Page 81 of The Forbidden Note

“Relax. This is a friendly chat.” He flashes those big teeth at me. “No need to be nervous.”

I almost snort.

“Would you like some tea? Coffee?”

I would like you to get to the point. “No.”

He lifts his gaze carefully from me to the awards framing his walls. “How do you like it here at Redwood?”

“It’s fine.”

“For an English teacher, you don’t seem to use descriptive language.”

“I like the cafeteria food.”

He laughs and it makes my ears bleed.

“I’m curious. Why did you want to become a teacher?”

I pinch my fingers together. “I told you at my interview.”

“Tell me again.” Harris swivels his chair toward me and smiles. “Please.”

My breath escapes on an exhale. “Reading was my escape from a reality that was less than appealing. I fell in love with words and wanted to share that love with others.”

“Mm.” He bobs his head. “That passion must be contagious. I heard students are begging to join your class, almost as if they can’t get enough of your curriculum. Or perhaps, they can’t get enough of you.”

“What exactly are you insinuating, Mr. Harris?”

“Just trying to figure you out.”

“You picked an inconvenient time to do so. I have a class to teach.”

His eyes narrow, a flash of annoyance.

We stare at each other.

Principal Harris backs off first. “Miss Jamieson, it feels like there’s something you’d like to say to me.”

“What could I possibly have to say?”

“I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me?”

He’s talking in circles and, maybe if things weren’t so dire, I’d go on that ride with him.

Today, I don’t have the patience.

“You’ve obviously heard something unflattering about me.”

“I wouldn’t call it unflattering.”

“I wish you’d call itsomething.”

His upper lip goes stiff. “It’s more like an observation.”

“You observed that my age and popularity amongst the students are a concern. Maybe even a weakness. Did I misunderstand?”

Harris folds his arms over his chest. “Here at Redwood Prep, we value honesty, excellence and propriety above all else.”

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