Page 37 of Burning Skies
Except she’s with some guy in a suit.
He comes around the driver’s side to open her door. I can’t make out his expression because it’s too dark. But he’s hugging her, and she’s letting him.
Son of a bitch. That’s probably the asshole her father wants her to marry.
I grip the steering wheel as the light changes. I’ve beenmaking myself crazy all goddamn week, and she’s on a damn date.
When the light changes, I speed by.
Let her have her fucking suit.
14
HONEY
My phone buzzeswith another text from Ian, and I shove it in my purse so I don’t have to deal with him.
Last night’s date left me feeling gross, like I needed a shower when I got home.
I sigh. It’s been three days since the fire.
And Beau never stopped by again.
Which is totally fine. We said we were scratching an itch. He can consider it good and scratched. Were it not for the shed fire, I wouldn’t have seen him anyway.
So I have no reason to feel guilty that I had dinner with Ian. None whatsoever.
I’m about to head to class when Trish calls out, “Assembly this morning. We’re on a special schedule. Check your email.”
Dang it. Now we won’t have time for the exercise I planned for first period. “Any idea what the assembly is about?” Because the principal never surprises us with last-minute changes like this.
“The shed fire.”
That reminds me. “I’ve been meaning to thank you for not sticking around to help.”
Trish’s eyes go saucer-wide. “My car was in peril. Not everyone has a rich daddy to bail them out, you know.”
I freeze. What did she just say? “I pay my own bills.”
“I’m just saying that if you had a cataclysmic event happen, your family would give you money. I don’t have that.”
I suppose that’s true. And I’m grateful to have that support, but I don’t like the accusation in her eyes. She’s looking at me like I don’t have to work for anything, which isn’t true.
Annoyed, I head for the auditorium and grab a seat next to Laura. The kids stream down and fill in the seats. On the stage, a somber Principal Erickson stands with the fire chief and the sheriff.
In front of the stage, those two newspaper students, Keith and Sabrina, are arguing about something. Sabrina tries to take Keith’s camera, and his nostrils flare. Adrian marches down there and points to the seats, and they reluctantly sit.
Once the bell rings, the principal welcomes us. “I wish we were here to do something fun, but unfortunately, I have a very serious issue I need to discuss with you. As you all know, we’ve recently had two fires, and Fire Chief O’Neill thinks they might not be accidents.”
People gasp, and the students turn to each other and start whispering.
The principal holds up her hand until everyone gets quiet again. “The chief and Sheriff Reynolds want to conduct a more thorough investigation, which is why I need you to answer our questions openly and honestly. If a fireman or the sheriff stops you in the hallway to talk, please share whatever you know. If you’re uncomfortable, you’re welcome to call your parents so they can join you. And as a final warning, there’s no smoking at school.”
She welcomes Sheriff Reynolds to the podium. He rubs his bushy white mustache. “Here’s a little fire safety tip. Please don’tput out cigarettes in trash cans. That bathroom fire y’all had here two weeks ago sparked because some genius did exactly that. They tossed a lit cigarette into a can full of paper towels. Maybe they didn’t realize it was still lit. Regardless, having that kind of contraband at school is a Class C misdemeanor.”
When the assembly ends, and I’m back in my classroom, the students can’t stop talking about it.
Nora Jean raises her hand. “Miss Honey, do you really think someone’s been setting fires on purpose?”
