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)
Selfishly, I loved seeing him every day. Watching him transform from an unsure substitute in November to an undisputed school leader made my chest swell with a pride I’d never had in another person. We’d spent the last two months trying not to dwell on the status of Nolan’s application for next year. He’d made it through multiple rounds of interviews, and now we waited.
“They better pick you.” Kaitlyn had developed a fierce loyalty to Nolan.
“Thank you. And hush. Now you’re making me nervous.” He crouched so he could look her in the eyes. “I want you to go out there and slay. Don’t worry about the audience or anyone else. Sing from the heart, and the rest will take care of itself.”
“Good advice,” I said to Nolan as Kaitlyn rejoined her friend group.
“Okay, I lied.” Nolan stared out the door at the growing audience. “I’m nervous about more than just the job.”
“The kids are going to do great.” I clapped him on the back. “And so are you.”
“It’s showtime!” Principal Alana called out before heading out to welcome the audience.
As always, watching Nolan in director mode was almost as much fun as watching the performances. The sixth graders did a medley of danceable rock hits, while the seventh graders showed they’d paid attention to the Broadway unit with upbeat selections from a couple of musicals. They were the perfect lead-in for the eighth graders who stole the show with their angsty, angry, deeply emotional numbers from a Tony-winning coming-of-age musical.
All the soloists killed it, but Kaitlyn made a chill race up my arms as she bellowed, promising the audience that they, too, would be found. Nolan mouthed the lyrics along with the choir, cueing the chorus as the courtyard itself seemed to swell with the final verse.
“And a star is born.” Nolan’s eyes filled with tears as he made his way to me after the students took a bow, and I didn’t blame him. Three months of hard work had built to this performance, and each number had hit me square in the feels. Pride, certainly, but I also vibed with the music on a deeper level.
“She couldn’t have done it without you.” My voice came out all rough. Nolan had found me, made me defy gravity, and shown me the other side of being loved. My chest squeezed as my throat tightened to near-painful levels.
“I’m just glad I got to be here to see her—all of them—bloom.”
“I’m glad you stayed, Nolan.” I squeezed his hand, tugging him closer. “I—”
Principal Alana cut me off as she took the microphone. “We have one more performance.”
My pulse sped up. Yes. Yes.
Next to me, though, Nolan was the picture of confusion. “What?”
“Mr. Bell, can you come here?” Principal Alana summoned him, and I gave him a friendly push forward. Principal Alana had him sit on a folding chair as a mixed group of students sang new lyrics to a classic Disney song.
“Be our teacher?” Kaitlyn took the final line, and adrenaline surged through me as she handed the microphone back to Principal Alana.
“The hiring committee made it official earlier today, but I know I speak for so many of us that we’d been hoping for this outcome. Congrats, Mr. Bell, the job next year is yours.”
“I’m… I’m at a loss for words.” Nolan’s voice was shaky as he accepted the microphone. “Which, if you know me, doesn’t happen very often.”
That caused a surge of laughter from the audience before applause swept through the courtyard. Anyone who’d worked with Nolan over the past few months knew how much this meant to him, our school, and our community. Craig and Cara stood up and whistled, along with several other parents.
“Did you know about that?” Nolan stalked over to me as soon as the show ended.
“Maybe.” I offered a sly smile. “Like Principal Alana said, many of us were hoping we’d hear in time to use the song. And I had to let the kids rehearse in my classroom, so I knew the song was a possibility. Learning it was official was a big surprise for me too.”
“I’m still in shock.” Nolan waved a hand in front of his face like he might swoon, so I wrapped a protective arm around his shoulders.
“But happy?” I prompted.
“Relieved.” He exhaled hard. “I was going to stay regardless, but I didn’t want an argument while job hunting.”
“I’m relieved too, but I’d already decided to ask you to stay even if the hiring committee went in a different direction,” I admitted. Watching the kids rehearse, I’d had the realization that it didn’t matter whether Nolan got the job or not. I was keeping him. “And I’m kinda bummed that Principal Alana couldn’t wait twenty seconds because I was going to say I love you, and now, you’re going to think it’s because of the job.”