Immediately, staff call out greetings while kids swarm the reception area.
“Ahlemna,” I hear Josh curse softly in Manari behind me as we wade into the chaos.
“Just stick close,” I called over my shoulder, dodging a stray ball. “I’ll keep you safe.”
We head down one of the hallways. “On the left side of the building are the playgrounds, gymnasium, and pool. On the right are the daycares and classrooms.”
I stop at a nondescript door labeled302. The painted numbers are peeling.
“This is my class.” I push the door open and call out, “Hello, class! Sorry I’m late.”
Twelve sets of eyes snap to me before skirting over to Josh. I watch as their expressions shift, all of them narrowing in interest like predators catching sight of prey.
Behind me, I hear Josh’s footsteps falter, then stop completely as the door swings shut with a resounding click, sealing him inside.
“Don’t worry,” I say, dropping my bag on the teacher’s desk. “They’ll be gentle.”
The students in the room are all teen parents looking to finish their high school diploma. In this class, we run financial planning, it’s practical and helps with their math credits.
“Who’s this?” Amelia, my most outspoken student, jerks a thumb at Josh. Her electric-blue and black hair is pulled back in a high ponytail. She’s wearing a cropped hoodie that leaves her midriff bare, paired with ripped jeans and white sneakers. Her makeup barely conceals the black eye—a fresh “gift” from her boyfriend, no doubt.
Despite all my efforts, she’s not ready to leave him yet.
“This, Amelia, is our special guest for today.” My mind scrambles for a new lesson plan. “Josh Greenfeld is a?—”
“Holyshit!” Jessika yelps, dropping her phone. All heads whip around to stare at the normally quiet teen. “You’re the guy. You wrote that movie!”
The students’ attention snaps back to Josh in unison.
He tucks his hands into his pockets, a small smile tugging at his mouth. “Which one?”
“This guy’s from Hollywood?” Amelia perks up, her eyes narrowing as she scrutinizes him. “He doesn’t look famous.”
“Bitch,” Jessika barked back. “He wroteThey Called Him Dog.It won a fucking Oscar. We watched it last semester.”
Chatter breaks out. Some of the teens rise halfway out of their seats, craning to get a better look at Josh. He glances at me, raising an eyebrow.
I cross my arms and lean against my desk. “I force all my classes to watch it.”
A grin slowly spreads across his face, lighting up his eyes. “Supporting your brother?”
I wink, matching his grin with one of my own. Turning back to the buzzing class, I clap my hands for attention. “Ladies and gents, settle. Josh will answer all your questions. Who’s first?”
Hands shoot up.
I nod at Dwayne. A scrawny kid with a big heart, Dwayne somehow managed to find a girlfriend, get her pregnant, and then end up raising the baby on his own when she left just two weeks after giving birth. He’s one of my favorite students—a hard worker who’s determined to give his son a better future.
Dwayne drops his hand, leaning forward eagerly. “Do you take interns?”
My heart clenches.
“Sure. You got your diploma?” Josh moves to the desk and leans beside me, his thigh brushing against mine as his hands rest on the table behind us. I jolt slightly when his pinkie grazes my palm.
Dwayne’s face falls, a red flush creeping up his cheeks as he looks away. “No, sir.”
“You close?”
He nods, lifting his head with a determined expression. “Three classes left.”
