“You’ll be hearing from my lawyer for unlawful suspension,” I say and her hazel eyes widen, “Also my daughter won't be in this school while I'm not here.”
“Ms. Robins—” she starts, but freezes as loud pipes echo along with kids cheering.
I smirk. Am I shocked that Alex knew Cheryl had been let out on bond and would come here? Nope, not really, but what I am shocked by is that the principal, seeing these parents are now standing on my side and not Cheryl's, is taking her side when I have proven myself since I began working here.
Mrs. Violet's face pales as I confirm, “That will be my student's father and his uncles, who I’m guessing donate a lot of money to this school.”
“I’m regretting wearing sweats,” the woman says and my lips twitch because yeah, I can understand, the men in the MC are extremely good looking, and Cheryl glowers, but the woman doesn’t flinch.
“Ms. Robins,” Mrs. Violet tries, already trying to back track, but I shake my head as the bell rings and I hear Mr. Saint call for the kids to line up, and then the sounds of several boots echo in the hallway, and Cheryl slowly walks backwards, her fear now setting in.
Whimp!
“Mr. Dirty!” I hear Lyra call with excitement as I tilt my head towards my boss, who flinches, her eyes wide all while the women try and straighten their clothes and the men try to hold in their laughter.
I love Alex, there is no doubt about it, I feel like I can’t breathe when he isn’t around but right now, our relationship is now interfering with my job, with the kids I teach all because his ex has a grudge. I’m not sure if we can get past all this and that thought makes my legs wobble.
I want to fight for him I do, I just, this is my job we’re talking about here, something I worked extremely hard to get to where I am after being disowned.
"Mama, look, Mr. Dirty is here," Lyra calls, her voice bright and I turn toward the entrance and lock eyes with the man I love. His dark blue eyes narrow as he catches my guarded expression but I don’t let it slip.
I need to think for a minute, and somehow I don’t think this man will let me. The other day is proof of that, but I do need to think, to get my head straight, because this is a lot, especially when I swore I’d never have a relationship again after everything with Adam.
“Mr. Lee,” Mrs. Violet begins, but he cuts her off and booms, “It looks like we’ve arrived for a party, brothers,” and the men behind him chuckle, Ice tilting his head at me seeing I’m at breaking point and concern etches his features, his eyes pleading with me to speak up but I don’t because if I do, I’m afraid I’ll say something I will regret, while Mrs. Violet looks away knowing she’ll be my punching bag.
“There was a complaint against Mrs. Jones—that she favors her partner's son over our children. That’s why we're here,” a man explains and I catch Cheryl edging toward the side door. He continues, “We’ve realized it was bullshit, especially considering this woman isn’t even Mrs. jones, but Mrs. Violet still suspended Ms. Robins for her relationship with a child’s father—based on those accusations by the woman who is trying to make a run for it.”
All eyes go to Cheryl, except Alex, who says, “That woman is a drug addict with no rights to my son. She's lying, so why is my girl suspended when her kids adore her and she treats them all the same?”
Mrs. Violet clears her throat, glances at me, then explains, “It is a procedure, but, uh, Holly, I can see there has been a mix-up here. Why don’t you go back to class?”
Yeah, like that is going to happen now. She was still willing to suspend me until she realized funding for the school will be at risk.
I have had nothing but good reviews from my kids' parents and one word from Cheryl, who she most likely hadn’t met before today, and suddenly I’m a problem.
I don’t think so.
“Lyra, why don’t you give Mr. Dirty a kiss? We’re going home,” I tell her and my boss’s eyes widen as the parents look away just as we hear a door slam and a snide voice “Oh, is she finally getting reprimanded for being involved with a student’s parent?”
Of course, Mrs. Jones was the other complaint.
I think I’m done now.
“Bye, Mr. Dirty,” I hear Lyra say while Mrs. Violet stutters, “But-but, you, I mean, you have a class to teach.”
“I’m suspended, remember?” I remind her as Lyra grabs my hand, and without another word, I turn us around and guide us past the brothers, all of whom look like they want to stop me but don’t, most likely because they see I’m at breaking point and the person who will get my fist is the one who should be teaching right now.
Mrs. Jones grins widely, and I snarl, “Don’t you have a class to try and teach?”
She narrows her eyes, but I ignore her and walk towards the door, needing to get out of here, my heart pounding, my palms sweating as everything hits me at once.
She just tried getting me fired.
She tried getting parents of kids I don’t even teach to turn on me.
“Well, it looks like we may need to pull funding from the school, huh, brothers?” I hear Alex growl full of anger, and the brothers all agree as Mrs. Violet and Mrs. Jones both gasp, but I ignore them all and walk out of the school, my mind all over the place.
***
