If You Miss It

1. at the seams

CHAPTER ONE

AT THE SEAMS

—

Dmitri was having a really fucking shitty week.

From starting his Monday with having to beg his landlord to shift the due date of his rent, to his entire class failing a History test on Thursday, solely because they didn't understand the topic— the week had been rough.

The tipping point, however, was the fact that he was currently getting fired from his job.

To be fair, he did see it coming, with the constant threats from the bigoted, trifling bitch, Principal Brown, who didn't give a fuck about his students or his teachers. But still, he didn't expect it to be so sudden.

"Can I know why? I don't remember doing anything wrong," Dmitri stressed, hand reaching up to loosen his tie. Maybe I should choke him out with this fucking tie. "Have there been any complaints that I should know about?"

He knew that he was one of the best teachers at the godforsaken school. He was fully aware. So, in all honesty, there shouldn't have been any complaints.

Principal Brown sighed, arms folded across his chest as he smiled that smug smile of his. "A few, Mr. West. An incident took place in your class recently, I've had some parents tell me that you tried to... inflict your beliefs onto your students."

Was it really inflicting his beliefs? Or was it just teaching them the difference between right and wrong?

"I told them that Jesus wasn't a white man. I told them the truth about Christopher Columbus. I teach AP US History, and as far as I'm concerned, that is a part of History, Principal Brown."

If this was the reason Dmitri was losing his job, he was fine with it. Or maybe he wasn't, considering he had bills to pay. Fuck, he had bills to pay.

Shaking his head, Principal Brown blew his nose into his handkerchief, looking back up at him once he was done. Disgusting bastard.

"Parents have complained, saying that you've been putting thoughts into their children's heads. Frankly, I agree, so, Mr. West, You don't teach History anymore. You're fired," he instructed, and only then, did the severity of the situation sink in.

He was getting fired. He had no other job options. He was a twenty three year old who had nearly lost his mind while trying to finish college, just so that he could do something that he genuinely wanted to do. He was getting fired.

"I'll stop with—" He paused. There was no fucking way he could just stop teaching his students about the whitewashed ass history of their country. It was impossible. Suck it up. You need this job. "I'll stop spreading my political opinions."

The air conditioner was set on a temperature that was way too high, because Principal Brown couldn't seem to stop blowing his fucking nose. Dmitri was frustrated. And annoyed. And really, really fucking scared that he was genuinely losing his job.

"Yes, you will, because you're fired, Mr. West."

One last time. Dmitri decided to try his luck just one last time. "With all due respect, I teach History, and—"

Unfortunately, he was interrupted by Principal Brown slamming his hand down on the table he was standing behind. "Mr. West, you're fired. Leave. Now."

Well, shit. Dmitri was jobless.

Numbly, he made his way out of the Principal's office, his mind already working to figure out a plan, a way in which he could find another job in the next twenty four hours.