CHAPTER 15 — MAKE VERITY’S WEEK A MISERY
At first, I was numb, Mr. Covel’s voice playing in my head, unable to pause even for a second. Then, over the course of the following days, my remaining dreams withered away. The seeds of dismay grew in its place and my chest constricting with the sting of emptiness. Misery was me, the future seeming bleak, my soul a void.
It didn’t help matters that Lennox had completely ghosted me as well. It’s not like we were ever on the texting basis to begin with, but I just expected that, maybe, he’d still reach out considering that we’d shared a moment and even a kiss. Maybe I was getting a little ahead of myself with the fantasy that Lennox Wilder might have actually taken a genuine interest in me. Who was I kidding? He was the multi-billionaire CEO of Wild Industries and like Val had wonderfully mentioned, he couldn’t care less about anything else asides his official responsibilities. Granted, none of that included me. Note taken.
I browsed through the financial files, seeking for something, anything that could prove useful, but the results were always the same; nothing. My once cool room seemed hot and stuffy now, the sweat beading on my brow as I pored through the papers. My? I gave out a weak chuckle, it wouldn’t even be mine anymore. So much for the season of miracles.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
My phone’s alarm clock spluttered. Shutting it off, I glanced at the clock mounted on the wall; 2:50 pm. It was almost time for the dance classes to begin seeing as we started by 3pm. Sighing, I gave the files a final once over before flipping them close, then I tied my hair into a bun. I walked out of the room, the office door behind me closing with a click. At least, Mr. Covel had agreed to let me continue teaching before the final day he sold the building off. Even though that counted as something in his books, there was still that ominous sense of gloom of having it taken away from me hanging in the air. Weighing me down with every step I took.
Fantastic! The universe was playing a cruel joke on me. First, Lennox cutting off ties with me. Then Mr. Covel with his decision to sell ATJ. Super. What was next? I wasn’t sure I was eager to know. Taking in a deep refreshing breath, I clasped my hands, interlacing them and marched through the hallway, the dance hall door looming ahead.
“Afternoon, Miss Verity!” Noah called on his toes while flinging his arms outward as he tried mimicking a ballet dancer. If he was to move another inch, he would definitely fall to the floor.
These children didn’t even know what was happening. That it was only a matter of days that stood between us and the trading of the building. Despite the deep sadness welling in me, I couldn’t help but respond cheerily to him, “Afternoon, Noah! And try not to fall flat on your face.” I walked up to him and ruffled his brown hair, taking note of the children present in the room.
Apparently, only Noah had taken notice of my presence. The rest of the children were occupied. Addie sat against the white wall, by the speaker, nodding her head to music that only she could hear and writing something down in her notebook. In a corner, Cherry and Charlie were bickering amongst themselves, as always, a deep scowl depicted on Charlie’s face as he pointed to a comic.
“Spiderman is the best, Cherry. I don’t care what you say.” Charlie scrunched his forehead.
His twin sister shook her head, blonde hair identical to her sibling’s flying over her shoulder and stuck her tongue at him. “No, he’s not! Barbie is the best.”
“Barbie’s not even a superhero, Cherry! You just say that because you’re a girl.” Charlie’s gestures were wild, the comic’s pages fluttering open in the air, his countenance one of extreme irritation.
“Are not, booger goblin!” Cherry retorted, arms crossed. Her lips were pinched.
“Are too, bonehead!” Her brother stamped his foot on the ground.
Okay, I’d decided, that was enough. I needed to step in before world war three began, courtesy of these two. I ambled in their direction, keeping my voice loud and stern. “That’s enough, Cherry. Charlie, cut it out. There’s no argument here. Both Barbie and Spiderman are cool.”
Now in front of them, I squatted to their height and placed a hand on each of their shoulders. I turned to Charlie. “You guys shouldn’t argue about things that don’t really mean anything. You’re siblings, and yes, I know that there will always be a form of sibling rivalry, but don’t let that tear you apart. Now, apologize to Cherry for calling her a bonehead.”
“But…” Charlie stuttered, a look of disbelief on his face.
“But nothing.” I stared at him, tipping my head up as if to imply go on.
With a grumble, Charlie muttered a sorry, his head hung and unable to see the smug smile Cherry had on her facial features.
“Wipe off that smile, girly. You would soon be saying sorry next.”
Rolling her eyes, Cherry mumbled a tiny sorry, the smile wiped off her face.
“Great. Now you can go on talking, just without the insults and name-calling. Get ready for the dance lesson though.” I patted their clothed backs and left them be.
I veered towards Addie’s direction. They both reminded me of my sister and I during our childhood. We were always in one fight or another, always quarreling about stupid things until either one of us apologized. My chest swelled with unhappiness, the noose of misery tightening around my neck. That was a memory meant to be retrieved another day when I was feeling nostalgic, not right now. I wasn’t about to let my already dampened mood be brought low again.
“Hey, buddy. What’s up? Ready to hit the dance floor?” I asked Addie.
The girl lifted her head up, the light bulb above highlighting the brown of her eyes. She shut the notebook nestled between her thighs and nodded.
“I didn’t even hear you come in, V. Sorry.” She held out a hand towards me. I pulled her up.
“No problem, Addie. You seemed really busy.” I pointed my head toward her pink book, now sitting on the ground. Pink…That reminded me of someone who loved the color pink: Shaye.
“Where is Shaye? Shaye is always early?” I asked the question out loud. I always kept a tab of attending students, so I needed to know and not just because of her father. Or that I told myself.
Addie shrugged, rounded shoulders moving up and down. “Don’t know, don’t particularly care.”
I stared at her for a while, fixing my gaze on her, different scenarios running amok within the confines of my head. Everyone was in class today, well, not everyone. Shaye wasn’t. But what could be the reason? Could it be as a result of her father? Had she been pulled out because he no longer desired to have anything to do with me? Probably. It was of a high probability. Well, someone really decided to go to any length to cut off ties with me. Again, fantastic. Thank you, universe, for letting me know the third item on your list of Make Verity’s Week A Misery.
“V?” Addie called, pulling me out of my train of consciousness. There was a worried gaze on her face, an eyebrow cocked up.
“Uh, sorry.” I immediately shut thoughts off Lennox and his daughter out of my head and returned my gaze to the class. “Alright, guys. Time to roll! Addie, hit the music. Everyone to their positions.”
Addie lifted the volume on the sound system and filed into the line the children had formed, with Cherry as first, Charlie, second, next Noah, then Addie.
I set my legs in front, raising my arms outwards. “Ready?”
“Yes!” The children yelled as one, then began following my moves.
“Turn around, lift your fingers and down. Now twirl.” I instructed, lost in the driving beats that spilled from the stereo. With the aggressive moves defining the genre of dance I taught them, I forgot my worries for the meantime. It was the perfect outlet for the restless energy and frustration pulsing in my blood, dancing and guiding my pupils. It infused my soul with fire, the hole in my chest almost a thing of the past and lifting away my sour mood, letting me forget, for a while, about my troubles.
So absorbed was I, intent on dancing away my worries, that I wasn’t aware of the number one reason for my anxiety staring at me, eyes flinty cold.
Lennox Wilder.