Page 1 of Single Dad Billionaire Boss

Chapter1

1

Ella

“Harper, how about you?”I asked, tossing her the ball. Harper looked around at the other fifth graders sitting in the circle and shrugged.

“I don’t know,” she said. “I guess I was proud of myself for walking away at lunch when Taylor said I was annoying.”

“Great. How did you feel when she said that?”

“Mad!”

“Yeah, that would make me mad, too,” I said. “But what’s underneath the mad?”

Harper looked down at the floor. “I was afraid, I guess,” she said quietly, and the other kids nodded. “And sad too because I thought everybody heard her and thought the same thing.”

“You did a great job labeling those feelings,” I said. “It’s hard not to engage and talk back. What did you tell her by walking away?”

“That she’s trash!”

“Uh, that’s a bit cringe,” I said. “Do you mean that you wanted her to feel like she was small? Maybe like the way she made you feel?”

“Yeah, I know I’m not supposed to label her,” Harper said. “I just hate her so much!”

“Yeah, well I hate you too,” Taylor blurted out.

“Come on, you guys,” Austin piped up. “Don’t waste your hate on each other. Hate is something that’s not worth it. Like cancer or how McRibs suck now.”

We all laughed at that.

“We’re short on time,” I said, “so I’m going to use the cheat code. Don’t get excited, it doesn’t unlock free Robux or anything.”

That got me an eye roll from both Harper and Taylor. I tried not to laugh.

“Discount Robux?” Austin said.

“Nice try, but no. Harp, when you walk away, it’s like Austin said, you save your hate for things that are more important. You don’t give Taylor the reaction she’s after. What she says about you doesn’t matter because she doesn’t get to decide who you are. You chose not to punch her and get detention again. How do you feel about that?”

Harper thought for a moment, and McKenzie huffed impatiently and said, “Come on, Harp, we’re short on time. Can’t you just say you felt good?”

Harper’s eyes flickered and she smiled. “I felt more than good, I felt like a total bad—”

I quickly raised my hand to stop her before she violated our appropriate language rule. “Powerful, right? You felt powerful.”

“Right,” Taylor said with a mischievous smile. “She didn’t feel like anything with a bad word in it.”

The children giggled and I gave them all a thumbs-up. “Thanks, guys,” I said. “I’ll see you on Thursday, okay?”

“Will you bring Gus?” McKenzie asked hopefully, and I rubbed my chin.

“I don’t know,” I said. “Cats don’t like when kids call each other names and stuff.”

“Please,” Taylor whined. “I’m really sorry for what I said to Harper. Besides, it’s only been forever since we saw him. He even let me pet him last time.”

“Yeah, but he sheds and he hates everyone,” I said. “I’m not sure Ms. Celia would even let me bring him again, what with all the hair he gets everywhere.”

“What if we’re really good until next time?” Harper said. “No detentions. Not even any name-calling and stuff?”

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