Page 22 of Apparently, I’m Torture

“I’ll take a look at it,” he answered, but didn’t move from where he stood.

I pointed at my desk. “I’m sitting over there.”

He smirked. “I’m aware of where your desk is, Miss Fares. I don’t need you to point it out for me.” He straightened and came closer, and my traitorous stomach swooped. “But, in future, if you could please wear the appropriate footwear, I think our noses would appreciate it.”

My mouth dropped open and a hint of his familiar teasing smile appeared, but then he was out the door before I could think of a single word to say.

By the fifth day, my email was working and I finally had access to the server, but my computer was now rebooting every half hour. As my head thudded against the keyboard, I decided I needed another coffee.

Picking up my mug, I slowly made my way toward the kitchen. As painful as these heels were, I think I was finally starting to get used to them.

“Can’t you just cut her some slack?” Mia’s voice floated out of the kitchen. I paused by the doorframe.

“It isn’t that easy, Mia. I can’t just forget what happened.” Shawn’s voice. And it was warm. Kind, even. I took a breath and held it.

“I’m not asking you to. Look, Treviboy–”

“You mean Trevor?”

“Yes. Him. He’s been a nightmare ever since the two of them broke up, and he was promoted to head teacher last year. The ass has been riding Lilly like a jockey on a pack mule. He doesn’t let her get away with anything.”

“Like what?”

“Like her test scores. He set her up with a module to study, and it’s based on teaching to the test, which we both know is complete horseshit.”

“Well… you’re not wrong there. That goes against everything I’m trying to work toward.”

“Exactly. And worse than that, he’s banned her from watching anymore MLP movies with her students.”

A short burst of deep, gravelly laughter. Shawn was laughing. With Mia. What the hell? I thought they couldn’t stand each other. When did that change?

“You mean My Little Pony? She still watches those movies?”

I could hear the smile in Mia’s voice as she said, “Are you kidding? Thanks to her I know every word of Camp Everfree and it isn’t even my favorite one.”

Another laugh. “Which is your favorite?”

“Forgotten Friendship, of course.”

Teasing was rife in his voice as he said, “I don’t think anything will ever beat the original Equestria Girls movie. That ‘Cafeteria Song’ lives rent free in my head. Do you remember how often she sang that?”

My mug trembled in my hand. Maybe… maybe he didn’t hate me. Maybe we could work this out.

“She still does. Mostly when Trevor’s around. That’s what I’m saying here. I need you to stop making things so difficult for her.”

“I’m not.”

“Then how do you explain the computer issues she’s been having?”

“You think I’d do something to stop her from doing her job?”

“Oh, for Pete’s sake, Shawn, you haven’t exactly given her a warm welcome the past few days.” She let out a breath, and I could picture her hands waving around as she spoke. “You’re Shawn Jackson. If this fundraiser goes belly-up, your career could swallow the bump without a problem. But Lilly’s? We both know South Bronx is everything to her, and Treviboy wouldn’t let her get away with it if she failed here.”

A teacher walked by me, eyeing me strangely as he stepped into the kitchen.

“You’ve got an audience,” he mumbled, and I stepped out from behind the doorframe, shame rippling through me until I thought steam was going to shoot out of my ears.

Shawn and Mia stiffened and stared at me until I felt compelled to say, “Sorry… I wasn’t eavesdropping… I think?”