Rags to Riches. Really? (1st book of Really? Series)

Chapter 22

I walked out of the office ten minutes before I had to start class and saw Ramont leaning against the wall beside the door. I raised an eyebrow and studied the older male while he turned his gaze to me. "You know that you could've knocked," I said. "There wasn't anything going on."

Ramont shrugged. "I know," he replied. He stood taller and cleared his throat while he placed his hands behind his back. "Your grandmother took your siblings back to the house she is staying in," he said. "She has asked me to apologize to you for not being while you work. She had some business that she had to attend to."

I nodded and felt relieved. "That's fine," I said. I cleared my throat and shifted on my feet. "Jean-Pierre had said that the kids could beat him with the blockers that we use to train." I shrugged and grimaced. "I didn't know what she would say if it happened."

Ramont nodded. He opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by one of my students.

"Miss Lamont?" my student asked, cocking her head. She held her hands behind her back, and I could see the blocker in her grasp. She had an innocent look in her eyes, but I knew that she was far from innocent.

"Yes, Paige?" I asked. I scowled and folded my arms across my chest, and she shifted on her feet, knowing full well what she had done wrong. "What is so important that you had to interrupt my conversation with someone?" I asked. "You know better."

"Ummmm..." She looked at Ramont and then looked back at me. Her eyes grew wider, and a blush appeared on her cheeks. "Do you know where Mr. Velez is? I saw his car parked up front."

I raised an eyebrow. "And why do you want him?" I asked, cocking my head while I studied the seven-year-old female.

"To beat him," she chirped while she grinned. "We were going to beat him with these." She held out the blocker, a rectangular foam block on a black handle that came in different colors. The one she held was red, and it looked like it had seen better days, which it had because it was one of the older ones.

"Paige!" someone exclaimed, and we looked that way to see another of my students glaring at her, holding a blocker with a black cover. He scowled and narrowed his eyes. "You weren't supposed to tell her that, remember?"

Paige's eyes grew wider, and her blush deepened. "Oh," she said. She looked at me and then looked at the male that had sent her my way. "Oops. Sorry, Jeffrey."

The ten-year-old male scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he said. He folded his arms across his chest and looked at me. "So, do you know where he is at?"

"Complete five laps, and then I'll tell you," I replied. I gave him a pointed look, and he looked down and shifted on his feet. "I am sure that it was you who had told Paige to interrupt me." I raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, Ma'am," he replied. He placed his hands behind his back and cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, Miss. Lamont," he said. He looked at Paige and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, Paige."

She shrugged. "It's fine," she said. She flicked the blocker in her hands and placed the foam part on her shoulder. She didn't seem fazed about having to run the five laps, knowing full well that it would count to the goal I had set for them at the end of each week.

"Good, now all four of you do the five laps, and then I'll tell you where Jean-Pierre is located. There will be no cheating. Is that understood?" I gave Jeffrey another look, and he shifted on his feet while he still looked down and did not meet my gaze.

"Ma'am, yes, Ma'am!" they yelled. They ran over to where they were supposed to start their laps and started to run. Yelling and screaming followed after them while they chased each other with the blockers in their hands.

I shook my head and let a small smile appear on my face, amused. I had no idea what I would do after they were done running, but I knew that I could keep them entertained, at least for now.

"You are good with them," Ramont said, and I looked at him. He watched the kids for a bit before he turned to look at me. "How long have you worked with them?"

I shrugged. "Around five or six years," I replied. I moved a hand through my hair and sighed before I shook my head. "Jeb helped me get it after he saw me at one of the events." I shrugged and stuffed my hands into my pockets. "Abe respected Jeb, so he let me start working there. Most of the stuff was under the table until I turned fifteen."

Ramont nodded. "Does the same go for working as a waitress?" He cleared his throat and placed his hands behind his back while he waited for me to answer.

I shrugged again and pursed my lips. "Sort of. I was friends with Jen for a long time. I started babysitting Jen's siblings, even though Jen can do it, and Robbie paid me for it. I learned how to cook because of Amaury and helped with the cooking before I waited on tables."

Ramont nodded again. He looked at the kids that were still running before he looked at me. His face was blank, and he didn't have any emotions showing at all while he studied me. "You know that you can quit, right?" he asked, and I shrugged and looked away from him.

"I know," I replied. I folded my arms across my chest and watched the kids scream and shout as they started on their third lap. "But I want to hold off quitting until I know for sure that this is the right thing to do for my family." I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. "I'm not used to not doing something, Ramont," I said. "I haven't been taught that."