SHAKESPEARE’ SECRET by Elise Broach

curiously at Hero. She pressed a button on the edge of her desk. There was a buzzing noise, which made Hero jump, then a dull metallic thunk as the door unlocked. Danny pushed it open and Hero followed him inside.
    The room they entered was large and plain, with a linoleum-tile floor, a few metal desks heaped with papers and file folders and, here and there, a stained coffee mug. At the back there was a separate office. Its half-glass wall overlooked the room. The red-haired woman returned to her typing, and Hero followed Danny into the rear office.
    â€œThis isn’t exactly private,” she whispered, as he shut the door. “She can see everything we’re doing.”
    â€œI know,” Danny said. “We have to be careful. Just sit here for a minute.” He motioned toward a wooden chair against the wall. Hero sat stiffly, already feeling like a criminal.
    â€œThe file is over there in the cabinet,” Danny said. “Bottom drawer. But we should sit here until she gets busy with something.”
    Hero nodded. “Are you sure she can’t hear us?”
    â€œNo way. It’s soundproof in here. This is the room they use for questioning.”
    They sat in silence for a few minutes, shooting quick glances at the secretary, who continued to type.
    â€œSo why did you get suspended?” Hero asked.
    Danny looked at her. “Why do you care?”
    â€œI don’t,” Hero said quickly. “Forget it.”
    He shrugged. “It’s no big deal. I pushed a teacher.”
    â€œWhat do you mean, pushed her?”
    â€œHim. I kind of shoved him. Not hard. But he said I hit him.”
    â€œWell, why did you do that?”
    â€œHe was picking on somebody. This girl he always picked on.”
    â€œWas she a friend of yours?” Hero tried to make sense of it. It was hard to imagine deliberately touching a teacher, much less pushing one.
    â€œNo, not a friend. Just some girl who showed up late for class, never had her homework. She never knew the answers when he called on her. So he’d dump all over her. And this time, he was yelling at her, and she was starting to cry, and he was leaningover her, in her face, saying, ’What’s your problem? Are you lazy or are you stupid?’ So I told him to stop. And he told me to sit down. And I kind of pushed him away from her . . . and then I got suspended.”
    Hero stared at him. “That’s it? You got suspended for that?”
    â€œHitting a teacher,” Danny said flatly.
    â€œBut, I mean ...” Hero shook her head. “You shouldn’t have been suspended for that.”
    Danny shrugged. “Whatever.”
    â€œDidn’t you explain what happened? What happened with the girl?”
    â€œIt wouldn’t have made any difference. They didn’t like that girl. She was always getting into trouble.”
    â€œHow long were you suspended for?”
    â€œA week.”
    â€œWow.” Hero couldn’t think of anything to say.
    â€œIt wasn’t so bad,” Danny said. He seemed amused by her reaction. “I just hung out and watched movies.”
    â€œWere your mom and dad mad at you?”
    â€œNot really. My mom’s not around. And my dad, he wasn’t thrilled, but he never liked that teacher. He said he probably would’ve done the same thing.”
    Hero knew her own parents would have had more to say than that. There’d have been some relevant Shakespeare quote from her father at the very least.
    â€œSo where’s your mom?” she asked.
    Danny picked at a loose thread on his T-shirt. “She’s not around,” he said again. Then, reluctantly, “She’s in California.”
    â€œOh,” Hero said. “How come? Are your parents divorced? Do you see her?”
    Danny shook his head, still tugging on the thread. “I have her address and write to her sometimes. Every once in a while she calls. But I live with my