Page 20 of Inferno

He straightened in the chair. “I’m sorry for getting into a fight with Rory.”

“And?”Prissy prompted.

Manning clenched his jaw. “It won’t happen again, sir.”

Principal Henderson nodded graciously. “Apology accepted. You’re a good student, Manning. I’ve heard nothing but great things about you from your teachers, all of whom have high expectations of you. So I don’t want to see you back in my office again. Understood?”

Manning nodded.“Yes, sir.I understand.”

“Good.”

After answering some of Principal Henderson’s questions about the upcoming bond election, Prissy thanked him for his time and ushered her son out of the office.

In the outer reception area, a mousy-looking girl with horn-rimmed glasses was speaking urgently to the secretary. “It’s very important that I see Principal Henderson and tell him—” She broke off at the sight of Prissy and Manning.

As Prissy watched in openmouthed astonishment, the girl suddenly rushed over and threw her arms around Manning’s waist. He looked startled, then adorably abashed.

Drawing away, the girl gazed up at him and whispered earnestly, “Thank you.”

He winked at her with his good eye. “Keep your head up.”

The girl nodded with the solemnity of an embattled soldier pledging to carry on the fight in honor of a fallen comrade.

As Prissy and Manning left the main office, the girl’s wistful gaze followed them out.

Prissy waited until she and Manning were in the car before she asked, “Who was that young lady?”

“Her name’s Taylor,” Manning mumbled, staring out the passenger window. “She’s in my math class.”

“Is that why you got into a fight with that boy?Because he was bullying Taylor?”

Manning merely shrugged.

Prissy frowned. “That’s not an answer.”

“Does it really matter?”

“Excuse you?Of course it matters!”

“Why, Ma?” Manning challenged, meeting her angry gaze. “What difference does it make why I was fighting? Even if I tell you that I punched Rory ’cause he was picking on Taylor, I’dstillbe in trouble. So what’s the point?”

“The point is that I asked you a question, and I expect an answer!”

Manning turned back to the window, ignoring her.

As her temper snapped, Prissy reached over and grabbed his chin in her hand, forcing his gaze back to hers as she scolded sharply, “Manning Josiah Wolf!Don’t you dare look away from me when I’m talking toyou!”

He glowered at her, nostrils flaring, dark eyes flashing with tumultuous emotions.

Prissy stared at him, wishing she could see into his troubled soul. “What’s this really about, Manny?” she probed, striving for composure. “Are you trying to get back at me for making you go to school today? Or are you trying to punish me for uprooting you from Atlanta? Which is it?”

A muscle clenched in his jaw. “You don’t understand.”

“Then help me understand!” Prissy burst out shrilly. “Help me understand how a boy who has everything going for him could still manage to be so damn miserable! Help me understand how you could become so enraged that you’d break someone’s nose! Help me understand just what thehellis going on with you!”

He was silent, his surly gaze shifting past her to stare out the window.

Glancing over her shoulder, Prissy saw a woman fumbling to unlock the door of a yellow Volvo nearby; she was so busy watching Prissy and Manning that she kept missing the keyhole.