Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
SIMONE
When the school told me we’d be getting a new student, I’d assumed there would be some initial teething as they got used to things.
It was the same for all kids, and normally I wouldn’t bother calling a parent in.
If it wasn’t for the fighting, I wouldn’t have bothered.
I could handle a certain level of pushback.
This was middle school after all. But when I’d mentioned the problem to Reagan, she was the one who informed me about the fighting and asked me to join her in a meeting with the guardian on file.
I’d certainly not expected the man who walked in the door.
At first glance, he looked dangerous. Tall, muscular, with a leather vest and boots, and tattoos on his arms and neck.
It was only when he slowed down long enough for me to take a look at him that I saw the flaws to that image.
His biker get up was smeared with orange stains that looked like baby food, his light brown hair was disheveled like he ran his fingers through it a lot, and the contents of the diaper bag he’d brought with him were spilling out onto the floor.
The square line of his jaw was covered in stubble, and the bags under his eyes stood out on his creamy skin.
He looked in over his head with the baby alone, but adding a teenager in the mix?
He didn’t look capable of handling them both.
“I’m sorry, is there a Mrs. Fletcher or–”
From the way he blanched, that was a no.
“No. Nope. Uh, I’m actually the kids’ guardian.
Second cousin? I don’t know how that shit– I mean stuff, works.
” He grimaced at the dirty look Jasper sent his way for the foul language.
Language I’d heard from him during the school day without a hint of remorse.
Either he didn’t want the guardian speaking that way around the baby, or he had an issue with his cousin in general.
“I’m sorry for assuming.”
The district hadn’t told me a lot about Jasper’s background other than a quick summary of his previous grades and academic history. If the kids were in their cousin’s care, there was more going on than I was aware of and it would explain a lot about his behavior.
For a minute, the biker just stared at me. He didn’t seem to know what to say.
“While I agree family therapy is a good plan, I think more needs to be said about Jasper’s current behavior,” I prompted.
He blinked, then nodded, readjusting the baby and letting her play with the rings on his hand. “Yeah, I agree.”
What he said next surprised even me, and Jasper looked startled when he asked, “Is it just your personal stuff, or are you having trouble with the material? I know I sucked at school, and if you’re having trouble, I don’t want you punished for that. We can find you a tutor or something.”
The question was surprisingly insightful, and I saw a flash of insecurity cross Jasper’s face that made me think his cousin was headed in the right direction. It would explain why he refused to do the work if he didn’t understand it.
“You know, I do tutoring after school,” I offered. “A few of my students need a little more direction and we go over homework and what we learned together so they can get the resources they need. You’re welcome to join us.”
“No, thanks,” Jasper spit out quickly.
The reaction wasn’t unexpected, but Mr. Fletcher didn’t push. I sighed. “Mr. Fletcher, can we speak privately?”
He nodded, offering the baby to Jasper without a word.
The boy took his sister automatically, his annoyance smoothing into something more neutral while interacting with her.
She held onto his shoulders, bouncing on her little legs, and Jasper watched on with a steady patience that was so unlike the boy I’d seen in school, it surprised me.
Mr. Fletcher stood and headed for the hallway, and I followed with one last glance at the two children in my office. I felt a little like I needed more information to handle this child’s needs.
Shoving his hands into his pockets, Mr. Fletcher rocked on his heels, apologizing quietly the moment we were out of earshot.
“I’m sorry. I know fighting is bad, and I’ll try to talk to him, but can you please give him more time?
He’s been through hell. His moms died, he nearly got split up from his sister, and he’s not happy about being placed with me.
Give us a chance to figure things out before kicking him to the curb. Please.”
All my previous annoyance fled me in a rush, my tone softening as I addressed the concerns I had. “I can do that, but Mr. Fletcher, the fighting has to stop. It’s only been shoving so far, but if it escalates–”
“It won’t,” he reassured me. “I’ll talk to him.”
Studying him, I tried to figure out a nice way to tell him that might not work.
Not if the way Jasper was looking at him was anything to go by.
He didn’t respect his cousin, and without that respect, Jasper was going to fight him every chance he got.
He looked like a tough guy with the tattoos and leather vest, his whole image screaming biker down to the boots on his feet, but that didn’t automatically make him a bad parent.
It didn’t make him a good one either. If this was all new, he was probably floundering as much as Jasper was, and they needed a firmer touch if they were going to make things work.
“Tell you what. How about I do private study sessions with Jasper at your home for now. I’ll assess where he’s at, see where he might be struggling, and once he’s more comfortable, I’ll offer the school sessions again.
There aren’t many of my students who would prefer one on one time with me over studying with their classmates. ”
He looked genuinely surprised about that, giving me a once over. “Why the hell not? Who wouldn’t want study sessions with the hot–”
He seemed to realize what he was saying and snapped his mouth shut, his cheeks turning a bright pink color that made a smile twitch my lips. I raised an eyebrow at him.
Clearing his throat, he ran his fingers through his hair.
“Sorry. Not appropriate. Private sessions sound good. He might just be refusing because he’s embarrassed.
At least, that’s what I would’ve done at his age.
” He glanced at me and away, mouth quirking up at the sides.
“Then again, if a hot math teacher was offering to tutor me, I might’ve gone along just for the attention. ”
That got him a flat look. For the first time since he arrived, he grinned at me, looking every bit the shameless biker his outfit portrayed him to be.
“Okay, okay. I’m sorry,” he apologized again, though he was still grinning. “And you’re sure it’s not too much? I can pay a little–”
I waved him off. “I didn’t get into this field for the money, Mr. Fletcher. I became a teacher so I could help my students succeed. If a student needs more of my attention, then I’m happy to give it. I assume I have an email for you on file so we can coordinate times?”
“Ah, yep, pretty sure I wrote that down when filling out the paperwork,” he agreed. “And call me Zero. Mr. Fletcher makes me feel old.”
I’d just turned to return to the classroom so I could look at my schedule, and I glanced at him over my shoulder as I asked, “Zero?”
He shrugged, a boyish grin on his face. “Road name,” was his simple explanation.
He didn’t add more, and I didn’t ask. I knew very little about the biker club in town, aside from a few rumors.
If it didn’t have to do with my students, I didn’t put much stock into it. I thought about it for a moment.
“You’re in the same biker crew as the Ruiz brothers, correct? Xander Ruiz is in one of my classes.”
His brows jumped as he slid into the seat next to Jasper. I noted that Jasper didn’t hand the baby back, shifting her away from Zero like a protective shield. The more I interacted with the two of them, the more I felt like there were pieces of this story I was missing.
“Huh. I didn't know that. I mean, I knew Little Wraith was in school, but I hadn’t realized he and Jasper were in the same grade. I haven’t introduced the kids to the crew yet. Might need to do that sometime soon.”
Jasper scoffed, giving him a dirty look. “You’re not taking my sister around a bunch of dirty bikers.”
To his credit, Zero didn’t get angry at the snarl in Jasper’s tone.
He pursed his lips, offering instead, “Would you prefer just meeting the guys with kids first? There’s like…
” He paused, counting in his head, “Seven kids related to the club now. Most of ‘em are younger, youngest is only a little younger than Isla I think, but Xander’s your age, and Flash isn’t much younger. And the parents are all good guys.”
Jasper’s expression was suspicious, but he didn’t automatically refuse.
I wasn’t sure a biker gang was a good environment for such a volatile kid, but if there were other kids present, maybe it was best not to jump to conclusions.
I didn’t know the crew. If they were as clueless and earnest as Zero seemed to be, they might not be too bad.
ZERO
Once we escaped from the teacher’s stern stare, I spun the keys on my finger, trying to decide how to approach the fighting thing.
I’d decided when he first showed up that I wouldn’t push Jasper while he was still getting used to things, but fighting was a no brainer. That shit would get him arrested.
“Look, I get that you’re still working through things, and I’m willing to give you the time and the space you need, but the fighting needs to stop.
” I gave him a look, waiting for him to glance at me.
Or more accurately, glare at me. I ignored it this time.
“Seriously, man. I understand feeling angry, but the pigs in this town look for the smallest excuse to arrest someone. They won’t care that you’re just a kid.
Especially now that you’re linked to the crew. ”
His glare shifted, brows tightening. “What pigs?”
“Pigs. You know. Cops,” I clarified. “There’s only one good one in the bunch, and they fired several of them more than a year back.
Seemed like more assholes took their place.
I don’t want you getting on their radar.
You want to hit something, I’ll take you to my gym and you can go to town on a punching bag.
In school, keep it under wraps, alright? ”
He scoffed, but didn’t argue, which was as good as an agreement in my eyes. The past week and a half had been strained silences, sharp comments, and awkward attempts on my part to connect. Not arguing was an improvement. Sort of.
While Jasper buckled his sister in, something he almost never let me do because he was sure I’d fuck it up, I shot a text to Prez.
Zero: Any chance we can introduce the kids? The tension is palpable.
Prez: Clubhouse?
Zero: No, Jasper won’t let me bring Isla to the clubhouse. Your place?
Prez: Come over for dinner. I’ll let Butch and Wraith know.
Here’s hoping my brothers and their kids could do something to break the awkwardness with Jasper. And maybe they could give me some advice about Isla, too. I felt like I was swimming upstream with those two. I needed all the help I could get.