Page 109 of Apparently, I’m Trouble

“Yes, I can. You had no idea this was happening.” I folded my arms and grumbled, “I can’t believe someone caught us.”

“Mia, you honestly amaze me.” Rutton sat back in her chair and looked up at me with a smile. Only, this smile didn’t look like a happy one.

“You know what something like this means for us, but instead of apologizing and asking how to make it right, you’re making fun of it.”

“Because this is being blown out of context,” I yelled, and it was so sudden that both Lilly and Rutton jerked in their seats.

I pointed at the screen. “Someone took a picture of me kissing a parent, and yes, I agree, that’s a big no-no. But Lilly had nothing to do with it, my students have nothing to do with it, and it doesn’t affect my ability to do my job in the slightest.”

Rutton stood. “I disagree. It was your job to remain professional in the classroom–”

“–I have–”

“–and keep the best interests of your students in mind–”

“–I’d never do anything to–”

“–not go behind your head teacher’s back–”

“–upset any of them–”

“–and get caught kissing a student’s father.”

We stopped yelling at the same time and stared each other down.

“Just tell me what I need to do to fix this,” Lilly begged softly.

Rutton was still angry when she fixed her glare on Lilly.

I ground out, “She had nothing to do with this. It wasn’t her fault–”

“Regardless,” Rutton shouted. “This happened under her management, right under her nose.”

“But–”

“And I know how close you two are. As far as I know, this has been happening for months, and you two have been keeping it from me.”

Lilly shook her head, desperate for Rutton to see reason. “Just give us a chance to fix this, like we fixed the marking discrepancies last year.” Lilly took a breath and let it out. “No one else has to know about this. We can keep it between us, can’t we?”

Rutton surprised us by barking out a laugh. “You think this parent is going to keep this picture to herself?”

“Maybe they would if we talked to them?” Lilly asked.

“I don’t think so.” Rutton shook her head. “Lilly, I’m sorry, but you’re no longer acting Head of Literature.”

“But she had nothing to do with it,” I yelled.

“And you, Mia. You’re no longer running our program.”

Lilly deflated, already accepting it, while I tried to sit there and swallow all this horrible, useless rage.

“This isn’t fair,” I said. “You’re blowing this out of proportion.”

Rutton stared at me then, and the look she gave me said, How can you not see the trouble you’ve caused?

“You want to know what the worst thing about this is, Mia? Do you want to know what you’ve done?”

I was silent, waiting. I didn’t have to wait long.