My eyes stung as the reality of what she’d said washed over me. The questions, the doubt, the fact I lied the past two years…no. This was the place no one cared that I came from money. Christopher wouldn’t understand, not that I wanted him to, but…my reputation would be ruined. My friendships would never be the same. Money changed everything. My throat tightened as I fought the combination of anger and absolute disgust at myself. “One week. I need it back Sunday. If I don’t have it, I will report it stolen.”
“Oh, testy.” She wiggled her brows and clapped her hands. “Seems like I hit a sore spot.” She walked toward my desk and held out her hand. “Keys, please.”
I hated myself in that moment more than I had in a long time. It wasn’t pleasant to know I caused this, that my actions made her keep coming back. I got my car key and took it off the key ring, placing it in her palm as my stomach churned. There was no way I could eat now. “Getout, you have it.”
“You are too easy. God, this is fun.” She pocketed the key and sat on the edge of my desk, getting all in my space and leaning down to talk to me. “I guess I better get back to Chris’s room, where he’s showing me all about budgeting. Little does he know he’s going to set me up from the money you’ll give me. It’d be fun to tell him, but I think this key will keep my mouth shut for now. He thinks all this money I’m talking about is from me working really hard to save every penny. It’s adorable.”
She didn't give me time to respond before getting up and walking out of my room, leaving me in a pile of unhelpful thoughts and regrets. Before I spiraled into a dark place, my email pinged with a link to an article titled “Why Too Many Wall Decorations Distract Kids.”
Just in case you forgot—C
I snorted, thankful at the reminder that things were changing between us, and if I didn’t want it to be ruined before I had a chance to explore it, I had to handle Samantha.
Chapter Thirteen
Twenty-four hours later,Samantha still had my car, and she hadn’t shown up at school. I hesitated reporting it stolen because this could be a game for her, but she wasn’t the total idiot I mistook her for. She texted me she was out of town and would be back by Sunday, along with a countdown until the end of the month.
My options were simple—tell Fritz what happened and know he might not forgive me for it, tell Christopher the truth and ruin any chance we might have, or continue this cat-and-mouse game with Samantha.
I couldn’t talk to anyone about it, and the lack of what the right thing to do was eating me up every second I wasn’t distracted. The second school got out, I was glad to have the literacy center to keep me busy because going back to my apartment alone, pretending everything was fine, was less than ideal.
I could try to convince Grace to grab a drink after too, maybe try to tell her what I’d done, what I had caused. She wouldn’t hate me for it, but she could judge me, and I wasn’t sure I was ready for that. But better with her than Fritz. I sighed, hating how this year knocked my normal confidence to shreds. My professional life was my safe space, where Grace and Fritz were my family. Samantha coming into our lives ruined the entire balance, and I would never forgive her for it.
“Hey,” Christopher said, pulling me from my self-pity and leaning against my door frame. He wore a dark-green button-down shirt and khakis that fit him well. His heated looks at our staff meeting that morning made my belly do a roller coaster, and the sparkle in his eyes gave me hope. “I have after-school duty, but I noticed your car isn’t here. Is it at the shop?”
Yes, that makes the most sense.I nodded.
“Want a ride to the lit center?” He spoke so nonchalantly, like it was no big deal for us to be in the same car together.
“Yeah, that’d be…great.”
“Perfect. I’ll come get you when I’m done watching the littles get picked up.” He took a step off the door and gave me another soft look. “I’ve decided that the rainbow is your color.”
“What do you mean?”
“It doesn’t matter what color you wear, you look fantastic.” He assessed me from head to toe before leaving, his compliment warming me inside out.
His change in attitude toward me had to be fueled by something, and with the two of us getting dinner, I would figure it out. Now, I had to keep my nerves at bay until then, something that was becoming more and more difficult as my life seemed to implode around me.
The email from Dave sat in my inbox, asking me about preferences for the conference next weekend. It was all about data and how we could use it effectively—not just talk about it. His assistant needed my meal preferences and basic information to make a reservation at the hotel. A part of me felt bad I got to go and not Christopher. He’d love something like this, but I won and was chosen to go. It would be such a learning experience, and it would be foolish to pass up because of my uncertain feelings toward my buddy teacher.
The email sent with a swoosh, and a smile broke out as I thought about escaping for a few days. I could shop on Michigan Avenue and treat myself—shit. My funds wouldn't be lifted by the time the conference came around, and it dulled the spark of hope that retail therapy offered me.
I put on some lotion, a new layer of lip gloss, and got my lesson plans and materials ready for the next day and was about to head out into the hall when Christopher walked back in. We stood a foot apart, just inside my classroom, and his gaze dropped to my mouth and stayed there for a few seconds, so much that his attention made me squirm.
He cleared his throat. “Ready?”
“Uh-huh.” I swallowed and followed him out of my room toward the parking lot.
He looked back at me, the sun hitting his face at the perfect angle to see a light dusting of freckles on his nose, and he was so good-looking, it was distracting. The urge to kiss him threatened to make me say to hell with my reservations. His full lips curved up, and his white teeth were a hair crooked, and I was smitten.
“How long will your car be in the shop? Hope it’s not anything too bad. The last time I had to take this there it was like a grand.” He winced and unlocked the passenger side door with his key before moving to his side.
The lie fell off my tongue with an ease that worried me. “A week.”
“Well, I can give you a ride to the lit center tomorrow if you’d like.” He gave me a large grin before he got in on his side, and the urge to tell him the truth was right there—this was the moment. I took a deep breath and got into the car, noting the creaky door and the weathered look. His car was old but very clean.
“Thanks. Yeah, I’d appreciate a ride again if it’s no trouble.”
