Big Data: A Startup Thriller Novel

Chapter 87

Chelsea Moore had been nervous and fidgety all day. She wrote her name in big curvy letters on the chalkboard. Her late start to semester, which had seemed so dire at the time, was now only a distant memory. She'd begun exercising too and had already lost twenty pounds. She would do anything for her students, and to that end, she was working on taking better care of herself.

On her doctor's recommendation, she'd recently gone vegetarian. It was harder than she'd imagined. She spent the first week craving meat like a heroin addict wanted another hit. She had nightmares about Red Robin's Burnin' Love Burger. When she shared that embarrassing fact with her neighbor, he told her Red Robin could make any burger into a veggie burger. She went yesterday, but it wasn't the same. Still, it was close enough.

The Burnin' Love had given her heartburn, which only made her more nervous. She checked the school clock. Four minutes. Her first guests were about to show up. She wondered if she had time to run to the little girls' room, but decided to hold it. She went back to the chalkboard and wrote in big capital letters under her name: WELCOME PARENTS.

Just as she completed the S, there was a knock at the door.

"Come on in," she hollered in her friendliest voice.

The door opened.

"Ms. Moore, it's good to see you."

"Mr. Jones, I'm so glad to see you, too. Will Mrs. Jones be joining us today?"

"You mean Mrs. Kotulski now? No, she's moved down South."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Chelsea said. Then, to change the subject, "Can I get you a coffee?"

Chelsea indicated the box of fresh coffee she had brought. Phillip limped slightly over to the desk with tiny chairs that had been prepared for the event.

"That would be great," he said.

Chelsea smiled as she poured him a cup of hot coffee. This was her first parent–teacher conference and she couldn't have been happier about it.

"There's something I have to tell you about Jake."

"That doesn't sound good."

Chelsea handed him the cup and sat down on the other side of the children's table.

"You know, he started out the semester pretty rough. The kids were been picking on him because of his–"

"Eccentricities."

"Yes, exactly. Eccentricities."

"We were going through some rough stuff back then."

"Yes, and I want to apologize again. We have a strict anti-bullying policy here, and I feel terrible that I wasn't here to enforce it."

"No, please. It wasn't your fault."

"That's kind of you to say. Anyhow, I just wanted to tell you that Jake has really come out of his shell recently. He's been socializing well and even making friends. It's been amazing to watch him bloom."

Phillip smiled proudly. "He's a great kid," he said.

"Let me put it this way. If he's our hope for the future, I'll have no trouble sleeping at night."

"He couldn't have done it without you, Ms. Moore. He talks about you all the time. You're his favorite teacher."

Chelsea blushed.

"Are you free next weekend?" Phillip asked suddenly.

Chelsea felt like she might be having another heart attack.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, I'm sorry—I suppose that sounds strange. It's just that Jake's been begging me to ask you. It's his birthday next weekend, and it would mean the world to him if you came."

"Oh."

There was a slight pause.

"No, no, I didn't mean it that way. I mean. It's just."

"No, I understand," said Chelsea. "It's against school policy. I'm not supposed to go to my students' parties."

"Oh, yes, of course." Another pause. "It's just, well, it would also mean a lot to me, too, if you would come."

She didn't respond.

"You probably have other plans. I understand."

"Yes," she said.

"Yes, you have other plans?"

"No," she said.

"No, you don't want to go?"

"No, I don't have other plans. Yes, I'll go."

This time, it was Phillip who blushed.