Eighteen With A Chalkboard

Chapter 12: Critical Points

After a long day, I retire to the staff room, finally alone. The dim light casts shadows on the walls, and the scent of stale coffee hangs in the air. Papers are strewn across the table, a testament to the grueling day that has just ended. As I sift through the marked tests, disappointment grows with each red mark. The students' results are far from impressive.

The room is silent until someone pulls out a chair and takes a seat across from me. I slowly look up to see Dr. Grunewald, my family's nemesis.

He leans back, crossing his arms with a raised brow. "I don't know what your father is planning this time," he begins, his voice dripping with disdain, "but I can't believe he's stooped so low by having you here. What's his scheme?"

My brows furrow at his words. "W-what?"

He leans forward, eyes narrowing. "After what your father did to me, I'm starting to question why you're really here. You left prestigious institutions like Oxford, Harvard, and Glasgow to come straight here to Edinburgh. Why? Tell me!"

"I don't understand what you mean, sir," my voice trembles, betraying the turmoil inside me.

He smirks, then narrows his eyes. "I expect you to inform your father that I am aware of his schemes. This time, he won't get the upper hand. I will ensure it."

I swallow the bile rising in my throat and blink rapidly, trying to maintain my composure. "What are you talking about?"

My heart pounds in my chest, each beat echoing louder in the silence that follows his accusations. I try to mask my fear, but my racing heart and trembling hands betray me.

Dr. Grunewald notices my shaky fingers. He crosses his arms over his chest, amusement dancing in his eyes. He chuckles nonchalantly and stands up. "Just a reminder, Jonathan. I'm watching your every move."

"Is that what you said to my father before you betrayed him?" I blurt out, anger flaring despite my fear.

Dr. Grunewald leans closer, his eyes leering. "Is that what your father told you?" His voice is steely and mocking.

"No, it's exactly what you did to him."

He smirks, a cruel twist to his lips. "I think you need to ask your father exactly what he did." With those words, he walks away from my table, leaving me reeling.

---

As I lay awake that night, Dr. Grunewald's words replay in my mind, settling like a stone in my stomach. I didn't think to let Mr. Sage know about it; he might send me back to London.

Morning comes too quickly. I prepare for the day, avoiding any chance encounter with Dr. Grunewald. I head straight to my classroom, double-checking the results. Surprisingly, Kagawa had taken first place, followed by Chris, then Kane, and lastly Millie.

Minutes later, students begin to trickle into the classroom, chatting amongst themselves. Julie catches my eye and winks before taking her seat, while Chris greets me with a mischievous fist bump. Millie and Sawyer walk past, hand in hand.

"There's bad news," I state, trying to steady my voice. "I marked all of your papers, and I can assure you that 85 percent of you failed the assignment."

A collective groan of disappointment fills the room, their faces mirroring my own frustration.

"However," I continue, raising my voice to command attention, "this is a learning opportunity. We will go through each mistake and learn from them. Failure is not the end; it's a stepping stone to success."

I glance at the test papers in my hands and begin to call out the top scores. "Kagawa, Chris, Kane, and Millie," I announce, hesitating slightly with Millie's name. She had scored 70 percent.