Her innocence is refreshing. I’m not used to people saying no to me, and a sick part of me likes it. The fact that I’m getting under her skin is a huge bonus.
I shove my hands into my pockets and rock back on my heels. “Who would have thought a teacher who sings in front of twenty students at a time would have stage fright in front of her peers?” Low blow but I don’t care. Her students glare at me letting me know that wasn't cool.
“Singing in class is vastly different. I am teaching, not entertaining. That was the last time I'll be center stage." She looks like she is resisting the urge to stomp her foot on the floor.
I flash her a wide smile. "No, it isn't," I took the opportunity to disagree with her.
She’s giving me a look that says, tell them and I’ll kill you. Of course, I have to tell them. They were clearly the reason she sang tonight so they may be able to sway her decision. I’m not even really sure when I became okay with the decision to have her singing with me, but I have, so might as well go with it.
The students look at our bizarre exchange with interest. If it takes playing dirty to get her to sing with me, then I am all about getting dirty.
I turn up my biggest smile and lean forward, talking to just the kids. I put my hand up, pretending that Ada can’t hear me and whisper loudly. “The reason I’m disagreeing with her is because my agent wants us to sing together. Do you know what a record deal is?”
A loud huff comes from Ada, but I pretend I can’t hear her and continue my underhanded ways.
Some of the kids just stare while others nod like I’m an idiot. I decide to explain anyway. “You know the music you hear on radios and stuff like that? That’s what my agent wants your teacher to do.” I look up at Ada, and she is seething. I can just about see all the nasty thoughts she is thinking about me. I am already committed to the routine, why not go down with a bang?
“If she decides to sing with me she could become famous. How awesomely cool would that be?”
Loud cheers and claps go up from some of the kids as they excitedly urge her to become famous. However, some of them looked unsure.
I hope I don’t sound like a stuck-up asshole. Because classifying myself as a big deal makes me seem a lot surer of myself than I actually am.
The students are a mix of emotions. The small blonde girl who was praising her when I walked up is the first to speak.
“Miss Springfield doesn’t want to be famous, she likes teaching us and her quiet life.”
“Is that true Miss Springfield,” I ask, “Do you like your quiet life?”
“I think it will be so cool,” another boy says before she can answer. “You would be the only famous person I know besides my cousin Robbie. He got lost at the Mall of America for a whole day.”
Ada nods thoughtfully maybe I got to her through her students. I think I want this more for her to have a chance at success than I do. Maybe it will make up for my being an asshole to her in high school. That’s a little scary caring about what happens in her life so much after just a short time knowing her again.
“I just don’t think we’d be a good match, Mr. Maxwell,” she says stiffly. “I don’t know anything about show business and what if our voices don’t go well together?”
“Don’t you think you owe it to yourself to give it a chance?” I ask her blocking her path as she’d been trying to inch her way to the edge of the chairs. I avoid laughing at her calling me Mr. because I can see she’s not in the mood for that.
Now the students are on my side a bit. They are saying perhaps she should try. I can see hope in all their faces and it kind of touches me how much they care about her. “You should do it, Ms. Springfield. You’re so awesome.”
“Yeah, Ms. Springfield.”
Ada just shakes her head, uncomfortable with all the attention her students are giving her. If she does decide to sign with us, then we are going to have to work on this whole demure and shy thing. I like the idea of breaking her out of her shell. Once she gets over her stage fright she will be spectacular. This could be a fabulous story, not just rags to riches. What's the one with the ugly duckling and the swan?
Seeing that I’m not getting as far as I’d like. I try a different approach. “Okay, how about this, let me take you out Monday night after work and we can just talk about it. That’s all we’ll do… just talk about it. You don’t have to make any kind of commitment. I just want you to listen to what I have to say. Hell . . . “
Ada does smirk now as she looks up at me. “You really should watch your mouth, Mr. Maxwell. You really should set a good example for young minds.”
If only she knew what I had been thinking about doing before the talent show. The drugs in my pocket weigh heavily against my thigh. Suddenly I'm aware of how bad it is that I have it at the high school.
I nod and do my best to look chastised. “I’m sorry, Ms. Springfield. But, what do you say? Does Monday night work for you?”
I watch as she mentally wages a war. If she agrees, it means she has to step out of her comfort zone and take a chance. If she declines, it means she will always wonder, what if. At least I imagine that’s what she’s thinking, she could be thinking of what she wants to eat for dinner for all I know. I’m not breathing as she considers her answer.
She reluctantly nods. “Okay, seven o’clock. Lila has my address so ask Thomas.”
I’m a little shocked she agreed but step out of her way so she can dash off behind the stage. “Alright,” I say more to myself than anything.
“You better not dick her over,” the guy who’d been so excited said. I look at his serious expression and can tell immediately, he means business.