I See You (Campus Crush series)

9

Pic: Royce Porter Bronn Larsen

Dawn picked at her mashed potatoes with a heavy pout on her face. Royce was sitting on my lap, letting me feed him. Of course, he was old enough to do so himself, but interestingly enough for a boy his age, he loved being held and coddled. David and I were still working on helping him gain as much independence as a four year old needed, considering he was awfully shy.

"You okay, baby?" David tenderly stroked his hand through our daughter's messy curls but she just continued to pout.

"Use your words, love," I softly told her, giving Royce his custom-made, two hundred dollar sippy cup which he often lost.

"I wanted to be Dorothy," she mumbled.

"I don't understand why you didn't get it. You studied those lines like a test," Dani said.

"I know why I didn't get it. They told me."

"What did they tell you?"

"They said it's because my hair is different than Dorothy's since it's not straight enough. And I'm not the same color as her either."

I squinted, trying to make sure I heard that correctly. I noticed David and his sister exchange surprised glances, which was all the confirmation I needed.

"Dawn, who said that to you?" my husband inquired, taking her hand to bring her closer. "Come here. Do you remember who told you that?"

Her eyes widened before she bowed her head. "N... I-It was... um, one of my teachers."

"What's the teacher's name, sweetheart?" Dani asked, a frown settling on her face. We watched her fidget with her fingers as her lips trembled, a clear sign she was about to cry.

"Darling, you're not in trouble." David picked her up and sat her in his lap.

"Not at all," Dani echoed, reaching over to hold our little girl's hand. "But what she said to you was hurtful and insensitive. We need to know who it is; do you know their name or are you able to point the person out?"

"Ms. Kurry."

"Okay. Good. You're very brave for telling us the truth."

I scowled, meeting David's gaze. He easily picked up on my indignation at the circumstance. Ms. Kurry... I scanned the list of my daughter's teachers in my head, desperately trying to put a face to the name. And despite my vocational oath of doing no harm, I never wanted to hurt someone so bad for having the inclination to tell an innocent child—my child— that her brown skin was a handicap.

*

I was foolish to think a shower might calm me down. I scrubbed my scalp and skin raw with anger propelling each of my movements. Consequently, I gave myself a migraine.

The glass door opened behind me, and I looked over my shoulder to see David joining me. We still weren't on the best terms, of course, so I stopped myself from traveling right into his arms or proudly admiring his bare body like I usually would. Now was not the time. I turned away and immediately started scouring my arm again with my exfoliating brush.

"Casper," he quietly called, but I didn't stop. If anything, I scrubbed harder. Anything to prevent me from losing all of my shits. "You're taking it out on yourself. Angel?" David took the brush out of my hand, and I just froze. In a voice so tender, he said "Talk to me."

"Why? You're mad at me; you think I cheated on you."

"I don't think..." he sighed. "I just want the full story. I can't understand it until I know everything that happened."