the interruption. The girl remained silent, but it was the teacher who was speaking.

"Honey, the principal wants to see you in her office," her teacher announced.

Confusion briefly clouded Honey's thoughts. She hadn't expected the principal to know her name, let alone call her to her office. An uneasy feeling crept over her as she contemplated the reason. Initially hesitant to leave her seat, she soon realized her teacher's seriousness and reluctantly gathered her belongings. Stepping into the deserted hallway, Honey's mind raced as she retraced her recent actions, searching for any misstep that might have landed her in the principal's office during class.

As Honey neared the front office, her heart pounded louder with each step. Despite scouring her memory, she couldn't pinpoint any wrongdoing that warranted a visit to the principal's office. Upon entering, she approached the front desk where Mrs. Langley, one of the guidance counselors, was sorting through papers. When Mrs. Langley noticed Honey's presence, her face lit up with a warm smile.

"Oh, hi Honey." She greeted.

"Hi Mrs. Langley. The principal wanted to see me?"

"Yeah, go on back to her office, she's waiting."

Heading towards the principal's office, Honey could hear the distinct sounds of papers being stapled together and shuffled around. Each noise intensified her apprehension, creating a sense of unease as she neared the open door.

Honey gently tapped on the door before principal Ravenwood welcomed her in. Nervously, she settled into one of the chairs positioned in front of the desk.

"Hi, Honey. How are you doing today?" She greeted.

"I'm okay. Am I trouble or something?"

"Oh heavens no. I haven't had any problems out of you the entire four years of you being in high school. I called you down because I just talked with your mother. She was worried that the recommendation letters from your Cambridge teachers weren't enough. And since I was looking through some of the students grades and you are one of our top students graduating with honors, I wrote a recommendation letter for the college of your choice. I am willing to help because I know that you have a bright future ahead of you."