Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 67398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Despite not dating, I wasn’t entirely celibate, but it wouldn’t do to go snorkeling in school waters. And speaking of shark-infested waters, we had a faculty meeting after school which meant no more dodging Nolan. And as it turned out, he showed up in my classroom, with the twins in tow, three minutes after the final bell.
Oh crap.
“Hey, there!” I kept my tone bright even as I eyed two very shifty-looking boys who followed Nolan into the room with sorrowful eyes. “Ready for our meeting?”
“I have plans for presenting our plans.” Smiling, Nolan held up a folder bulging with paper-clipped handouts. “But first we need to talk.” Expression turning more serious, he gestured at the boys. “Who would like to explain?”
“Legend…” Groaning, I leaned back in my chair near the front of the room.
“Who says it was my idea?” Legend looked around like there might be a flock of others to take responsibility for whatever the latest prank was.
“What, precisely, was not your idea?” I asked warily.
Legend pursed his lips and didn’t budge, but Ryder approached my desk with a reasonable tone that didn’t fool me for a moment.
“Mr. Bell had a stack of sheet music on the corner of his desk, and someone in first period—”
“Not you two, naturally.” I gestured at the two of them.
“Of course not.” Ryder chirped like a parrot. “But…someone switched the music for the other classes with alternative Christmas carol lyrics. You know, funny stuff.”
“Funny,” I echoed, having a pretty decent idea of what they would find hilarious.
“Not funny.” Behind the boys, Nolan puffed up like one of the chickens who wandered all over North Shore. “I already have parents complaining about my song choices.”
“Maybe choose less controversial songs?” I suggested, even as I continued eyeing the guilty party.
“This isn’t about my taste.”
“True. This sounds like a case of sabotage.” Rising from my chair, I paced back and forth like a detective in front of my whiteboard. “Hmm. Who in first period might have access to a copy machine before school?”
“It was supposed to be a joke.” Ryder cracked first, as always.
“Hilarious waste of paper resources.” I shook my head, already calculating a trip to the store for a few reams of paper for the staff room. “I see a lot of chores in your future to replenish the supply closet for Principal Alana.”
“Did I hear my name?” The principal herself strolled into the room, and I braced for Nolan to report the twins’ latest transgression.
“Only good things.” Nolan shrugged. He might as well have added a whistle. Nothing to see here. Which I appreciated, but darn it, now I owed him for leaving me to handle the boys instead of another meeting with the principal and a potential write-up.
“Please tell me our resident pranksters aren’t giving you a hard time.” Principal Alana was no match for Nolan’s acting skills.
“Nothing I can’t handle.” Nolan shifted his folder to the other hand and offered her his elbow like they were in a production of Mary Poppins. “Let’s head to the meeting, shall we?”
“We shall.” Charmed, Principal Alana let Nolan lead her toward the staff room.
“We’ll discuss your little paper swap more after my meeting.” I glared at both boys. “Might I suggest you work on your presents while I’m in the meeting? That wall hanging for Pop-Pop and Nana won’t paint itself.”
The boys were making a miniature surfboard with hooks for my parents for the holidays, and hopefully, arguing about paint colors would keep them busy.
“We’ll be good.” They looked so angelic I almost believed them. Almost.
As I arrived at the meeting, Nolan was already handing out packets of papers. “I brought handouts for everyone.”
Including me, as this was the first I was seeing said papers, but perhaps if I’d been a bit more diligent in opening Nolan’s attachments, I wouldn’t have been caught off-guard.
“What’s this?” Mark Masters, the band director, husband to Belinda the math teacher and twice as high-strung, waved one of the papers. He’d missed the last meeting because we shared him with the local high school. “The choir is opening? The band always goes first.”
“You’ll have more audience attention in this new order, I promise.” Nolan radiated enthusiasm even while under fire from many directions.
“There’s no play at all?” Belinda was also present, regretfully, and had a red pen out, making notes on Nolan’s proposed program.
“There’s a series of unrelated funny skits, but that makes it easier to follow and offers more parts for everyone.” Nolan gave her an encouraging look, but she didn’t look in the least inclined to budge. “I got buy-in from the various language arts teachers.”
That got several nods, but Belinda wasn’t done. “People come for the play.”
“But we’re not doing that play this year.” Principal Alana was the voice of calm control, as always.
“Pity.” Belinda sniffed.
“The band usually gets three numbers.” Mark continued to busily mark up his copy of the program. “Why do we only have two?”