Page 31 of Fall Fake-Out

Mrs. Albany glances back down at the papers in front of her. “Superintendents don’t understand what it takes to run a school.”

I sniff out a laugh. “Thanks for the message, Mrs. Albany.”

I walk to my office, closing the door behind me. A heavy sigh seeps out as I walk around my desk and spin my leather chair so it faces me, but as the seat turns, Ashtyn pops out of it.

“Whoa!” I jump away, slamming my back against the bookshelf. The picture frame Ari broke wobbles and falls to the ground. Again.

Ashtyn Ellis is the last thing I need right now.

My gaze shoots to the closed door then to the window, double-checking that Mr. Jex isn’t somehow witnessing this encounter. He’d fire me immediately, even if I’m innocent.

“Miss Ellis, what are you doing in here? This is my private office.”

“Private.” She shoots me a knowing smile as she steps toward me. “That’s what I was hoping for.”

“You can’t be in here.” I slither away from her.

“I came to coordinate with you. I heard you’re driving me to the football game tonight. Don’t you have a bench seat in your truck?”

I’m officially freaked out. How does she know what kind of seats I have in my car? And I’m not driving her to the football game. I’m driving half the cheer team in the school van so we don’t have to pay for a bus.

It’s a school-appropriate situation, I swear.

“I call the seat next to you.” Her smile drips with the kind of flirtation that only skilled adult women should know. That smile will keep me up half the night tonight, giving me nightmares.

My back slides against the filing cabinet as I scoot away. I just need to fend her off long enough to make it to the door so I can escape. “We’re taking the school's twelve-passenger van.”

Slowly, she follows. “Then I call shotgun in that.”

“My girlfriend might come,” I spit out. “So she’ll sit shotgun. Besides, it’s much more fun sitting with your team in the back.”

This makes her pause. “Your girlfriend?”

“Yeah.” I scratch the back of my neck, suddenly breathless as if I’ve run a marathon.

“You don’t have a girlfriend.”

“It’s a new thing. So you might not have heard about it yet.”

Her arms fold. “Who is she?”

I’ll ask for forgiveness later. “Uh…Ari…I mean, Miss Langford.”

“Miss Langford?” Her scoff sounds a lot like a laugh, and I’m suddenly feeling offended on Ari’s behalf. Ashtyn takes one step forward, giving me the feeling she enjoys a good challenge. “She’s not a threat.” She reaches for me, and I flinch, dodging the touch. This makes her laugh again. “You seem extra nervous today, Stevie. Do you want me to give you a shoulder massage to work out all that tension?”

And this is where I go to jail.

I can easily picture myself in the orange jumpsuit.

“Are you trying to get me fired?”

She smirks. “Nobody has to know.”

Maybe it’s Mr. Jex motivating me, or Ari’s words that it’s time to be the adult in this situation, but I infuse my voice with authority and stand up taller. “Ashtyn, you can’t say things like that. It’s completely inappropriate. So is every other time you try to touch me or flirt with me, and it needs to stop. Immediately.”

She tilts her head, adding pouty lips. “Why?”

“Because you’re a student, and I’m the principal.”