Twenty-Two

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Marshall Valentine

"What was that? A bribe?" Tamara Jones asked. If she goaded me one more time, I swore I would've said something I'd later regret.

I'd just gotten her off detention for another one of her organized protests in the Administrative Lounge.

I wasn't one to tolerate students speaking to me as if we were the same age or on the same hierarchy, but this was Nightengale's friend.

"Watch your mouth Jones. I'm still your superior."

She stopped walking along the abandoned corridor and I turned to stare down at her, my patience was being tested by this child.

"You're such a hypocrite. You have the nerve to tell me that you're my superior and yet still, you're basically screwing someone who is the same age as me."

"I would never have," I lowered my voice so that it wouldn't echo,"sex with her Jones. I know better."

"Do you? I wouldn't have such high expectations for the both of you. You're a grown ass man Mr. Valentine!"

I felt my features harden. "I don't have to justify anything to you because I don't give a **** what you think about me or my decisions." She looked surprised.

This was my first time ever swearing in front of a student, but the situation had already spiralled out of control.

"I'm doing this because I care about Nightengale and for some reason, she thinks very highly of your opinion, so I'm going to say this for the first and final time."

I placed my hand on her shoulder, ensuring she was looking at me, "Nightengale is in my classroom waiting for us. We're going to discuss this like civilized human beings and don't ever speak too me that way again." I said, squeezing her shoulder a bit.

When we got there, Nightengale was sitting nervously biting her nails, her body rigid.

"Baby, come here." Jones dropped the water bottle she was carrying, but refused to look at any of us.

Nightengale came up to me and I held her close. I wasn't going to lose her over something like this.

She was mine.

"Tammy, I wanted to tell you but..."

"You knew all of this is wrong? You didn't trust me enough?"

She shook my hands free from her body. "You think I don't know that this is wrong? How ashamed of myself I am? Tammy, I know all of that, but I really like him."

"He could be your father Gayle! Do you get that?"

I folded my arms over my chest and leaned against my desk, observing. They needed to talk about this without me interfering.

"Tammy, I know he's a lot older than I am-"

"And a teacher and a married man..."

"He's going to leave his wife!"

"Oh really! Why hasn't he then?"

I pursed my lips. I myself hadn't pondered that seriously in the months that Lisa had left me.

Nightingale looked back at me for a split second and I stood upright.

For the first time in a while, I realized how troubled she was about me still being married to Lisa.

She didn't say anything about it, so I assumed she was fine and knew that she was the only female in my life.

The only one I wanted.

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