It’s not like I can call her out for lying, even if she was. I’m a professional. I love teaching, and I will not let this two-bit piece of conniving witch let me go against my principles.
Instead, I smile and say, “That’s lovely. I’m sure you two deserve each other.”
Her smile freezes, and she gives me a look that I ignore. Instead, I reach around the flowers and grab the box of treats and the packet I made for her first day. “I also got you something special for your first day. I have a little jar of homemade apple butter made by our—my neighbors, and a couple of my sister’s famous chocolate chip cookies, and?—“
“I’ll have to pass.” She says it succinctly and gives me a full-body look over. “I’d like to keep my figure appealing, even when I getold.”
“You’re right. It would be a shame if you lost it, you’d have nothing left to offer.” I respond to her before I can stop myself.Oops.
Her eyes meet mine again, her fire to my ice. Then she takes a step closer, her perfume cloying and so not appropriate for all of the allergies in the classroom. “Listen, you round little bitch. My aunt is basically an institution in this school and in this town. My grandparents practically helped build it. You? From what I hear, you’re a sad little transplant with no roots.” She leans in even closer—gag —that smell.“My man told me about how he’s basically the only person youused tohave in this town. How sad for you. Especially considering how easily I took him.” A sickly sweet smile steals over her face.
That stings and knocks me down a peg. I fight to keep my shoulders back and my head up. I’m aware Carter has begged for me to understand she meant nothing to him, and I believe he does love me. However, he gave a part of himself to this snake, and nothing he says or I do can change that fact.
Sadly, she’s not done spouting off.
“You can have him back when I’m done with him. Unless he chooses to follow me because,” she looks me up and down and scoffs, “please.” Then she rips her flowers from the table. The violence of the move leads to a few petals falling to the table in front of me. She’s in the back of the classroom by the time the final delicate petal lands on my cookie offering..
Taylor sets her stuff on a counter in the back and looks around the room. She takes in the location of her desk, in the middle of the room and near the door, rolls her eyes, and heads right back out of the classroom.
I wait to see if she’s coming back, and when a minute goes by with nothing, I return to cutting and prepping the student names. I don’t have help, but at least this time, I have chocolate chip cookies.Her loss.
Twenty minutes pass by when an unfortunately familiar click of heels make their way to my classroom once again. A flawless, manicured nail points to the far corner of my room, and I watch in awe as the computer lab teacher, Mr. Dawson, and the third grade teacher, Mr. Craig, follow Taylor’s instructions and move her desk to the back of my classroom without even looking my way.
Taylor coos at them, pretending to try and be quiet and discreet. “Thank you so much, gentlemen. I just knew when I saw you two in the hallway you’d understand my issue.” She throws a look my way, and they follow suit. “I just want to be as comfortable as I can in a possiblyhostileenvironment.”
Wow. She is something special.The men I’ve worked with for years nod at her in mute understanding.Boob. Blind. Fu— fudgers.And here I thought we had some mutual respect.Ugh, Men.
Once they leave, still without evenacknowledgingme, she puts her flowers dead center on her desk, grabs her bag, and as she’s walking out the door I shout after her. “Your aunt wants your help!” The door clicks shut behind her.
I walk over to the new location of her desk and drop her packet of information. Then I go back over to the door and prop it back open.
Pride be damned, err darned, I should have swapped.
?????
2 weeks later
“He is very reserved, even compared to last year, and he’s making me a bit nervous with how withdrawn he is.” Vicky says to me in a low voice.
I’m sitting at lunch with her, again. We’re both worried about the same student.
“Well, we know that his parents are separated, and he stays with his dad during the week. His dad is extremely strict and very intimidating,” she continues.
“Are you talking about Joey?” A voice asks from the table beside ours. “I also have his sister, Eliza.“ I look to see the voice coming from the new art teacher, Sonya Hall.
I scoot my seat over and tell her to grab a chair.
“Yeah, they’re having a rough start. I’ve tried talking to his dad, but he’s a tough nut to crack. Just grunts over the phone with ayes ma'am,before hanging up.” Sonya continues, trying to impersonate his gruff voice, but she just sounds adorable.
“He was at the open house last week,” I provide. “Real big guy, hard to miss.”
“Oh yeah! Really big guy? Dark hair, real dangerous looking?” At my nod, Sonya sighs. “He just gave me a wide berth and didn’t engage.” I swear I hear a quiet “again,” but it’s hard to tell over the murmur of other teachers and staff in the room.
“Yeah, that’s Billy Saul. He’s the owner of Billy’s Auto Services.” I inform her. “He’s really not a bad guy, and he loves his kids to pieces. He’s just…not a people person.”
She looks skeptical, but nods her head.
“How’s that poopy yard of yours, by the way? You haven’t complained about it in weeks.” Vicky changes the subject, knowing the shop talk gets me itchy.
