Chapter 6

His mother said, "Howie, I am worried about you. You are getting mixed up with too many older women. I am sorry that Wanda moved and you had problems with Becky. You are juggling to many things for a boy your age."

"My luck with women for the long term is not good," he said.

When Howie started back to school and the new semester, he noticed that Becky wasn't in any of his classes. There usually was only one section of Advanced Placement in a subject area, so Howie was surprised that she wasn't in the class.

He found Becky and pulled her into a vacant room. "What's going on?"

"Let go of me, you brute. Camilla told me you raped her and gave her a STD," she said.

"Raped her. A STD. What the hell is a STD?"

"Sexually transmitted disease, clap, you probably got it fucking your Indian whore," she said.

"I didn't rape Camilla and you know it. I don't have clap, or any other STD, and never have. Why aren't you in AP classes?"

Becky said, "Because you are in them."

He asked, "What is really wrong?"

"Let go of me you big brute. You aren't going to rape me. Do I have to scream?" she said.

"I have no intention of raping you. I don't understand you. You acted like you liked me. You asked me to the dance. I took you to the dance and you acted like you wanted to get away from me as fast as you could. I don't understand it. I never did anything to you," he said.

"You mauled me. You stuck your hands in my panties. I guess to you that isn't anything," she said.

"I didn't maul you. It was the back of your panties. I didn't mean to offend you. It was part of the game to be a little naughty. I don't remember that you complained then," he said.

"And what about your bet that you would have my virginity?"

Howie looked at her and very softly said, "I swear. I never said anything like that and I never would," he said.

He saw her soften a little, "Three people on the team told me you did."

He saw that she stiffened again.

"Becky, I swear, I never said anything about you to anyone. I don't talk about girls," he said.

She said, "That is what they said."

"I don't doubt that is what they said, but it isn't true," he said.

"Camilla told me you said that to her too," she said.

"You can't believe Camilla and you know it," he said.

"Have the three people on the team tell me that to my face. I want you there too," he said.

"They are afraid of you and what the rest of the team would do," she said.

"I didn't say anything about you to anyone," he said.

"And I guess you don't have an Indian whore living with you either?" she asked.

Howie said, "That is a bit more complicated and difficult to explain. She lived with my family, but she is not a whore. She doesn't live with us anymore, anyway."

Becky said, "I liked you a lot and you did this to me." She started crying.

Howie said, "I like you very much. And I didn't ever say anything about you to anyone. Please believe me. If you don't want to like me, I understand, but don't drop out to AP classes because of this."

"I can't be in class with someone who did this to me," she said. Tears were streaming down her face.

"I will drop out. Take the classes," Howie said.

"Howie, do you know how much you hurt me?" she said.

He moved toward her and opened his arms. She moved against him.

"Becky, I swear I have never talked about you to anyone. Anyone," he said. He kissed the top of her head.

"I want to believe you," she said.

"Would you tell coach their names? Maybe he could find out the truth," he said.

"Let me think about it," she said.

Howie went to the coach's classroom.

"What's wrong Howie?" he asked.

"You asked Becky to encourage me to rejoin the team right?"

Coach said, "Yes."

"She said three team members told her that I bet that I would have her virginity. I never said anything about Becky. This really upsets me coach. I like Becky and this hurt Becky a lot," Howie said.

"Did Becky say who they were?" he said.

"She wouldn't tell me," Howie said. "Coach, I don't talk about girls, any girls. I would never boast about Becky."

He said, "It would be a lot better if Becky would tell us who they were."

"Yeah."

Howie went to the guidance office.

He told the counselor, Mr. Cox, "I have a problem. Becky Hall thinks I said things about her and so she dropped out of classes that I would be in. She should be in AP classes more than I should. I would appreciate it if you would find me other classes and talk to her. If we are in the same class, I will not bother her. I will not speak to her or look at her, if that is what she wants. I will drop the classes if that is what she wants."

"Mr. Randolph, that is not a good reason to change classes."

Howie looked at him. With cold fury in his eyes he said, "Please do it."

Howie walked out of the counselor's office.

He went to the main office and said, "I am too upset to stay in school. I have to go home."

Howie walked home.

Howie went to his room. He heard the phone ring and answered it.

It was the coach.

"Becky is very upset, but she wouldn't tell me who it was," coach said.

"If I had to I could find out. I have some probables," Howie said.

Coach said, "Give me some more time. I don't want you to get into any trouble."

"I will find out, one way or the other," Howie said.

Coach said, "Simmer down.

"The guidance counselor said you threatened him," the coach said.

"That toad. I asked him to talk to Becky. I told him to move me out of AP classes so Becky could take them. He told me that was not a good reason to change classes. I told him to Please do it, but I never threatened him."

Coach said, "Howie, you can be threatening without saying anything."

"What he saw was that I was pissed. I didn't threaten him or move at him," he said.

"Okay. I will talk to the principal. But let me handle the Becky thing. If you hurt some people you could get expelled."

"I understand. But sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Somebody hurt Becky by making up stuff about me. I take that personally on two counts."

Coach said, "Howie, chill a bit, okay? Give me some time."

Coach talked to the guidance counselor and the principal. "Howie was irritated because he thought you blew him off. Howie said, "He was pissed." But he said that he didn't challenge you."

When the counselor left, the coach said, "Somebody said that Howie bet he would get Becky's virginity. He said he didn't and I believe him. I also believe that it would be much better for me to find out who said it, than for Howie to use his methods to find out. Unlike Mr. Cox, that person should really be scared. I have seen what he can do when he is calm. I would hate for him to get angry and heaven help the kid if Howie were mad."

The principal said, "We can't have him terrorizing teachers and students. I am going to suspend him for a week for frightening Mr. Cox, though I don't doubt that he was mostly pissed. We need to keep him away from school.

"Coach, have you thought about what happens if you find out who told Becky or if it were true?"

Coach said, "He talked to me about it. If he were out to get the person, he would have waded through the people he thought might have done it, until he found the one. And I think he wouldn't do anything to hurt Becky more. I don't know what he would do if I leaned on Becky to tell me who they were."

The principal said, "I can't have this go on. Talk to her unofficially and quietly. If that doesn't work, I will talk to her. We can't have teachers threatened."

Coach said, "Let me give it a try. Is it okay if I call him and tell him he is suspended?"

The coach sent a note to Becky. "Please see me between classes. I will be in my classroom."

Becky came in. Coach had a straggler leave.

"We have a problem. Howie is very upset about this bet thing. The principal suspended him. I need to know the players' names who told you."

"Coach, I promised I wouldn't tell," she said.

Coach said, "If it isn't true, and I don't believe he said anything about you, then you are hurting him because somebody, probably a liar, hurt you. He has already dropped out of AP. Do you want to punish him for something he may not have done?"

"I promised coach," she said.

"He hasn't said anything, but he won't play again with teammates that do tell those kind of lies about him. I know him that well."

"I will have to think about it. I have to go, I am already late to class," she said.

Coach went out and told his class to work on something, he had to make a call.

Coach called Howie, "Howie, the principal suspended you for one week because you frightened Mr. Cox. He doesn't want you threatening any faculty or students. Let me work on this."

Howie thought, The coach's tone is very demanding."

"Coach, I am going out of town. If it isn't fixed by the time I get back, I will fix it and take the consequences."

Howie called Wanda. "Are we still on for your formal?"

Wanda answered, "If you can't come, I will die."

"I will be there. I could stay the weekend if you want," he said.

"That would be great. It is my mother's birthday Sunday. Do you mind that?" Wanda asked.

"My concern is that this is a good opportunity for you to meet someone nice. I don't want to knock you out of that," Howie said.

"Howie, all the football players in the school know who you are. You would make my reputation if you came," she said. She almost whispered, "And I miss you and want to be with you."

"Is your mother cool with it?" he asked.

"She is cool with it," Wanda said.

"Howie, will you do me a big favor?" Wanda asked.