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“When hemoves on?”I look between Reeves and Jack. “He’s not even sixteen years old! When do you expect him to move on?”
“Oh,” he flicks me off, “I doubt it’ll be long. He’s without parental guidance now, he’s getting into fights at school, and I’m led to believe you actually encourage this barbarous behavior and pay for him to train at that gym.” He rolls his eyes. “I must say, Ms. Reilly, that certainly surprised me. I thought you were smarter than that. I know of your extended family; I know of their… criminal activities, so I don’t suppose it’ll be long before Jackmoves onwith them. In the meantime, I encourage you to focus on your career. Become irreplaceable, Ms. Reilly.” He stands dismissively. “I’d think that concludes this meeting, so if you’ll just follow me.”
Asshole Reeves actually extends his hand in case we forgot where the door was.
Jack looks like an abused puppy.
Nope, no way. Not on my watch.
I remain silently seated and force this asshole’s eyes back to me in question. “Well, now that you’ve said your piece, I have a few things to say myself.”
I bolster all of my bravado – a difficult task, seeing as Reeves was the disciplinarian of my teenage years. He’s right in a way. He had a soft spot for me when I was younger. I remember he was a decent human being who encouraged my love of education. It’s all fun and games when you’re molding a smart girl, but the gloves are off when you decide a boy of the same family doesn’t quite cut the mustard. He’s dead wrong if he thinks he can write Jack off like that.
“I have a few questions for you now, Tony.” A zing of rebellious adrenaline surges through my body at my small act of defiance. “How is it,Tony, that he got into a physical altercation, on school grounds, on school hours, with someone – much older than him, I should add – who doesnot,in fact, attend this school? How did Chris have access to a minor, a student, when said student was in your care?”
Point one for me, because I didn’t choke on my words, and I sound professional as hell.
“I don’t know,Ms. Reilly.” He emphasizes the ‘Ms,’ as though it were a dirty word. “Chris is actually a cousin of yours, is he not? So perhaps this is family business, and Jack should keep it away from our school.”
“Incorrect. Chris isnota cousin of ours. He’s nothing to us. But let’s backtrack for a second… I just want clarification on your stance. Becauseyoudon’t approve of Jack or my family,youfail to protect him? He was harassed, he was taunted and provoked on school grounds and during school hours, yet you label him as the bad guy and suspend him. I fail to see the logic.”
“This is not up for discussion, Catherine. Jack engaged in a violent altercation and was dealt with appropriately. Next time he so much as forgets his homework, he’ll be suspended, for longer. Next time he fights, he’ll be expelled. His grades have been steadily declining for the last two years, anyhow. We all knew this was coming.”
“His grades?”Oh, hell no!We’ve worked hard on those damn grades. “Exactly, how is he performing in class? I want to know the exact grades and where you think he’s lacking.”
“Well, I can’t tell you exactly right this minute. I don’t have access to… I’m busy…”
“Please, call your secretary back in. I know she has access to that information, and I want to see them. Right now.”
He sighs with frustration. This shit did not go the way he had hoped – good! I’m no-one’s pushover, and Jack isn’t his disposable puppy. He will not label Jack a piece of shit just because he’s related to pieces of shit.
Reeves picks up his desk phone and quietly mumbles directions for Mary, then sitting and rubbing the bridge of his nose, he glares at me.
We wait for Mary to join us. No one speaks. The air remains thick with tension. My phone vibrates in my bag, and uncaring if I look insolent in front of this arrogant man, I smile at the sight of Bobby’s flashing name.
Bobby:How’s it going?
I don’t know how to answer without going into long explanations or getting angry, and I run out of time, because Mary bustles in, so I simply reply with an angry face with hopes of making him proud with my dreaded emoji use.
I shove the phone back into my purse, though it already vibrates with a reply, and I smugly watch as Mary shows Reeves a stack of papers.
They speak in hushed tones, and every couple pages, Reeves glances up at Jack or me. A few minutes after she swirled in, skirt billowing and perfume wafting, she races out again, but not before laying a kind hand on my shoulder in support.
He throws down his pen and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Right, well it seems his grades, while still below average, are increasing, so I say we just leave this here. Jack, you can go to class now.”
Jack’s eyes snap to mine for direction. No way in hell isTonygetting away with this shit. “No, stay another minute. Mr. Reeves, please share Jack’s academic reports. As his guardian, I’d like to know, so we’re aware of his… shortcomings. It makes it easier for me to help him, you know?” My smile is sweeter than sugar, and my eyes are ready to kill. “So we can focus our learning to help bring himabove average.”
I know this arrogant man is fantasizing about wrapping his bony hands around my neck and wringing the life out of me. I sit up tall and expose it like a damsel waiting for her vampire mate.
Please, do go on, asshole.
“I don’t appreciate your attitude, Ms. Reilly. I’m the principal here…”
“Yes, but I’m no longer a student here, and you are no longermyprincipal. I’m a grown woman, and legal guardian of one of your students. I’ll demand the same respect you give any of the middle-aged parents you brown nose for fundraising money, and I’ll accept no less than fair treatment while he’s a student here. He will not be discriminated against simply because he was born on the wrong side of the tracks. So please,sir, Jack’s reports?”
He blows a noisy breath through his nose and picks up the papers. “Fine!” He throws one sheet down. “World History. Was a D,” he emphasizes the ‘was’ grade, “is currently a B.” He throws another down. “Economics, was also a D, now a B.” Then another. “English, now a B minus. Geography, currently an A. Mathematics,” he looks at the papers again, then at me, “was a D… now an A. Now if that’ll be all, I have a meeting I must attend.”
Below average,my ass. I stand with the sweet smile and extend my hand. “Thank you for your time,”asshole. “If you could work to secure your school and keep non-students away, that would be super-duper. And next time Jack is attacked while in your care, I’d appreciate a phone call assuring me he’s safe and the problem is being taken care of,” I squeeze his hand, “instead of a threatening call about how you hold his education over a barrel. Have a super awesome day,Tony.”Fuck you, asshole.
