Mia
SOUTH brONX CLASSICAL
Friday Evening
“Are you ready for this?” Gem yelled out to the cast of Ten Things I Hate About You: The Play.
We were almost there. Almost at the end of the calendar year, about to call cut on six months of study sessions, examinations, assessments, and now, rehearsals. This was our last task before Christmas break, and Miss Gem and I stood shoulder to, well, armpit, as she hyped up the cast.
They hooted back at us, cheering, “Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go,” as they stood in their seats, clapped, hopped off, and made their way backstage.
This was it. Months of work now peaking on this final night.
Outside, snow fell in thick waves, coating the city in soft, fluffy, frigid reminders that it was time for a break. But while the students had earned their time off, I hadn’t quite done that yet.
There was still one person I had to deal with.
She stood to the side, scowling at the students who trotted past her, and I knew it was time to pull up my big boy pants. It was time to talk things out with Ashley Myers.
Her eyes zeroed in on me as I closed the distance between us. As soon as I was within range, she snapped, “You can’t put Amber in as an extra. She should play the younger sister.”
Well. No greeting, no hello. Not even the respect of calling me by my teacher name. But then, that was typical Ashley.
She looked as polished as ever in her coat and boots, while I was layered under two hoodies and a thermal.
I fought the urge to roll my eyes. “Natasha is playing Bianca.”
She tightened her grip on her handbag. “You should’ve given Amber the lead role instead of that other girl.”
“That wasn’t my decision to make.”
“Oh, sure. Like it wasn’t your decision to give her a month of detention.”
“She was bullying Kira.”
“All she did was show her that photo of you and her father. That isn’t bullying.”
“She sent it to every student in their grade. And that is bullying.”
When the placement spots were announced, Amber had been so upset. I hated how defeated she looked. And the way she cried afterward. She told me she felt like a failure, and despite everything she’d done to Kira, it broke my heart into tiny, sharp fragments.
But that didn’t mean it was over for her. Amber could still get into a great college. She could have a successful career doing whatever she wanted. She just had to work through her insecurities first. Thankfully, she started seeing the school counselor, and it was making a difference.
Ashley let out a frustrated noise. “You’ve given special treatment to that Kira girl ever since she moved to the school, just so you could get into her father’s pants. It isn’t my daughter’s fault that you–”
She cut herself off and looked up, her gaze pinned somewhere above my shoulder.
“No, go on.” Theo’s growl was right behind me. I tried not to react, but he was so close. “I want to hear all about how you used that picture to fuck with my daughter.”
Just hearing his voice made my pulse thud. I felt it deep in my stomach as my body flushed hot. My two hoodies suddenly felt like an awful decision. Then his palm flattened on the small of my back, and I could feel each individual finger, splayed out against my clothing.
I wanted to lean into him, beg him to dip beneath the fabric, just to have his touch again. But I didn’t. I couldn’t.
God. I missed him so much.
My focus snapped to Ashley, who replied with, “You’re the ones who did something wrong, not me.”
Theo laughed, and though there was no humor in it, I was glad he was here.
Because as much as I wanted to tear Ashley a new one, I had my teacher filter fitted good and tight.
It was the last night of the school year, and I’d promised both Rutton and Lilly that I’d be on my best behavior.
I wasn’t going to let Ashley ruin that for me.
“That’s not true.” Kira’s soft voice interrupted whatever Theo was about to say. “Miss Walker didn’t give me special treatment. I worked hard to get my spot.”
Ashley’s gaze fixed on Kira, horrified that Theo’s daughter was actually speaking to her.
Kira, dressed in her lead-role, bad-girl outfit, stood half a step in front of me, like she was trying to protect me.
Me. After what I’d done and all the trouble it caused her.
“Miss Walker did everything she could to help us,” Kira said, her voice rising. “And what you did was wrong.”
“What I did?” Ashley snorted, outraged. “What about what they did? After what she put you through–”
“You mean after what you put me through.”
Theo’s other hand was on his daughter’s shoulder, quietly reassuring her. But it didn’t calm her. It had the opposite effect.
“You’re the one who took the picture. You’re the one who told Amber to send it to the rest of our class.”
“Kira, it’s fine. I can handle this.” I patted her arm and told her she could go back on set.
She shook her head. “No. She should apologize.”
I could feel Theo smiling behind me. I could hear it in his voice. “I think that sounds like a great idea.”
For a split second, I thought I saw a flicker of doubt in Ashley’s expression. But then she said, “Why would I apologize? My daughter didn’t get a spot because of you,” and I knew nothing had changed.
It only got worse when Amber stepped out from behind her mother. “Mom, come on. It isn’t their fault.”
Amber was dressed in jeans and a hoodie. Out of her South Bronx uniform, she looked so young.
Ashley’s gaze flitted to her daughter, then settled on Kira. “Amber spent months studying, writing essays, doing research. Either she didn’t get a spot because she isn’t smart enough, or you three had something to do with it. So which is it?”
I watched Amber shut down. It was in her face, her shoulders, her eyes. I’d seen it more than once, and each time, it weighed on me a little more.
Now the weight of it was unbearable, and I had enough. I was well and truly over Ashley’s shit.
“You’re the reason Amber didn’t get a spot,” I snapped. “You put pressure on her all year and made her feel like shit. If anything, you should get your head out of your ass and apologize to your daughter.”
Kira and I didn’t need an apology. Not from someone like her.
I was done.
I slipped away from Theo’s touch, passed by Kira, and left Ashley open-mouthed as I climbed onstage. I knew I was meant to be on my best behavior, but I had to draw the line somewhere.
“Miss Walker, wait,” Kira called after me.
I paused and looked over my shoulder. Immediately, my eyes found Theo. He stared up at his daughter from below the stage, watching as if he had no idea what she’d do next.
“You didn’t do anything wrong,” she said, and I gently pulled her to the side. Gem was yelling directions nearby, and we didn’t need anyone to overhear.
“No, I shouldn’t have spoken to Mrs Myers like that. She’s a parent, and what I said was–”
“Not that. I meant with my dad.”
From the corner of my eye, I watched Theo climb the short steps to join us. He dominated the stage. It was hard not to stare at him as he stood behind his daughter.
“I mean, you guys should’ve told me first,” Kira went on. “But when I said what you did was selfish–I don’t think that anymore. I don’t think you’re like that. And the picture thing… the way it happened wasn’t your fault.”
Theo put his hands on his daughter’s shoulders. He was dressed in a gray sweater with a leather jacket thrown on top and a pair of jeans. There wasn’t a trace of stubble on his face, and his eyes looked clearer than they had in weeks.
What did that mean? Had he moved on? Was he over me? But then, what about that touch earlier?
Oh dear lord, I had to figure out a way to turn off my brain.
I tried to give Kira a smile, but it must have looked pained because Kira only frowned at me. “What Ashley did doesn’t change the fact that I hurt you.”
“No, but then I hurt you,” Kira said. She reached up and put her hand over her father’s. “And I hurt my dad. I don’t want to do that anymore.”
My spine snapped straight. I looked at Theo, and his gaze was already on me, searching my face.
He held my eye as he asked his daughter, “What do you mean?”
She broke into a smile and rolled her eyes as if to say, Isn’t it obvious?
Then, she said, “It means I’m okay with it.”
I… what? Was Kira saying what I…?
I didn’t want to finish that thought. I didn’t want to get my hopes up. So I watched, numb, as Theo turned Kira to face him.
“Kira. What are you okay with?” His voice was low, measured, but I could still hear that slight edge of doubt.
She looked up at her father like he was daft. “You and Miss Walker.”
I sucked in a breath, stunned. But nothing happened. Theo didn’t let go of Kira and pull me into his arms. Instead, he hesitated, like he wasn’t sure he believed her.
“Kira, think about this. Are you sure? Really?”
Her answer was instant. “Yes, Dad. I’m sure. I’m tired of seeing you like this. I’m going to Columbia next year, and Aunt Rochelle isn’t here anymore. I don’t want you to be alone. I want you to have someone. Mom would want that for you. She’d want you to be happy, just like she’d want me to be.”
Kira mirrored her father, setting her hands on his shoulders. She looked up at him as she spoke, her voice softer this time. “It’s okay that we’re okay now. It’s what Mom would’ve wanted for us.”
And then it sank in. That this was real. Theo and I were in love. And Kira was okay with it.
Theo’s mouth opened, then he huffed out a laugh and pulled his daughter into his arms.
“Dad,” Kira groaned into his chest. “I have to go. Curtains are going up in, like, ten minutes.”
“Okay, okay.” Theo laughed again, then let her go.
Kira looked at me once, taking in my expression with a wide smile. “Calling you Mia instead of Miss Walker is going to be so weird.”
Then she ran toward Gem and Miles.
“Tell me you still want me.”
Theo walked me backward until I was cornered offstage. His blue eyes were so dark, they looked almost black. His fingers curled into fists, the muscle in his jaw flexed, but he didn’t touch me. Not yet.
He was waiting for permission.
My heart was thudding. The way my stomach flipped made me feel unsteady, like I needed to hold onto something.
“Do… you?”
He knew what I meant and scowled at me.
“Do you think I could stop?”
I could feel a blush creeping over my cheeks. “You look like you have.”
He took a step closer, and it felt so menacing that I actually braced tighter against the wall. I wasn’t afraid of him. I’d never been afraid of him. I was afraid of what I’d do to him.
If I let myself touch him, knowing there was nothing in our way, I didn’t know if I’d be able to stop.
“That’s bullshit, and you know it.”
He put one arm on the wall above my head and bent until his face was inches from mine. “If I could turn this thing off, don’t you think I would’ve done it by now?”
I folded my arms and gave him a scowl of my own. “Look, if you don’t want to be with me, you don’t have to be.”
He took my chin in his hand, his thumb brushing my lower lip. A shiver jolted down my spine.
I would’ve moved out of reach, but we were alone. Gem had our students huddled on the other side of the stage.
“Yes, I do. I have to be. I need you.”
My pulse thudded as his thumb swiped across my lip. Slow, like he wanted to savor the feel of me under his touch.
“You need me,” I managed, but my voice came out low and husky.
I squeezed my thighs together and tried not to squirm, but having him this close, teasing me, felt like torture.
“I love you, and I need you to tell me you still want this. Because I do. I never stopped wanting you.”
I pulled in a shaky breath and lost whatever fight I was trying to put up. I opened my mouth and let his thumb slip inside, scraping my teeth against it as Theo cursed under his breath.
“Say it, Mia. Tell me you want me.” He pulled his thumb out of my mouth and hooked a finger into my belt loop. He hauled me closer, and my hands flew to his chest.
And I couldn’t hold it in anymore.
“I want you. I… I love you.”
He smiled then, and those dimples. Oh, I missed them.
I missed him.
His lips met mine, and his kiss was soft at first. Slow, sweet, gentle. But then his grip on my chin tightened, and as he licked into my mouth, it quickly turned into something heated. Dirty and deep. Hungry.
He gripped my waist and pulled me closer, his fingers digging through the fabric like bruising little vices. My hands trailed up his shoulders, hooking around his neck, as I moaned into his mouth.
But then, someone laughed in the distance, and we froze. He broke away, pushing himself off the wall. We stared at each other, quiet. My breath came out hard and fast. So did his.
Then he held out his hand. “Come on. We should get out of here before Ashley takes another picture.”
And I just couldn’t help it. I had to laugh.