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Colby
I thought the rumors about Norah and me would have died down a little by now. It has been over a week since they started and three days since Norah fueled them with her outrageous candy-gram purchase. They’re only getting wilder by the day. Some are actually saying that we ran off and eloped in Vegas over the weekend. And it was Valentine’s Day weekend, no less. Not sure where that one originated.
We’ve started eating lunch together every day, talking and laughing together as opposed to our former arguing, and I find that I look forward to it. That probably has a lot to do with the rumors still circulating. I guess it would be a lot for people to get used to. They’re all so used to us fighting. The sudden shift must be confusing for everyone. I know it still is for me.
Today is no different. We’re sitting together in the lounge, eating our lunches. I’ve started doubling my lunch prep and bringing some for Norah. I couldn’t watch her eat another peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich. She complained at first, saying the vegetables were trying to kill her, but she’s warming up to them. I brought her broccoli on Monday, and you would have thought she’d never seen a vegetable in her life with the amount of gagging that was going on before she ever took a single bite. She’s eating brussels sprouts right now, and I want to pat myself on the back while watching her.
“Did you use some kind of voodoo magic on these to make them taste good? You would tell me if you did, right?” she says, and I scoff at the ridiculous notion.
“Yes. It’s called knowing how to cook,” I say, and she pushes on my shoulder, acting put out.
Norah is about to say something in response, probably something smart alec that would have started a fight weeks ago, but a shadow falls over us. We both turn to look up and see Principal Spears standing over us with a smile on her face.
“When you’re finished eating your lunches, I’d like to talk to you both in my office, please,” she says. Oh no. The rumors have reached her, and she’s going to fire us for an “inter-office romance.” I can’t lose this job. I’d have to move away from Waverly to find another teaching position, and that’s not something I ever planned to do. And I just really love teaching here. My students are great, my co-workers are amazing, and I even like Principal Spears.
We both nod our heads as we finish chewing bites of food. She pats my shoulder and walks out of the lounge, waving to other teachers eating their lunches. I chug some water and try to regain my composure.
“What do you think that’s about?” Norah asks after we're alone again.
“I’ll give you one guess,” I mutter.
A few minutes later, we’re walking down the hall to her office, side by side, in silence. Norah’s fidgeting with her hands, giving away her nerves. I know she can’t lose this job either with her medical bills, and she’s not in a position to be able to move elsewhere to find another teaching position at the moment.
I pray silently the whole way to her office that this won’t be bad news, and I sense that Norah’s doing the same—or at least I hope she is. We could really use it if we’re both going to walk out of that office with our jobs still intact.
We stand in front of the office door and look at each other. She widens her eyes and gestures toward the door. “I don’t want to go in there,” she whispers.
“I don’t either.”
She smacks my arm lightly and says, “Knock on the door.”
“You knock on the door,” I laugh.
“I can’t.”
This is ridiculous. We’re just stalling. We both have to go in there at some point, so I don’t know why it matters who knocks on the door. She steps back and crosses her arms. I laugh and knock three times, and Norah groans.
“You told me to knock,” I say. She nibbles on her thumbnail without saying anything in response.
Principal Spears lets us into the office with a warm smile on her face, so that must be a good sign. She wouldn’t look so happy if she was about to fire us. At least, I don’t think she would. She can be strict and blunt at times, but she’s never been cruel.
We both step into the office and sit in the chairs in front of the desk. Principal Spears sits in her tufted leather chair across from us and says, “I’m so happy to hear that you two have worked your issues out. You know, all those years when y’all were fighting in high school I just knew there was chemistry there. I used to joke that y’all were in love and trying to deny your feelings. I’m so happy I was right.”
My jaw drops to the floor. I’m stunned silent. I look over at Norah to gauge her reaction, and she’s staring at Mrs. Spears with wide, unblinking eyes. What is this woman talking about? I was one thousand percent not in love with Norah in high school. Just the thought of her made me want to punch walls back then.
I won’t lie and say I didn’t feel a similar sort of rage upon seeing her again. I’ve had to work through a lot of feelings over the past few weeks, and I’ve realized that I never understood Norah to begin with. Maybe if I had taken the time to get to know her, I could have loved her when we were younger, but no. That’s not what happened.
“What…what do you mean?” Norah asks.
“You think I haven’t heard all of the chatter going around about you two? I know everything that goes on in this school! But don’t worry. It won’t be a problem. It’s actually wonderful news. I don’t have to worry about you two yelling at each other in the hallways or murdering each other in front of the students anymore,” Principal Spears says in a dreamy voice. Norah lets out a nervous giggle.
My heart is pounding. What are we supposed to do? A few weeks ago, Principal Spears was threatening our jobs, and now she’s elated that we’re supposedly dating. This is not what I thought was going to be happening when I stepped through that door a moment ago. I don’t know what I did expect, but it certainly wasn’t my boss gushing about my love life.
Norah reaches over and grabs my forearm. She’s squeezing so tightly that her fingers are turning white, and I think there might be nail marks left behind whenever she decides to release me from her clutches. I look over at her again, and she mouths, “What do we do?” I was just wondering the same thing, so I just shrug my shoulders.
“So, I just need you two to sign this document, stating that you’ll comport yourselves in a professional manner while on the school premises or attending school functions. You know, no lovey-dovey stuff in front of students and all that.” She hands us each a form and a pen and gestures for us to sign the sheets while she continues to go over what is expected of us.
“But, Mrs. Spears, we aren’t—” I start to say, but Norah smacks my leg and shakes her head. Now, I’m even more confused. I have no idea what’s going on anymore. Norah picks up her pen, signs the paper, and motions for me to sign mine. I’m at a complete loss for words, but I sign it and lay my pen down on the desk.
