Page 8 of Apparently, I’m Torture

Lauren gasped as Jessica’s screen loaded. “Nope. Strawberries have more vitamin C. Ahaha, lose a point.”

Lisa grumbled in her seat and ripped a paper from her exercise book. As she wadded it up, no doubt to throw at Lauren’s head, I held out my hands. “Okay, okay, I’m calling it. Red team wins today, guys.”

Some groans sounded from the blue team, but they were drowned out by the red team’s cheers.

“Let’s settle down. Today’s victory means the red team chooses which movie we end our semester on. What did you guys choose?”

Lauren, Jessica and Michelle whispered excitedly to each other as I shifted on my feet. Staring down at my once-white tennis shoes, I decided I was probably going to need a new pair before I hot-footed it to the hall next week.

The head of our fundraiser moved quickly, apparently. Shawn already had his venue lined up, but I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised by that. This was an annual event after all. But it made me wonder what else he’d planned. And whether he’d actually stick around to talk to me for the first time in years.

Without fail, no matter what the event was, he found a way to avoid me.

A professional workshop?

Once he was off the podium, he’d walk out as soon as he saw me coming.

Tristan’s gallery showings?

He’d make some excuse and treat Tristan to some private experience I was never invited to.

My own Uncle Henry’s 70th birthday party?

He showed up, stayed for twenty minutes, ignored me, and then left, claiming he had to be elsewhere. I was too busy running the party to corner him.

Now he had no choice. He had to talk to me. Nerves pinged and rebounded, and my stomach tightened at the thought.

“Rainbow Rocks,” Jessica called out. “But can we watch it karaoke style?”

I snapped out of it and turned back to the board, wiping the class scores away.

“Is there any other way to watch it? Blue team, are we happy with this choice?”

Chris shrugged. “We wanted that movie anyway.”

I put a hand to my chest and made my way to the desktop monitor. “Aw, guys. I’m so touched. I really thought Tangled was going to be the popular choice this time.”

Projected against the whiteboard, the cold opening of the movie filled my classroom, and my students fell into an attentive hush.

With Trevor’s warning ringing in the back of mind, I knew this might be the last time any of my students were able to watch a movie just for fun. I was glad I could share this with them before they started their summer break.

We were at least a half-hour in when Jessica’s side-eye gripped my attention.

I shot her a questioning glance, and she ducked her head, shimmied out of her seat and crept toward me.

Leaning forward in my chair, I asked, “Everything okay?”

Jessica’s bottom lip jutted out, and I could sense a soft whine coming my way. I sent a quick look around the rest of my class, but they were absorbed by the screen. I motioned for her to follow me outside.

In the hallway, she visibly relaxed, her shoulders sagging in her pressed school uniform. “Miss Fares, my mom wanted me to…”

I scanned the empty hallway as she trailed off, mostly hoping Trevor wouldn’t spot me alone with a student. A classroom management no-no these days.

“Is something wrong?”

“No… yes? It’s about my book report. You gave me a B+ and my mom thinks I can do better.”

“You can do better.”