9. Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Riley
August
E mery threw her arm around my shoulder as we approached the high school. “You finally made, big sis, your first school year as teacher.” She gave me a squeeze.
The call came last week that the teacher I was supposed to sub for had given birth and decided she would not be returning from maternity leave. I had been scrambling since to get everything to start the school year as a full-time teacher rather than as a sub. School started the next week and I did not feel ready. Today was Edward County schools’ annual kickoff event with all employees. This was Emery’s fourth year as a bus driver.
My hand lifted to brush my hair back from my face, breathing in the scent of the perfume I picked for today after I was told I would be full time this year. The subtle floral scent with a touch of musk was always my go to for when I needed to feel strong and confident in new environments. It helped that it was one I always received compliments from strangers on.
“So, explain to me what we’re doing today,” I said. We had been over it a few times and I had a rough idea from hearing other teachers discussing the kickoff over the course of the last week while we prepped our classrooms.
“Do a little meet and greet with all the other district employees, eat some lunch while the superintendent gives her annual pep talk, and then everyone usually breaks off by grade level to do team building shit,” she said it all slowly. I knew she was tired of repeating it all to me.
It felt like being the new kid at school. Our county was small, consisting of one main town and then four smaller towns that were mostly farmland most people didn’t realize were separate towns. We all called them all Mountain View unless a distinction was needed. It didn’t matter that I knew pretty much everyone across the district since I had been subbing for so long, most of them were people I went to school with or had as teachers, being full-time changed things.
“Riley, you look like you’re panicking,” Emery said. “It’s really not a big deal. You’re not the only new teacher this year. I heard that there are at least two others.” Three new teachers in one year was a lot around here.
“What if I mess this up, Em? I’ve been subbing so long I don’t know if I even still have it in me to do more than follow plans that someone else left for me.”
“That’s it,” she said, shoving me from behind. “We’re not doing the self-doubt game today. You’re going to go in there, meet with the other first grade teachers, and rock this.”
We resumed our walk toward the front doors, joining with the crowd of teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and janitors that were lined up at the tables stationed at the sidewalk. “They really invite everyone to this,” I said to Emery.
“I was told that before Mrs. Bryant took the superintendent position this used to just take place at a school level and was usually just teachers. She really likes to go all out and have everyone considered full time here.” She nodded her head to the short lady with a head of gray hair standing with a door propped open greeting people.
Mrs. Bryant was one of those teachers that had taught for so long most of the school district employees had been taught by her at some point. Sometimes it seemed like she never aged. Every so often the kids would start circulating rumors that she was a vampire or witch. I had never heard anyone call her by her first name. When she was appointed as superintendent five years ago there wasn’t a single person who disagreed with the decision.
The line moved forward as I twisted my neck to look back over my shoulder toward Emery only to catch a glance of a familiar profile and dark blond hair. I blinked a few times, willing my vision to clear, sure that once it did my mind one stop playing tricks on me. It had been happening all summer. I’d see someone blond and convince myself that I was seeing Matt. A second look always proved I was imagining things. Some small part of me wished that whatever greater power made sure we met in June would force our paths to cross again. It was wishful thinking. Real life didn’t work that way.
My vision focused on the parking lot again expecting the figure walking up to have reverted back to being some else. He was closer now, close enough that his eyes met mine. I snapped back to facing the table in front of me and focused on writing my name and grade level on a name tag. “Emery, I need you to look toward the parking lot and tell me if you see anything –“
She squeezed my shoulders and shuffled beside me to grab her own name tag. “Riley, I think that was Matt,” she said.
I closed my eyes and smoothed the name tag onto my shirt. “I’m scared to look.” My heart raced against my hand on the name tag. I didn’t know if I was scared that it was going to turn out that I had been imagining things or that I was right this time.
She looked back over her shoulder and then back at me beaming. “I think he noticed you.”
I shook my head. “There’s no way. I don’t think he saw my face.” He did. His eyes had focused on mine like a magnet. The corners of his mouth had started lifting into a smile. Maybe I had imagined that part. After how I left him it wouldn’t make sense for him to smile at me.
“He saw mine and we look a lot alike,” she pointed out.
“I think we’re just imagining things. Let’s just get inside.” We shuffled past the groups that had formed in front of the door filling each other in on their summer.
“Riley Harrison, it’s so nice to have you as a part of the team this year,” Mrs. Bryant said as we approached her. She wrapped me in a tight grandmotherly hug.
“I’m really happy to be joining,” I replied.
She reached for Emery. “You girls look more like your mom every year.”
My mouth formed a tight smile as she ushered us through the door. All I could think about was turning around to check behind me.
“Matt Fletcher, welcome to the team. It’s so nice to have you back home,” Mrs. Bryant greeted the next person. That was fast. He must have pushed past everyone to be right behind us now. The false piece of hope that he hadn’t seen us slipped away.
Unable to resist any more I turned around to see him there shaking her hand and giving her his sunshine smile showing those slightly too big front teeth. I felt my face light up as I watched them. He was here. His eyes met mine and everything crashed down. He was here.
I turned back to Emery. “What do I do?” I started walking toward the cafeteria and pulled her with me.
She looked over her shoulder. “He’s following us. You could just stay put.”
My head shake was more aggressive this time and my feet picked up speed carrying me away from him. Emery pulled her arm out of my hand and turned around. That was the moment my sister did the most humiliating thing she had done in the twenty-six years of her life. She raised her hand and waved Matt to us.
My stomach dipped and nausea gripped me. I looked toward the cafeteria and saw the teacher whose classroom was next to mine. We met earlier in the week while we were both there doing set up. “Kristy, hey,” I said, rushing to meet up with her. The tall thin woman turned to look at me, her highlighted hair in two long French braids slinging over her shoulder as she did.
A glance back over my shoulder showed Emery covering her face and shaking her head. Matt stood next to her with the same beat down look he had on his face the last time I saw him, the sparkle gone from his bright eyes. Seeing that look on his face felt like a stab to my heart.
***
The group of first grade teachers in the district sat gathered in the back section of the auditorium. My back ached from resisting the urge to slump in the hard plastic chair. A teacher from a school on the south end of the county discussed the increasing number of students they felt were being passed through kindergarten to first grade too quickly. She was one of the few teachers I had never subbed for, I had a strong suspicion she was one of those strong believers in perfect attendance for all no matter what. She was another one of those teachers all the kids loved to spread rumors about.
Someone tapped my shoulder and I turned to see Emery. “Shouldn’t you be with the other drivers?” I asked her.
“Yeah, I’m headed back there now. Mrs. Bryant was looking for you. She wanted to have a meeting with the new teachers in the art room. I told her I would let you know.” Her brows were pinched together, and she flared her nostrils as she spoke, both tells I knew didn’t match her light tone of voice. My sister was lying about something.
I raised my eyebrows. “Art room?”
“Yeah, um, I think it’s the only classroom no one is using.” She stumbled over her words and pulled the corners of mouth tight as she spoke, her eyes looking everywhere but at me.
Next to me Kristy shrugged. “It’s better than listening to this.” She tilted her pen toward the teacher that had transitioned to a full rant.
It didn’t take any more convincing than that to stand and follow Emery out into the hallway. “Better hurry up. It took me a while to find you.” She back peddled toward the cafeteria where all the drivers stayed once everyone split up after lunch.
Emery had always been a terrible liar. This was a trap, not a meeting.
The door to the art room was open but I didn’t see anyone. The sound of the chair I pulled out at the back of the classroom echoed in the empty space. A break did sound appealing. I could probably get away with a few minutes before I needed to head back to my group. This time I let myself slump forward in the chair, resting my elbows on the table and enjoying the silence of the room.
“Knock, knock. I was told I needed to come to a meeting here?” The familiar voice sent a jolt through me. I looked up knowing who I would see standing at the door. His eyes were scanning the classroom and hadn’t spotted me yet.
“Can I ask who sent you here?” I asked. My fingers taped hard against the screen of my phone typing out a strongly worded message to Emery.
His gaze settled on me. “I think your sister might be playing games with us,” he answered.
“As I’m sure you remember, that’s a habit of hers.”
“I can leave.” He motioned with his thumb over his shoulder. “I don’t want to upset you.”
“I’m pretty sure at this point if anyone gets to be upset, it’s you.” I laid my phone face down on the table as Emery’s text messages started to flood in. “I’ve run away from you twice now. Hell, after how I left back in June, I would say you would be justified in hating me.”
He made his way to the back of the classroom and pulled the chair from the table in front of me, spinning it to sit across from me. “I’m a little upset, but I don’t hate you. I know I crossed your boundaries. I’ve been more worried about you than anything else.” He pushed a hand through his hair making it puff up the way it did on our first date. Just like during our date he didn’t try to smooth it back down. “I tried to check on you that night when I got back to my cabin but you had already deleted your profile. You never gave me your number, so I had no other way to reach you. I thought about trying to look for you at all the cabins, but I didn’t want to cross any more lines.”
My head dropped to the table, the cold surface felt nice against my hot skin. “This would be so much easier if you weren’t so sweet,” I said into the wood.
“I didn’t know this is where you were from. I promise. I was very proud of how much self-control I had at not looking at your tag for any hints.”
I tapped my head against the table with a huff and then looked up at him. The tag on my car would have been such an obvious giveaway. The thought hadn’t even crossed my mind. “Thank you for not being a stalker. I didn’t even think about the tag on my car.”
“I’m not going to make you talk to me, even though I’m really happy things worked out this way.” He tapped his fingertips against the wood. He walked over to the cubbies full of paper, scribbled something down on a sheet, and slid it across the table to me. “In case you decide you want to talk, here's my number. It’s up to you.”
He returned his chair to where it belonged. He turned back and smiled at me. “I’m glad you got the job. I hope everything goes well.”