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This just got complicated.
No candiru for his toilet after all.
CHAPTER 4
LYDIA
“You made it through your first week,” Ava points out, sitting next to me in the teacher’s lounge. “How are you liking it here?”
I notice the other teachers who aren’t quite as friendly have no qualms about listening in. “I like it. The kids are great. There’s never a dull moment.”
Actually, I have enjoyed my week. After I got settled in and gained some idea of what’s expected from me, the job became much easier. Unlike the principal, I do think that sports have something to teach, and I love that kids this age are so open to try new things.
Instead of “throwing some balls at them” as he suggested, I’ve made a detailed lesson plan that focuses on teamwork and building self-esteem. Even at this age, there’s so much pressure on these kids to get good grades, sit still, don’t talk. They’re expected to be good little robots, which is a damn shame. When they get to my class, I want them to leave all that behind them and learn to be themselves.
We always spend the first fifteen minutes with Free Play. It gives them time to run around, talk to their friends, burn off some energy and make some noise.
“The kids keep you on your toes, that’s for sure,” she agrees. “Do you have any plans this weekend? Would you like to go out for a drink?”
Hesitating, I chew my lip. Is she asking me out like a date? I’d hate to give her the wrong idea and disappoint her later. I decide I’m being ridiculous. I need to make some friends here and she’s really nice. “That sounds like fun.”
“Great.” She gathers up the trash from her lunch and dumps it into the trash can. “How about seven tomorrow night? I’ll text you the address. It’s a bar not far from here. They have live music on the weekends.”
“Sure. I’ll meet you there.” Dumping my trash, I head over to the high school for the two Athletics classes I have to teach. It’s basically a conditioning class for the school’s sports teams, and I spend most of the time circling the room, making sure the kids are using the equipment correctly. And trying to ignore the remarks from teenage boys who think they know how to whisper.
Coach Bro pops in to work with some of the football players as well, and he’s already there when I show up today. Ignoring him, I order the other guys onto the treadmills for a twenty minute run.
“Ms. Childers, why don’t you run with us?” Frankie suggests, leering at my chest. This boy isn’t going to make it to sixteen without being kicked in the balls by an irate female.
“I don’t want to make you look bad, Frankie,” I call out, walking toward the leg press where another student is dropping the weights too hard. I can still hear the boys talking.
“Ha! Shot down, Frankie.”
“Can you blame me? Look at her. She’s got more legs than a bucket of chicken.”
“Yeah, she’s almost as hot as your mom.”
Laughter fills the room, and I shake my head. God help the high school girls here. After what seems like four hours instead of two, I head back to the elementary school for the afterschool program.
Simon will be there. I don’t know exactly why that sends a chill across my skin. Because he asks me out every day when he picks up Toby, or because I’ve actually been considering it. Not a date or a relationship. If there’s one thing I’m sure of it’s that I don’t want any part of that.
My relationships never work out. I’m convinced the male species is incapable of being monogamous. My high school boyfriend was the first to cheat on me, about two weeks after I surrendered my virginity to make him happy. Then Anderson came along and I fell for him. At least I thought I did.
After some soul searching, I realized I didn’t love him as much as I loved the idea of being in love, of having someone by my side forever. Unfortunately, forever to Anderson meant until the next vagina was available. Nope. Men are only as faithful as their options. So why should I put my heart into something again just to have it shredded and handed back to me?
Even Simon’s deep green eyes and muscular body aren’t enough to lure me back into a situation where I’ll only end up hurt and feeling stupid again. Still, when he stares at me like he does, as if he’s imagining how I’d taste, I find myself considering an alternative option.
It’s been almost two long, dry years with only an array of vibrators to break the tension, and it’s not enough anymore. Simon’s a decent guy who obviously finds me attractive, so why not?
