“Yes. They’re very good to her. And I’m always there,” I added to be safe. “My students are the most important thing to me,” I said honestly, staying focused. It was a sentiment he probably couldn’t relate to: caring about his students.
“I’m just warning you to keep an eye on her. Men like that are born trash and stay that way. Even with their money and fame. You better hope she doesn’t get seduced by the lifestyle and throw her future away like your boyfriend.”
I could talk about how Leo is financially secure for the rest of his life. Leo shyly admitted to me one night that he’d invested much of his money, and he still received royalties to cover the day-to-day expenses. The Burnouts’ continued success guaranteed that he would always be okay. I could also mention that Leo laid tracks with the band and got paid for it or about how much he’d done for the GVHS band and its community. But I didn’t need to justify Leo to a man like Pin Dick. The sun doesn’t justify its brightness to a desk lamp.
Pin Dick just needed to stroke his own ego to make himself feel better about the choices he’d made in his life. A classic case of insecurity coming out as cruelty.
“If we aren’t going to discuss my students, I’m leaving.” I stood.
A flush rose under his collar, and he jabbed a finger in the air. “Just make sure that kid doesn’t screw up tomorrow. Otherwise, I have to reconsider any funding for the band next year.”
The thrumming in my brain grew, almost causing me to tilt over.
“Are you serious? You’d cut band? After all I’ve done?” I asked, voice rising.
“It’s not a moneymaker for the school. You work hard, but this is never going to be a profitable program.”
“It’s a high school. Not a corporation.”
“Exactly. Our funds are limited. Before you get yourself all worked up in a tizzy, I’m just saying I might have to reconsider the budget next year. If we have an alum going to the prestigious Berklee College of Music, I could understand the value.”
The world spun around me. What was the point of all this? To work me up? To get under my skin? It was clearly working. Did he even have that sort of power? He was buddies with someone on the school board. How else would he have gotten this position in the first place? It wasn’t like he’d earned it.
“Thankfully, Cath is brilliant. So there’s nothing to worry about,” I said.
Pin Dick gave a shrug ofwe’ll see, hands clasped at his chin.
I left his office in a haze of anger and fear. He’d always been a jerk, the kind of guy who delighted in the little bit of power he’d been given, but he’d never threatened to do anything like this before.
The rest of my life spread out before me. Year after year, as I alone fought tooth and nail to keep these music programs going. Soon, the residents of Green Valley would stop turning out their pockets, and then where would I be? All alone and not even a job to occupy me. I suddenly felt so weary and exhausted, I had no idea how I would make it through dinner with Cath and her parents.
As I drove up to Cath’s parents’ house, I yelled out loud in the car all the things that I wished I’d been able to say to Pin Dick.
“You are just a sad little man with nothing but a pathetic high school football career to cling to!” I shouted at the windshield.
By the time I pulled up to Cath’s house, I must have looked slightly unhinged.
Leo had already arrived and was waiting for me. “Are you okay?” he asked as soon as he helped me out of my car.
I shook my head. “I’m so pissed off.”
He pulled me in for a hug and some of my tension dissipated. “What happened?”
“Pin Dick.”
“Of course. What did he do?” He rubbed my arms as he studied me.
But I didn’t get a chance to vent the frustrations out of my system because,at that moment, his cell rang. He looked at the screen and quieted it. “It’s just Vander. Probably just wants to meet up before they leave.”
I shook my head. “Go ahead and answer it.”
“Sure? It can wait if you need to vent about your day.”
“Trust me, my anger will keep.” I smiled.
He chuckled as he slid out his phone and said, “Hey, what’s up?”
His gaze never left mine as Vander spoke. I couldn’t hear what the other man said, only his deep, muffled rumble, but Leo’s features cleared. Not happy or sad, just neutral, and that was worse. It was as though he didn’t want me to read anything from his face. Any relief I’d felt seeing Leo at the end of this awful day was quickly swallowed back up by trepidation.
