Page 75 of The Teacher

I’m in shock.

Sandy glares back at us. I see the surprise, terror, and shame in her eyes.

I see her heart break right in front of me.

I see it shatter.

And it’s all my fault.

No.

All I want to do is tell her that this isn’t what this looks like. It looks bad, but I did not consent to this. I didn’t consent to Becky drunkenly throwing herself at me with her naked breasts in my face.

I’m not in the wrong here, no matter how bad this looks.

But I know Sandy won’t be seeing that, or even what’s really going on right now. She’s instead seeing what happened eight years ago at that cursed house party. She’s seeing me as that past version of me, that stupid teenage boy, who screwed her over just like this. And to be honest, I don’t blame her for it.

She has every right to think that.

I know this looks terrible, but it’s not what it seems.

Sandy leaves the room and I force Becky off me.

“You’re going to pay for this,” I whisper in her ear as I gently push her aside and rush out of the office. She mumbles something drunkenly after me, but I don’t care what she says.

Sandy’s collapsed on the floor in the hallway and I help her to her feet, but she throws accusation after accusation at me even as I try to explain myself. But my words are useless. They fall on deaf ears. Sandy won’t listen to me.

And, after what my past self did to her, I really don’t blame her.

Fuck past me. One mistake has ruined me forever.

Sandy storms off, down the stairs, and out in the street into her car. I don’t follow her. I know she needs a moment to decompress and to breathe without me trying vainly to make excuses. I head back down the stairs, ignoring Becky swaying, drunk, behind me.

Miss Tweed’s leaning on the banister, clearly listening in. She reaches out and holds my arm as I pass, stopping me in my tracks.

“Oh, I do apologize for young Miss Finn’s behavior,” Miss Tweed says. “And I also apologize for her behavior over the last few weeks whilst you’ve been here. I’m sorry you’ve had to endure her. Don’t worry, though, I’m going to make sure she gets fired as soon as possible. We can’t have her tarnishing the reputation of Poseidon’s Academy.”

I lean in towards the teacher and whisper. “I want to let you know that I’ve decided not to invest in the school now. Tell that to Mr. Brown.”

Without waiting for Miss Tweed’s response, I am out of there. Out of her house. I jump into my car and speed off.

In the car, I try calling Sandy multiple times on loudspeaker. She doesn’t pick up, just as I expect. I speed back to my hotel.

This is all my fault. Sandy’s right to jump to the conclusion that I was cheating on her with that Becky. She has every right to feel like that when I fucked her over so badly all those years ago.

But it isn’t true.

I didn’t want Becky’s tits in my face.

I didn’t want to be trapped there in Miss Tweed’s office.

I head straight up to the presidential suite and I place my phone on the table, waiting for her response. I know Sandy. I know her so well. I know she will either call me or message me. I sit down and wait by the phone. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting.

In a few minutes, my phone lights up with her message.

Don’t bother investing in the school, I never want to work with you. I trusted you and you fucked me over. I never, ever want to see you again. Got that? Never. You should grab your bags right now and fuck off out of New Water, just like you did eight years ago. Bye forever.

Immediately I try calling her, but my number can’t reach through.