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Knowing that Zach loved me changed everything, and yet it changed nothing. I was still as determined to be a teacher, to find a way to have the career I always wanted. When I had left Dr. Jansen’s office, I didn’t think that was possible, not if I wanted to keep Zach in my life. But after talking to him, I saw that I could have both. That I should have both.
It was still a bit too much to believe that Zach’s father was the one who was behind all of this. I could understand that a father wanted his son to succeed, but I never thought he would go to the lengths he did.
Did he never think that Zach would find out? It was pretty easy to see he was the one who was behind all of this. Though I had no idea how he had gotten to my principal or how he convinced him to practically force me to choose between my career and Zach.
Zach had promised me that he would take care of it. That he would make it right. I wasn’t one who liked having a man tell me what to do or solve my problems for me, but I was at a loss of what to do. Zach knew his father better than I did. He would know how to get to him, to get him to back off. And hopefully, then Zach and I could start the life that we wanted to have.
I loved Zach, and he loved me. I still couldn’t believe that was possible. I felt like the luckiest woman in the world because he loved and supported me. Even as I worried that my life was crashing down around me, I wasn't worried. Zach said that he would take care of it, and I had to believe that he would.
Slowly, I stretched and got out of bed. I only had the clothes that I wore over to Zach’s place, so I went into his closet and pulled out a long shirt to put on. I snuggled up to it and pressed my nose to the fabric, inhaling his scent. I felt like Zach was next to me, and it made me smile. I imagined all the other mornings we would have waking up next to each other, living together, even getting married eventually.
We had never talked about marriage or what we wanted for our future, but I hoped Zach was open to the idea, at least eventually. I looked over at the bed we had shared and remembered how he had held me all night long. He was a man who was in love with me, and he knew me well enough to know what that would entail. I wouldn’t settle for just being his girlfriend; I would want it all, and Zach hopefully would too.
The sound of my phone ringing broke me from my thoughts, and I walked over to see that it was Liam calling. It was during recess for the kids, but it was still unusual for him to take the time to call me.
“I’m sorry, I should have told you I wasn’t coming in today,” I said when I answered the phone.
“Dude! What the hell is going on? Did you have sex with a married parent?” he asked.
“What? No! Of course not! Who told you that?”
“It’s just one of the rumors going around school today. Someone said the secretary caught you having sex in your classroom with one of your student’s parents. And he’s married.”
“Well, that isn’t going to bode well for the parent,” I said sarcastically.
“Victoria, this is serious. I know you didn’t do it, but why is this happening to you? Who’d you piss off?”
“Did you defend me?”
“What kind of stupid fucked up question is that? Of course, I did. I knew it wasn’t true. If for no other reason than because you are sleeping with sexy stepbrother. You might enjoy sex and had your fair share, but that doesn’t mean you sleep around. My girl has standards. I assumed it was because someone had it out for you, but I couldn’t figure out who.”
“It’s Zach’s father. He doesn’t want me to be involved with his son, so he took a nuclear approach to get me to break up with him. I had hoped the rumors wouldn’t have gotten around so quickly, but I guess that was too much to hope for.”
“There are a lot of them running around. That’s the worst. One says you did drugs with a student. One says they found porn on your computer. They are all so ridiculous that none of them will stick. But I wanted to warn you that someone has it out for you, bad.”
“Thanks. I knew that, but it helps to have some eyes and ears on the ground giving me updates. Zach said he was going to find a way to fix this, and I think that’s what he is doing now.”
“You think?”
“He wasn’t in bed when I woke up this morning.”
“You had him stay over and on a school night. Maybe you are a naughty, naughty girl.”
“Actually, I’m at his place.”
Liam immediately understood what I was saying. “You stayed at his place? Like your car is out front and everything? That is huge. Are you making it all official now?”
“We haven’t discussed it yet, but things have progressed with us, very nicely.”
“Damn, I want to hear all about it, but the kids are coming back. I just wanted to give you a heads up about what’s going on over here. Be careful. And if you need anything, let me know. I’ll be around.”
“You’ll be my first call. Thanks for checking up on me. I love you.”
“I love you, too. Bye, sweetie.” Liam ended the call.
Liam’s words ran through my head as I walked downstairs to the kitchen to get some coffee. I knew the rumors would start; it would make sense that Charles would try and ruin my reputation or at least make it so I had no choice but to do what he wanted. I hadn’t counted on it happening so soon. It only made me more determined to prove him wrong and to get him out of Zach and I’s life as quickly as possible.
Though I had no idea how to do that.
