Page 10 of The Invite
“Have a seat.”
Placing my black purse on the adjacent chair, I sit straight on the other. “I had some last-minute paperwork to sign. So, I came early.”
“Good. Good,” he murmurs, smoothing his tie. “We’ve already gone over the curriculum and other important details over the phone. I called you to meet today to personally welcome you to the faculty team. My assistant, Greta, will give you a tour, your timetable, and anything else you may need. If you have any questions, please ask her.”
“I appreciate it. Thank you.”
We rise to our full heights, shake hands once more, and I leave his office.
Greta—the uppity assistant—is on the phone when I approach her desk. I watch her raise a finger in a gesture to hold on as she finishes her conversation. While I wait, curious eyes burn into my side and back.
It doesn’t escape my notice that I look more like a student than a teacher, which brings anxiety about how I will handle,and more importantly discipline, a bunch of eighteen-year-old seniors.
Hopefully, I don’t have a rowdy crowd.
I jump when Greta abruptly hangs up and stands with her chair loudly scraping across the floor. In my peripheral, I catch a group of girls snicker at my reaction. Even teachers aren’t immune to mean girls, it seems.
If only they knew it wasn’t because I’m easily spooked, but because I’m still skeeved out by last night’s turn of events. An assault that involved me almost having an orgasm. It probably says more about me than my masked captors.
I push it all to the back of my head when Greta quips, “You better have a thicker skin, girl. Those kids are the least scary.”
“What do you mean?”
“The class you’ll be teaching, let’s just say has a variety of kids that’ll make your life hell if you let them.”
Freaking hell.
She continues talking while walking past me, and I follow.
“Since you’re joining mid-year, at the height of The Massacre season, corralling them into studying, much less earning their respect enough to listen to you, is going to be a difficult task. So, better bring your A game and plan how you’ll accomplish it.”
“What happened to the teacher before me?” I curiously ask.
We turn down a hallway just as the bell rings and students shuffle toward their classes. While it was mentioned the school has a strict dress code, I catch both girls and boys either wearing short skirts or forgoing ties.
Greta looks over her shoulder, scowling as she quips curtly, “She quit.”
I don’t bother asking the reason, since her vibe screams she won’t tell me anyway. While she gives me a tour, onlyspeaking to point out the different rooms, I check my schedule, which she handed to me a minute ago. I read that I only have one class to teach every day either in the second or first period. Weird but good.
Since it’s my first time being a teacher, I’m glad I’m being eased in rather than being bombarded with tons of classes. Once I get my bearings, I’ll discuss more responsibility. Hopefully, get to teach Math or psychology.
We take another turn and I halt in my tracks. My breathing turning shallow. “Wh-where are we going?”
Greta stops just as abruptly and twists, giving me an annoyed look. “The computer labs and the library. They’re downstairs.”
The basement terrifies me. I glance at the stairs and all they resemble is a dark cave, waiting to trap me inside. My throat goes dry. “I can check them out another time.”
Greta shrugs. “Suit yourself.”
We walk in the opposite direction and the numbness in my feet and arms goes away.
“This is the teachers’ lounge,” Greta informs me before pointing to a desk and chair in the far corner with a window overlooking outside. “That’s your seat. The books you’ll need will be on your table. Before the end of the day, I’ll come by and help you set up the computer, along with your credentials.”
“Thank you,” I whisper, but she’s already turned and out the door.
“Don’t take it personally,” a smooth male voice says from behind me.
I turn around and come face to face with a man not much older than me. He’s handsome underneath the Clark Kent glasses he’s wearing. Dressed in a black button-down, sleeves rolled up, and gray pants, his ensemble shows off his built physique.
