26. Finn
Finn
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH
W hen you’re a little shit pulling pranks, you need to have all potential escape routes mapped out well in advance. Which is why I know the layout of this school like the back of my hand. Recently, that knowledge has been super useful because it’s given me a bunch of places to pull my girlfriend to for a covert make-out session.
But today it helps me because I’m able to sneak into the main office without walking by Callie’s classroom. Since her room is towards the front, she’ll see me walking by. And if she sees me walking by, she’ll know what I’m doing. And I don’t want her to know what I’m doing just yet.
I won’t say this last week has been bad, that isn’t accurate…but it hasn’t been the same since I asked her to stay. She still comes over to hang with me and Lex. She still laughs and lets my daughter put rhinestones all over her face. She still lets me put my hands all over her super hot body when we’re alone at night. Her tongue still does that incredible thing where?—
I’m getting distracted here. What I’m saying is, from the outside, everything looks the same…but whenever it’s time to talk about anything beyond student stories and town gossip, Callie’s guard flies up faster than a peregrine falcon.
Luckily, I know how to fix it.
I’m really good at fixing things.
The door to Alicia’s office is open, but I knock anyway and stand in the doorway waiting for her to invite me in.
She looks up and offers me a warm smile. “Coach Finnegan, come on in! Have a seat.”
“Hey, Alicia,” I sit in one of the chairs across from her desk and lean forward with my elbows on my knees. “Any big plans for the weekend?”
“Just chauffeuring my kids around because I’m apparently their social director in my free time.”
“Good to know that doesn’t get better anytime soon,” I reply. Her twin sons are just a year older than Lex.
“What brings you down to my neck of the woods today? I’ve actually been meaning to talk to you, so it was good you dropped in.”
“Uh-oh.” My stomach flips a little. Half out of muscle memory from being a frequent flier at the principal’s office in my student days, half because Alicia’s already reprimanded me once for my attitude. She made it clear I’m not a drill sergeant…in a way that very much reminded me she once was a drill sergeant.
“No, no, nothing bad. I wanted to commend you on your progress. It seems like you might actually be enjoying yourself now. Have you given more thought to furthering your education?”
“I have, actually.” The only way I could get a job here without an official teacher’s certificate was being hired as an “alternative educator,” which basically meant I have the knowledge to teach the material without the official knowledge about teaching. But it only applies if I’m going to pursue the certificate while I’m here. If I opt out, the job goes away next year.
I took it out of desperation, figuring it at least buys me some time to find something else. But Callie keeps leaving program materials on my desk. And on my windshield. And on my pillow. She seems to think I could actually do well here and I’m starting to believe her.
“I assume that’s due in part to the lovely Miss Stavropoulos?”
I chuckle and shrug. “She’s pretty persuasive. And honestly, she’s a gifted teacher. It’s hard not to listen to her when she’s so clearly passionate about what she’s doing.”
“She is one of the best teachers we’ve had at this school, we were so lucky to get her. We’ll be even luckier if she takes our offer to stay.”
“I know, I just hope—wait, what?”
“Just talked to her yesterday morning and offered to hire her permanently. Amy doesn’t want full-time work after all, so next year she’s moving to AM kindergarten and Rosa’s going to drop to PM kindergarten and have the mornings off. It actually worked out perfect.”
“So you…so you offered Callie a job yesterday?” How could Callie not say anything to me about this? She talked about Rowena’s roller derby team and Lily’s pony keg of cosmopolitans and D’Shawn’s terrible pirate joke, but she didn’t bother mentioning this enormous piece of information .
“We did,” Alicia smiles and fiddles with her pen.
“But she didn’t accept?”
“Not yet, she said she needed some time to think about it. It’s understandable. I think it caught her off guard.”
That makes two of us.
“Maybe you can convince her for us. She’s one of the good ones.”
“Yeah,” I say, half to her and half to myself. “Thanks for the talk, Alicia. Have a great weekend.” I stand up and move to walk out of the office.
“Wait, Leo!” she calls.
I turn to look at her.
“You never told me why you came by. What can I do for you?”
Shit. “Just…checking in. Wanted to see how you’re doing.”
Her eyebrows furrow because she knows I’m full of it. “ Really? ”
“Yup.”
“That’s all you wanted?”
I stare back at her.
“You come back when you’re ready,” is all she says before turning her attention back to her computer monitor.
I hot step it out of the main office with no particular destination in mind. I just need to move.
She got a job offer? She got a job offer and she said nothing? Is she fucking kidding me with this? She needs to think about it??? What is there to think about? The only thing forcing her to leave was not teaching. Is it me?
“Is it Lex?” I mutter to myself and stop cold. Rage rushes through me but dissipates quickly. No, that’s not it. She adores Lexie. Don’t be an asshole.
Except…I’m still left with anger and confusion. I’m still left with not understanding why she wouldn’t jump at the chance to stay here permanently with us. The town loves her. Lex loves her. I love her. And before I know what’s happening, I’m barging into her classroom and yelling, “You should be so lucky!”
The shame of being judged by a small group of six-year-olds is tempered a little by the fact that my girlfriend is wearing a giant plush hat that secures under her chin and looks like an alien head. But I’m definitely still the dumbest looking person in the room.