Tick. Tick. Tick.
With each tick of the clock, I clicked my pen— a nervous habit I had picked up somewhere. Rain pounded at the windows, doing nothing to calm me down. Of course it would be raining against today, I thought bitterly. In thirty seconds the homeroom bell would ring, and within the next few minutes, Arden would show up in my room. Or was supposed to show up. Who knew if he'd come today?
The bell sounded and I stopped my motions, waiting anxiously. A minute passed, then two, then three, then five. My hopes dropped instantly, although I wasn't that surprised. Why wouldn't Arden avoid me? I was a promise-breaking liar after all. Maybe it'd be best if I just wore a shirt saying "believe me, I'm lying" around. It'd stop this from happening again.
The phone on my desk suddenly let out a shrill ring, making me jump in my seat. On the second ring, I picked it up, placing it against my ear. "Hello?"
"Good morning Harley," a voice I recognized as the principal's responded. "Could you come down to my office? We need to talk."
My heart stopped for about two seconds, then jump-started with a rate of 100bps. My stomach clenched uncomfortably, and a feeling of nausea swept over me, sending my head reeling. I had to moisten my mouth before I could speak again.
"I'll be right down," I finally whispered, clutching the phone tightly in my hand.
"Okay."
The whole way to Collin's office, I resisted the urge to be sick. Hopefully, my gut feeling was wrong, and I wasn't going down to the office for the reason I thought I was. As I turned the hall that led to the principal's office, someone coming from the other direction ran straight into me.
"Sorry!" they apologized, grabbing my shoulders to keep me from failing. "Oh, good morning Ms. Allen."
I looked up to see Zak smiling at me. My heart skipped a beat and I took away from him, panic rising. "I... I've got to go," I said quickly, stepping around him, and hastened toward the office door.
"Wait, Ms. Allen!"
"Sorry!" I apologized, keeping my back to him.
My thoughts raced. Did he know? No, he couldn't— he was being too polite. What would happen when Zak found out? Would he be okay with it? Or would he get angry like Arden? What about Tucker? Or Joel? Joey? Luke?
Collin was at his desk when I walked in, his phone at his ear. When he noticed me, he put a finger to his lips and gestured for me to sit down. I did as he motioned, sitting tensely in the chair before him.
"Morning, Harley," he greeted me.
"Morning," I responded quietly.
"I'm going to guess that you know why you're down here."
"Well, I'm hoping I'm wrong..."
The principal smiled solemnly. "I don't think you are, Harley. When exactly were you going to tell me you were only seventeen years old?"
My gut dropped into my stomach. No way. Immediately my eyes began to burn. "I'm so sorry. Really, I'm so, so sorry. I know I messed up. Oh, God." I was going to be sick. This wasn't happening. But of course it was. How in the world did I think I could manage to pull this off? My heart felt like it was going to explode.
The principal pushed a box of tissues toward me. "Harley, calm down."
"Charge me however you want. I'm really sorry about this. I can explain why— but of course, that won't really matter. I lied to you and everyone and I shouldn't have done this I'm so sorry," I rambled, looking everywhere but at the principal.
"Harley," he repeated. "Look at me."
My eyes snapped to his face, my vision a little blurred by the tears gathering in my eyes. "Yes?"
"This whole situation is partially my fault too," he admitted. "We should've thoroughly checked your credentials. Have you even graduated high school?"
I lowered my eyes. "I'm a junior. I have my GED though. I'm currently home-schooled just to get a graduation certificate."
He rubbed his hands over his face. "I don't even know how to handle this. Why in the world did you do this?"
Seeing he was giving me a chance to explain, I did. I explained everything that had happened since my parent's death. About how I lost my other job. About how I needed the money to support my brother and myself. About how I was only going to pretend until the real teacher came back and then take my leave.
"Are you going to call the cops?" I whispered when I was done.
"No, I'm not," he said, surprising me.
"You're not?" Why in the world was he not going to call the cops? Wasn't what I did a crime?
He watched me for a moment, blue eyes boring into my own. "You know what you did was wrong, don't you?"
I nodded my head vigorously.
"You lied to me to my face."
"I'm really sorry," I apologized, hanging my head. "I'm so sorry."
He cleared his throat, making me return my attention to him. "I can say you came to my office today to tell me you don't want to substitute anymore. That it was too much to handle. Since you were only a sub, I don't even have to fire you. You can just leave."
I stared at him, my mouth open slightly. Why? Why was he giving me such an easy way out? What I did was wrong.
"I can tell by your face that you've already learned your lesson," he continued. "You're only seventeen, Harley. Everyone makes mistakes."
"Why are you being so easy on me?" I said, feeling my eyes starting to water again.
He gave me a soft smile. "I know what it's like to go through hard times. I know what teenagers are like. And you're talking to the principal of a delinquent school. There are students here who have done worse things."
"But I lied to everyone... I don't even have a teaching license..."
"The only thing we require for our substitute teachers for extracurricular classes is a high school diploma. If you have proof of your GED, technically you're safe. Even if I wanted to file a lawsuit against you, it would be a tough battle. But things would be different— and much, much more serious— if we'd hired you as a teacher."
This just all felt too simple. "You won't get in trouble?"
"The only way I could get in trouble is if I continue to let you work here."
I swallowed nervously. I didn't even want to think of the consequences for that. "So I just have to say I'm quitting, and that's it?"
He nodded. "That's it."
"Then," I started, just as the door to the office winged open. "I quit."
"What?" a new voice gasped.
I whipped my head around to the door, my eyes widening when I realized Arden was standing there. What was he doing here? And why did he look so shocked? Didn't he know he was the one who brought this on?
"You're quitting?" he said, looking caught off guard.
"Mr. Bring, I'm going to have to ask you to leave," Collin interjected, standing from his seat.
Arden turned to face him. "You can't let her quit—"
"She's seventeen years old. She can't work here, even as a substitute," Collin told him.
"But—"
"Out, Mr. Bring."
Arden gave me one brief, panicked look before closing the door again.
I stared at the door for a moment, taken aback by Arden's sudden appearance. Why was he making it seem like he cared? Obviously he didn't want me here anymore, otherwise, he wouldn't have told Collin my age. "Are you sure about this?" I asked, turning back to Collin.
"Do you want me to try and press charges?" he replied, raising an eyebrow.
I shook my head immediately.
"Then please, go gather your belongings and go home."
"Okay," I responded, standing up from the desk. "Collin... thank you."
He gave me a half-smile, half-grimace. "Unfortunately, I can't thank you."
I blushed, turning my gaze to the floor. "I'm sorry. If any problems arise, let me know. I promise I'll accept full responsibility," I told him.
His eyes crinkled as he sent me a genuine smile. "Good to hear. But let's hope I don't have to make that call."
"Yeah," I agreed.
"Have a good day, Harley."
I finally stood up, still feeling a little shaky. Why did I ever think this was a good idea? Sure, maybe I'd dodged a bullet, but I was back to having no source of income again. But I deserved it. But I needed to find a job again and fast. I could feel a lump forming in my throat.
Arden was standing right next to the office door when I exited. Not wanting to talk to him, I quickly turned on my heel and hurried away.
"Harley, wait!" I heard him call and I just sped up. "Wait!" he said again.
I took two more steps before I felt him grab my arm and pull me forcefully to a stop. I turned my head to look at him, trying to blink back tears. "What?"
"I'm sorry—"
"Obviously if I didn't tell you or anyone else for that matter, it was a secret!"
"But—"
"When Oliver found out he didn't tell anyone!" I told him, feeling my eyes start to water. Why was I getting mad at him? I had no right to. Sure, he'd told the principal, but I deserved that at least. But I still felt so irritated.
Arden's expression hardened. "Oliver knew?"
"He found out by accident," I said.
"For how long?"
Did it really matter? "Sometime during the first week I was here."
"So how come he could know while I couldn't?" he demanded, narrowing his eyes.
"Because he found out by accident! Accident, Arden!" I cried, giving him a look of disbelief. "It's not like I kept it a secret from you just because! I would have told you if I could."
"But you promised me, Harley!"
"I know! But I had to—"
"I wouldn't have told anyone if I knew!"
The lump returned in my throat and I had to swallow it forcefully before I could continue. "The problem is that you did tell someone, and now I don't know what's going to happen. Have a good morning, Arden."
"Harley!"
It took all I had to ignore Arden calling after me as I escaped into the hallway that led to my classroom. Fortunately, he didn't follow me. I knew I shouldn't be mad at him— he didn't do anything wrong. It was always me. Yes, he told the principal my true age, but I knew what I was getting into with that. It was only right that I stopped working here.
Maybe I was just upset about the fact Arden had told my secret before even talking to me about it.
Sighing, I opened the door to my classroom— the classroom for the last time.
"Ms. Allen?"
My heart leaped into my throat and I glanced toward my desk, where Zak was standing. I stepped back in surprise, nearly tripping over my feet. "Zak!" Did he know? I glanced back into the hallway. Maybe I could run...
"Wait, wait! I'm not angry!" he told me, giving me an earnest look. "Really. I totally understand why you had to hide your age."
"So you know?" I asked rhetorically, stepping in fully and closing the door.
He grinned. "Yeah, I do. It's kind of surprising though. I actually believed you were twenty-two."
"You're not mad?"
"Not at all!" he told me, shaking his head. "I'm actually pretty upset. We're going to miss you."
I strode across the rest of the room and threw my arms around him. "I'm going to miss you too, Zak."
He rubbed my back. "Hey, we'll still be friends."
Just as I pulled away, the door to the classroom opened and Tucker and Melissa entered. Melissa came straight over to me and gave me a hug. "Oliver told me what happened. Are you okay? What's going to happen?"
"I..." My eyes drifted to the door again, where Oliver was hovering.
"Going to jail, you little delinquent?" he asked, trying to sound teasing, but coming off serious. He entered the room a little more, but still hovered by the door.
I shook my head. "No. Somehow I'm off the hook."
Everyone looked visibly relieved. Tucker patted my shoulder. "You're going to have one badass story to tell everyone one day."
His comment surprised a laugh out of me. "Oh, definitely."
"Does that mean Ms. Dawson is coming back then?" Melissa asked, wrinkling up her nose. "She won't be half as good as you, Ms. Allen."
"Call me Harley," I insisted. "You guys really don't care that I lied to you?"
"You had your reasons," Tucker said. "And..." he cleared his throat, pink tainting his cheeks, "...and I'm glad you came here, otherwise we wouldn't have met."
My chest seized up with emotion. "Oh, Tucker."
"Hey, don't cry on me—"
"I'm so lucky to have friends like you guys," I sniffed, doing my best not to start crying. "Promise me we'll still hang out."
"Definitely," they chorused.
I didn't know what I deserved to have friends like them, but I was eternally grateful.
Before anyone else could say anything else, the classroom door swung open yet again. Everyone's heads turned to it, and after a second Arden appeared. He blinked, realizing all the attention was on him. Before I could process what was happening, Oliver was slamming Arden into the wall. "What did you do, Arden?" he demanded, holding the shocked boy against the wall. "Do you really hate Harley that much?"
"Wait!" I cried. "Oliver, back off!"
Oliver sent me an exasperated look, but let go of Arden. Arden pushed away from the wall, sending Oliver an apologetic look. I moved between them for safe measures, my back to Arden.
"I didn't know it was such an important secret," Arden told Oliver.
"Save it," Oliver snapped. "I hope you realize you cost Harley the job she needed."
There was a moment of silence and it made me want to turn around and see Arden's expression. "I know," he finally sighed. "I just wanted to come in and say I'm sorry. I'll go."
I took a deep breath, turning to him. "Wait—"
He gave me a small smile. "It's okay. We'll talk later, alright?"
"We can talk now—"
"I have to go talk with the principal real quick," he told me. "Bye, Harley."
I opened my mouth to stop him, but he was already slipping out the door. "Arden..."
"He's just upset he messed everything up," Tucker spoke up. "Give him some time."
I frowned. "But..."
Zak nodded. "And he's probably a little embarrassed too. Just give him some space."
"Will that really be alright?"
A reassuring hand appeared on my shoulder. "Didn't I tell you everything would be okay?" Oliver asked. "Take a look around you. All your friends will be here for you."
I did take a look around me. And four of the most beautiful faces stared back at me. The faces of my best friends.
"We've got your back," Zak said.
"We won't tell anyone else about this, either," Tucker added.
"Your secret is safe with us," Melissa promised.
And suddenly I felt like everything was going to be okay.