Page 21 of When We Were Young

‘Well… no, but…’

‘Look, why don’t we swap numbers and if you change your mind, you can drop me a message? No pressure, okay?’

‘Okay.’

He brings up a new message on his phone and I tell him my number. He types something, and my phone pings back at my desk.

‘Ms Lawrence!’ booms Mrs Taylor from behind the counter, making me jump out of my skin. ‘Can I see you in my office? Now. Please.’

My cheeks flush. How long has she been standing there? I hate the way she adds ‘please’ as an afterthought. It’s worse than not saying it at all.

Mr Harding whispers, ‘God, it’s like being atschool!’

I stifle a chuckle, but Mrs T’s eyes are burning holes in me, so I get up saying, ‘Well, I hope that explains the process.’

I scurry off to follow Mrs T to her office. She sits behind her desk but doesn’t invite me to.

‘That’s the second time I have caught youflirtingwith that man in school––’

I can’t believe what I’m hearing. ‘Excuse me?’

‘May I remind you school is not a place to organise your social life, neither is it a dating agency.’

‘I––’

‘I will not have my staffcarrying onwith parents.’

‘I was just explaining––’

‘You can stop there,’ she says in a tone usually reserved for disobedient boys. ‘I heard you giving him your personal telephone number.’

I don’t know what to say.

‘You leave me no option but to issue you with a verbal warning,’ she adds.

‘A verbal warning? For giving someone my telephone number?’

‘It’s not just that. Ever since the car accident, your conduct has been questionable.’

‘What do you mean “questionable”?’

She counts on her fingers. ‘Taking excessive sick days, countless physio appointments, talking to me in a disrespectfultone, flirting with a parent,at school, when you’re supposed to be working. It’s simply unprofessional.’

I stand there, my mouth flapping, and as I go to speak, she’s talking over me again.

‘If I don’t see real improvements in your conduct over the coming weeks, the next step will be a written warning.’

My heartbeat pounds in my ears. ‘I’ve worked with you for ten years and you’re giving me a verbal warning?’

‘You leave me no choice.’

‘Well… you leavemeno choice.’

She raises her spindly drawn-on eyebrows.

‘You can stick your verbal warning,’ I tell her, my voice trembling. ‘And you can stick your job.’

Her mouth falls open.