Page 22 of Flyboy

Colton wasn’t so sure. “Well, she can’t contradict me in front of the class.”

“That’s between the two of you to figure out. You can’t make fun of her in front of the class either. We didn’t do Top Flight any favors just now. That’s all I’m saying. I can’t believe I’m saying this stuff. Me.”

“You old hothead.” Colton made his way to the door. Ivy was waiting outside. “Thanks, Omar. Maybe Ivy and I can have a minute.”

“I think I’d rather have Omar here.”

“Fine.” Colton’s frustration grew. He returned to his seat. When Ivy didn’t sit as well, he stood. “Should we sit or stand?”

“I’m standing.” Her stance was tight and filled with tension.

“Tenderfoot. You interrupted me and contradicted what I said to our students.” He waited for her to say something, and when she didn’t, he continued. “If you have a problem with something I say, I need you to express it after class when there are no other pilots around to hear you.”

“Then those pilots will be left with a misrepresentation of how they should govern themselves.”

“I’m going to say this again. I don’t know how many more times I’ll have to say it, but I hope this will be the last. You’re not on the board. We’ve already made decisions about what kinds of things to teach the pilots. I’m in line with the mission of Top Flight, which by the way, I helped create. And you are out of line.”

“But if you continue teaching the way that you do, you’ll be filling the world with more pilots who fly like you do.”

“And that would be the purpose.”

“I have a problem with that.”

“Your problem has been noted. A few times now, in fact. It is painfully clear to all of us just what you think of my flying.”

“I don’t think making light of my addition to the conversation solved anything.”

He considered her. “I had two choices: make light, or treat your outbursts as an infraction. Either way, the goal was to discredit you.”

She huffed. He could imagine the old cartoon steam coming out of her ears. But she didn’t say anything else, which he found interesting.

“Are we finished here?” He made his way back over to the door.

“I have nothing else to say to you that has not already been said.”

“Great. Let’s go back to Fatima’s then.”

Omar walked between them, and for once, Colton was grateful for his relative calm. How odd that Omar would be the most levelheaded of the three.

Chapter 10

Colton didn’t even look surprised when Ivy showed up the next morning with her letter of resignation in her hand.

He took it from her, glanced it over, and handed it back.

“That’s it?”

“That’s what?”

“You’re gonna let me fly out of here without another word?”

“I don’t imagine you’ll be flying out of here any time soon.”

“I just gave you my resignation.”

“That’s what I assumed it was. But you also signed a contract. For six months. So, if you want to resign from Top Flight, that’s your decision, but if you break your contract for this job, you might have a hard time finding work anywhere else.”

“Would you blacklist me?”

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