I bit my lip and shrugged. “Yeah,” I said softly. “I told you.”
Angela pulled me into a close hug. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you,” she said. “I had no idea they would be so callous. They practically blamed you!”
I nodded. “I know.” I wrinkled my nose. “Same way they treated me when Andy tried grabbing me in that alley. They acted like it was no big deal – like I deserved it, because I’d once asked him for coffee.”
Angela heaved a large sigh. “What are you gonna do?”
I bit my lip and sniffled. “I have no idea,” I said quietly. “When I think of something, I’ll let you know.”
Chapter Fifteen
June
On Monday, Angela had to go back to work. I wish I could say that I was starting to feel better about my whole situation, but the truth was that I was feeling more depressed than ever before. Day after day passed by where I did nothing but sit on the couch and flip through old shows, and I was starting to wonder if I shouldn’t be spending my time by looking for a job. But every time I pulled up my laptop and started working on my resume, I just felt guilty and sad. I couldn’t believe that my lifelong goal of teaching had barely lasted for more than a year.
Thursday morning, just as I was settling down on the couch with some leftover pizza and a bad romantic comedy, my phone buzzed on the end table. My hand was shaking as I picked it up.
“Hello?”
“Hello, may I please speak with June Rogers?”
“This is she.”
“June, this is Anne Marie, one of the sectaries at P.S.151. How are you?”
“Um, I’m fine.” My cheeks flamed bright red and I bit my lip.
“Good. I was hoping you could come in this afternoon for a small meeting – just myself, you, and Principal Morris.”
Oh, shit , I thought. It’s finally happening. They’re going to hand me a pink slip and then it’s all over .
“Okay,” I said nervously.
“June, could you be here in an hour?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“Good. Thanks so much for your cooperation, I really appreciate it. See you soon.”
I hung up and sprang off the couch, knocking my pizza onto the floor. I stared at it for a moment, debating whether or not to clean it up. They’re going to fire me , I thought. It doesn’t matter. I’ll still be home before Angela . I can just clean it up then. Or who knows – maybe I can just eat it, because I’ll be feeling so miserable that I won’t be able to stand myself .
I shuddered and darted into my room. Tugging on a knit dress, I added tights, boots, and a swipe of coral lipstick. My hair was a greasy tangle but I picked it apart as best I could, using some of Angela’s dry shampoo and combing it into a chignon.
Downstairs, I hailed a cab. It made me nervous to be spending that kind of money today – after all, now that I was about to be officially fired, I wouldn’t really have any play money for a while. Or any money , I realized bleakly.
The cab halted to a stop in front of P.S.151 and I gave the driver the biggest tip I could without overspending. Then I ran up the stairs, for what I knew would be my last time walking through the front doors.
The front office was quiet – it was the middle of the day, and I figured most of the kids were at lunch. Anne Marie stood up and smiled when she saw me.
“June, right on time. If you wouldn’t mind coming with me,” she said, leading the way into Principal Morris’s office.
I gulped. “Here goes nothing,” I muttered under my breath. “I just hope I don’t cry.”
Principal Morris was seated behind his desk, looking more regal and walrus-like than ever before. This time, his attention was clearly focused on Anne Marie. When I walked in and sat down, he smiled.
“June, I’m so glad you could make it out,” Principal Morris said. “This is something we’ve been meaning to discuss with you for a few days, but I wanted to be sure that everything was right on track.”
I swallowed nervously. “Just get it over with,” I said.