Evermore - Chapter 41: Chapter 41

-Natalie's POV-
"Because of the last exam I have given you, which I made you all resit and got no improvement whatsoever...You will all learn off every god damn quote on these papers over the next two weeks, you will get an exam and if I am not satisfied with every single one of you...You will all be sitting a weeks detention with me where you will all spend an hour every single day after school staring at these papers, rewriting each one of them. I have spoken to Mr Bishop and he has agreed because I am not wasting my time anymore. I'm sick of it." I place the stapled papers on each students desk as they groan and complain.
"You have brought this upon yourselves, every question on that exam had the answers in the booklet, the one I spent time making so you could all understand but clearly most of you didn't bother taking a glance at it." I raise my voice setting the paper down on the last desk before making my way back to mine, hearing the whispers.
I turn around leaning back against my desk, crossing my arms.
"For this whole class, you will take out your exam from last week and your booklet that you were given. You will highlight the key points, if you do not understand such a simple task...Raise your hand and I will help you. There is not much more I can do, I have spent hours making these booklets—every thing you need to know is inside a few pages...You just have to learn it, that is all I have asked for." I say, looking around as some of them whisper to the person beside them.
"Miss, I forgot my booklet at home." One of my students, Devon speaks up and I sigh.
"You lost it, Devon. Don't lie." I turn grabbing a spare booklet from my desk since I suspected most of them shoved it into their bags and threw it out when they got home.
I walk to his desk setting it down in front of him.
"Now, who else's booklet has mysteriously grew legs and went off on its own journey?" I look around as a few hands raise making me let out a hum.
"I want that book finished for homework. Twenty pages won't kill you, I will put questions on the board tomorrow. Easy ones, now, what am I expecting in the answers you give me tomorrow?" I question walking up to my desk, picking up some booklets before handing them out to the students who need them.
One hand stays raised and I nod.
"Full sentences and a quote?" She drops her hand and I nod at her, smiling.
"Looks like we're getting somewhere. Capital letters too, I will throw your copybooks out the window if I do not see capital letters. You are old enough to know this." I walk around my desk, sitting down.
"Get to work. Homework is what, Devon?" I ask and he looks at me.
"Finish the book and study." He mumbles and I look at him nodding.
"I'm not going to bite you, stop the mumbling. How would you feel if I spoke to you all like this?" I begin mumbling as a few students begin laughing. I'm pissed. I'm beyond pissed.
At this point I want to quit my job and throw myself out a window, they are that bad. It is only this class.
"Get to work, if you do not finish highlighting, you may do that for homework too." I say and they all groan again. I shrug sitting back.
"If I hear one word from anyone, you can feel free to join me in detention after school and get the extra study in." I say and the room goes silent.
That's what I thought.
✺
"Sophia, stay back a second, please. I forgot to give you back your exam." I rise from my chair as the students clear the classroom, talking as the leave.
Sophia walks up to my desk slowly, fixing the bag on her shoulder as the last student leaves, glancing back before disappearing.
"I got my exams back?" She says confused and I reach beneath my desk grabbing a bag.
"I know. I have too many bookshelves at home of books I've read and I thought you would like these ones. I saw you reading at lunch a few times." I hand her the bag, I stopped by the bookstore and picked out some books. I've went through them to make sure everything is appropriate, I've just seen her reading a few books and found similar ones. I always spot her sitting by the lockers at lunch, she doesn't have friends.
"Miss, this is too much."
"No it's not, honestly, Sophia, it's either I throw them out or give them to someone I know will take care of them and read them." I offer a smile, nodding for her to look in the bag. She smiles back looking into it pulling out the books one by one looking over them.
"I've really wanted this one." She says and I hum.
"I've read it, it's worth the read. My wife likes it too." I speak, wife feels more right than fiancée. It's early...but I simply don't care.
"Wife?" She looks at me and I press my lips together.
"Yes, wife. I don't broadcast to my students about being a lesbian, apologies for the shock." I laugh.
"Only me?" She asks and I look at her.
"I'm not broadcasting it, simply just bringing it up." I smile a bit and she keeps looking at me. I nod back to the bag.
"Miss."
"Hm?" I pick up my water, taking a small sip of it.
"You know there's rumours going around about you?" She sets the book down on my desk, I raise my eyebrows, closing the water bottle.
"What kind of rumours?"
"About your wife."
"What about her?" I question, crossing my arms.
"She was your student, at an old school and she got into Yale after...having a relationship with you and the principal." She says and I snort, I shouldn't but I do...Just because Diana didn't sleep with Mrs Daniels, Christ she would be shaking around her and put a Mile between us if she heard anything about Daniels while around me.
"That's not true, Sophia."
"Is it really not?" She looks up at me and I shake my head.
"No, it's simply just that, a rumour. Now, I better go home as should you. Have a good day, Sophia." I shut my laptop and she stands for a few seconds.
"Thank you for the books, Miss Snow." She says and I nod smiling.
"Of course."
✺
I lay back on the couch, a blanket covering my legs, the tv playing and my laptop on my lap. I cannot write.
I have plenty of ideas but I can't seem to get them into the words I want, it would be great if I had a certain blonde here to talk to and clear my mind but she's caught at work late.
I close the tab, going to create some questions on the book I've given my freshman's to finish tonight.
There's rumours about Diana and me in the school, Sophia was acting strange today so I really hope she doesn't think anything about me being nice to her.
The last I need is getting in trouble for being accused of having a relationship with a fifteen year old, but I suppose I could be accused of it because I've slept with a student before...who wasn't a minor but people still may think I would go for younger. I wouldn't, eighteen was young enough—still terrible of me but if she was any younger I wouldn't have spoken to her differently, after stealing the book from her or not. I have no interest in being with a minor, because while I was called a pedophile by Jane, I am not.
I tap my laptop chewing my lip before I begin typing at the keyboard.
I hear the front door and pull my hands away from the keys.
"Darling?" I speak and I hear something being thrown before she stomps into the living room, oh dear.
I shut my laptop putting it onto the coffee table.
"I hate my life! I hate work—I hate everything!" She tears off her jacket, throwing it to the floor as she begins groaning. I sit back, lifting my blanket and she walks over quickly laying onto me.
I cover her up as she begins heavy breathing, I reach down pulling off her shoes as she curls up. Seems like the work stress has gotten to her.
"Do you want to talk about it?" I ask quietly, it also seems like she's had a worst day than me.
"I hate rich people—they're assholes and I hate working for them. I hate this dress." She sits up pulling it over her head quickly and I fix her hair as she begins sobbing more.
I take off my hoodie leaving me in my shirt as I unclip her bra while she sobs. I pull it down her arms disregarding it to the floor before I help her into my hoodie.
"What's wrong with the dress? I think it's beautiful." I speak and she sniffles, wiping her nose with the long sleeve of my hoodie.
"Victoria told me it was horrendous—five minutes after I stepped into the building. People laughed—at my lunch break I went to make coffee while other workers were in the room—I broke a mug by accident and got shouted at by some woman—then I panicked and started crying—then Arabella got mad at me because I messed up an important meeting—then Lili went home early—so I was left with Arabella who hates me now and other people who hate how I dress—and Victoria that self centred bitch! I said my idea and she called me stupid, she said I have no right to speak about fashion when I dress like I do." She begins sobbing and I pull her closer, wrapping my arms around her.
I'm going to kill Victoria and everyone else in that damn company.
"I really liked my dress—I thought I looked pretty—these stupid scars have ruined almost everything I've worn and that dress just made me feel so confident for the first time in months." She cries and I kiss her forehead.
"I loved that dress, I loved you in it and I think you look ravishing. More than that, you looked like a princess from a Disney movie. When you put it on this morning, I was in awe of you, beautiful. That's what it is, beautiful and you looked perfect, those scars made it even more beautiful. If there was stronger words I would use them because you in that dress with these scars is way beyond beautiful. Everyone in that company who said something to you, can get fucked because they have no sense of fashion and that's why Victoria is getting almost no attention anymore. Why she keeps begging for me to model for her because her clothes just aren't catching eyes anymore so she wants me to do it for her." I speak, lifting her arm to my lips, kissing the scar too many times to count as she begins laughing.
"You do catch eyes." She sniffles and I look to her.
"But I only intend to catch yours. And god did you catch mine in that beautiful dress." I smile, wiping her tears away as she leans into my touch.
"Was it really nice?"
"It was perfect. You really did look beautiful, I was tempted to take you back to bed this morning but the view of you in that dress, as much as I wanted to take it off, you looked so perfect in it." I kiss her arm again.
"Don't hate these either, I love them. You claim to love everything I love, so love these scars. I know they hold a bad memory, but they show as a beautiful thing. Don't bring yourself down when I admire them everyday." I whisper and she sniffles, her shoulders shaking.
"I really really really love you, Natalie. Beyond words—I love you—I love you so much, I'm so grateful I have you—I really love you." She grabs my face and I laugh as she kisses me, I kiss her back before pulling away.
"Victoria grew up rich yet got made fun of for the clothes she wore in high school. Just because it's designer, doesn't mean it's always pretty, especially with the combinations she put together." I say, Diana laughs and I lay back. She lays her head on my stomach, covering herself with the blanket.
"I hope the fashion show goes terrible, even though I'm gonna be there." She whispers and I begin running my hands through her hair.
"Oh darling, the only way that fashion show can be saved is by putting you on that runway."
"You're being sweet." She laughs and I hum.
"It's honesty. I just don't like the idea of everyone's eyes on you, we might have more people at the door begging to come stay with us." I say and she begins laughing more.
"I'll have to stick Victorias designs outside the door, that will scare them off definitely..." I speak and she she keeps laughing, I smile looking down at her.
"Natalie, I'm crying and laughing—stop." She wipes her eyes and I keep smiling.
"The only person that needs to stop is Victoria shutting down your ideas that could save her shitty company." I roll my eyes and she begins to calm down.
"I'm just Arabella's assistant, Victoria listens to Lili more even though she's an assistant too." She lays her head back down against me, I move my hands to her shoulders, rubbing gently.
"Lili is also an employee that she's fucking, of course she gets special treatment." I speak and she slides her warm hand beneath my shirt.
"Lili is nice though, you know...She reminds me of Charlie a little." Diana speaks quietly and I sigh kissing her head.
"Do you want to talk about that some more? I think it's something that will get these shoulders of yours to loosen up." I knead my fingers into her shoulder and she lets out a long hum.
I smile before she begins talking again.