Page 68 of Oh, Hell No

“I, uh, yes, I would love to return to my classroom,” I stammered out. Tears of relief stung my eyes that I wouldn’t just be disappearing out of the children’s lives without a word. “I can be at the assembly.”

“Wonderful,” he replied, sounding relieved. “I will see you soon, Miss Gerard.”

“Yes, okay,” I said and continued to sit there with the phone in my hand after he hung up.

I had my job back? I wasn’t getting fired. Relief, joy, and vindication that he had called and had to admit to me that they were wrong washed over me, and I let out a laugh, then threw back my covers to scramble out of bed.

I wanted to tell Oz, but when my eyes dropped to my phone, I realized I didn’t have his number. He’d never given it to me or asked for mine. My buoyant mood eased off some at that splash of cold water in my face. I was all excited, and the first person I’d thought about was Oz, yet we were just a casual sex thing. The simple fact that I didn’t even have his number was a bright neon sign that I had missed. Probably due to the multiple orgasms he’d given me.

Straightening my shoulders, I took in a deep breath. I had just gotten my job back, and by some miracle, my name had been cleared without my having to do a thing. Today was going to be a good day.

Oz Savelle was a gorgeous, wealthy, possibly dangerous playboy, and I had known that when I opened my door and let him in yesterday. Getting all butt hurt over a phone number was silly. I just wished my chest would stop the tight thing it was doing because of it.

“Good morning.” Dr. Voy adjusted his bright blue tie and cleared his throat as he stood in the middle of the gymnasium floor and addressed the bleachers filled with the entire faculty and staff.

Eyes had been on me since I’d walked in the door. Many were shocked, and they didn’t even try to mask it. Most though had done their best to smile at me and act as if my being here had been expected. I kept my attention forward, thankful this was going to be a short meeting since the early drop-off would begin in fifteen minutes.

“This week, a rumor was spread throughout the school, as you all know, and it needs to be cleared up. Yesterday morning, Miss Cagle gave Mr. Clairton false information. After looking into the matter, it has been found that she not only lied to Mr. Clairton, but also started the rumor herself. Miss Gerard,” he said, looking at me, “was the victim of this nasty attack.” He cleared his throat again, and a severe look came over his face.

“We do not tolerate gossip, slander, or defacing of character in this school. We are to act and behave as Jesus would. It is to be in our actions and our language daily. Miss Cagle’s employment here has been terminated, as has Mr. Clairton’s. Both of them were brought in earlier this morning to collect their things. They won’t be returning, nor or they allowed on school property.”

There were swift intakes of breath, followed by silence as everyone listened. I was as floored as the rest of the room. While I had known Anya didn’t much care for me and did the mean-girl thing, I hadn’t thought she’d go as far as trying to get me fired. And they had fired her and Principal Clairton. Holy smokes.

I knew the entire room wasn’t looking at me, but there were enough eyes on me that it felt as if someone had taken a spotlight and aimed it at me.

“I will be standing in as principal until we find a new one. There will also be board meetings held to replace Mrs. Warlow, who has also been let go for her involvement in the matter.

“Now, as employees of this school and the church, it is your job to not spread any further gossip. Do not entertain conversation about the change in leadership. The only thing that you are to do is clear Miss Gerard’s name the moment you hear the horrible rumor spoken of. That is to end. Today. With all of you.”

My hands clasped tightly in my lap as he continued on explaining that they would be splitting Anya’s fifth-grade classroom between the two other fifth-grade rooms until they hired a new teacher. While he had everyone bow their head ashe closed the meeting in prayer, my eyes drifted over the others until they met Toby’s. There was an apologetic and desperate look on his face, and then he smiled at me.

Oh no, you don’t. Yesterday, you wanted to be nowhere near me. I am not going back to having you hunt me down and asking me out all the time.

I ducked my head, closing my eyes like I was supposed to be doing, without returning his smile. I felt as if I was justified in not having to be polite to him. At least something good had come from this clusterfuck.

After Dr. Voy ended with, “Amen,” everyone stood, and I braced myself for the lies about to hit me. Starting with Meg, who was sitting in front of me a few seats down.

She turned and smiled at me. “I knew you weren’t pregnant. I told Holly this was a lie. Anya is a bitch.” She whispered the last word.

A pat on my shoulder from Henry, one of the custodians, as he passed behind me might be the most genuine response to all this I got today.

I gave Meg a small smile. “I’m just glad it’s cleared up.”

“Ohmigod,” Mary Beth gushed, wide-eyed, as she hurried to stand beside Meg. She glanced back to see where Dr. Voy was, then swung her gaze back to me. “They fired Anya and Principal Clairton?” she said. “Holy crap! I thought they’d fired you yesterday. How did they figure out Anya had made the pregnancy thing up, and why would she have done that?”

“Because it’s Anya,” Holly said, joining the growing circle around me. “She has been jealous of Winslet since day one.” She looked at me. “For the record, I knew it was bullshit,” she said, leaning in, mouthing the last word instead of saying it aloud.

Sure you did, Holly, and that’s why you avoided me like the plague yesterday—like in the hallway, when you turned and left after seeing me.

I managed another smile instead of calling her out on the lie.

“Y’all think this was shocking?” Francy, one of the other fifth-grade teachers, said as she moved in close to us, as if we were having some gossip powwow. “Anya called Ashley this morning, sobbing and hysterical.”

All of them literally leaned in toward her, as if the next words she was going to say was their lifeline.

Did theno gossipthing just fly over all their heads? Dr. Voy had just said it wasn’t tolerated. I opened my mouth to excuse myself and get to my classroom.

“Chad has a girlfriend, AND he has a kid with her. His ex-girlfriend from college. Seems they got back together shortly after he and Anya got married. He found out she had a baby and it was his, and he kept them his dirty little secret.”

---