Page 29 of Undone

“Got it. Thanks.”

I stayed for a moment, letting out a sigh. I glanced at where my phone sat on the counter, the screen dark and still.

I had to focus. There was work to do.

I shook off the lingering thoughts, pushing them to the back of my mind, and moved toward the exam room.

TEN

Noah - June

FOLLOW THE SUN - XAVIER RUDD

“What doyou mean I’m being let go? I’m being fired?” I asked, my words trembling despite my effort to hold it together.

The school principal, a woman in her fifties, sat across from me. Her graying hair was pulled back into a neat bun, and her eyes, usually bright with encouragement and kindness, were now filled with genuine regret as she looked at me.

“I’m really sorry, Noah. The budget cuts for the next school year have been harsh, and we had to make some tough decisions. With so many veteran teachers, it’s difficult. If it were up to me, you’d be staying, but the final decision isn’t mine to make.”

She slid a few papers across the desk toward me. “I’d be happy to offer you a letter of recommendation, wherever you decide to go next,” she said, giving me a weak smile. “Take this as an opportunity for a fresh start.”

While I knew her intentions were good, her words only reminded me of how others had been treating me for the last several months. John had been all over the news for months, and now that his identity was revealed, it was well-known that I’d been dating someone who turned out to be a serial killer.

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Thank you.”

“You know how to contact me if you need anything, professional or otherwise. I’m so sorry, Noah. You truly are one of the best.”

We exchanged a few more words, her hand briefly squeezing mine in comfort before I turned to leave. The door clicked shut behind me, and the quiet settled in again.

On my last day, I began packing up my classroom, the finality of it sinking in as it marked the end of this chapter of my life. The once vibrant walls, now almost bare, seemed to close in as I sorted through my belongings. Every book, every flyer, felt heavier than it should, each one a reminder of dreams that now were impossibly far away.

Needing a distraction, I grabbed my phone and called for reinforcements.

“Hey, stranger!” Dotty’s voice rang through the phone, light and full of energy.

“Hi,” I muttered.

There was a beat of silence, then her tone shifted, instantly sharp with concern. “What’s wrong?”

Dotty was the first person I called after the meeting last week, and hearing the change in her voice now made it sting all over again.

I hesitated. “Today’s my last day.”

“Ugh, I hate that,” Dotty blurted, her frustration clear. “I still can’t believe they’d do that to you.”

“Me too,” I admitted.

A heavy sigh came through the phone. “I’m so sorry, Noah.” Her voice was soothing, always offering comfort even from miles away. “Have you thought about what you want to do next?”

I shut my eyes for a moment, trying to shake off the knot that formed in my stomach. “No, not really,” I mumbled.

The uncertainty of my future was too big of a decision for me to make on a whim, and I wasn’t ready to think about it. But time was running out, and I had no other option but to start figuring out my next steps.

There was a long pause before Dotty spoke again. “Ya know… you could always move to Woodstone.” She hesitated. “Trent and I moved into the cabin, so his house is empty now.”

I missed Dotty in my day-to-day life. Her company always helped keep the loneliness at bay, but I had only ever known city life.

There, I could blend in, losing myself in the crowd, but I feared a small town would offer no such refuge.

---