The Lifeguard Hates You (Completed)

July Chapter 23

I come into the main building and can immediately hear Lacey panicking in her office. Yes her office is on the second floor but I can hear her anyway. I can hear her shoes clicking against the hardwoods, I can hear the soft murmur of her talking to herself.

I walk up the steps that lead to her office and find her pacing in her office chewing on a manicured nail and muttering to herself.

"Okay, what happened?" I ask her as I walk into the office. I shut the door behind me expecting some kind of relationship drama. That's usually what it is after all. I do not expect her to shout: "We're going to close!" in my face.

I sigh at her and take her by the shoulders. "A pool fouling won't close us permanently," I remind her and then her eyes go wide.

"There was another pool fouling? I thought we put up signs not to eat before going swimming!" she cries and now I'm confused. Usually the whole closing freak out was over a pool fouling or a cancelled class, all of which haw been happening a lot since Rory left. Apparently only Rory teaches our classes correctly which is news to me.

We have never gotten so many complaints about our classes before and honestly I was floundering about what to do. Because the only fix seemed to be bringing Rory back. But she had left us for Polished Elite, and was now currently missing.

"Wait... there wasn't a pool fouling?" I ask.

"I don't know!"

Sounds about right. Lacey never knew what was going on in the pool. Since I had taken scheduling over from her, because math and timing wasn't her strong suit, she basically decided it wasn't her business to keep track of that stuff anymore.

"Then what the hell are you freaking out about?"

"Fablehaven!" she cries. "They want to talk to us about the permit."

"Okay... and that's bad why?"

"Because the contract specifically states Rory has to teach it."

"Wait... what... that's in the contract, since when?"

"Two years ago, for the rebid, the only reason Fablehaven stayed with us was because we had Rory."

"Yes, you mentioned," I sigh. "What does that have to do with your freak out?"

"Because the Fablenhaven CEO called me today and said that we need to have discuss about our contract."

"Okay?"

"With the CEO of Polished Elite."

Alright so with Bryce's dad. "Okay? So, what are they going to do, take away the Fablehaven permit? What's so bad about that?"

"What's so bad... the Fablehaven permit is the only thing keeping us afloat. If we lose this permit we're screwed, do you understand? We won't stay open."

She had said that to me before. I remember. But I still didn't get how such a lucrative permit hinged on Rory. And if it did, why the hell didn't Lacey make sure that she was being treated right?

But I know Lacey won't take part of the blame. She's going to put this on me. Because I was selfish and cruel, not only was Rory gone, but now my job was in jeopardy too.

"Okay... okay... but Rory isn't at Polished Elite. She left, remember?"

"Great, great, so... so... we're both going to lose the rebid!"

"What why?"

"Because Fablehaven wants Rory, if neither of us have Rory they're going to fire us both," she tells me and I frown. Jesus why the hell did Fablehaven like Rory so much? Seriously, what was that about? "Unless they're going to tell me that since Polished Elite has Rory they don't need us anymore..."

"That's not going to happen. Weren't you listening?"

"Not going to happen? Why would you say that?"

"Because Rory left Polished Elite, she left and she's in Toronto and no one can tell me if she's coming back."

Lacey sat down in her chair, seemingly pondering hard what he had just said. "She left Polished Elite?"

"Well I don't know. Maybe? It's not like she's talking to me Lacey."

"But you know she's in Toronto?"

What the hell was this girl's problem? Why did she sound like she was scheming? God I hate it when she schemes. I'm already getting squirmy just thinking about all the terrible things she's made me do in the past.

"Well... yeah. The cops said they found her there... Bryce said something about a family home..."

"Is it possible that he was lying?"

"Uh... no, and I really hope he wasn't, because we both went into that precinct to file a missing person's report on her." But uh... if he had I was going to pop that stupidly styled blonde head off his fucking shoulders. Who does that to someone? Lies about where a missing person went, just for a permit? I wouldn't have done that to him that... actually yeah... I would. Goddamn it now I want to call him.

"Okay, yeah... I can work with this. Can you confirm that Rory's not with Polished Elite anymore?"

No, I couldn't the girl wasn't answering my phone calls but I might be able to get her to talk to someone else. "I mean, could try."

"Okay! Keep me posted!" she calls as if I've already walked away, but she's bent over her desk and hasn't looked up. So that means I'm dismissed, conversation over and alright, fine.

I leave her office, wondering whether or not Ican get Candy to call Rory right in front of me. Actually no, that's weird,that makes it look like I've missed her voice and... oh maybe I do, but no oneelse needs to know that but me.