“Christy,” he said on an exhale. “You went to all that school to be an administrator. You agonized over your master’s thesis. You’ve spent thousands of dollars getting a degree so you could become a principal. Nobody dreams of being an A.P.”
“You’re right. I did. And I hate it,” she said simply. “It’s really stressful and honestly, I just want to be around these guys. Not all that extra stuff.”She gestured at the girls and then to the student section. “Maybe in a couple of years, I’ll go back and get a degree in guidance counseling.” She chewed her bottom lip. “If I could just coach I would. I’ve kind of fallen in love with it. But I have bills to pay.”
He really did look sideswiped. And I had to give it to my big brother, he was the most humble guy I knew. He’d come into the job dreading the fact that she’d gotten the position over him and he’d given it his all anyway. Anyone else would’ve been gloating over the promotion. But not Si.
She cocked her head with a sad smile. “Silas, this should’ve been your job. We both know that. This is your town and these are your people. And I never meant this to be permanent anyway.”
I didn’t like the sound of that. Like she wasn’t just thinking of changing careers but changing locations too. I forced myself to breathe. She hadn’t said she was quitting. She’d at least stay the school year. I had time.
His jaw bulged. “Yeah. Okay.” But I could tell it was going to take a while to wrap his head around it.
She put out her hand. “Congrats on your new job, Principal Dupree. I can’t wait to work with you.”
He rolled his eyes but gave her a hearty handshake. “Yeah. Fine. Looking forward to it,” he grumbled. Then he jogged off to sit with Lemon and our parents.
“Wow.” I chuckled. “I think he was almost not frowning there at the end.”
She giggled, eyebrows raised. “Looks like we’re all full of surprises today.”
Just then the buzzer sounded and we were back at what would hopefully be the last set. Christy’s phone was back on her lap, and the constant checking started back up.
So it wasn’t the school board meeting.
Then, after another phone check, she laid the phone on the seat next to her right thigh and straightened, her handsballed in her lap. “That’s it.” I heard her mutter angrily. And she trained her eyes on Amber straight across the floor. “I’ve had enough.”
Awww crap.
For the next ten minutes, she sat board straight on the edge of her seat, eyes volleying between the climbing scoreboard and the psychopath across the room. And Amber’s gaze stayed trained on her like two demon eyes hungry for a soul.
My nerves kicked into high gear and my palms started sweating. “Christy, what is going on?”
“Don’t you worry about it.”
“What is she texting you?” I reached for her phone.
She jammed it under her thigh so I couldn’t get to it. “None of your business.”
Her bouncing knee was amping me up even worse, so I put a hand out to stop it. “Are the earrings about to come off?”
“And the hair extensions too.”
“Chris.”
“And don’t you dare try to stop me.” She bounced my hand right off her knee and deepened her death glare across the court.
As soon as Ming sent a kill over, ending the game, Christy shot up out of her seat and stormed across the floor. But in her haste, she’d left her phone. I picked it up and typed in her password.
And my eyes were inundated with pictures of me and Amber in bed together. In every sultry position imaginable. And not a single one of them was real. Because I’ve never been in a bed, dressed or not, with Amber Taylor. And I never would be.
But they looked real. Not photoshopped at all. And if I hadn’t known better, I would’ve believed they were one hundred percent legit.
I hopped up, taking the phone with me, and jogged over to where it was about to go down. As I went, I quickly scrolled. There were at least fifteen different numbers that had sent threatening texts and misleading pictures as far back as…
I didn’t have time to find out but weeks, at least. Maybe months.
Amber must’ve been using burners. Christy would probably block her and then she’d start up with a different number. But why hadn’t Christy ever said anything? The sad part was, Amber’s stunt didn’t even shock me.
This was her token calling card.
