Complicated Love

Chapter 23.

Meredith.

I'm at work while all the children are playing I'm grading the papers from the children I tutor after school.

I think Christopher's work has really been improving since we started our tutoring sessions.

His teacher also said he's been behaving better in class and his grades are improving there as well.

I look up at the children and scan the room to see if any of them are misbehaving when my eyes land on Avery.

She's pulling another girl's hair before she smushes her sandwich in the other girl's face.

"Avery Shepherd!" I say standing up. I walk over to their table and grab Avery's arm.

I take her to the corner of the room and place her in the naughty chair. "Why would you do that?" I ask her.

"Because she was saying mean things to me!" She says. "Then why didn't you tell me instead?" I say.

"Because I didn't want to!" She says. "You can sit here for the rest of lunch," I walk back over to her table and grab her lunch before bringing it to her as she faces the wall.

I go back to the table and grab a napkin and help the girl clean her face.

Once everything is situated I go back to my desk and finish grading the papers.

*****

It comes to the end of the day and Avery is still in the naughty chair.

Throughout the entire day, I had to continue putting her back, usually, kids just sit there and pout.

The entire time she got up after every time I put her back. My thighs hurt by the time she gave up.

I would never have expected this from Avery. When she came here she was the sweetest child and now she's changed and I don't know why.

I don't know if it's because Derek is starting to pay less attention to her and more to Christopher so she's trying to win it back somehow.

All I know as I need to talk to Derek about it so he can deal with it.

I'm sitting at my desk while the kids are all sitting on the carpet waiting for their parents.

But Avery is still in the naughty chair. I was going to let her out but she called me stupid so she went back.

As per usual Derek was the last parent to pick up their child.

Avery was still pouting in her seat when Derek came to pick her up.

"Why is she sitting over there?" He asks as he walks further into the room to see her facing the wall.

"She's been misbehaving all day," I say looking down at my paper.

"What did she do?" He says. "Everything under the sun. I suggest you take this one and look over it," I say handing him a piece of paper.

It says everything she did today, why she might be doing it, and what the parent or guardian can do to help the child.

It's something we have to do for young children.

"What's this?" He asks. "Read it," I say. "So now you're not talking to me?" He says.

"Right now I'm not your girlfriend Derek, I'm your daughter's teacher. I'm not being cold I'm being professional," I say.

"Alright," he nods. He leans down and presses his lips against mine before walking over to Avery.

He talks to her for a bit before picking her up and taking her home.

I finish a bit more paperwork before I grab my things and go home as well.