Model Classy

Chapter Twenty Six

Juliet

When we pulled up at the school I noticed all of the parents, faculty, and students all bunched up outside. It seemed very odd to me especially since the school was open, and so I thought the worst. I looked to Shane in horror and he only tried to reassure me.

Will they come bombard us? Are they going to harass us? Do they want to question us about our relationship?

Everything just played over and over again in my head until we made it to the crowd. I braced myself waiting for them to come at us all at once but they didn't. Instead parents talked to teachers in concerning hushed tones and you could see fear in their eyes.

Worried parents asked whether their children would be safe or not floated in the air like a helium filled balloon.

I thought it best to spot out Cass in the crowd cause she would be able to tell me what was happening. I was too short however to see through some of the taller people so Shane looked and then brought me to her when he saw her.

I asked her what happened and she had told me that they had sent a mass email out to everyone about what happened.

Apparently someone decided to come into our classroom and trashed it and then graffitied the school with horrible words. 

We all talked about it together and Shane came to the conclusion that it was to target us, but the in all reality I knew it was only meant for me.

Of course it was meant for me. Why my job though? What reason would they have had to take it this far?

It was when we were all talking about the situation that my boss Doreen, the director of the preschool came to me asking to speak to me.

She was dressed in an all black pant suit, a white and black polkadots blouse shown slightly underneath the suit jacket. She wore heeled boots and her black slightly graying hair was slicked back into a tight bun. She was in her early forties at the least. Her skin was chestnut, she was slender built, and very tall. She was a very sweet woman and I had never had any issues with her.

I followed her to a more secluded area where there were no people around and she finally spoke, "Juliet sweetheart, you've been with us for a few months now full time, and we worked with you before when you were doing student teaching here, but it's come to our attention that there has been a lot of spotlight on you. We understand that recently you have gotten involved with a celebrity, and as such we believe that someone is targeting you and we don't want that to be around the students for safety reasons. It doesn't mean that we don't value you as an employee, but for right now we would ask that your resign your position until such time as either things die down or the situation going on is cleared. We are very sorry Juliet," she said grabbing my hand with both of hers giving it a quick squeeze.

I couldn't breathe. Words that I held inside were choked up in my throat with no hope of being released. It was as if someone had punched me in the gut and knocked the wind out of me. My heart raced and my mind as well. Words spinning a mile a minute as i only thought about my students. All of them. They grew so close to me. Most of them knowing me for over a year when I was student teaching in the 3-4's class with Ms. Vasquez last year.

"I understand Doreen. What should I do about my belongings?" I asked the words fighting the lump in my throat.

She looked forlorn, but she said, "just leave them here for now, you can come by after hours tomorrow, to drop off your keys and to grab your stuff. Or Cassandra can put them in a box for you if you'd like."

"No I don't want to burden Cassandra with this, it wouldn't be fair. I'm already going to be leaving her with the class alone. I don't want to add to the stress," I whispered.