Theo
“That woman can’t be teaching my daughter,” I ground out, running my hands through my hair. “How can you let someone like that run a program this important?”
Principal Rutton tilted her chin, and coming from her, it was just enough to let me know that she was surprised. Just then, Mia stepped through the door with my daughter behind her.
The hallway was quiet. Mia heard what I said, and I didn’t care.
Kira and I moved to New York for a fresh start. We needed this. I needed this to go well for her.
What I didn’t need was for my daughter to be taught by Mia fucking Walker.
“Miss Walker is one of my best teachers,” Principal Rutton said defensively. “She’s taught here for years.”
I shook my head. “She’s not the right person to teach this class.”
“Dad,” Kira hissed, mortified, but she had no idea what she’d been thrown into.
“You can’t have those kids in there with her. All they’ll be thinking about is–” I cut myself off as Mia raised a brow and smirked.
“What will they be thinking about, Mr Hudson?” she asked, and I couldn’t answer. Not with my daughter here.
Fuck. This couldn’t be happening.
“What exactly is your issue with Miss Walker?” the principal asked. “Do you know each other?”
Mia shook her head at first, but then wrinkled her nose and said, “Not really, but he worked with me on the fundraiser over the summer break.”
“Oh. Shawn’s fundraiser.” Principal Rutton frowned. “What’s the problem then?”
“Mr Hudson didn’t like showing up for rehearsals, which made my job difficult. We didn’t get along.”
“Is that all?”
Mia nodded as my daughter fidgeted by her side.
“I’m so screwed,” Kira muttered.
Both women turned as Kira pressed her palms to her eyes, and my brain stumbled as Mia actually put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“Oh, love, no,” Mia said, her voice softening. “You’re fine; don’t worry.”
Kira’s voice was muffled, but I heard her moan, “My dad just called you a bad teacher.”
Mia lifted her shoulder. “I’ve been called worse than that. Your dad’s not the first parent to yell at me.”
Kira lifted her head, confused. “Why would anyone yell at you?”
“Not every parent likes the way I run my classroom.”
I folded my arms and ground out, “Because you’re not fit to teach.”
The look Mia shot me could’ve cut steel.
The principal hummed. “Mr Hudson, my teachers don’t let their lives outside of the school enter the classroom.”
“I’m not sure I can believe that,” I grumbled.
Her short hair bobbed across her shoulders. “Then maybe you should sit in on today’s lesson.”
Mia glanced between Rutton and me, disappointment pulling at her features. “Can’t he just take your word for it?”
They shared a look, and as Rutton mouthed “fix this,” it sank in that this wasn’t the first time a parent complained about Mia.
They’d done this before. Rutton was probably confident that watching Mia work would change my mind.
But I couldn’t see that happening. I couldn’t stomach the idea of Kira being taught by this woman. This infuriating woman. How could someone so small end up being such a giant pain in my ass?
First, she rode me constantly at the fundraiser; then she was rude to me on the street, and now she was my daughter’s shot at advanced placement? What the fuck was happening here?
There was too much riding on this for Kira. There had to be something I could–
I remembered something.
“Check her purse.”
I could almost feel Mia’s glare on my face. “Excuse me?”
“Check her purse,” I repeated. “I bet there’s something in there you wouldn’t want on school property.”
“Are you–?” Mia was flustered. She had to be hiding a pocket-sized sex toy in there.
Principal Rutton stared at me for a good few seconds before she finally asked, “Are you saying Miss Walker is carrying a weapon?”
“Oh my god. Dad. Will you please just leave?” Kira gritted her teeth, folded her arms, and stared at the ground.
Mia turned back to Kira. “Maybe you should wait in the classroom. I’ll be there in a minute.”
My daughter nodded and left. Once she was out of earshot, Mia said, “He’s talking about my vibrator. I don’t have it with me.”
And not for the first time, Mia left me stunned. I didn’t expect her to say that out loud.
Rutton frowned, confused. “Oh. Oh, well. Uh, all right.”
She sighed and nudged her head toward the room.
“Mr Hudson, I understand you might’ve gotten to know Miss Walker under stressful circumstances, but I can assure you we only hire the best. I suggest you stay for the class and watch Miss Walker in action.
She knows how to behave like a–” Rutton paused and gave Mia a pointed look “–professional.”
With that, the principal turned and strode toward her office, her footsteps heavy and deliberate.
She wasn’t going to check Mia’s bag.
Well, fuck.
Mia stepped closer and lowered her voice. “If I want to touch myself, what’s to stop me from using my fingers instead of a vibrator? I can’t exactly leave these–” she uncrossed her arms and waggled her hands “–at home, can I?”
“This is a fucking nightmare.”
She tsked. “Language, Mr Hudson. There are minors present.” She smirked and gestured toward the classroom. “If you sit in, you’ll have to be quiet. I’ve already wasted enough time with you as it is.”
And with that, Mia left me alone in the hallway.