Life Through a Lense

Chapter Nineteen

I kept staring at the $20,000 deposited in my bank account. It all still felt so surreal. That was like an entire year of college for Ivy. Well, depending on which college she actually ended up going to.

"What are you doing?"

Speaking of Ivy. She was standing behind me with her backpack slung over her shoulder in an 'I don't give a fuck' sort of posture. My motherly instinct twitched as I was tempted to tell her how bad for her back that was (not that a twenty-pound backpack is good for you even wearing it properly), but I managed to bite my tongue. I could tell she was not happy about her first day back at school after winter break. 

"Nothing," I muttered. "Have fun at school," I added, a little tauntingly (what can I say? My sisterly urges were there too). 

"Have fun at work," she returned in a mock, syrupy-sweet voice.

Now that I worked at the school district, I usually drove her to school, but I was doing a job in the opposite direction, so Principal Redman was taking her today. I closed my laptop, realizing that I should probably head out soon as well. I was still getting used to this usual 9-5 schedule instead of working until 2 or 3 am. Sure, the pictures were somewhat boring. Soccer games, class pictures, pictures of the school campuses, but the politics of the education system was fascinating. Teachers formed cliches just as much as high school students did. You had the 'cool' teachers that the kids love but the rest of the teachers hated (because the kids like them). You have the teachers that are way too into their job and refer to their students as their own children. Or the teachers that hate teaching but stay there because they got a degree in Philosophy or interpretive dance so they know there are no other jobs with a real salary out there for them (no offense to those majoring in Philosophy). 

I slammed my laptop shut and started for the door when I felt my phone vibrate in my coat pocket. Not in the mood to talk to anyone this early in the morning, I ignored it. When it rang again, I checked the screen to see if it was anybody important. When the number came back unknown and not from a zip code I recognized, I decided to ignore it again. If it was important enough, they'd leave a voicemail (unless my voicemail box was full, I was never sure) and then I'd decide whether or not to call them back. 

"Oh, honey!" Mrs. Doubtfire from down the hall called as I was locking the door (obviously her real name isn't Mrs. Doubtfire, but I couldn't remember her real name and she was a dead ringer. As long as I never accidentally called her that I was good). "I'm so glad I caught you." 

"Hi," I said, trying to match her energy. 

"I've been getting your mail," she told me, shoving some mail in my hand. I ducked down and slid it under the door so I wouldn't have to unlock the door again. 

"Thanks," I said, hoping to keep this brief. 

"I haven't seen either of your male friends for a couple weeks," she observed. 

Oh my god. I couldn't believe that we were actually having this conversation. Honestly, I was starting to wonder if she was really 'accidentally' getting our mail. 

"I've been pretty busy," I told her, heading toward the elevator. I kept pressing the button like it would make the elevator open faster. 

"You know, that tall one with the brown hair looks like my Charles," she told me. "He's kind of a brooder though." 

I was resisting the urge to roll my eyes so hard right now. When the elevator finally dinged, I almost sighed from relief. 

"You know, you never come to the building meetings- 

"Don't have time," I answered curtly, not really caring if I sounded rude at this point. It was way too early for this shit. 

"We could try to schedule one that could work-