Monster?!
It took all my strength to not reach out and slap her smug little face. But I didn’t; I got to my feet, smiled and politely excused myself.
She was lying. I was certain—just as certain as I was that Dylan was a good man and that I loved him. All I had to do now was prove it.
Chapter Fifteen
Mr. Cox
I stared in disbelief at Mrs. Arrington’s Facebook post that had spread like wildfire across our town in the last half hour. Everyone must have seen it by now, and I already knew what the consequences would be: my career was over.
Not only that, my reputation was forever ruined. No doubt this story would go viral, or at least national. News stations loved a scandal and the public seemed to as well. I’d have to resign before they fired me and probably move across the country. I doubted I’d ever be able to teach math again either.
Part of me wanted to respond to the post—get my side of the story out there and tell them about how Mrs. Arrington had consistently come on to me and put my hand under her skirt rather than it being the other way around—but I doubted anyone would believe me. Also, there was the chance that me replying would only piss Mrs. Arrington off even more and cause her to escalate the situation.
I slammed my laptop shut and tossed it onto my bed then stormed downstairs and began pacing around my living room.
“Fuck!” I roared. “Fuck!”
I should have gone to the principal with this when it happened. What the fuck was wrong with me? At least then I would have something on record to defend myself with—a report detailing Mrs. Arrington’s harassment that I could post for everyone to see. At least then the school might be on my side. As it was now, I was fucked. Completely and utterly fucked.
Losing my job was going to be a big blow, and my reputation being forever smeared was another, but neither of those things was as devastating as knowing that Emily was going to see this (if she hadn’t already).
I’d waited so long to make her mine, and now this. What was she going to think? Even if she had faith in me, her family would never allow her to be
with me. It was already a stretch for an older guy like me to be with her, especially after having been her teacher. That was scandal enough for a small town like ours, but it was consensual and people would eventually accept it.
Her parents would never accept her being in a relationship with a disgraced, accused sexual predator.
I reached for my phone and started to type an e-mail to her. I had to explain myself—I had to at least do that if I was never going to see her again, but just as I began typing, my door burst open and Emily rushed inside.
“Emily!” I exclaimed.
“Dylan!” She threw herself into my arms and I knew instantly that she believed in me, and the adrenaline that had been screaming through my veins began to subside. I held her warm, soft body, buried my nose in her hair and inhaled, losing myself in her scent.
“You know…” I said softly.
“She’s a liar,” Emily hissed. “And I have proof.”
“Proof!?” I asked. She smiled and nodded vigorously. I let her down and she pulled out her phone and opened Facebook.
“Look what I just posted. I replied to her post and I posted it on my page and people are already starting to share it!”
My heart was racing as she scrolled to her reply on Mrs. Arrington’s original post.
Oh, really, Mrs. A? Have anything to say about this?
Beneath, there was a video. My heart was ready to tear out of my chest as Emily pressed the play button.
At first I was confused; It looked like someone outside filming through somebody’s window, but I quickly understood. Mrs. Arrington entered frame, a cellphone pressed to her face, an enormous smile plastered across her face.
“Oh, he’s fucked!” she laughed. “Mr. Cox is fucked. One of his students just came to my house and told me he said something to her that we can totally use to make him sound guilty. People will believe anything these days!”
I looked at Emily in complete shock.
“Did you—?”
“Keep watching!” she replied. I did.