Let's Fix This

Chapter 10

"Charlotte, I've missed you so much!" My mother exclaims as she rushes to come hug me. I throw up my arms to stop her from touching me. Confusion fills her face and Casey's too. Ha, good for them.

"Didn't you miss me?" Mother asks and I burst out with laughter.

"Of course not, now why are you here?" I say with all seriousness.

"Why to get you, don't you want to live with me?" She asks me looking at Casey like they've got something planned.

"Yeah like come on, Mom lives with me now. We've got a big house and you can start your life over. It'll be great." Casey speaks up trying to appeal to me. I roll my eyes.

"I live with Dad now. I'm not starting over anything, I'm continuing my life with Dad. We have a lot to make up for and I have the right to do so. Try and take me and I promise we'll call the cops every time. Leave us alone." I say with a stoic face. Markov looks shocked and scrambles to get up. Casey and Mother's faces are priceless, they look completely taken aback. Then they shift to anger.

"How dare you talk to me like that? I oughta slap you right now but I won't. Get your ass out of this office and follow me to my car right now young lady!" Mother yells and Casey snickers. 

"No thank you. I am not afraid of you. Do whatever you want, I'm staying here." I say taking a stand. Markov appears in front of me.

"Ms. Jofres please leave. I do not tolerate anyone who upsets my students. I'm asking politely now but if I ask again I will call security so I suggest you get out. Your daughter has expressed her wishes and it will do you good to respect them seeing as you are not welcome in this community at all." Markov says nicely even though I see the irritation in his eyes and hear it underlying in his tone. I walk out the office and hold the door open. Both my mother and sister roughly shove me as they exit the office. I come back inside and Markov looks at me weirdly.

"What?" I ask.

"You handled that nicely, better than I expected. Do you need anything? Do you want to go home? Your dad can take you and Henry out of school." Markov says and I realize that weird look was pride. 

"Nah, I'm fine. Thanks so much for stepping in there. Our place should be all hooked up soon so just to let you know, Friday night come over for dinner. Bring a housewarming gift." I say with a smile. Markov chuckles.

"You and your gifts. Okay, I'll be there. Oh one thing before you go. Henry's family is asking about him, they want to meet with him and talk they say. They told me he was not to come to school Thursday, does he know?" Markov asks with genuine concern.

"No, if he does he hasn't told me. You want me to break it to him?" I ask. Markov shakes his head.

"Nah, let it come from ole Uncle Ron." Markov says.

"You do know it's weird to talk about yourself like that." I say with some playfulness in my tone. Markov pats his belly and smiles.

"Hush child and just be ready to feed me Friday. Now get out." He says, trying to keep up his big bad principal look. I roll my eyes and turn.

"Later Ron." I call out as I close the door. As soon as I'm about 2 feet away the intercom comes on.

"Sorry for the interruption but due to an emergency inspection school is now dismissed. Please clear school grounds within the next minutes. Thank you and have a nice day." Principal Markov says and I turn around to see him walking happily out his office. He sends a wink then races down the hallway and literally the halls are flooded with students. He is something else. I follow the crowd out of the school and find myself in the parking lot. I try to look for Henry or Jasper but I give up after 30 seconds. I start looking for Henry's car and I find it and Bianca. I walk up to the car and of course she looks at me as if I've grown 7 heads.