I know he’s up to something when he chuckles to himself, leaning back on the door, doing the complete opposite of what I asked. “I’m a man, Lily. I know girls pee. It’s okay if I hear it.”
Why does he have to be so cute but so infuriating?
I declare, “I’m going to strangle you.”
“I like it rough, just like you, apparently,” he chirps back, putting his hands casually in his pockets.
I lean my hip on the vanity, watching the way he follows my every move. “You know how you said you’re a man?”
All he does is nod and bite that stupid plump lip of his with a cheeky smirk.
“I think you still have a sixteen-year-old’s brain.”
Dead silence.
A look of disbelief crosses his face before two loud laughs burst from the other side of the door.
Should have known they would be listening. My girls are eavesdroppers.
“That’s a good one, Lily!” Amelia yells.
“How’s his face look after that?” Trinity snorts so loud that I almost laugh myself.
“Go away!” He pouts like a child. Not looking away from my gaze, he shouts, “I’m surrounded by a bunch of traitors!”
“And apparently, I’m surrounded by a bunch of kids.” Dismissing him by waving my hands, I reach around his back and twist the doorknob. “I need to pee.”
The last thing I see before I shut the door for a moment of peace is his wounded face.
“Don’t leave me with them!”
And I do, chuckling the whole time as they grill him like they did with me for hours prior.
Sucker.
THIRTY-NINE
LILY
Halfway through Stella’s lesson, I get an email.
A job offer.
An email from a school asking me—me—if I want to teach a grade five class this upcoming school year. Throughout the rest of the lesson, I really try to stay focused and remain calm. But, holy cow, my first job offer!
Is this a sign from the universe that everything is going to be okay? Because all my stars are aligning right now, and if they slowly start to disappear, I don’t know what I will do. But I’m trying to throw out that negative mindset and live in the moment.
I rack my brain, trying to remember which interview this opportunity has arisen from, and quickly discover it’s the job interview I took right before Elijah offered me the job I currently have with Stella. While she colors in her coloring book, I email the principal back, informing her I’d love to take the job. When I had my first interview with her, the principal informed me she would hire me, but there were no open positions. But thank God, the world is on my side now.
I slam my computer shut, gripping the closed device like my life depends on it because, in this instance, it’ssavedme.
I got the job. It’s final.
It starts this upcoming September. I’m officially someone’s teacher.
Oh.
My.
