“So none of you have followed my explicit directives?—”
“Respectfully,” Lina cuts in, “I’d have to take responsibility for that. I told them to try it?—”
Thomas nods once. “So everyone here in this room is going to be written up for insubordination, including yourself, Ms. Sanchez.”
Everyone is shocked into silence. Emmanuel’s mouth is now wide open.
Georgia makes a last attempt. “Why can’t you just hear us out?—”
“I don’t know what yourrelationship,” she sneers, “was with your last principal, but it’s not going to fly here with me.”
Georgia glares back.
What the fuck is happening? Did you seriously just pour all your professional heart and soul into something that’s going to get you written up? The conference, the notes, for nothing?
On Thomas’s way back out the door, she remembers something. “Ms. Sanchez, please provide me with the names of everyone in this room.”
The door shuts behind her.
“Thefuckjust happened?!” Georgia whisper-shrieks.
Lina sits down, putting her elbows on her knees, pushing her hands through her hair. She blows out a breath. “I’m really sorry, everyone.”
“I’ve… never been written up in my life,” I whisper.
Susan waves her hand. “We’re tenured, and we have a union. We’ll be fine. I’ve been written up lots of times in my twenty-two years of service.”
“And it’ll disappear off our record after a year,” Georgia mutters, looking particularly irritated.
“So don’t worry about it, sis,” Emmanuel says to Lina, rubbing her back. “We’re all adults here. It’s not your fault.”
We all agree.
“But what the fuck are we supposed to do tomorrow?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, we have to teach the curriculum tomorrow.”
Lina sighs. “At least it’s all scripted. You don’t have to prep anything. Just read directly from the teacher’s guide.”
We cringe.
Lina stands up to go. “All right. I’m gonna go throw myself in front of a city bus now. See everyone tomorrow. I really appreciate all of your time and support. Even if it was all wasted. I won’t forget it.”
We all sadly watch her go.
Emmanuel turns to me after Lina leaves. “What’s this about Elias?”
Fuck. “I don’t know…”
“What do you mean you don’t know? Aren’t you two a thing?”
I shrug. “I don’t know… Not explicitly, I guess.”
“Well, what the fuckdoyou know?!” Emmanuel shrieks.
Georgia chimes in. “Even if you’re not explicitly a thing, haven’t you known each other since the womb or something?”
