Taming Lies (A Tom Hiddleston Story)

fifteen: the interview from hell

Chapter Fifteen
The Interview From Hell

"Miss Morrison-"

"Hiddleston," I corrected, accepting Mrs Charles hand, trying not to break eye-contact and shoot Tom a glance, "Avery Hiddleston. How do you do?"

Mrs Charles kept her stern face, "Quite well, thank you. And who is this?"

"My husband," I confirmed with my most plastic smile, "This is Tom Hiddleston."

Mrs Charles widened her expression at what I had said. She shook Tom's hand and it was almost a struggle for her to speak, "Oh? Mr Hiddleston? You must be the "long lost husband" I have heard so much about." I gritted my teeth, trying not to react. Oh gosh, I could slap her across the face.

"Good evening, Mrs Charles," Tom grinned, "It's a pleasure to meet you." I obviously knew he was lying.

"Sit," She instructed, waving her hand over the table. Both Tom and I thanked her and sat down in the seats in front of her desk. She plummeted into her chair and a lingering sigh escaped from her mouth. As she spun around to grab William's file with her back facing us, Tom and I both glanced awkwardly and tried not to burst into laughter. This interview was probably going to end with William being expelled.

"Ah, darling William!" Mrs Charles cried, turning around and slamming the file on the desk. Tom and I both jumped and the teacher flicked the file open quite roughly. I had only met her a few times and she was beginning to scare me. What would the children think of her? "He's a good student, very smart. He excels at English, Religion and all specialty subjects such as Sport, Art, Music, French..." She peered over her glasses directly at Tom, "And especially Drama. I see where he gets his talent from, however. He can't stop talking about you, Mr Hiddleston"

"I would expect that," Tom laughed softly, smiling with a small blush. That's when it occurred to me that William has a lot of traits from his father. The Arts, French, Sport, Drama... All I had to teach him was English, Math and Religion.

Mrs Charles knotted her fingers together, "Although, he is just, uh, lagging behind the slightest in Maths. He is aware of only a few of his times tables."

"I see," I murmured, "I tried teaching him Maths but he gets distracted quite easily and finds it boring."

"As most children do. He shows a lot of the qualities that you had just explained in class and doesn't maintain a positive attitude towards the subject..." She explained in a slow manner, "I'm afraid for his knowledge in Maths, and if he is not sent to a tutor, he may always fall behind the other children."

"We have considered sending him to a tutor, but it is so much money. And, as you are aware, we don't have enough," I responded, trying my best to smile.

"No, I am not aware," Mrs Charles piped, an almost evil grin on her face, "I am almost certain that you would since your husband has such a steady and brilliant job. Please, tell me more."

Anger bubbled up inside me. She hated my guts, and I had no idea why, "Look, it's a very long story and not fit for the interview-"

"Oh, but we have plenty of time. You are my last interview for the night..." Mrs Charles said calmly, waving her hand at me, instructing me to continue.

Tom leaned forward, "I think what Avery means to say that it is a very sensitive subject to talk about, and that she would not be comfortable talking about it at this time."

Mrs Charles retreated, "Fine, if that is what you please, then we will move on..." She pursed her lips shut and flicked through the pages of his report, "In English, he is very well steadied in that subject. He seems to enjoy it, too. Religion, he is very well educated, and claims to go to church every weekend?"

I nodded, "As much as we can, but we do go a lot."

"That's good to hear... We are very strong believers in God at this school," Mrs Charles responded for no apparent reason, "French, he is on average but shows many advanced work. Sport, he is a very good runner-" Tom stifled back a laugh and the teacher continued, "He is very artistic in both Music and Visual Arts, and he is, once again, excels in Drama."

"That is all very good then!" Tom cried, obviously very happy with our son.

Mrs Charles shot us a glance that practically screamed 'it doesn't stop there' and slid us forward a scoring sheet of paper, "As you can see, his English test last week scored high results-"

"You test children at this age?" I asked, frowning, "In their first year of schooling?"

Mrs Charles replied bluntly, as if I were stupid. "Why of course. To... discover the best in the children. We go through it together, although the answers are private..."

This almost seemed queer, "Can I read this test?"

Mrs Charles grinned cockily, "That is what I was going to get to. In one part of the test, the children were to write about their parents, with the title being 'My Mum, Or Dad is... and they were to finish the sentence..." She explained, picking up a sheet of paper and handing it to us. The title read 'My Dad Is Evil' and words were scribbled all over the place. It pinpointed Tom as Loki and I smiled while I read through it, laughing at his imagination.

"My dad is an actor and he is Loki from The... Avengers and he killed a lot of people and destroyed New York in America..." I read aloud, giggling, "But then he was captured by Iron Man, The Hulk, Ca... Captain America, Thor, Hawkeye and the Black Widow. Even though he is evil I love my dad a lot." Tom and I shared a laugh, placing it on the table.

"There is even this drawing he did in Art..." Mrs Charles murmured sternly, handing it to us. It was a stick figure drawing, but you could quite clearly see who was who. There were dead people on the ground and red resembling blood everywhere. Tom and I didn't know who to react, so we just laughed, "I think it is no laughing matter," Mrs Charles grumbled, "This is very violent and a bad example to other classmates. If this is what he pictures Art, then I am very concerned."

"He's just expressing himself," Tom shrugged, "I don't see how this is a big deal."

"Sure, Mr Hiddleston, violence is a very safe way to express yourself," Mrs Charles replied with a bite, "This might mean that something is wrong with his emotions, a bad sign for bad behaviour. I should have you seek a therapist-"

"Mrs Charles, I see nothing wrong with our son and nothing wrong with showing his fathers work through art or narratives or drama or anything he does," I argued, almost sick of his teacher, "It just so seems that you are telling me how to control my child."

She froze, "I never claimed that-"

"Then why are you telling me to seek a therapist when I am heavily studied psychology?" I barked, my fists clenched and anger firing inside me. I backed down from the fight after a lingering silence with my cheeks flushed red, "Sorry. That was uncalled for."

Mrs Charles glared at me through her glasses. Her long black hair might as well of formed into snakes and her stare turn Tom and I to stone, "I see where he gets his short temper from..." She snapped with the tiniest smile formed on her lips.

I was disgusted. I stood up abruptly and Mrs Charles followed my figure, "I think I have heard enough..." I announced, grabbing Tom's hand and pulling him up so he could be level with me, "Good day, Mrs Charles."

As Tom and I walked towards the exit of the classroom, I heard Mrs Charles stand up quickly, "We are not finished, Avery!"

I just shrilled a laugh through my lips, glancing over my shoulder, "Oh, but Mrs Charles, I have heard plenty." Tom and I left the classroom and made our way towards the car in silence. He didn't know what to say and I didn't want to talk. I knew the interview wasn't going to go smoothly, but that wasn't my fault. Tom and I got into the car and he shot me a glance. My eyes met his and he couldn't help but smile ridiculously, "What?" I asked, shaking my head the slightest.

"Well," Tom announced loudly, "She was a bitch."

{A/N}

xD IM SORRY I HAD TOO I COULDN'T HELP MYSELF

I'm not going to say particularly much, but tell me what you think below! Do you like Mrs Charles? Why does Avery avoid talking about what happened? Do you like Tom's sass?

PLEASE READ MY NEW SUMMARY FOR MY BOOK 'HEAR ME ROAR' AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK OK BYE