Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Samantha
I took a few days off from teaching because the morning after Wes had ended things, I got the flu. Not the stomach kind, but the fever, congestion, cough, the works. After day three, I finally got myself to the doctor and was given some antibiotics for a sinus infection that formed.
I hadn’t heard a word from Wes since that night, not that I expected to hear from him.
Greta stopped by after school daily to check in on me and brought me some get well cards the students had made.
Being sick, I had more than enough time to feel everything Wes said to me.
I couldn’t even keep busy to stop thinking about him because I was so sick.
So I just lay there, day in and day out, replaying our conversation in my head.
He had hurt me more than any other man ever had.
But this time, I was taking my life back.
I needed to. Not only for myself, but for my daughter.
Walking back into my classroom after being gone for almost a week felt strange and overwhelming. Part of it was the exhaustion I still felt from the flu/sinus infection that had knocked me flat on my ass. But most of it was Weston.
I set my bag and coffee down just as the bell rang for first period. My students started to trickle in, and the moment they realized I was back, their voices erupted.
“Sam, I’m so happy you’re back.” Delilah threw her arms around me.
“Finally,” Devon said. “Thank God you’re back.” He fell into his chair.
“No offense. But the sub we had was awful,” Gina said.
“A total nightmare,” Asher blurted out.
“Yeah. The dufus sub kept calling Mr. Darcy, Mr. Dorsey,” Devon said. “At least that’s how it sounded. He had a bit of an accent. It was really annoying.”
It felt good to be back. And for the first time in days, my chest didn’t feel so heavy.
“It’s good to be back. I’ve missed all of you.” I managed a smile. “Okay, let me read the substitute’s notes and see where he left off.”
“Before we start, I have an important question,” Devon said, raising his hand.
“Should I be worried?” I smirked.
“Probably.” He grinned, and I couldn’t help but smile. “How are you feeling?”
“Better. Thank you for asking.”
“You still sound sick, though,” Devon said.
“It’s going to take a while to fully clear up.”
Emma tilted her head and raised her hand.
“Emma.” I pointed.
“Was it really just the flu?” she asked.
“What do you mean?”
She exchanged a look with Gina, who was sitting next to her.
“You seem…sad,” she said. That was the problem with teenagers. They noticed every little thing.
“I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not.” Devon frowned.
“Did Mr. Castile take care of you when you were sick?” Logan asked. “My dad takes care of my mom when she’s sick.”
My throat tightened, and I looked up at the ceiling to stop the tears from falling. “Hey, look up there.” I pointed to the ceiling to distract them. “What pattern do you see?”
That was the moment they realized something more had happened in my life than just the flu. I thought I was in the clear. My eyes didn’t sting any longer, but I was sure wrong when I looked at the students, and a single tear escaped.
Lily’s hand flew to her chest. “Oh no, Sam.”
“I’m sorry,” I said, wiping the tear.
“That idiot,” Devon said. “I swear to God I’m going to murder that man.”
“Devon.” I cocked my head.
“What? I’m just saying. Nobody hurts our teacher and our friend and gets away with it. We all have your back. Don’t we?” He stood from his chair.
“Yeah!” The students shouted in unison.
“Sit down, please,” I said. There was no use hiding it. They knew, so I had to come clean and move on. “It’s complicated,” I said.
“It’s always the Mr. Darcys.” Emma shook her head.
I breathed out a laugh. “Unfortunately, you’re not wrong.”
“We got you, Sam,” Jarod said.
“Thank you.” I smiled and picked up my copy of Pride and Prejudice. “Okay. Let’s talk about why Mr. Darcy almost ruined everything by being incapable of communicating his feelings.”
“Sounds like some other guy I know,” Devon said, and the class agreed.
Somehow, being surrounded by teenagers who cared more than they let on made the ache in my heart a little more bearable. I was going to be okay. I knew it, and they knew it.
Weston
I was broken inside, and Finn didn’t care with his daily rants about what a stupid man I’d become.
His relationship with Greta was going strong, and I was happy for him.
But there would never be a story where I’d go out with them.
Greta hated me now. She called me a vile human being who deserved to rot in hell. She wasn’t wrong.
I was sitting in my office getting ready to sign a contract when my door opened, and Kylie walked in.
“Good news, Weston. Your reputation is restored, and the board couldn’t be happier. I’m so proud of you. I knew you could do it.” She grinned.
“Not now, Kylie.”
“What is going on with you? You’ve been in a funk and a bad mood all week. Did you and Sam have a fight?”
“Samantha and I aren’t seeing each other anymore.”
“Huh?” She gripped her chest. “Why? Oh my God. Here we go again. I’m going to have to quit. I can’t keep doing this.”
“Stop.” I raised my hand. “I will not go back to being how I was. I promise.”
“Why aren’t you seeing each other anymore?” she asked.
“It’s complicated, and I don’t want to discuss it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a lot of work to do.”
“Okay.” She stood from her chair. “Wes?”
“Yeah?” I looked up.
“For what it’s worth, you are not your grandfather.
I know I barely knew him, but I know what kind of man he was.
You are nothing like him. Remember that.
” She turned and walked out of my office, then stepped back in.
“I forgot why I even came in here in the first place,” she said.
“Next Friday night, you have to attend the homecoming game at Manhattan High.”
“Why?” I frowned.
“You’re being honored, and they’re going to honor you on the football field after the game.”
“No.” I shook my head.
“You don’t have a choice. The press will be there.”
“They don’t need to honor me, Kylie.”
“They want to. Because of Castile Properties, they can keep their programs running. It might not be a big deal to you, Wes, but it is to them. You will be there, and you will enjoy it!” she spoke through gritted teeth before leaving my office.
Great. I was positive Sam was going to be there, and I didn’t think I could handle seeing her.
“You’re fucked.” Finn walked into my office and shut the door.
Turning my chair around, I stared at him.
“Kylie just told me about the homecoming game where you’re being honored. How are you going to handle that with Sam there?”
“I don’t know.”
“The school, and a homecoming game, isn’t the place to get into with her. I hope you know that.”
“I’m not getting into anything with her. With any luck, she won’t show when she hears I’ll be there.”
“Or she’ll make it her mission to be there just to spite you. Who knows, maybe she’ll tell you off again. I hope she does. I want to watch.”
“Enough, Finn.”
“No, Wes. This is bullshit!”
“What’s bullshit is you not minding your own business.” I pointed.
“You’re like my brother. Everything you do is my business. Especially when you fuck up the best thing that has ever happened to you. I warned you, buddy.”
“I know you did. Drop it.”
“Consider it dropped.” He walked out of my office.