The Director, page 25
She seemed well put together, wore heavy makeup and bold lipstick that accented her pale complexion. She kept pushing her curled strands of hair.
I wonder if she can breathe in that tight dress. Claudia’s voice merged with my thoughts again. I choked back a laugh, clearing my throat instead, and squeezed her hand.
Ms. Stephens couldn’t stop staring at Claudia. “Well, if you see him tell him I’m looking for him. We are supposed to have a date today.”
They do? Claudia sounded worried. Joseph had other plans today. Did you know?
No, babe.
Ms. Stephens patted my cheek gently and gave me a sexy grin. I grimaced.
Claudia gave a disapproving sigh.
“Oh, by the way John, your father is quite the charmer. I’m disappointed you never introduced me … and he’s a doctor. I guess looks and talent run in your family. I see where you get your aptitudes.” Her slim lips smiled as she walked away.
What? He’s here? Both Claudia and I had a panicked moment.
If only I had met him before Joseph.
I could almost hear Claudia’s teeth grind when that thought came through from the wicked witch.
“What a bitch!’ Claudia voiced, covering her mouth when she realized she had said it out loud. Luckily, Ms. Stephens was already far away and the crowd around us was quite noisy.
“She met him? Dr. Nicholson?” Claudia asked in a whisper when she lowered her hand.
“It seems that way,” I muttered, wondering how that could have gone down, or when for that matter. I looked around.
When Claudia caught my eyes, she began to do the same. Was he here? she wondered. I wanted to know the same thing and couldn’t give her an answer.
Joseph hadn’t mentioned anything, but Jonas being at the prom had also been an unexpected surprise. He was mocking me, telling me the boss was watching. That had been the only reason for that visit. It could mean nothing else.
All the thoughts racing through my mind were being considered by Claudia as well. It was amazing how my thoughts were no longer just mine. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
She leaned against me. What can I say, Mr. Slater? They just flow into my head …I can stop them if you’d like me to.
I don’t have any secrets from you, Miss Belle.
We stopped at the end of the line; Claudia turned and looked at me. “Why don’t you text him?” she suggested.
I’d considered the same thing, but felt Joseph would let me know if anything were amiss. Communication hadn’t been the best between us lately.
Claudia’s grip on my hand tightened. She understood. Although she trusted and cared for Joseph, he’d always been one-dimensional to her because of the watch.
I pulled Claudia close. She brushed back my hair, fixing the cap on my head.
Let’s just hope we don’t run into Dr. Nicholson, I mentally said. I would keep an eye open, and I wouldn’t text Joseph just yet. I couldn’t think of a good reason Dr. Nicholson would be in attendance. Michael, Joseph, nor I would extend an invitation, and it wasn’t like him to invite himself to an event for the sake of socializing.
That’s a relief, Claudia said mentally.
25
UNEXPECTED
CLAUDIA
Smiling I pulled up John’s chin. He neared for a kiss, but a voice from behind broke our connection.
“Hey, John! You ready, dude? We are graduating, man! Yeah!” George exclaimed.
John looked at him, frustrated that our kiss had been interrupted.
“Come on, kids, move in.”
I recognized the voice of Mr. Claypool. He caught sight of me and came in for a hug.
“Congratulations, sweetheart! We are so proud of you,” he whispered into my ear.
Mr. Vasquez did the same.
The line seemed silent for a moment. I felt strange that others knew I was sort of a mascot for Milton.
They both waved and ushered us into the auditorium entrance. Before we were sent in different directions by one of the other teachers, John looked at me again. “Claudia, are you still joining me this evening?” He smiled and his eyes danced.
I laughed. “Sure, Mr. Slater. Just don’t tell your father. I don’t want to tell him again where to stick it,” I joked.
He chuckled.
I smiled, thinking he looked rather dashing and bashful. “Of course, I’ll join you.”
John lit up.
As we came to the end, I was surprised to see Mr. Vega, aka Mr. Cortez. I gave him a guarded, quizzical look. So did John. His presence didn’t frighten me as I had thought it might. Nothing scared me when John was by my side.
What’s he doing here? John fumed. I had to hold on to him when I felt the adrenaline in his veins make my heart beat faster.
I’m not sure, I replied, but as I dug into his mind, I noticed he had been hired by the school district.
“What are you doing here?” John growled at him as the line moved.
Students passed us. John’s hand held onto mine and he pushed ahead of me like a guardian would.
“Ah, look at you,” Mr. Cortez said. He seemed timid and resentful of John, but he cowered as John’s intimidating height loomed over him.
“I work here. Why else would I be here? The district’s idea of training … blah …”
John loomed even closer.
“Relax. I’m not planning on making any trouble. Can we just ignore me for now?”
“My uncle gave you clear instructions never to come near here again, or show your face.”
“I’m not here to make trouble,” he said cowardly. “I’m just trying to make a living, buddy.”
“I’m not your buddy, asshole.”
“Okay, no harm intended. I don’t plan to do anything to her. I’m done with all that. Honestly.” He shrank back.
I grabbed John’s arm. He was not worth it. John knew that. We moved away from the arrogant man. He looked shaken, which was how John wanted to leave him.
He’s going to be a part of our world, I thought, dreading it.
Not after this. John kissed me. Remember, baby … you and me. This will all become a faded memory. He pulled back.
I had a hard time letting go once he moved away.
26
ALL EYES ON ME
CLAUDIA
We got in our designated rows and took our seats. In another section, I caught sight of John; he hadn’t taken his eyes off me. Our brief encounter with Mr. Cortez had caused concern.
Speeches started. The valedictorian spoke about the futures our lives would take. A few honor students gave their own discourses. I had opted not to give a speech; they were far from my thing.
But as we heard the last discourse, the key announcer revealed, “And now we will be spotlighting Milton’s honor students …”
I pursed my lips. Michael’s eyes were diverted towards me. He was on stage but still managed to find me among the group of students. Joseph was not in attendance on stage, there was an empty spot where he should have been. John was also looking over; we would both be going up to get our honor cords1, the symbols of achievements throughout our school year.
Where’s Joseph? I asked, my question merging into John’s mind.
He looked at me before an announcement prompted us to look at the stage again.
“And here to introduce our guest speaker is our own principal, Dr. Müller.”
Joseph walked across the stage. He took the podium and it soon became apparent why he was introducing the speaker. “Greetings to all in attendance. It is an honor to be here. And far more of an honor is to be able to introduce a man that has given a great deal to our school. A man that has made a great impact with his generous donations … a man that I’m honored to call my brother.”
No way, John was the first to think. What Ms. Stephens had said made sense. He was here.
“Here to give out the honor cords to all our deserving students … please welcome, Dr. Bryce Müller.”
Shit, John said.
He hadn’t known. Had Joseph known? He must have, but there was no way of telling. John felt betrayed by this revelation.
I noticed Michael’s eyes dart away from me toward the center stage where a tall well-dressed man in a dark blue suit and pink pastel tie stepped up from the side of the stage. He seemed to materialize from out of nowhere.
I hadn’t seen him until he was standing before the podium, shaking Joseph’s hand, and grimacing at the small gathering of people in the large auditorium. Joseph took his seat on stage next to Michael and the rest of the assistant principals.
“Greetings prestigious colleagues, Milton staff, honored guests, students, and attending parents. First off, let me congratulate our graduates. It is an honor to be here on this joyous occasion. As some of you might not be aware, my own son, John Müller, is among those graduating on this day as well.” He motioned to the graduates.
John rose slowly and waved to all cheering in the crowd, including me.
Of course, he would put me out there, he grumbled taking his seat.
I sighed, pressing my lips.
The audience began clapping; students cheered and sounded like loud misfits. Dr. Nicholson appeared annoyed. His demeanor demanded silence and it seemed to receive it almost immediately as the auditorium became still once more.
I stared at the podium. He was the same man from my nightmare. Had my dream been a warning of some sort?
Why is he here? The same question surfaced in John’s mind.
He is pretending to be your father, I reasoned.
That’s far too easy an excuse, Miss Belle, John answered.
Perhaps he was right. Then again, he had given the school a generous donation; that was yet another reason he might be here.
True … but with him it’s always a far more frightening reason Miss Belle.
At first glance, he looked rather frightening and arrogant. There was an air of superiority above all in his demeanor. With obvious boredom, he addressed the audience. “Your dedication and hard work have earned you the diplomas you will receive this day. I am proud to be in your presence.”
The announcer came alongside him and handed him a list.
“To the honor students, congratulations. When I call your name, please come up to receive your honor cords.”
That was short and sweet, John thought. Here we go, Miss Belle. Please, try to relax, especially around him.
I wish he hadn’t said that; it only added to my anxiety.
Forgive me, baby.
I took a deep breath. My heart began to beat faster; the calling began slowly, like a beckoning into battle, like I was being summoned to my death. Maybe I was exaggerating a bit, but it sure felt like it.
Michael looked at me with a smile, oblivious to what I felt.
“Robert Martinez,” Dr. Nicholson began. He didn’t seem to be going in any order and I didn’t suspect the list to be that long.
“Elizabeth Ramirez … Jason Nguyen … Alex Johnson …”
Every name announced was separated by a long pause, each name that came out of his mouth, pronounced correctly and without a flaw. It seemed so perfect, perfection mirrored by Joseph’s professionalism.
Again, that played into my uneasiness. Stop, I told myself. He’s just a man. Just another man like these people here. He can’t hear you talking to yourself or someone else talking to you.
Exactly, John said, that’s the way to think … breathe.
“Jennifer Brown … John Müller … Stephanie Geer …”
The students lined up on the side of the stage; all slowly ascended the side steps, passed the seated staff and district board. I watched as John followed those that had already been called. My heart felt like it would explode, and I thought I would faint from the fear now gathering.
Breathe …
“And finally, Claudia Belle.”
At the sound of my name, I looked toward the stage and I could swear Dr. Nicholson’s eyes had found me among the sizeable crowd. My name sounded strange coming out of his mouth; it demanded my attendance on the stage. It frightened me to hear it.
Ah, there you are. I swore I saw those words in his eyes.
You can’t, John said soothingly. Relax and breathe.
I stood uneasily. I was a nervous wreck and felt his eyes follow me as I made my way through my fellow students. Slowly, I arrived at the line that had formed on the side of the stage.
I wanted to look and see if Dr. Nicholson had been observing me. My heart was beating so fast against my chest, but when I bravely glanced at him, I realized I had overreacted.
Dr. Nicholson seemed focused on shaking the first student’s hand. He placed a gold honor cord over the shoulder of the next student, then shook his hand in the same manner.
The line was moving fairly quickly, and I felt sick to my stomach. John was looking at me and waving. I managed a wave in return, but my hand was shaking so I quickly lowered it.
Relax, John’s voice repeated in my head.
I exhaled slowly, biting my lips.
Remember, he is just a man. He can’t hear you if you don’t want him to.
Sounds from the audience made it even more nerve-wracking going up those steps.
I swore Rachel and her friends were making comments about anything they could about me. From the way I was dressed to the way my hair was styled, to how I looked in my blue gown. I tried not to care, focusing on the stage and Dr. Nicholson.
Ignore them, John said. His encouraging tone was always comforting.
I could see Michael and the other principals proudly watching me. He was taking pictures with his phone, so I tried to smile. Then, he took a picture of John and Joseph together as John neared the stage, then another one with all three: John, Joseph, and Dr. Nicholson. God, that man looked arrogant, the way he posed for the camera and offered a small, haughty smile.
I bit my lips again. Please, don’t call on me, I pleaded as I tried to hide behind the student in front of me and become invisible.
I wouldn’t do that to you Miss Belle.
I inhaled, but nerves overcame the rest of my body and hardened my facial expression.
It was just Stephanie and I left. She stepped up as I fidgeted in my spot. Michael looked on from his seat. I turned and caught sight of a flash. I don’t know why, but I thought the light agitated Dr. Nicholson; his head turned slightly and his eyes followed the flash, but a second later he seemed composed again as he placed the honor cord over the shoulder of the student in front of me.
His eyes found me behind her, and his thin lips curved upward slightly. He looked far more frightening up close and just as arrogant. I held my breath and my heart hammered in the top of my head, alerting of impending doom. Dread overtook me as it was my turn. I exhaled slowly as Stephanie moved away and I was faced with him.
Dr. Nicholson turned to me. Everything seemed to go silent. I couldn’t hear anything but the sound of my heart beating in my chest—not the sounds from below, not the voices from the seats on the stage, not Michael trying to get a good picture of me ready to receive my honors. Nothing, but my heart echoing loudly inside my head, my own voice telling me to breathe because being nervous always made my power react. I needed to be in control.
He wrinkled his brow and I gasped. Was I that nervous? His eyes seemed to question my nerves.
“Ah, Miss Belle, what a delight. Let me start by saying congratulations.” His pale blue eyes froze me to the spot; his thin lips pulled into a sinister smile. There was malice in his demeanor even though I couldn’t sense it.
He had two honor cords in his hand. “I see we have something in common. Well done,” he said, lifting the silver cord along with a gold cord. Silver was the color for academic achievements in science.
Well, I liked science. I swallowed nervously and took a breath.
Dr. Nicholson took the honor cords and leaned forward, draping them over my shoulders very slowly and gently. His overpowering height was intimidating and fearsome.
I could smell the subtle scent of his cologne.
“Forgive our last encounter,” he whispered into my ear. “I know we both want what’s best for John … don’t we, my lovely? Why would you want anything less?”
A huge wave of uneasiness flowed over me.
He moved back as Michael approached us. “One picture please, sir?”
I ground my teeth.
Dr. Nicholson seemed reluctant, but I felt his arm drape over my shoulder gently. He pulled me close. I felt the curve of his long fingers gripping me and a shudder ran up the side of my neck.
Michael took the picture.
Joseph’s eyes found me in the arms of his boss. I couldn’t tell if he was frightened for me; his expression was blank. I suppose he had to be that way.
Another man entered the stage. Jonas. His name almost escaped my mouth. He stood at the end of the seating area and his eyes smiled at me.
I pulled away when the announcer returned to the podium. I didn’t want to give him a chance to say anything else to me. I moved to the edge of the stage where the other students had descended.
I heard the announcer say, “Thank you, Dr. Bryce Müller. Now a few words from your principal, Dr. Müller.”
I looked back. Dr. Nicholson and Jonas had moved to the side of the stage. I walked to the steps to hurry back to my seat when I heard my name.
“Miss Belle?”
I hesitated but Jonas motioned me over.
Stay calm. I heard John in my head.
Stop John it’s only … I froze, looking up at Dr. Nicholson.
“We should have a dinner … a farewell dinner.”
I bit my lip.
Yeah, a farewell dinner… from you, asshole, John’s voice said.
John, please. You’re making me more nervous.
Sorry.
“With you and John in attendance.”
“That won’t be necessary, sir.”
“I must insist, Miss Belle. It’s only polite we bid you a kind farewell.”
“No,” I voiced firmly. I made a move to leave.
