Page 4 of Promises We Meant to Keep
“Five…” Kamryn blew out a breath and ran her fingers through her shoulder-length dirty blonde hair.
It used to be lighter in color, probably from spending so much time outside in the summers. Elia had found Kamryn reading books under the sugar maples more times than she could count. But now Kamryn’s hair was dark, and she’d gained weight, not just in her body but in her cheeks, which were much fuller now than they had been.
“Do you realize how dangerous that is?” Kamryn straightened her back a little, pressing her palm into the table. “Not just for the kids, but for you.”
“It’s how it’s always been.” Elia clenched her fist under the table. She didn’t want to be dealing with this, not now. If she couldn’t be the replacement for Miller while he was out and couldn’t be trusted with even that small amount of power, then why would she ever consider allowing Kamryn to walk all over her? She wouldn’t.
“You and I both know that’s a lie.”
Elia shuddered, but she managed to contain it to where she didn’t think that Kamryn saw. Because Kamryn was right. It hadn’t always been that way, she’d just used that excuse for years because it was how she’d managed to get out of having a co-leader. And she hated that Kamryn was so easily calling her out on that.
“Dr. Howard co-led with you when I was on the team.”
Elia’s lips thinned and the muscles in her jaw tightened even more. “Yes, she did.”
“And wasn’t there a parent volunteer, too? At least for when we were traveling.” Kamryn scratched the side of her head before shaking it. “I can’t remember her name.”
Elia sure as hell wasn’t going to fill in that blank for her. The last thing she wanted on the face of the planet was to rememberthatwoman. Well, in all honesty, Yara hadn’t been the problem at all, but that situation had nearly ended Elia’s career.
And it was why Elia never wanted to work with a co-leader again, even though it was also the perfect example of why she needed one. But Kamryn didn’t know anything about that, and Elia was determined to keep it that way. The last thing she needed was for her history to come up and bite her in the ass again, especially while she was still hoping the board had a short enough memory to potentially give her the Head of School position should Miller not return.
“Mrs. Cole!” Kamryn smacked her hand lightly on the edge of the table. “What was her first name?”
“Yara,” Elia mumbled, closing in on herself even more.
“Right. Anyway, you need a co-leader, or the Speech team won’t be happening this year.”
“What?” Elia stilled, her heart thudding hard. Kamryn was pulling out the big guns for this one, wasn’t she? Pushing her weight around when she hadn’t even been here long enough to take a breath.
“I’m serious, Dr. Sharpe. It needs to happen. Like I said earlier, it’s for your protection as much as the students. We don’t need anything untoward happening.”
Did she know? Panic rose in Elia’s chest, trying to claw its way out, but she managed to keep it locked away, at least for now. “I understand what you’re saying.”
“Good. And since no one volunteered this morning, I’ll do it.”
“No.” Elia was going to put her foot down on this one. She didn’t need administrative supervision to run the Speech team, something she had been doing for over two decades now. She wouldn’t put herself through that.
“Then the Speech team won’t exist this year.”
“The meets are already booked.” Elia looked straight into Kamryn’s dark brown eyes. “I’m not going to cancel an entireseason for our students, especially the seniors who are looking for scholarships to college.”
“Then we’re agreed.” Kamryn leaned back in the chair, a smug smile gracing her full lips.
“No, we’re not in agreement.”
“Then no Speech team.”
“Kamryn!” Elia’s voice rose along with her anger, and she couldn’t hide it this time. She wasn’t going to play this back-and-forth game. “You don’t have the authority to do this.”
“Actually, I do, and it’s by the board’s direction. This is a safety issue, nothing else. And if no one else on staff will join you, then I will. I think it’ll be nice to dip my toes back into the competition world. Giving my own lectures every week gets a bit tedious. A challenge would be nice.”
Elia’s mind spun. How could this possibly be happening? She didn’t need her former student to watch over her like she was a new teacher who was going to screw everything up. If this came down from the board, it might just be further punishment for what had happened eighteen years ago. But it shouldn’t be. That was done and over with. She’d been proven innocent so many times over.
But stigmas were real. And she’d never be able to escape this one, would she?
“In your last evaluation with Dr. Waddy, he suggested that you spend the summer finding a co-leader. It seems you didn’t do that.” Kamryn stared directly at her.
Elia had been filleted open and laid bare. She couldn’t do this. It was worse than eighteen years ago almost, and only because this was Kamryn—her former student who had taken the job that she deserved. And hell yes, she deserved it.
