Read Online Valley of the Moon by Bronwyn Archer - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Bronwyn Archer
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“Okay, girls,” I said, pulling at Piper’s elbow. “Time for class.”
Cressida’s eyes swiveled to mine. “What’s the rush, Lana? Going to get another teacher fired?” I stood blinking dumbly. What was she talking about? That wasn’t true—was it?
I started to dissolve under her withering stare, like a tablet in a glass of water. Bernadette finally shoved me toward the door.
What had Ramona done?
Mare Imbrium ~ Sea of Showers
It was like a funeral in English class. A box filled with his personal belongings sat on the floor. The only thing left was his wall calendar. Theme: Great American Poets. January featured a photo of Edgar Allen Poe.
When I took my seat, Mr. Quarry was deep in conversation with Hannah Pritzker, who always sat in the front row. She was a huge Mr. Quarry fan.
He didn’t even glance at me as I sat down.
“But Mr. Quarry, why Connecticut?” she whined. “Why a boys’ school? I thought you liked teaching us.” Her voice trembled.
“Ha, oh no, Hannah, I love girls,” he said. “I mean, I like teaching girls very much.” He glanced up at me. I blushed and pretended to review my notes.
When Cressida walked in, the class hushed. Piper pinched my thigh.
During the class discussion, I raised my hand several times, but he never called on me. I desperately needed class to be over so I could talk to him in private.
When the bell rang, every girl went up to his desk to give him a hug.
Except me.
I told Piper I’d see her tomorrow and took my time packing my backpack.
Finally, the last girl left the classroom.
I fidgeted in my seat and smoothed my skirt down. He leaned against his desk staring at me with a dark expression on his handsome face. The pleasant demeanor from the last hour had vanished.
“What happened, Mr. Quarry?” My voice echoed in the empty room.
He shrugged and crossed his arms. “Well, I did it. I broke it off with her. So she had me fired.”
“They can’t fire you for that! Can they?”
“Inappropriate contact with a student. That’s the official reason Wimbish gave me. Ramona must have made up some crazy story.”
I gasped and stared, blinking. “What? Inappropriate contact with who?”
Thick winter clouds outside the window obscured the late afternoon sun. His face fell into shadow.
“With you, my dear.”
“But,” I stammered, “it’s a total lie!” My face flushed at the thought of “inappropriate contact” with Mr. Quarry.
“True. I draw the line at inappropriate contact with my students’ mothers.” He smirked and shook his head.
My eyes welled. “So am I in trouble now, too? Does Mr. Wimbish think that I…that you and I…?”
He picked up the jacket hanging on the back of his chair. “Ramona made you out to be the innocent victim of my appalling advances. According to Wimbish, Ramona plans to contact you to see if you need any counseling.” Oh, great. That’s going to be fun.
“But don’t you want to fight it? It’s so unfair!”
He shrugged. “It’s not worth it. You can only fight for things you can’t live without. I can live without Briar.”
We had that in common.
He walked to the door. I was losing the only teacher who cared about me. The only one who dared to give Cressida Crawford a grade below a B.
“Wait!” I ran over to him and he wrapped me a tight hug.
“Be careful here, Lana.” He whispered it close to my ear.
“What do you mean?”
His jaw clenched. “Remember I told you Ramona tried to force me to change someone’s grade?”
“Yeah?”
“It was yours. She wanted me to fail you.” I couldn’t breathe. “You have a few enemies here. Promise me you’ll be careful, okay?” Careful how? Ramona couldn’t do anything to me. Not anymore. Except fire my teachers. I nodded. He kissed me softly on the forehead. He gave me a wistful smile.
“You know, if I was going to fall in love with a Briar girl, maybe it would have been you.” My jaw dropped. “Good-bye, Lana.” He
Cressida’s eyes swiveled to mine. “What’s the rush, Lana? Going to get another teacher fired?” I stood blinking dumbly. What was she talking about? That wasn’t true—was it?
I started to dissolve under her withering stare, like a tablet in a glass of water. Bernadette finally shoved me toward the door.
What had Ramona done?
Mare Imbrium ~ Sea of Showers
It was like a funeral in English class. A box filled with his personal belongings sat on the floor. The only thing left was his wall calendar. Theme: Great American Poets. January featured a photo of Edgar Allen Poe.
When I took my seat, Mr. Quarry was deep in conversation with Hannah Pritzker, who always sat in the front row. She was a huge Mr. Quarry fan.
He didn’t even glance at me as I sat down.
“But Mr. Quarry, why Connecticut?” she whined. “Why a boys’ school? I thought you liked teaching us.” Her voice trembled.
“Ha, oh no, Hannah, I love girls,” he said. “I mean, I like teaching girls very much.” He glanced up at me. I blushed and pretended to review my notes.
When Cressida walked in, the class hushed. Piper pinched my thigh.
During the class discussion, I raised my hand several times, but he never called on me. I desperately needed class to be over so I could talk to him in private.
When the bell rang, every girl went up to his desk to give him a hug.
Except me.
I told Piper I’d see her tomorrow and took my time packing my backpack.
Finally, the last girl left the classroom.
I fidgeted in my seat and smoothed my skirt down. He leaned against his desk staring at me with a dark expression on his handsome face. The pleasant demeanor from the last hour had vanished.
“What happened, Mr. Quarry?” My voice echoed in the empty room.
He shrugged and crossed his arms. “Well, I did it. I broke it off with her. So she had me fired.”
“They can’t fire you for that! Can they?”
“Inappropriate contact with a student. That’s the official reason Wimbish gave me. Ramona must have made up some crazy story.”
I gasped and stared, blinking. “What? Inappropriate contact with who?”
Thick winter clouds outside the window obscured the late afternoon sun. His face fell into shadow.
“With you, my dear.”
“But,” I stammered, “it’s a total lie!” My face flushed at the thought of “inappropriate contact” with Mr. Quarry.
“True. I draw the line at inappropriate contact with my students’ mothers.” He smirked and shook his head.
My eyes welled. “So am I in trouble now, too? Does Mr. Wimbish think that I…that you and I…?”
He picked up the jacket hanging on the back of his chair. “Ramona made you out to be the innocent victim of my appalling advances. According to Wimbish, Ramona plans to contact you to see if you need any counseling.” Oh, great. That’s going to be fun.
“But don’t you want to fight it? It’s so unfair!”
He shrugged. “It’s not worth it. You can only fight for things you can’t live without. I can live without Briar.”
We had that in common.
He walked to the door. I was losing the only teacher who cared about me. The only one who dared to give Cressida Crawford a grade below a B.
“Wait!” I ran over to him and he wrapped me a tight hug.
“Be careful here, Lana.” He whispered it close to my ear.
“What do you mean?”
His jaw clenched. “Remember I told you Ramona tried to force me to change someone’s grade?”
“Yeah?”
“It was yours. She wanted me to fail you.” I couldn’t breathe. “You have a few enemies here. Promise me you’ll be careful, okay?” Careful how? Ramona couldn’t do anything to me. Not anymore. Except fire my teachers. I nodded. He kissed me softly on the forehead. He gave me a wistful smile.
“You know, if I was going to fall in love with a Briar girl, maybe it would have been you.” My jaw dropped. “Good-bye, Lana.” He
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