Page 85 of Love Takes Home

She talks all the way up until the bell rings and I head back to my classroom. This time I’m not as lucky. I almost run directly into Keith, who’s standing in the hall outside the teacher’s lounge—almost like he was waiting for me to leave.

“So you showed up to work today?”

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I?” I ask.

“Well, it appears your little friend has the flu and how convenient is that?”

“I wouldn’t know, Keith, because I didn’t see him yesterday. Maybe he spiked a fever?”

He gets close—too close. He is definitely in my personal bubble.

He lowers his voice. “I think we both know you’re full of shit and you’re nothing but a fucking liar. I suggest you tell me where Lucas Ashley is. I need to go have a little talk with him.”

“I don’t know what to tell you, Mr. Brown. My guess would be he’s at home, with his uncle.”

“I’ll make you give me information,” he tries, grabbing my wrist and squeezing until I wince.

And every ounce of pain he inflicted on me flashes in front of my eyes. I’m not the woman who left the church the day of our wedding. I’m not the pushover I used to be. He’s not going to hurt me ever again.

“If you don’t remove your hand from me immediately and back the fuck up, there will be hell to pay.”

He looks at me and narrows his eyes. “Well, aren’t you ballsy today?”

“What if I am? You don’t get to dictate my actions anymore, Keith. I’m not going to put up with your shit ever again. My only regret is that I did it for so long. Now, back the fuck up and remove your hand from my body.”

He doesn't remove his hand, but his face morphs into one of fake sorrow. “I didn’t treat you any way but wonderful, Ginny, and it wounds me that you thought otherwise.”

“Is that how you view it from your warped mind? Because wonderful doesn’t even register on the scale of you. You did nothing but put me down. Attack my insecurities. Alienate me from my friends and family. And when that wasn’t enough for you, you fucking hit me.”

“You deserved it!”

He squeezes my wrist, causing pain to shoot up my arm.

“Fuck you!” I shoot back, louder than intended, but I don’t care. If we draw attention, I’ll tell everything I just said. “This is the last time I’ll say it. Get your hand off my fucking wrist, and back the fuck up, or everyone in this building will know all about you. And wouldn’t that make you look like a fool? The good and virtuous vice principal found to be an abuser and a user.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Willing to try me?”

He stares at me for a moment before doing exactly what I told him to do. He backs the fuck up, and I walk away as quickly as I can and directly to my classroom. My heart is beating wildly and I can feel a panic attack starting. I pace the room, taking as big of a breath as I can and blowing it out, shaking my arms out, and bobbing my head until it passes. As soon as I do, I send a message to Joker. It appears that when Keith grabbed my wrist, he activated the stupid watch.

Ginny: I’m fine. Don’t panic.

Joker: You weren’t supposed to be alone.

Ginny: I was in the hallway! There were other people around!

Joker: Fine. Don’t go to the hallway alone again. I’ll see you in a little while.

Ginny: Can you see my eyes rolling from where you are? Because I really want you to know they are.

Joker: Be safe. Also, you telling him off like that? Huge fucking turn-on.

I grin as Nicole joins me for her planning session. I fill her in on what just happened, and we enjoy the jam session of that class. Quinn’s up for babysitting duty next, and it’s more of the same. I’m so ready for this day to be over.

Aubrey is with me for the last two hours of the day. Her mom Rebecca showed up last night with more desserts than I think I’ve ever seen in one place. When we filled her in on everything, she wanted to take Aubrey away. I think her dad was on board with that plan until the young lady pointed out that having a student around would help our cause. After all, she’s more likely to hear the good stuff about a teacher. And when Joker presented Aubrey with a watch of her own, Rebecca burst into tears and pulled him in for a hug.

“Are teenagers really this bad with gossip?” she asks when she walks into the room. She’s the only student I have this period.It’s technically my planning period, but she’s like a TA for me, and we practice. Except not today. The watches.

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