Binding Before War

Chapter One

Samuel Vera

This woman was beautiful. I would never admit it, or maybe I would, but when I stopped a strange lady from taking one of my second grade students home, it was not out of concern for their well-being. Something about this woman, tall and strong, eyes alight as she talked to Claire and hair burning red, called to me, challenged me, and I doubt I could have stayed away if I wanted to.

"Hi," I said, a cocky grin on my face as I walked up to Claire and the woman with her. It was unlike me to give a grin like that, but something about the strong woman before me riled something I didn't know I had. I watched as she looked at me with an impassive glance, her clear blue eyes were unimpressed with me, and I needed to prove myself.

"Mr. Vera!" Claire said, jumping up in down with energy she hadn't had before the commanding woman beside her had come into the room. She wasn't the only child to change when the adults in their lives entered the picture, plenty of well behaved boys and girls turned into absolute heathens when their parents left. Claire, however, was usually much more reserved and calm. It was nice to see her like that, alight with energy. "This is my Aunt Naomi! She's been gone but she's back!"

The woman, Aunt Naomi, smiled easily. Unlike me, she kept her attention on the little child beside her. "C'mon Claire, we've got to get you home, I told your mom we'd be straight there."

"Sorry, Miss. Naomi, but you're not on Claire's list," I said, surprised by the ferocity in her very instantaneous glare. I briefly considered letting her go, Claire clearly knew the woman, but decided against it. It was school policy, after all. If I was being honest with myself, I liked upsetting her. Her stature was always standing straight, shoulders back, head up, but when I angered her a fire entered her gaze. I had become a challenge then, and that was something I felt a primal desire to be. "Just let me call Claire's parents, it'll be just a moment."

"You do that," She said, curt and unhappy. She crossed her arms and I began to wonder if the glare she gave me was intended to kill. I nodded, gave her a winning smile, and made my way to my desk, searching up Claire's mother's phone number and calling her.

"You have reached the voicemail box of Melanie Hearts, I apologize for any inconvenience. Please leave your name and number and I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks."

I hung up without leaving a message, clearly I wasn't going to speak to Mrs. Hearts about the issue. I dialed Mr. Hearts then, hoping he would answer. I was too far in it to just let her go, but if neither parent answered I'd have to start calling everyone on Claire's approved drop list. I couldn't deny that the idea of inconveniencing Naomi to that extent was mildly hilarious to me, but when I smirked at a gaze meant to burn, I began to question my personal value on life. Did I want her to attack me?

Maybe.

"This is Brandon, how can I help you?" A man's voice answered the phone and I had to fight myself to stop the grin from my face.

"Good afternoon Mr. Hearts, it is Mr. Vera, your daughter's teacher?" I asked, hoping that he would recognize me. He may not have, but like all parents, he immediately came to attention when I said his child's name.

"Is Claire okay?" Brandon asked over the line, a slight moment of worry in his voice.

I shook my head before remembering that he couldn't see me, "No- she's fine, nothing like that. She's absolutely fine, perfectly behaved in class as always. There is a Miss. Naomi here to pick up Claire and she's not on your approved pick up list."

There was a moment of pause and then a hearty laugh. "So, uh, Naomi is there, and you told her she couldn't take Claire home?"

"Yes, I'm sorry Mr. Hearts, it's school policy-" Shit. Did he realize I was only messing with Naomi? It was highly unprofessional, and Mr. Hearts didn't make me want to act like a rude teenager, unlike Naomi. He was the parent to my student, and I needed to be a mature and adjusted adult. He interrupted me with a positive tone.