The English Boy

Chapter 16

"Is it true?" Ms Kruschev asked

"What is?" I asked

"That you got into another fight with April...over Romeo and Juliet?"

Everyone in school knows about that now, actually! Why? Because it's different from other fights. We fought because we were debating a theme for the play, but it doesn't really matter. Ohh well, screw these Shakespeare plays! Everybody fights in Shakespeare's stories! For example, Montague and Capulet from Romeo and Juliet, Prospero and Antonio from the Tempest, and now, April McDormand and Joe McCarthy from Grace Randolph.

Anyway, my relationship with Ms. Khruschev improved a lot. She became one of my best friends and we tell each other everything. I would always walk her to the teacher's lounge after every French class. We tell each other everyhting, but I don't even want to remember that fight with April anymore...

"Can we not talk about it?" I said

"Well, okay... I understand why" she smiled at me "You said the theme of the play is Romantic Tragedy. Meanwhile, Ms. McDormand said it was Forbidden Love"

I nodded.

"Both of you have a point, a good one actually. Well, it is an opinionated question so, there's no reason to debate over-"

"Back in the Philippines, every point has to be explained even further. Points and opinions are always debated. So, it's not my fault I was raised in a different environment"

"Joe, I'm not saying points and opinions are not debated here in UK. Of course, they are. I'm just saying-" she shrugged "With all do respect, you were being immature fighting over literature"

"I get it. I was being immature. Don't repeat it again, before I get pissed off"

There was silence for a moment.

"But, I do have a question" she said

"What is it?" I asked

"It's not only Romeo and Juliet, isn't it?"

"What do you mean?"

"You fought over something else, didn't you. It can't be Romeo and Juliet alone. Otherwise, you two would be so shallow, especially you since you're the one who started the fight"

"We did fight over Shakespeare, but, I guess you're right! There's something else besides that"

"I knew it"

"How?"

"I had it figured out a long time ago" we stopped walking "We've had a lot of problems with April McDormand in the past"

"But you arrived here only last year" I said

"I know. But, I understand how April feels"

I scoffed.

"April lost her mother a couple of years-"

"I know about that! I figured it out on my own. And now, I'm trying not to care because April told me so" I said

"Well, okay" Ms. Khruschev said. Well, there's nothing else to say.

"I gotta go. Au revoir Mademoiselle!" I said, and walked away

"Joe" she called me. I turned around.

"Oui?" I said

"Pardonnez- April. Ce est particulièrement difficile pour elle . Comprendre comment elle se sent . Un jour , vous serez également" she said, in French... I didn't understand her. Well, I only understood "Pardonnez- April" it means "Forgive April", but what did the rest mean?