by C. S Luis
“If it’s alright…yes, thank you, Janet. Why don’t you get something for yourself as well?”
“Oh, that’s not necessary, sir. I’ve already had my lunch,” Janet very politely answered. If only I could see the look on Mr. Slater’s face who always seemed to have an answer for everything and an expression for just about any situation.
“Well, then I owe you one, don’t I?”
I heard Janet giggle, “Oh sir, that’s quite alright.”
“Here…charge the order to this credit card,” Mr. Slater said.
“Not a problem,” I heard Janet say, and I saw Mr. Slater appear at the doorway again of his office; he had an expression of a man in trouble. He stepped over to his desk and took a seat at the edge, looking very pleased.
We must have sat there for a few seconds just silently. I gazed up at Mr. Slater; he was looking over at me as always. I wondered what he was thinking in that moment; perhaps that’s why I asked what I did.
“Mr. Slater, are you and Ms. Stephens dating?” I suddenly asked, and he blinked down at me; he looked very much surprised.
Mr. Slater looked speechless for a moment; he was about to answer, but as I curiously awaited his reply, Janet entered to save him. It looked like he was happy to see her for the first time. Poor Janet. She was standing at the entrance of his office; looking back at both of us, worried she was interrupting again.
She came into the office nervously, stumbling near Mr. Slater, and with a trembling hand, she handed Mr. Slater his credit card. I felt for her, and she merely smiled back at me.
“Order has been placed. I’m leaving to pick it up now, sir,” Janet very politely said, standing before Mr. Slater and looking as shy as I usually did.
“Oh.” Mr. Slater rose, taking the credit card; he pulled up his wallet and placed it back in. His movements were like art. I noticed the wristwatch, and it looked expensive. I think Mr. Slater liked expensive things. I blushed like a girl who had just gotten up and grabbed the first thing from the top drawer.
“Are you sure it’s no trouble?” Mr. Slater again asked Janet.
“No, of course not, Mr. Slater. I’ll be right back.” Janet smiled at me and kindly waved very shyly and then rushed out.
“I like her,” I immediately said to Mr. Slater as he glanced back at me.
“She’s definitely a keeper,” I added, examining his immaculate black suit, his flawless face, and the color of his thick mane. He smelled nice too, and I wondered what it was, and why I was just noticing it now.
Mr. Slater smiled. “Yes, I agree.”
19
John Slater
After Janet left, I was alone with Claudia, and she looked so lovely sitting there on the seat in front of me as I towered over her frame; she had been quiet the entire time Janet was there. I wondered if she was jealous, but when she said how she liked Janet I realized something else had distracted her.
Then, without warning she immediately took my hand, surprising me, but she seemed comfortable enough to do so. At first, I didn’t understand her sudden gesture. Had I hoped for something else? Of course I did. But then I noticed her examining the watch on my wrist, and I realized where her interest laid.
“It’s beautiful,” she said, looking up at me. I smiled, waiting for what I thought would follow.
“What is it, Miss Belle?”
She shyly lowered her eyes to me, biting at her bottom lip.
But she didn’t say what was on her mind. “Should we get something to drink from the vending machine?” She merely said instead.
I smiled back at her, wanting to say something myself, wanting to tell her the truth. I mean, what would she think of me? And what truth was that? The fact that I felt a strange connection to her or the fact that I had very much lied to her and Michael about my true intentions upon returning? She was innocent, and I didn’t want to corrupt that innocence with who I truly was.
A killer, John, A murder?
I didn’t want to lose what we had. I couldn’t allow her to read me because I was a weak man who wouldn’t be able to hide his true feelings and who he truly was.
I was just so grateful she was safe for a little longer from The Company.
I rose from the side of the desk and pulled out my arm. Claudia smiled, rising and curling up against me, and we walked out of the office together. At the interior office entrance, I opened the door and allowed her to walk ahead of me. We walked out into the hall; the cafeteria was filled with kids. A few wandering the halls caught sight of me and headed back towards the cafeteria before I had to say something. We entered the hall where the machines were located.
“Would you like a Coke, Miss Belle?” I asked, reaching to retrieve my wallet from which I pulled a few singles.
“Nah, I'm not much of a Coke drinker,” Claudia politely said, examining the selections of the machines. The eyes of a few students observed us. Some were curious, and others were hypnotized by John Slater’s presence.
You sure know how to draw a crowd, John.
“Oh well, what would you like?” I asked her, examining the selections myself.
“Water is fine with me,” she said, and I put in a dollar. The machine swallowed it immediately, and then I pressed the button for the water, and the bottle came out. I grabbed it and handed it to my girl. I grabbed another bottle for myself as well.
We began to walk back. Allowing her in front of me, I put a hand on her shoulder, slowly drawing it back when I realized far more eyes were now observing us.
I glanced into the cafeteria as we walked by and caught sight of Mr. Claypool and Mr. Vasquez standing in the center.
“What are they up to?” I asked Claudia who was also looking to the cafeteria at them; in fact, she was looking all around as eyes from other students observed us. She had noticed the crowd watching us.
“Cafeteria duty, Mr. Slater,” Claudia offered very simply. “It’s one of Mr. Claypool and Mr. Vasquez’s favorite pastimes,” she again said with a smile.
“I’m sure you’ll have to do that too very soon,” she smiled over at me as we walked down the hall, coming to the assistant principal’s office.
“Alone?” I asked. She looked back at me. “Well, of course you’ll have either Mr. Claypool or Mr. Vasquez with you. Now that you’re here, I’m sure they’ll take turns.”
“I’d rather have the pleasure of your company instead,” I said, and she blushed as I opened the office door.
“Of course, I doubt Michael would like for me to keep pulling you out of your classes to assist me,” I said as I followed her inside, and we reentered my office. She stood aside as I came around my desk and took a seat; she did the same on one of the seats in front of my desk.
“Well, actually,” she continued with our conversation. “I don’t know if you’re aware, but since I have been able to keep my grades up I’ve signed up for the magnet program, and in doing so, I can volunteer at the school after my classes.”
She gazed up at me. She had just presented John with a generous offer.
“And, well, I was thinking that perhaps I could come work in the office part time. Since the classes end at noon, I’ll have all that free time after. Of course, after I’ll be able to work full time if I choose to. I’m still not sure what I plan to do after high school but I see myself in no other place but…”
I lost track of the conversation as I focused on her age. What was the age of consent?
“When do you turn nineteen, Miss Belle?” I interrupted, and she blinked up, perhaps surprised at my interest in that.
She blushed right away. “In April,” she offered very softly and shyly.
“What day in April, Miss Belle?”
She lowered her eyes, and I came forward, much more interested.
“April six,” she answered. The smile on my face spread until I realized that I would be leaving before that would happen. Why was life so unfair?
“I can help Janet,” she again offered. “With filing or anything
you need. And I think it would make Michael happy too, to see me involved. He’s always getting on me about getting involved with after school activities. I haven’t mentioned this to him, but I’m sure he already knows. I mean he is the principal.” She smiled.
“I’m impressed, Miss Belle,” I immediately said, and Claudia lowered her eyes. “I think I can convince Ms. Erickson to have you help her around the office.”
She smiled. “I hope Janet doesn’t get jealous,” Claudia offered, smirking. And I realized what she meant by that.
“Well, she would have every right to be jealous…there’s no competing with my girl when it comes for my attention.”
I winked, and I think I might have embarrassed her with that one.
20
Claudia
Thank God for Janet who walked in right when Mr. Slater said that. I didn’t know what to do. Why did he do that to me? I guess I couldn’t stop thinking of the dream where Q had appeared and Mr. Slater had kissed me. Why had it felt so real?
Janet stood at the entrance, and I wondered if she noticed I was turning a bright red. Mr. Slater immediately looked, turning towards the entrance, and before he got up, Janet came into the office and placed the plastic bag on top of Mr. Slater’s desk.
“Boy, that was fast,” Mr. Slater very naturally said.
She smiled. “I know a person in the restaurant. So I didn’t have to wait too long,” she offered.
Mr. Slater looked into the bag, taking out the plastic clear containers containing our meals and leaving one inside. He then pulled out his wallet again and took out cash. I wasn’t sure how much he was holding in his hand.
“Here you go, Janet, for your trouble.”
She brushed his offer off. “I couldn’t possibly take that, Mr. Slater. It was my pleasure,” Janet very nervously said.
“No, Janet. I insist. I know how expensive gas is nowadays. I want you to take the money,” Mr. Slater said.
He was so bold, strong and direct. He knew what he wanted, and he didn’t hesitate. He wasn’t a follower, but a leader. I think that’s why he was so interesting; he was nothing like Mr. Claypool or Mr. Vasquez. He was more like my father; a strong man and a willed man that could make you do what he wanted without harsh words, without a firm tone.
My father was like that; people trembled when he was in the room, and even I did. But there was nothing but love in those eyes for me. I knew it when he found me timidly looking back at him; even at a very young age, my father would stop whatever he was doing if I needed him, even if he had important guests. And Mr. Slater seemed to have all those qualities.
Janet seemed to look over at me, and I wanted to tell her to just take the money. She very nervously finally did.
“Thank you, sir,” she said, folding her lip awkwardly as she stood there, holding her arm like a nervous teenage girl.
Mr. Slater took hold of the plastic bag. “Do me one more favor,” he again said.
“Sure, whatever you need, Mr. Slater,” Janet was quick to answer as Mr. Slater handed her the bag, and she immediately took it.
“Take this to Dr. McClellan,” Mr. Slater said, and with that, she nervously and very clumsily walked out. She smiled very warmly, and then she finally broke away very timidly, whispering something that didn’t make any sense at first.
“Okay I’ll…” She said before she disappeared. I think she was probably kicking herself outside in the hall for sounding ridiculous, but I felt her pain. Now it was my turn again to feel the pain of Mr. Slater’s paralyzing eyes glancing over at me.
“Shall we?” He offered, taking a seat behind his desk.
We sat briefly in silence eating our lunch. Mr. Slater, as always, was observing me from the other end of his desk. I thought of Ms. Stephens again.
“What did Ms. Stephens mean by ‘you’re more than that’?” Mr. Slater who was taking a drink from his water bottle suddenly spilled it all over himself. I gazed up at him innocently, uncertain of what I had said to have him all choked up.
“What?” He asked, but it wasn’t because he hadn’t heard me; he was trying to figure out how to answer I guess.
“Well…” He tried saying but couldn’t quite make words. I watched him from the other end of the desk as he struggled to speak. He nervously cleared his desk and wiped at the spilled water.
I wrinkled a brow at him, trying to understand why he was so nervous.
“Ah me…and well, Ms. Stephens and I…we well…”
I put my elbow on the top of his desk and leaned forward to watch his peculiar dance.
“We’re good friends. That’s all,” Mr. Slater simply said.
“It didn’t sound like that. It sounded like something else,” I insisted to him, and he looked shocked by my boldness.
“Well, we’re friends…are we more than that too, Mr. Slater?” He knocked his hand against the water, and it slipped over the edge of his desk. I grabbed at the napkins and stopped it before it ran off the desk. He narrowed his eyes over at me while I wiped the mess, and then folding his lip, he said, “Not exactly. What I have with Ms. Stephens, it’s different than what you and I have.”
“Different how?” I firmly asked. Was she better than me? Was that what he meant? Had another woman taken my place as his friend, as his center of attention like I had suspected when he had left me wondering what girl now had his kindness? God, I hated that woman.
“Let me just say that I treasure our relationship more than anything, and if Ms. Stephens were never to talk to me again, I wouldn’t give it another thought. But I would be deeply troubled if I ever lost you,” He grinned, resting his hand on mine.
I smiled, feeling so warm inside; again, his words touched me. Above, the bell rang, and it was my time to leave.
“I think you’d better head to class before Michael gets on me about keeping you from your studies.”
I nodded and rose to leave. I took the rest of my meal with me.
“Thanks for lunch, Mr. Slater, please don’t forget your surprise party this afternoon. And don’t forget to be surprised,” I said.
He laughed. “Wouldn’t dream of it. I’ll do my best to act surprised.”
“By the way, Mr. Slater?” He hadn’t stopped looking at me.
“Yes, sweetheart?” He politely said.
“What kind of music do you like?”
He looked surprised by the question and then thought for a moment, and simply said, “I’m a jazz man.”
“Jazz?” I repeated. I wished he were more specific.
He said, “Django Reinhardt, Artie Shaw, Clarence Frogman, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, The Temptations, Frank Sinatra, and maybe some Lila Downs. She’s a Latin singer.”
“Latin?” I repeated, and he merely smiled. “Surprised?” He asked.
“No,” I said. “Not at all.” I smiled. “Okay, thanks.”
He blinked over at me and then smiled too, but he didn’t ask. And with that, I walked into the hallway, feeling like a girl at prom. I couldn’t stop grinning; Mr. Slater had a way with words, and I was his girl.
When the time finally came, I could hardly contain myself. I was already in the cafeteria, and Mr. Claypool and Mr. Vasquez were helping the security guards set up the tables while Mrs. Wallace and I were setting up the delivery of finger foods on the table.
The music playing in the background was Frank Sinatra, one of Mr. Slater’s favorites. I had borrowed Michael’s CDs. There was a big banner that read ‘Happy Birthday Mr. Slater!’
Michael arrived with a few other teachers that I had invited and a few that I had neglected to out of spite, like Ms. Stephens and Ms. Witherson who seemed to just invite themselves. Ms. Stephens and Ms. Witherson gathered with each other to the far left when they first entered, and they looked around, and I noticed them making comments about the decorations.
“Hello again,” Ms. Stephens said to me, looking about and sampling the food.
“You did all this? I’m impressed. You’re like John’s litt
le assistant, aren’t you?” I wrinkled my lip.
“It’s so cute,” she said, laughing.
“What is?” I was slightly irritated by her behavior.
“You, you obviously have a little crush on him. It’s so adorable,” she said.
“Did he mention that he and I are dating? Probably not; it would probably break your little heart.”
My jaw dropped, but I didn’t want her to see my anger and my surprise. I didn’t believe it at all.
“I’m taking him out later this evening for his birthday. Who knows, maybe he’ll get more than a present if the evening turns the way I figure.” She winked at me.
“What do you mean?” I snarled at her.
“Oh, of course, you won’t know any of that,” she said with a grin, and she popped a small shrimp appetizer into those red full lips of hers.
“Any of what?” I could see Michael at the far left helping himself to the food; he signaled to me that the food was great. Then he pointed to his watch regarding the time. Mr. Vasquez and Mr. Claypool were already walking out the door and into the hallway to get Mr. Slater.
“What men want, what men like Mr. Slater need from time to time, what only an adult woman can provide him with,” Ms. Stephens continued. “Sex,” she whispered, leaning forward to me.
“Mr. Slater is nothing like that,” I said to her.
“Oh, quite the contrary; we were together last night, and if he’s lucky, tonight it’ll happen again. John can be so romantic sometimes when he wants something.” She grinned, parting her full red lips; I was hoping to see red lipstick smeared upon her teeth. But it wasn’t so.
She smiled, recalling her night out with him, or so it seemed. She wasn’t lying, but what she didn’t know was that Mr. Slater didn’t like her like she thought.
“He tells me you’re nothing special. That he wouldn’t lose sleep if you ever stopped talking to him. And besides, he calls me…his girl,” I said.
Okay, it was slightly childish of me, but she had to be put in her place. But instead, she chuckled like a banshee.
