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“Ohmygoodness,” I said with a sigh.
“Am I in trouble?” Her face was streaked with tears she’d been holding in for apparently quite some time, and it broke my heart.
“No, definitely not.” I pulled her little frame into a hug and stroked the back of her hair. She melded into me, and I struggled to keep it together. “Stevie, that’s a great sign that people feel comfortable enough to ask for help,” I said, rubbing her back. “That shows you’re a good friend. I think maybe I’ll just fill your teacher in on what’s happening, is that okay with you?”
She nodded against my shoulder and mumbled, “Can you tell her they’re not my questions?”
“Yes, I will tell her.” I held her little shoulders. “And when someone is mean to you, it says a lot more about them than it does about you, okay? I think your teacher is having a problem with her own patience. You did nothing wrong. You can keep doing what you’re doing, but only if you want to, okay?”
Stevie wiped her face again and sniffled up her tears. “I want to help my friends, I just don’t want her to be mad at me.”
I nodded and straightened myself up. “I will make sure she’s not mad at you, okay? And ya know what? I’m very proud of you, honey,” I told her, kind of shocking myself at how natural it felt to call her that.
She balled her hands in fists and nodded, like she was building up courage to walk back into her classroom.
“Have a good rest of your day. And remember what I said about people being mean, okay?”
She blew out a sigh. “Yup. It says more about them.”
I nodded.
I realized later that I probably should’ve reminded my high schoolers about how to handle big emotions.
46. Tyler
After a hard practice, we were scheduled for an off-ice workout as well, but this time, with Claire leading it.
I checked my phone as soon as I got off the ice, as per usual, and that’s when I noticed the email from Stevie’s school.
The email was addressed to parents notifying them of an altercation at the school. My heart practically beat out of my chest as I carefully tried to read the email. The school wanted parents to discuss the incident with their students ya-da-ya-da… But then my eyes landed on one of the scariest sentences I ever read. A teacher was hurt in the incident. My mouth went dry.
I re-read it, trying to focus my mind, trying to make sure I wasn’t jumbling things up.
My chest practically seized and it felt like my airway was cut off.
I shoved Duke next to me.
“Hey!” he protested, but I cut him off.
“Does that say a teacher was hurt?” I shoved the phone up to his eyes.
His eyes shifted to mine. He didn’t have to say anything to confirm. I could read his face perfectly.
I frantically undressed, feeling my hands shaking the entire time. I bolted out of the locker room, not even bothering to put my shit away. One of my buddies would take care of it.
“Jettersen, where do you think you’re going?” Coach shouted as I tore out of there.
I didn’t break my pace. “Duke!” I shouted back. “Talk to Duke!”
I’d get fined for missing practice, but I didn’t give a shit. I hoped Duke relayed the information correctly to him because he had a right to know that a teacher at his daughter’s school was hurt. If it were potentially Stevie, I sure as shit would want to know. I just hoped to God that the teacher who was hurt wasn’t Josie. The problem? It was unexplainable, but I had a gut-wrenching feeling that it was.
I ran through the snow and was back at our apartment in record time. I shivered as I pounded on her door, really hoping no one would be home.
When I heard motion behind the door, my stomach dropped.
“Josie, open up! It’s me!”
I heard the door handle move and as soon as the door gave way my hands went up to my head.
