Independent Woman

A Report

Mr. Blackbourne was sitting at his desk in the new house that he now shared with Dr. Green as he pursued student schedules at Ashley Waters. Finding the name he was looking for, he pulling up her information and scanned through the classes. Japanese, a history of AP classes, the same homeroom as both Taylor brothers and a few other interesting choices.

There was a note at the bottom that she had been waitlisted for a classical music composition class. His eyes lingered there.

The AP Biology course would align with Mr. Korba's class and the last period Gym with both Mr. Coleman and Mr. Griffin's. She shared at least one class with almost all of the Blackbourne team, and while, officially, the team schedules hadn't been created yet, the boys had already picked their classes and Mr. Blackbourne had entered them into the computer days ago.

He wrinkled his forehead and pushed a finger to his brow bone in concentration before picking up his phone and sending off a text.

Owen Blackbourne: I have a bit of family business to discuss with you gentlemen.

Kota Lee: Mission related? Do we need to meet before Friday?

Owen Blackbourne: No, this can be done here.

Sean Green: Don't tell me you asked her out?

Gabriel Coleman: Who is "her"?

Owen Blackbourne: I have not committed such an impropriety, Sean, although this does concern her.

North Taylor: Who?

Owen Blackbourne: I know that you, Mr. Taylor Jr., and Mr. Taylor Sr. as well as Dr. Green and myself have met Miss Sang Sorenson and I wanted to announce that she may become more involved as time goes on.

Kota Lee: I've met her.

Nathan Griffin: Me too.

Luke Taylor: I got her number :P

Owen Blackbourne: Yes, Dr. Green and I have that as well, thank you Mr. Taylor, but I believe Mr. Griffin and Mr. Lee both have proximity.

Gabriel Coleman: Am I the only one who hasn't met her?

Silas Korba: I haven't either.

Victor Morgan: She's going to Ashley Waters?

North Taylor: How would she become involved.

Owen Blackbourne: Yes, Mr. Morgan, she is. And that remains to be seen, Mr. Taylor, just a feeling.

Kota Lee: Did you know she lives alone?

Luke Taylor: But she's still in school...

Kota Lee: I don't know the details. I just know she's on her own.

Sean Green: In a Nathan way, where her parents come home every so often or...?

Kota Lee: I think the house is hers. No pictures, no sign of parental involvement.

Nathan Griffin: She does have two dogs, though.

Silas Korba: Boys?

North Taylor: No, the animals. She was buying dog food at the store the other day.

Owen Blackbourne: Regardless, I did want to inform you, gentlemen, that she may become more involved. Her schedule seems to coincide with team member schedules.

Gabriel Coleman: Is she Academy material.

Owen Blackbourne: We will see. As you were, gentlemen.

Mr. Blackbourne was shaken. He had been shaken when he met the compelling woman, and he was shaken now as she continued to impress him.

Her defiance, refusal to call him Mr. Blackbourne because he hadn't earned any authority in the same way Dr. Green had, amused him and as he thought more about her, all he could see was the way she had smiled when Dr. Green made a joke about walking her home, and the way she had rolled her eyes when she thought no one had been looking. She was compelling. Disarming. Dangerous.

She lived by herself. Took care of herself. Impressed the boys and was honest even in the face of confrontation. And she was beautiful. So beautiful.

He typed a few words into a box on the screen in front of him and hit enter before he could think better of it. Sang Sorenson was now enrolled in an introductory violin course with a Mr. Owen Blackbourne.