James barely glanced at Fiona as he spoke with a calm authority, “I’ve been appointed as your homeroom teacher for the next month. During this time, I expect no trouble from anyone in my class.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than he snapped a pen in his hand with a single, fluid motion.
“If anyone causes trouble—whether it’s slacking off, dozing in class, not answering my questions, or falling behind in the coursework—you’ll end up like this pen.”
The whole class sucked in a sharp breath.
What on earth?!
The worst they’d heard before was maybe a call to their parents after school for misbehaving, or perhaps a verbal warning, and in serious cases, getting expelled. But a threat as blunt as this? That was a first!
“It’s all over…”
Fiona felt like the ground had vanished beneath her feet.
The last thing she wanted was to be watched over by her godfather or uncle. If those two were to keep tabs on her, she’d rather just vanish! Odie was much easier to deal with.
Fiona felt on the verge of tears, though none came.
Before she could voice her frustration, James calmly called out her name, “Fiona.”
“Present!”
She shot up from her seat almost instinctively.
James gave her a quick look, “If you score zero in gym class again today, you know what will happen.”
“…”
Fiona swallowed, hard.
Please, no, anything but that!
She thought about calling her mom, who was overseas. But it seemed James was a step ahead, so she could only watch helplessly as he walked over and said, “Hand over your phone.”
“…”
Fiona glanced desperately at Alec sitting next to her for help, but he just looked away at the last moment.
James stood there, watching her with an unreadable expression.
“See me after school to get your phones back,” James said, turning back to the podium. “Let’s start the lesson.”
After that little incident, no one in class dared to slack off.
When the bell finally rang, everyone stayed put, afraid of catching James’s eye.
“Fiona! Is that your godfather? The one who’s rumored to be your mom’s ex-husband?!”
Betty’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Everyone gathered around Fiona, eager to soak up any gossip.
“Your godfather is so handsome. What must your dad look like?”
“Yeah, if your mom married your dad, he’s got to be even more handsome than your godfather, right?”
“Fiona, spill the details! We’re dying to know!”
The girls were already spinning tales of an old love triangle.
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