A Child's Playmate

The Pink Slip

A Child's Playmate

Part I

Chapter 1: The Pink Slip

Auburn hair swished around narrow shoulders, nostrils flaring like a bull ready to charge a red flag of a Matador. Naturally soft-looking eyes immediately turned as sharp as a knife, lips snarling at the man who rolled his eyes at the display of child-like anger. He opened his eyes to talk, but was interrupted by a squeal of ire.

"Jubilee, stop this madness-"

"It's Ms. Reinhart, Mr. Snyder!" Jubilee turned to her friend of four years, who was quickly turning into an ex-friend, and narrowed her eyes even more. "Why am I the one who's getting laid off? Why isn't Mr. Price getting the pink slip, hm? I mean, holy crap, Gary, he's been here for god knows how long, and his methods of teaching fail-every-single-year! And he has Alzheimer! "

"I can't do that to Mr. Price, Jubi—Ms...Reinhart. He's a 64-year-old, and he has seniority over you. Not to mention if I do fire him, I'd go to hell myself. What would the poor man do without a job and family?" Gary sighed and slipped off his glasses, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his index and thumb with the WWJD jelly wristband hanging off loosely around his wrist. The headache increased as Jubilee muttered about a senior center. "I'm sorry, but the school districted asked us to release five teachers. We're just not getting enough money."

Jubilee rolled her eyes. "Oh, yeah, and I'm the perfect candidate, huh?"

"I'm sorry, Ms. Reinhart, but there is nothing more I can do for you." Gary replaced his glasses after wiping it off with the edge of his checkered plaid. He reached for the crumpled pink paper Jubilee had thrown at him upon entrance, unfolded it and held it out. "Besides, you've only been working for a year at this school. You're twenty-one! You've got all the time in the world to go and get another job at another high school, Ms. Reinhart."

She glared at the piece of paper, not bothering to acknowledge his words.

"Asshole," she hissed, snatching the piece of paper brusquely from his hand. Jubilee wildly ripped it up into pieces in front of him, giving out a grunt of an unwomanly growl before turning heel and leaving the office.

Curious pigeons that had gathered around the Principal's door for delicious gossip immediately scattered, whistling and pretending they were doing nothing more than their own work.

Jubilee cleared her throat, smoothing her pencil skirt and flattening down her wavy hair as she walked through the aisle. Her chin was high, screaming out pride and honor.

Before she was able to open the door, it opened by itself.

An elderly man smiled at her friendly, moving to the side to let her pass by. "Are you one of the new teachers for English?"

Brown eyes rolled at Mr. Price's words.

Part I of this story is of Octavio's childhood, which will be in drabbles. Part II will be of Octavio's adulthood, which will be written 10+ pages and not updated as frequently.

The book cover had been done by capcapuchin.

Word Count: 486