26

Archer
The staff room is empty, which isn’t usual early morning before class. I pull my cell phone out, wondering if I’ve missed a memo about a meeting or something.
There’s nothing from Oak, so I message Bly to find out where he is.
Me: It’s a ghost town in the staff room. What’s going on?
Bubbles appear instantly as he types back.
Bly: There’s a meeting in the grand hall.
I clench my jaw as it’s the first I’m hearing of it. Sighing heavily, I head out of the staff room toward the hall, intending to take my frustration out on Oak for not telling me about it.
When I walk into the room, he’s standing at the front talking about mathematics. I know he fired Jameson for being an asshole about his marriage to Eva. I don’t think she was the only one that thought it was wrong; she was the only one that had the balls to tell him to his face.
I can’t say anything because I’ve had far more students in my bed than he has. Bly is near the front, but I take a seat nearer the back not to disturb whatever speech he’s giving.
“So, do we have any volunteers to take over Professor Jameson’s classes temporarily?”
The silence that resounds around the room is deafening. There’s no way I can offer any help, as I’m shit academically, and always have been. Jameson taught Math, and that is my weakest subject of them all.
“Come on, people. I need a couple of you to pitch in. Who has the most free periods?”
There’s some whispering between the staff, and then finally Bly stands up. “I can take the classes, but I doubt I have the skill to mark assignments.”
Oak looks relieved his friend swooped in to save him. “Okay, can anyone mark the assignments temporarily?”
Sophia stands. “I’ll mark them. I just don’t think my workload would suit taking the classes.”
Bly has fewer classes to teach than most of us, as all of them are optional and not open to every year. The younger years don’t take torture or anatomy, for example. However, there are a couple of staff members who have a lower workload than him, like Janice Irwin, who takes the Money Laundering and assassination class. She would have been an ideal math teacher, since she’s already into math, anyway, but she’s always been lazy. Never wants to participate with the staff in an active way and keeps to herself. Same goes for Jeremiah Kane, who takes merchandise and profit class, as well as chemistry, which basically involves making your own drugs. Alice Love, who takes corporate planning and bribery classes.
All three of them are odd and don’t hang out in the staff room. And now that Jameson is gone, we’re left with just Sophia and Elaine, who actually go in the staff room.
And then there’s the maintenance and office staff, who hang out in their offices instead of the staff room. Although Melissa, Oak’s secretary, sometimes makes an appearance.
“Perfect, that’s settled, then. If there’s anyone who has ideas for potential candidates for the role, please come to me after the meeting.” He clears his throat. “I must ask if there are any other matters we need to discuss.”
Jeremiah puts his hand up. “Yes, the senior hunting trip is supposed to take place in three days and you haven’t assigned any members of staff for it.”
I sit up straighter at the mention of the hunting trip. All the seniors go to the woods not far from here to hunt game, which means Adrianna will be on it. “I volunteer to lead it,” I say.
Oak’s brow arches as he notices me in the back. “That’s very kind of you, Archer, but are you really the best choice?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
A muscle in his jaw moves. “It means you don’t normally take the hunting excursions.”
I tilt my head. “Surely I’m the best for the job, being that my classes are the most active and physical.”
Oak nods. “Fine, you and Jeremiah can take the students.”
Perfect. I get to take the trip with that weirdo.
“Are there any other matters that need to be addressed?”
Alice Love stands. “Yes, I think that we need more real-life experiences for my classes.” I zone out then as she starts to prattle on about taking her students to New York to try to bribe a businessman on a field trip, which is completely insane.
Some of the staff have questionable ideas. I sit in the back, stewing over why exactly I didn’t receive an invitation to the meeting. Once it’s finally adjourned, I stand and walk over to Oak, fists clenched. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me about the meeting?”
Oak shrugs. “You don’t normally have any interest in them or take part.”
“It’s because you knew the matter of the senior hunting excursion would come up, isn’t it?”
He sighs heavily. “Look, Arch. You don’t have a good track record with girls in the senior class. Ideally, you wouldn’t be my first pick.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “So that’s why you didn’t send me a memo?”
He nods. “Yes.”
Bly walks over to us. “What’s going on?”
I glare at him. “Oak excluded me from this meeting as he didn’t want me taking the seniors hunting.”
“Makes sense. You can’t keep your dick in your pants at the best of times. Let alone in the woods with whatever young student you have decided to prey on.” His eyes narrow. “Although this year may be different, since Vasquez is very resistant to your charms, unless you’ve given up on her.”
“Never,” I growl.
He chuckles. “Someone’s a bit on edge.”
I can tell he’s enjoying it being me for a change, as I’m normally the one teasing him about this foul moods.
“Shut up.” I run a hand across the back of my neck. “What are you up to tonight?”
Bly shrugs. “Nothing. What do you have in mind?”
“Food and drink at the diner?”
His brow furrows. “We’ve already been to the diner this week.”
“Is there a rule you can only go once a week that I don’t know about?”
Bly shakes his head. “No, I just expected you to suggest some sleazy bar.”
“I don’t always want to go to sleazy bars, you know?”
Bly chuckles. “Could have fooled me.”
“I guess it’s a stupid question, but do you want to tag along?” I ask Oak.
He shakes his head. “Not tonight, sorry.”
“He’s totally whipped,” I say.
Bly nods. “Seems that way.”
Oak growls. “I’m not whipped, but we go out once a week anyway and I’ve got a wife to get home to.”
The bell rings, warning us we have a couple of minutes to get to our classes. “Right, I’ve got junior gym to take this morning. I’ll see you in the staff room after classes finish tonight.”
Bly nods. “See you then.”
I walk out of the grand hall and toward the gym, a spring in my step as it’s only a few days until I’ll be alone in the woods with my baby girl. Something tells me I’ll be hunting for her rather than animals.