Hissy Fit (The Southern Gentleman #1)(40)

“What’s sex, Grandma?” Moira asked suddenly, appearing at our sides with a Gatorade and handing it to her father, who twisted it open without a second’s thought. “I want to have sex!”

That was when the entire table exploded, while Raleigh watched on in fascination.





Chapter 14


333. I’m only half evil.

-Text from Raleigh to Camryn

Raleigh

“Ms. Crusie?” the office called over the speaker in my classroom. “Do you have a moment to come into my office and speak with me?”

I looked up in horror at the speaker and then looked at the students that were huddling in my classroom to escape the rain outside where they would normally be having their lunch period.

“Yes, ma’am,” I said to the old office lady, Mrs. Johns. “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

It just so happened that not only was I forced to take the senior sex-ed class, I was also forced to take the classroom that was as far away from civilization, as well as the office, as it could be.

Not that I was complaining.

I loved the classroom…mostly.

But, every once in a while, a few doubts and fears would creep in, and I’d be left thinking that nobody would hear us—or me—if we screamed.

“Awww, man!” Johnson whined. “I’m only half done with my math homework for Uncle Ezra’s class.”

I stood up and gathered my keys. “I’ll allow y’all to stay in here on two conditions.”

Morgan, who’d been helping Johnson, looked up. “And what’s that?”

“Y’all don’t trash my crap, and y’all don’t try to pry open the desk drawers to get a peek at your test.”

It was Mackie’s snort of derision that almost had me reaching into the desk and withdrawing the tests. Morgan and Johnson were okay. Mackie? Not so much.

Luckily, and unluckily as I saw it, the classroom we were in was also the same classroom that I taught sex-ed in, meaning that the students had gathered there to study during lunch. I didn’t mind. I was beginning to really enjoy that particular group of kids, sans a few bad apples.

I also couldn’t wait to hand over the tests.

I’d changed them up a little from the norm, and I had a feeling that today’s test wouldn’t be as easy as the last two had been.

Apparently, someone was handing out the answers, and not one single person had made below a ninety the entire semester.

Though this was an easy class, it wasn’t the type of class that would have every single student passing every single test with flying colors.

Life just didn’t work like that.

I’d expected at least one B, because I hadn’t made the test easy, but they were all doing well.

Sure, some of them I’d expect to actually read the material and study, like Johnson and Morgan.

However, Mackie making a ninety-nine when he refused to do any of his homework, or even open a book, left something inside of me suspicious of his actions.

“Yes, ma’am,” Johnson drawled. “We’ll be good. Pinky promise.”

He held up his pinky, and jokingly I walked over to him and took the pinky with mine.

Afterward, I walked out of the class and toward the office, feeling dread replace my calm before I’d even made it halfway.

It didn’t help that I saw Ezra coming out of the principal’s office just as I was arriving.

It also scared me when he wouldn’t look at me as he passed.

By the time I was sitting in front of Mrs. Sherpa’s desk, I was a nervous wreck.

“We had a parent log a complaint about you,” Mrs. Sherpa said, not beating around the bush.

My brows rose.

“Okay,” I paused. “What about?”

I was thinking it was one of my calculus student’s parents who were unhappy with how I was grading their child. I couldn’t be farther from the truth.

“We would like you to know that the complaint will be investigated, but we don’t foresee anything following the investigation. But, by law, we have to investigate,” she explained.

I was flabbergasted.

“What was the complaint?” I repeated.

She wiggled in her seat. “The parent said that you made a comment to a male student, and when the male student told their parents what you said, they felt that it was a sexual advance.”

My mouth fell open.

“What?”

“It happened in your sex-ed class,” she explained. “And apparently, you asked the student a question about something in the textbook, and you made a sexual innuendo as you did.”

My mind raced.

I had no idea who she was talking about, or what I might’ve said.

“I teach straight out of the book,” I explained, trying to relay how I taught. “Honestly, I follow the chapters, and give tests straight out of the books exactly like Coach McDuff did previously. Nothing that I’ve done can or will ever be misconstrued as a sexual advance toward any student. Honestly, those students scare the absolute bejesus out of me, and you very well know it.”

She nodded in understanding. “I know. Which is why I don’t think the investigation will go anywhere. For the time being, though, Coach McDuff will be taking over the class until the investigation is taken care of.”