Little Girl Blue - 𝐖𝐋𝐖

𝐈𝐈. Eros- FortyOne

It was as if it almost never happened. My mother, the trip to Walbank, everything I witnessed there faded away with each mile further we got from it.

The door finally closed and the room was filled with a needed silence. I adored my kids and my job alike but it was hours of endless questions and remarks on both ends before I could get a break.

I pushed my heels back as the rolling of the chair glided along with it. Just for a little I needed to rest my feet before needing to switch gears for the rest of the day. In my bottom drawer was a lunch Florence had packed for me wrapped loosely in an old grocery bag I retrieved with much pleasure.

All of these little rituals we had started were becoming the highlights of my day. She'd cook, I'd set the table. If I wrap my arms real tight around her, she'll return me with a kiss. At the end of the day we'll talk and then we'll watch a movie but we'll be touching and caressing until we decide to end the night. I could see her smile whenever I wanted to and it was getting hard not to get distracted by the thought of her.

I've loved the way things have transpired, even if at times against my will. I felt like I had something that was mine, and I wanted to keep her as close to my heart.

Unraveling the bag to see stacked tubberware and a yellow sticky note on top. "Have a wonderful day habibti-F."

I smiled to myself, running my finger over the pen drawn heart next to the initial. I was warm with the idea of knowing I would come home to her.

"What's got you all giddy?" It was a slightly bitter voice that could only be coming from Viola and those damned red lips.

I didn't bother to look up, just continuing to unpack the tubberware boxes. "May I help you something Ms. Elliot?" I hadn't bothered to interact with Viola since the first week of school. We were strangers again and her fake interest in me was pathetic even for her.

She approached the desk just barely, but I could see her brown feet wedged into some sandals to know she was closer than I wanted her to be. "You can at least look at me Jane."

I unraveled my utensils, looked up at her briefly but long enough to see her hair was gelled back into a bun, long enough to see she had the tiniest bit of desperation behind her eye. Having seen enough I looked down.

Viola took a step closer and swiped at the note before reading it.She scoffed, and this time I was forced to look at her as she she tossed it back down.

"I knew you didn't cook. Should've known it was somebody new that's got you like this."

"Are you jealous?" I chewed.

She ignored me, continuing. "...and it must be serious if she's packing your lunch. Cute, you've finally learned some commitment."

I stood and snatched the note back in disdain. "You're crossing a lot of boundaries right now."

"The hell do you know about boundaries?" She spat back.

My lunch wasn't going to be much of a break—at least now she wasn't pretending to be nice anymore. I sat back and crossed my arms while she rested her bottom half on a desk across from my own. Her eyes weren't letting up on the darting the were doing on me.

"That charade you pulled the other week can't happen again. I won't be covering for you anymore and you certainly can't be having anymore outburst in front of the students." She took an immense joy in telling me off I simply just let her have it. Viola was intelligent and charming and conniving all at once which was why she was so attractive. And when she talked it was never with her words always with her body which was shamefully trying to capture my attention. The difficult thing about Viola was that she hated me. She hated me in a similar way Kaylee did, because I couldn't love them and yet I'd manage to still have them. They hated that. But the difference between Viola and Kaylee was Vi was manipulative. And she was quite good at it too.