Speed Racer Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Love, Life, and Reincarnations ❯ The Family Feud Begins ( Chapter 17 )

Speed listened carefully as Jem retold the story she had claimed to have told Trixie earlier, about how she knew for an absolute fact that Inuyasha O'Connell was indeed a diabetic and had been for the last five years. Her tale, he admitted, was powerful and compelling. He could almost feel sorry for the teen. Yet, he couldn't quite say that he truly believed Jem's story. Sure, she had been a long-time family friend, having been there on numerous occasions to cheer he and his family on, but she was also an actress. She could put whatever emotion she needed to into a story.

 

Something his wife seemed to be forgetting at that moment.

 

“You don't believe me, do you?” came the quiet yet sudden inquiry. He blinked then shook his head. Jem had somehow managed to catch him thinking just that. How, he couldn't say. She just had.

 

“Not really,” Speed confessed slowly. “I'm sorry, but there's just something about that boy I don't trust. He can't be trusted.”

 

“You don't know that,” Jem stated, her tone remaining quiet. “Now, I'll admit, I think Torie's nuts for letting him dress like that but that's her decision. She knows about it and encourages him to be himself.”

 

“Torie's too easy-going when it comes to her children,” he spat, his anger rising up suddenly. “She refuses to . . .”

 

“Refuses to what, Speed?” the pink-haired singer interrupted. “She refuses to let you bully her around when it comes to her youngest son? Because that's probably how it feels to her.”

 

“Is that what she's told you?”

 

“No,” Jem shook her head. “I don't talk to Torie. I haven't since the summer my band and I spent with her. I personally don't care for the way she's raised her children and the fact that she manages the Misfits. I'm just telling you what I witnessed that summer. That's all.”

 

“She . . . manages the Misfits?” Speed's eyes widened at that bit of information. “But her last name is O'Connell . . .”

 

“Her married name, Speed. Her maiden and professional name is Cronkhite.”

 

“As in the author Torie Cronkhite?”

 

“The very same,” Jem replied. Speed stood there, slowly digesting everything he'd been told. It certainly put a new perspective on the situation, and he had to admit that he admired the strength and personality that Torie and her husband had shown. They were notorious for working together, often on several projects at once.

 

`Just like Trixie and me,' he mused idly. However, he didn't feel a change in attitude towards them or their children. If anything, he felt more than just a little disappointed in them. After all, their youngest son wasn't living up what to he believed should have been their expectations for the boy. Speed shook his head.

 

“Their family name doesn't mean anything to me,” he declared quietly. “They're a disappointment, both as parents and as neighbours. They should know better than to let a child like him run wild.”

 

“I'm sure they feel the same way about you, Speed.”

 

* * *

 

As with all breaks from school, Spring Break seemed to have flown by without even so much as a blink. Before Inuyasha knew it, his hours at the art school and Tsukiyo's had been cut back to a grand total of ten hours - five at Tsukiyo's and five at the school - so as to accommodate his schooling. And his fencing lessons. And his martial arts lessons. And extracurricular activities. The fifteen-year-old sometimes wondered how he managed to survive the hectic schedule his parents had set up for their family. With a new baby on the way . . . things were going to be even more hectic.

 

`Not that having a baby will slow Mom down,' he mused as he made his way to his art class. `Nothing slows her down. How does Dad even cope? How are we going to cope, for that matter? That kid doesn't know what he's getting into.'

 

To say that his parents had high expectations would have been an understatement. He and Catherine had talked once about what their parents expected from them and compared their tendencies to see who happened to be the strictest. While he had to admit that Speed and Trixie expected a lot from their children and were stricter in their desires, they still had nothing on his parents. Good grades, participation in some kind of school activity, the extra activities outside of school, working, staying out of trouble . . . sure, he and his siblings had the freedom to dress however they wanted to but the flipside to that freedom was the inquisition they faced if they weren't where they supposed to be when they were supposed to be there. His mother had a tendency to be slightly paranoid slash narcotic. That's why he, his brothers, and sister had cell phones. Torie's way of keeping tabs on them. Though, the more he thought about it and his parents' strange tendencies, the more he realized he didn't want them any other way. They were his parents. They took him and Sesshomaru in when they didn't have to and gave them something that they may not have truly had otherwise. A family.

 

`Can't ask for anything more than that,' he grinned, stepping into the art room. He took his usual place then set about retrieving his supplies. Unlike the juniors and seniors in the art class, who were taking the course because it was an easy credit, Inuyasha took the class seriously. Very seriously. He truly loved art. If his parents would have allowed it, Inuyasha would have spent all of his time at the art museum, where his father used to work. He loved art that much.

 

As the second bell rang, Inuyasha took his seat, the only freshman in the entire class. The teacher sat in her normal spot and called out roll. A new day had started and it was time to meet it head on.

 

* * *

 

“Rex, you have absolutely no grounds to stand on,” came the exasperated sigh. “If Mrs. O'Connell wishes to home school Inuyasha in English, she may do so. There isn't anything we can do to get her to change her mind. We're lucky that any of her children attend our school. They don't have to, you know.”

 

Rex heaved a sigh then shook his head. The situation he was now in had become something of a routine since January. He'd go to the principal, to the superintendent, and to the school board in regards to Inuyasha O'Connell not attending his English class. He'd confront them every week. Each time he always got the same answer: Torie O'Connell reserved the right to home school her children as she saw fit and there wasn't anything anyone could do to change her mind, that he had no grounds to stand on. To say that it aggravated him was an understatement. He hated the idea of home schooling, even if for only one subject. Children, as far as he was concerned, needed a rigourous schedule when it came to school. They needed social interaction. Granted, Inuyasha was there for the entire day and received such a schedule and the interaction, but that hardly mattered to Rex. It was the fact that it seemed the system was being bent in favour of one student.

 

“All I'm saying is that it isn't right for him not to be in my class,” he stated. “None of the other students have tested out.”

 

“The other students could drop out of your class if they so chose to, Rex,” Dean Stanton replied patiently. “In fact, there is nothing stopping their parents from pulling them out of this school and taking them to another school. Or home schooling them, for that matter. We're very lucky to even have a school at all.”

 

“What?” Rex blinked. He hadn't heard about this before.

 

“It was several years ago, just after Torie had given birth to her first son, Ryan O'Connell II. Because of statewide budget cuts, we had to fire several staff members. We had to cut programs and classes. Even bussing. There were nearly forty students to one teacher. In several cases, there were more. We were almost bankrupt. Ryan and Torie O'Connell saved this school and continue to do so to this very day. You wouldn't have a job today if it weren't for them.”

 

“So that's why you allow Inuyasha to drop out of English classes if he so pleases? Because you don't want to lose your financial backing?”

 

“No,” the principal shook his head. “That child is allowed to test out so his grades remain at an acceptable level. He feels that his mother is a far better educator when it comes to that subject and will really accept no other teacher. I'm surprised he stuck with the first semester English class, to be honest.”

“It still sounds like you're showing favouritism,” Rex pointed out. “Especially to the O'Connell family.”

 

“You don't get it, do you?” the black-haired man shook his head, folding his arms. “Inuyasha O'Connell isn't the only student who tests out of classes and is home schooled in one particular subject. There are a lot of students who do that, especially if their parents have a degree in a particular subject.”

 

“Why do you allow that?” he inquired, appalled by that revelation.

 

“Because we're a progressive school, Rex. We are out to prove that our students can compete at an international level. That's why we have such high standards. That is why we require more of our students than other schools in our district. We're after a high quality education. We want our students to succeed.”

 

“This approach cannot be working, though! It's . . .”

 

“It's working,” Dean stated. “And it has been. We have gone from being a low-ranking school to the highest ranking school in all of Pennsylvania. Because of people like the O'Connells. Now, if you care as much about this boy's education as you say you do, you'll drop this. It isn't healthy for either you or me.”

 

Rex frowned. He wanted to continue the conversation. He wanted to know more about how the school's progressive attitude affected its students. Granted, he still didn't think it was right for Inuyasha to be able to test out of English, but it was a losing battle. And he knew it. If anything, he'd have to start talking to Torie O'Connell about it, and he didn't believe that she'd listen to him. Not when she had a higher degree than what he did.

 

“I do care,” he finally admitted. “It just seems strange that he drops out of my class but not the for the previous teacher.”

 

“You mean because of what your nephew did at the beginning of the year?”

 

“Yeah,” Rex nodded, know it was only half the truth. “Because of that.”

 

Dean chuckled at that.

 

“You don't have to worry about your nephew's behaviour towards Inuyasha O'Connell affecting his decision to leave your class, Rex. They're very good friends. Have been for some time. Inuyasha just likes a challenge when it comes to English. That's all.”

 

Rex blinked. Inuyasha and Greg were friends? That was news to him.

 

“You mean it has nothing to do with my last name? At all?”

 

“Nope,” Dean shook his head. “Not at all. The boy just likes to be challenged. He didn't feel you could give him one.”

 

“I see . . . thank you for your time, Dean. I appreciate it.”

 

“Anytime, Rex. Anytime.”

 

* * *

 

“You're kidding me, right?”

 

Speed watched as his older brother shook his head. The school day had ended, and he and Trixie were waiting for their children to come home from their activities. Rex had just stopped by, giving them some interesting pieces of information.

 

“No. I'm not. The O'Connells have been contributing to the school's funding for the last fifteen years,” Rex stated. “Helped to keep the district from going bankrupt. The school has taken a very progressive stance because of it.”

 

“I see . . . that is interesting. Very interesting indeed. I take it you were told not to keep pressing the issue about Inuyasha dropping out of your class?”

 

“Pretty much,” the older man sighed, plopping down into a chair. “And that he isn't the only student who tests out of certain subjects. Other students test out as well, especially if they feel that their parents can teach it better than the faculty.”

 

“But Inuyasha dropped out of your class because of me, I'm sure . . .”

 

“No,” Rex shook his head. “According to Dean Stanton, he didn't. His testing out had more to do with wanting more of a challenge than with who I'm related to.”

 

“Somehow, I don't believe that,” Speed snorted. “He just doesn't want to be near you because of me. I just know it.”

 

“Well, maybe if you'd leave him alone and quit saying he's a troublemaker, he wouldn't be like that,” came the quiet retort. Rex's eyes widened, as did Speed's, and both men turned to see Janine Trotter standing in the doorway, her arms crossed. Next to her stood Trixie, a sheepish expression on his wife's face.

 

“Janine, you just don't understand . . .”

 

“Understand what, Speed? That you've been harassing a fifteen-year-old kid? That you're not getting your way with the O'Connells? That they refuse to see things the way you see them? That you're obsessed with proving to them and the entire community what you believe to be right? Tell me, what am I not understanding?”

 

“Janine . . .”

 

“No,” the light-haired woman shook her head. “I'm not going to listen to this anymore. I'm tired of it. That boy has done nothing to you and yet you still go out of your way to make his life a living hell. No wonder he doesn't want to have Rex as his teacher. He probably feels Rex is going to try railroading him the same you're trying to.”

 

Speed narrowed his eyes, and balled his hands into fists. Never once had Janine ever taken a tone like that with him. They'd been friends since they'd first met, and he'd even helped her when her father had inadvertently endangered her life. He had expected, because of that, that she'd be by his side no matter what. And now . . . now this. Before he could say anything, however, Janine turned to Trixie.

 

“I'll talk with you later, Trixie. I just . . . I need to get away.”

 

Having said that, the petite woman dashed out the door, slamming it behind her. Speed felt the muscles in his shoulder relax as she left as well as an odd sense of loss and foreboding in his heart. He'd never had a friend walk out on him before and it stung. Then he quickly shook it off. He'd deal with Janine's attitude eventually, but he had other things he had to worry about. Like proving to the community that he and his family could be outstanding pillars and contributors. He'd done a bit of research within the last week, and had discovered the number of businesses that Ryan and Torie owned. The couple also owned several homes within their neighbourhood as well as a house in the country. And now Rex had just told him about the financial contributions they made to West Hall High. If the O'Connells could run several business, own a few homes, and contribute to the school's funding, well . . . so could he. All he had to do was start writing up the business plans, real estate to look for, and a financial contribution to make. It was competition, in his mind's eye. A different kind of competition that he wasn't used to but a competition nonetheless. Something he'd gladly jump into. He glanced at Trixie and motioned for her to join him. A broad smile graced his face as she stood next to him and he turned to face his brother once more. He snaked an arm around her waist. Rex raised an eyebrow at him.

 

“Is everything all right, Speed?”

 

“Just fine,” he replied with the same broad smile. “In fact, Trixie and I have some good news. Some very good news.”

 

* * *

 

“Here we go, Mrs. O'Connell. I just need for you to sign here and date it.”

 

Torie smiled a little at the “official” attitude the blonde-haired man exuded. His name was Jack Bartoli, and he was a very dear friend to their family. Had been for the same amount of time as Robert and Val. For some reason, whenever Jack had a business proposal for her and Ryan, they became Mr. and Mrs. O'Connell. Never Ryan and Torie. Not until the paperwork had been signed. Pen in hand, Torie leaned over the table and signed the document in all of the appropriate places. Once she had finished, she glanced up. A warm smile greeted her.

 

“I can't believe I'm doing this . . .”

 

“Neither can I . . . but you are. And I appreciate it,” Jack murmured. “I greatly appreciate it.”

 

“I know,” she smiled. “So . . . when do Ryan and I get to see this new building that we now own?”