43

Kyrin

I sat in my office as I talked with the new superintendent of the district. He was a nice man— or at least that's from what I have seen and heard thus far.

"So, we can organize something Principal Broussard. We need a high school principal and your scores test wise have set this district in another ranking. They're extraordinary and amazing. You came highly demanding from my coworkers and I would really like if you at least let me tell you more." He told me.

I had explained to him that I didn't want to leave Eissa yet but the man talked a good game. I couldn't take that from him.

Smiling softly, I chuckled. "Now Superintendent Johnson—."

"Doug." He corrected out of flattery.

"Doug..." I took his suggestion. "My son..."

"I hear that. I do. So I'm willing to compromise. High school gets out three hours earlier than elementary school, so you can come and check on him anytime. Just listen to me for a second here."

Hesitating, I nodded. "Okay, I'm listening."

"Like I stated when we spoke on the phone, I'll let you leave this school in it's best interest. You'll have a say in who you want the principal to be. I'll give you that voice as long as you give me your word that you'll start as our new high school principal."

I'd never worked with teenagers as much as little children but I was always up for a challenge. That was one thing about me, I was not closed off towards change.

"Carmen." I replied kind of shocking myself. "Carmen Jones. If you want the scores to stay high and the discipline to stay in order. She's your best chance."

Even though we haven't and will never be best friends again... I still had love and respect for that girl. Even though she had none for me, I was never built like that. She deserved it as much as I do.

He nodded. "Alright. You mentioned that when we spoke on the phone. I emailed her before I came today and I'll meet with her on it." 

"Okay." I answered as I made my decision. "I'm in. When do you want me to start?"

"Take a week, give us a chance to clear out this office and move it to the high schools and you can very well start next Monday."

"You're kidding."

"Next Monday Ms. Broussard." Doug firmed it but only to let me know that he was serious.

Smiling, I nodded. "Well next Monday, I'll be there."

We both stood as we shook hands. "It's been a pleasure to finally meet you in person. Thank you for taking this, I know it's abrupt and out of nowhere but I know you're the best woman for the job."

As we let go, I replied. "It's no problem. Thank you for even having faith in me doing this. I won't let you down."

"I know you won't." He nodded at me firmly one last time before leaving the room. I squealed as soon as the door shut completely. This shit was really happening, I was going to be a high school principal.

My phone buzzed suddenly and I looked down to see that Ember was calling. Ignoring it, I let it ring until she hung up. Picking up my phone, I saw the messages that they were sending had doubled. Emojis had been stripped from their names because I just didn't have time for the bs.

Ember Sisters IIICan you please talk to us? We're sorry Kyrin.

PhoebeSisters IIIStop ignoring us. We are back cool Kyrin. We apologized. We pinky swear.

Ember Sisters IIIKyrin! You haven't even talked to Janet... please just talk to us.

Leaving the groupchat, I put my phone back down as my head went elsewhere.

"Kyrin, you are way too damn emotional!" My mother yelled at me as she laughed.

"That's why her feelings always hurt." Ember added on.

My father put his hands on my shoulder as he scolded his wife and daughter. "Now y'all leave my princess alone. If she wants to be sensitive then let her."

Momma shook her head. "No child of mines is going to be sensitive. Suck it up Kyrin! Suck it up!"

I sniffed as I wiped my tears before nodding and mumbling. "Yes ma'am."

Damn it Kyrin, just suck it up!

There was a knock on the door and it opened to reveal Carmen. She smiled at me and I sent a smile one back.

"What can I do you for C?" I asked as I sat down in my desk.

"You told the superintendent to make me principal. Why?"

Looking at her, my face furrowed. "Why wouldn't I? You do good work. The kids respect you. You've been amazing as a Vice. You deserve it. I can't take your talent away from you."

Carmen sighed. "Can we talk?"

"Yeah, of course. What's up?"

"I just wanted to apologize Kyrin. I know that we probably can't go back to how we were before, but I am sorry. I wanna work on at least a friendship. If that's doable?"

"Of course it is. Just... not right now chile. I have to submit a few reports before I leave today."

"When are you going to the high school? Next year?"

I chuckled. "Next Monday."

Carmen made a face. "You're leaving this soon?"

Nodding, I turned around and took my diploma off the wall. "Yeah. I am. Todays my last day here actually. Hey, how's Joy doing in the classroom?"

"Good. No complaints thus far."

"Okay. That's good. I'm glad she's fitting in." Before Carmen could reply, my sisters walked into the room. I held my hand out towards them and spoke to Carmen. "Carmen, I'll talk to you later. Let me handle something real quick."

Carmen nodded before leaving and shutting the door behind her. Ember spoke as she pointed. "You friends with her again?"

"Nope but we can actually have conversations like civilized adults." I replied as I shook my head.

"You can't seriously still be mad at us..." Phoebe mumbled and I rolled my eyes.

"Look, I work here. So unless it's an emergency, I'll be glad if you two would stop the spontaneous popping up."

Ember sighed. "Sis, we are sorry."

"And I hear you guys. Alls forgiven. Anything else you two need?"

"If you really forgive us, then give us a hug." Phoebe suggested.

I scoffed as my attention left them and went back to the computer in front of me. "That's not going to happen. I have work to do. I'll talk to y'all later."

"It's not going to happen because you're mad. Just admit that you are." Phoebe kept going.

My response fell short as someone else walked into my office. It was Janet and I groaned. "What is this? Pop up on Kyrin day?"

Ember and Phoebe hugged Janet as she spoke to them. "Thanks for calling me Em."

"Nu uh. Not today guys." I shut it down. "We can talk after I finish or later on because I need to get this done."

Janet sat down in the chair in front of me and my sisters headed for the exit. Phoebe spoke. "We can always harass you at home. Bye Janet."

"Bye." She waved at them as they opened my door and as it closed they disappeared from my eyesight.

Meeting eye contact with Janet briefly, I put it back on my computer as I began typing in my reports. We sat in silence until finally I asked. "How long you plan on sitting there?"

"Until we talk about it."

"There is no it and there's nothing to talk about."

"Kyrin... I know I probably pissed you off by leaving—."

"Pissed?" I questioned as I looked at her and then back at my screen. "Wrong emotion hun."

"Okay..." She trailed as I submitted the first two reports and started on the third. As I typed she began speaking again. "Can you just take a tiny break?"

Shaking my head, I continued. "No. I have to have this last one done before I leave today."

"Kyrin, just take a second."

Typing anyway, I finished it up quicker than the first too and submitted it. Looking at Janet, I was about to speak until my alarm went off. Glancing at it, I silenced it as I stood and grabbed my paper. "We can talk in a second."

Leaving the room, I walked to the office and turned the intercom on as I spoke. "Good afternoon Bobcats. Ms. Hawthorne's soccer team will meet tomorrow after school. Scholars do your best to attend. UIL practice also starts meeting after lunch in the library tomorrow. The list has been sent to all the teachers on which students to release." I put the paper down as I took a breath. "Today is also my last day here as the Marion Cross Principal. I've led this team to a long stance of victory and I know that it will do nothing but succeed once I'm gone. I will forever be proud of you scholars and staff. Thank you for everything you've done to help me learn to be better. Remember, make it a great day, or not. The choice is yours." I pushed the button in to turn the intercom off as I stepped back.

Turning to walk back in my office, I saw that Janet was standing there. "You quit?"

I pointed when I noticed my new assistant looking. "In my office." She turned and walked back into my office. I walked in behind her as I let the door shut behind us. "I didn't quit, I got promoted."

"When were you going to tell me?"

Noticing her tone, I chuckled. "Don't start, it just happened literally 15 minutes before you entered my office."

"Oh." It got awkward as I began pulling things out of the draws. Janet put her hands on mines and made me stop. "Kyrin, talk to me! We haven't had a real conversation since that damn night."

"You hurt me aight?" I asked as I took my hands away from hers. "You left me in that restaurant. Why?"

"Gil told me—."

I squinted my eyes as I cut her off. "Gil tell you to jump off a bridge are you jumping?"

"Bae, just listen... He told me that people were recording. Which they were Kyrin. Not to mention our server knew who I was. It could have been bad for my image. We couldn't risk it."

"Whose we?" I questioned.

"You and I."

My face showed my emotions as I corrected her. "No. Just you. I have nothing to do with your image because I'm not even in the picture."

"What does that mean?"

"That means..." I hesitated before throwing my hands up. "That means I think I need a break."

Janet paused for a moment before shaking her head. "No. We can communicate about this. You give me a good reason to take a break, and by all means I'll let you take one but you gotta give me a reason."

"How long you expect me to be your secret?"

"You aren't a—."

"Don't bullshit me right now Janet. Sure, your family knows. Sure, your friends know but that isn't enough all the time. At least not anymore. You brought up engagement rings as if we are going to actually get engaged."

"We are!"

"We aren't!"

Janet softened as she sat and put her head in her hands. "Baby, where is this coming from?"

"We talk about marriage and engagements like it's actually going to happen. You want the public to see you claim me when we are getting married but you won't even claim me to the public now. What? We just gone pop up engaged?"

She seemed to think it over before sighing. "We don't have to break up over that Kyrin, just give me some time here."

"I did not say that we are breaking up, I'm just asking for space and time."

"So you're going back to your house?"

Shaking my head, I glanced over a picture in one of my frames before announcing. "No, I'm going home for a bit. I'm going see if I can do anything with momma and figure out this house situation."

"You can't do that without us taking a break?"

"Nope."

Janet took a deep breath. "Baby, I understand you. I do, but let's be honest, you knew that dating me would have that con. Of course I want to claim you, but that might mess up my image and—."

"Janet! I don't want to hear about your image right now. You're missing the whole poin—." Knocking at my door erupted causing me to take a deep breath as well before yelling. "Come in!"

The door opened and teachers stood outside of it. Most were crying and I walked around my desk. "You can't go!" The fourth grade science teacher yelled to me.

"They can't take you from us Kyrin."

"Aw. Stop crying before you guys make me cry." I pleaded as they all crowded around and hugged me.

One of them noticed Janet and spoke. "Oh Kyrin, did we interrupt your conference?"

I looked back and noticed Janet standing there looking at me. Shaking my head, I tugged a piece of hair behind my ear before covering up what will always be hidden. "No, Miss Jackson was just leaving. Eissa's in the carpool line?"

"No, he's heading this way." His teacher informed me.

Nodding, I spoke to Janet. "Thank you for stopping by Miss Jackson. I'll make sure VP Jones gets the forms and it won't be a problem."

Janet nodded along as she began leaving. "Thank you. We'll be in touch."

When she left the teachers all looked at me. "What?"

Instead of answering they put me into another tight circle of hugs and arms. Closing my eyes, I embraced them back. Gosh, I would miss these folks.

_______

Hold up! Hold up! Hoooolllllddddd up! Now, I don't usually do this but this book has gave me my ENTIRE life! I just had to give this a personal shoutout because I really enjoyed reading this. The author is TheKnowledge1814

Check it out for me guys! You all won't regret it. ❤️