-Natalie's POV-
"Violet, go to principals office, now!" I shout and the class goes silent. I sit down in my chair as my heart races and my blood boils.
She is constantly picking on other students, throwing paper planes as if she's a child. For Christ sake why can't they just listen.
"I'm sorry, Miss." Violet says and I look at her.
"Get out of my classroom, Violet. I mean it, you do not pick on other students as if it's funny, your minions might find it funny but the students actually listening and trying to learn certainly do not!" I tell again and she sinks into her chair. She's not getting away with it this time. Everyday is the same with her.
"I just apologised—"
"You apologise everyday but continue to throw stuff at your classmates, I mean it, get out of my fucking classroom." I let it slip out before I process it. The whole class begin to laugh quietly looking to their friends. Violets face goes red before she stands up, her chair falling back and hitting the floor. Fuck. I rub my head looking down.
She walks down the classroom mumbling.
"Keep mumbling, Violet." I say, she goes quiet leaving the classroom.
I take a breath before standing up to gather myself together.
I walk over to the door shutting it as another student picks up violets chair, I look at him smiling slightly with a nod.
"Just take out your books and read them." I say making my way over to my chair.
✺
"Mrs Logan, if you could—"
"This is absolute nonsense, she shouted inappropriately not only to my daughter but to the whole class. This isn't the first time Violet has been targeted by a teacher!" Violets mother shouts. I sit back in my chair, in front of Mrs Daniels desk, I got called to the principals office too. How lovely.
"Maybe teach your daughter manners, mhm?" I look to her and her mouth falls open, she looks to Mrs Daniels.
"Teach yourself some manners!" Mrs Logan shouts and I cringe at her high pitched voice.
"I think she is a unfit teacher." Mr Logan, Violets dad speaks up for the first time in the last thirty minutes that his wife has been shouting.
"I think that we can find a suitable punishment for them both." Mrs Daniels speaks up.
"I want her fired!" Mrs Logan says.
"That isn't necessary—"
"She had an inappropriate relationship with her student, I think she should be fired for that." Violet speaks up and I sit back...the rumour that still floats about the school which is true, yes, but nobody seems to have proof.
"We discussed that in the past, it is a rumour and just that." Mrs Daniels speaks up again while I keep quiet, tapping my finger off of my leg.
"No it's not—my friend has screenshots—with lots of photos." Violet says and I scoff rolling my eyes.
"I think we're going off topic." I say.
"I don't feel comfortable with her teaching my daughter, all the moms in our group chat agree." Mrs Logan speaks and I look to her. On Facebook, I suppose.
"You have a group chat about me? Should I be worried or flattered?" I question.
"Miss Snow." Mrs Daniels says.
"She is immature." Mr Logan says.
I look to Violet who's scrolling through her phone.
"Amalia follows the student...I'm trying to get her to send me the photos now." Violet says and I look to Mrs Daniels who shakes her head at me. Fuck?
"This is...dismissed. Violet, you will have detention for a week. That is all." Mrs Daniels says.
I stand up.
✺
I swirl the wine around inside my glass as I lean against my marble countertop. I bite my lip thinking.
I hear my front door opening. I snap out of my thoughts leaning off the counter.
"Who is it?" I ask.
"Carson." I hear Carson's voice and he walks into the kitchen.
"Hey." He says and I nod before I take a long sip of my wine.
"Hello." I say wiping my mouth with my thumb.
"The funeral is December twenty first. Mom wants to have it quickly, get it over and done with because she's upset enough about it." Carson says.
"That's next Wednesday." I say and he nods.
"Yeah....how have you been the last few days?"
"I've been alright."
"I know you and dad weren't close—"
"I'd rather us not talk about that."
"Okay, we won't. Are you bringing anyone to the funeral..like Tatum—"
"No, do not tell her either. I don't need her coming over and being all over me trying to see if I'm alright, I am. My girlfriend is coming home Monday. I will tell her and everyone then...I don't want it to become big deal for them, they'll be all over me and you know how I am with—"
"Comfort?" He cuts me off and I look at him.
"What?"
"You don't like being comforted."
"I didn't say that." I pick up the wine bottle.
"Yeah, but it's always been obvious."
"Shut it, would you? Do you want a glass?" I ask instead and he walks over to the island, pulling out a seat.
"Sure, why not." He responds and I put down the bottle and my glass, I walk over to the cupboard getting out another wine glass.
I walk back over to the island. I sit down beside him, I pick up the wine bottle to pour him a glass. I hand it to him.
"Thanks." He says and I nod. I poor some wine into my own glass before picking it up taking a sip.
"You asked how I've been, how have you been?" I ask leaning my elbow into the island.
"To be honest, terrible." He wipes his mouth, he's letting his beard and moustache grow out, they're not long, just growing.
"Yes...well, that's alright." I say since I don't know what else to say.
"It's just so weird...one minute he's here...before you know it, he's not." He taps the glass and I nod understanding.
"Yes, that is weird." I look away, staring at the cabinets instead.
"Do you believe in heaven?" He asks elbowing me a little, I look back to him. I bite the inside of my lip thinking.
"No, but don't let that affect your beliefs, I know you do and that's what you believe." I tell him and he takes a long sip of his wine.
"Why don't you?" Carson fixes the watch on his wrist.
"I don't know, Carson....Maybe because I've been told my whole life I'm going to hell." I shrug look at the counter.
"I support—"
"I know." I laugh a little glancing to the wall before back at the counter.
"We're taught to love, Natalie. Not hate, people telling you that you are going to hell, that's hating...The opposite of what we're supposed to do." He bumps my shoulder and I look to him smiling.
"Since when did you become Mr religious anyway?" I ask and he shrugs.
"I'm not exactly religious, I'm open minded...Like I just believe something is out there afterwards. Anna's religious, I've spoke to her a lot about, I guess." He shrugs.
"Does she support it? Homosexuality, I mean." I say and he nods.
"Like I said, she believes we are supposed to love, the real sin is people being homophobic, that's hating not loving."
"I studied a lot of religion a lot during high school, you know?"
"And you don't believe?"
"I'll let you know if we both get into heaven." I say and he nods.
"I love you either way."
"Thanks, Carson." I tell him.
"Are you not going to say you love me back." He laughs and I roll my eyes.
"Shut it." I say and we both go quiet. A comfortable silence fills the room. I pick up my glass taking a sip again before swirling the glass.
I watch the wine hitting the sides of the glass. Thinking of it, the really only good memory I have with my dad is when I went to see a movie with him, my mom basically forced him to bring me. I was around thirteen at the time, I was around that awkward stage of hair growing in places and I was uncomfortable with my body. I just started developing in my chest, quite quickly too.
My mom had bought me a nice dress, I decided to wear it, it was tight around my boobs, I was uncomfortable but my mom said I looked beautiful, I hadn't felt that way but I still wore it.
We went to the theatre, I can't remember which movie but it was good, I talked a little with my dad, the only time I probably had a one on one conversation with him. It was only small talk, of course.
We were leaving the cinema, some boys from my school had been there to see the movie too. They whistled, I didn't acknowledge it. I've always been a pretty girl, I won't lie about that, girls have hated me for it because boys did pay attention to me, my attention was always on their girlfriends though.
Anyway, they began calling my name, I looked over and they said some shit, I was expecting my dad to blame me for it. He didn't. He went over and shouted at them.
He called them 'fools' and 'bitches', maybe it wasn't the best for a Middle aged man to shout at thirteen and fourteen year olds but he stuck up for me. The first and only time he did.
"So...tell me about this girlfriend." Carson bumps me with his elbow and I snap out of my thoughts.
"Diana?" I ask and he sits back.
"Isn't she the student you were seeing?" He asks and I nod.
"Yes, now she's no longer my student, she's my girlfriend."
"Does mom know?"
"No."
"Who knows?"
"Me, her, her family and friends."
"You forgot about your own family?" He jokes and I shrug.
"Well, I was afraid Zack might slip up and try get her in bed."
"Casual Zack."
"Yes, well, I don't think he would be able to get to her."
"That's...good." He says and I nod.
"Yes, anyway, we've been together two years now, I don't see her much so...that's the bad side to it because she's in college. But, our relationship is good." I say.
"You gonna marry her?" He asks and I shrug.
"I don't know."
"Do you not want to?" He asks picking up the wine bottle to pour himself another glass.
"It's not that. I do want to, I would love to marry her and she's spoken about that before. I am just...afraid, I am afraid that marriage would ruin our relationship, I'd love to call this girl my wife but I'd hate even more to call her an ex wife in the future." I sigh and Carson hums.
"I say, wait till she's finished with college, then get married, you have to have your space though. There's ways to make it work." He tells me and I nod.
"Thanks, Carson." I tell him and he nods.
"I better finish this glass and go home before my own wife worries." He says and I smile.
"I love you, Carson." I say and he looks at me smiling.
"You mean that or are you just saying it, Snow?" He questions and I roll my eyes.
"I do mean it, 'snow'." I tell him and he nods.
"Take care of yourself, little one." He kisses the top of my head and I cringe.
"Take care of yourself too, tell Lilah and Anna I said hello." I say and he smiles before bringing his glass over to the sink before he leaves the kitchen.