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But I appreciated the variety. I sat down next to Jacob and put some trout on my plate. No one else touched the fish.

“I thought it might be fun to go around the table and say what we’re all most grateful for,” Mr. Tanner said.

Great.

“I’ll start.” He lifted his glass in the air. “I’m thankful for my wonderful family.” He smiled at Aunt Ash. “And that no one tried to burn down my apartment this year.”

My dad chuckled.

The two of them joked about burning things down every year. And I had no idea why. I didn’t remember any fires on Thanksgiving. Maybe something had happened when I was super little or something.

Everyone started to go around the room saying the usual about being grateful for family and friends. It was an easy thing to say when we were all gathered together.

But just like today had started...I wasn’t feeling very thankful. I poked at my Thanksgiving trout. And I wondered if Mr. Halifax really was alone right now. Sick. Needing me.

Or maybe he was with his family, happy to be far away from me.

Yeah, it was hard to be grateful when I wasn’t sure what he was thinking. I wanted him to pull me closer but he kept pushing me farther away.

Scarlett squealed.

Everyone turned in her direction.

“Sorry,” she quickly said. “I, um...” Her voice trailed off. “There was a...”

“Bug,” Axel said to help cover for her. Even though I wasn’t exactly sure what the heck was happening.

“A bug?” Mr. Nigel asked. “In this house? Not possible.”

“Whose turn was it to go?” Scarlett asked, doing her best to change the subject.

“Bugs? Here?” Mr. Nigel grumbled. “Never.”

Jacob elbowed me in the side.

Apparently it was my turn. I said the first thing that came into my head. “I’m grateful for the amazing teachers in my life.” I was. Mr. Halifax was amazing. His class was my favorite and not just because I got to stare at his ass in khakis. I was so lucky that he’d started teaching at Empire High. No matter what happened, I was grateful for that. For getting to see him every day, even if it was from a distance.

My mom smiled at me. “That is so sweet, Soph. Thank you.”

What? Oh, right. She was a teacher too. I hadn’t really been talking about her. I’d just said teachers plural so no one would ask questions. But I was talking specifically about the teacher who I wished would bang me against his chalkboard. I was grateful for my mom and Uncle James too of course.

Scarlett kicked me under the table.

I looked over at her.

The table was so wide that she’d had to melt into her chair a bit to reach my shin. She pushed herself back in her seat and pointed to her phone. “I think I found him,” she whispered silently.

My stomach did this weird fluttering thing. And I wasn’t sure why. I didn’t want to know who my mystery man was. Because I didn’t like him. If anything, I hated him.

I turned my attention to my Thanksgiving trout. I really hoped that Mr. Halifax would be at the football game this weekend. I needed to know that he was okay. And I was pretty sure I’d lose my mind if I had to wait until Monday to see him.

But he’d be there. The team needed their mascot cheering them on. And Mr. Halifax wasn’t really one to let down his students.

Which gave me an idea. I smiled. I’d been taking things out of the classroom. But if I needed him in the classroom, he couldn’t refuse me.

Chapter 6 – Blackmail Or Ransom

Thursday