Chapter 70.
Evelyn’s POV
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Following the meeting, I’m sent more information regarding the project. I’ll have two weeks to prepare fifteen kindergarteners for their upcoming graduation performance, but what they sing and perform is up to me.
I work into the night, sorting through different ideas and eventually come up with an overall plan. However, I’m eager to meet with the kids to see what ideas and material they can bring to the table too.
Maybe it’s pathetic, but by the time I arrive at the recreation center the following afternoon, I’m practically buzzing with excitement. I carry my notebook full of ideas to the room assigned to the project, soon walking into the room of awaiting children.
I smile at all of them as I scan their faces, pausing on one familiar girl within the crowd. After a moment, I realize she’s the little girl I saved from the feral wolf at the hospital. I make sure to give her a big smile, offering a wave that she shyly returns.
“Hi everyone,” I greet the kids, moving to the front of the room where they can all see me. “I’m so excited that you’re all here. I’m Evelyn and I’ll be directing and helping you prepare for your upcoming graduation performance.”
I expect the kids to show some sort of enthusiasm as I continue to grin at them, my words enthusiastic and encouraging. Instead, they regard me passively, not at all amused.
Okay…tough crowd.
“Why don’t we all go around and introduce ourselves so I can learn your names,” I offer. “We’ll start here. What’s your name?”
I gesture to the boy sitting in the front row, directly in front of me.
He stares at me for a moment. “My name is Butt,” he tosses out, and immediately the group erupts with laughter.
I offer a small chuckle, trying not to be bothered. “Very funny,” I say. “Okay, what’s your real name, please?”
“My first name is Butt,” he insists. “Last name is Poop.”
Once more, this makes everyone laugh hysterically, and I have to resist the urge to sigh. I forgot just how funny five-year-olds think potty words can be.
“My name is Puke!” another boy calls out.
“And I’m Pee!” a little girl declares.
“Speaking of pee,” a boy trails out, “I think I just peed my pants! Mrs. Evelyn, will you change me?”
“Yeah, Icky Evelyn,” the boy who previously declared himself as “Butt” taunts me. “You better change his pee pee pants!”
Altogether, everyone begins to join in as they chant, “Icky Evelyn,” over and over again. All except the little girl I’d recognized from before, She just shrinks in her chair, looking uncomfortable.
Meanwhile, I’m stunned. I’ve never seen kids act so…rotten before. However, I try my best to retake the reins.
“Okay, okay,” I call out, causing them to fall quiet. “I see you are all very lively and imaginative, which is going to work perfectly for our performance. We need that energy and fire. So let’s stand up and -”
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“No!” a little girl shouts..
“Yeah, I don’t want to prepare for some stupid performance!” a boy calls out.
“We wanna play!” Puke insists.
“The performance is fun – that’s why they call it a play,” I try, but this does nothing to change their minds. In fact, I swear I’m dealing with genuine wild animals as two boys suddenly jump up from their chairs and kick them
over.
From there, all hell breaks loose.
Kids begin running and screaming everywhere. They continue knocking over chairs, throwing anything they can find, and even stealing and tearing out pages in my notebook. I try my best to correct them, but at some point I realize it’s better that I save my breath.
I’ve never seen anything like this, nor have I dealt with such awful behavior. I expected some hiccups and issues, but this is a full blown nightmare. It’s like they’ve all contracted rabies.
When our designated hour is finally up, the kids rush out the door and I practically collapse in my seat. I feel so… defeated.
Was this why Kane was warning me? Because he knew how challenging these kids could be? I would have appreciated some kind of warning, at least.
Sighing to myself, I begin to pack up my things, clicking my tongue at my practically destroyed notebook. I can’t even read my own notes, but maybe it doesn’t matter. At this rate, their graduation performance is just going to be them running and screaming across the stage.
“Um, Mrs. Evelyn,” a sweet voice states, causing me to look up. There, in front of the desk, I see the little girl from the hospital waiting.
“Oh, hi…,” I trail off, realizing that I don’t actually know her name.
“Anya,” she squeaks out, catching my hint.
“Anya,” I repeat fondly. “It’s nice to formally meet you. What can I do for you?”
“Well, um, I probably shouldn’t tell you this because I was told not to tell, but there’s a reason why all those other kids are acting so badly,” Anya tells me.
My eyes widen. “There is? Really?”
Anya nods. “Some lady came in about ten minutes before you did,” she says. “She said she’d give us all candy – really good candy – if we misbehaved and were naughty when you came in. All the other kids agreed, which is why they were being so bad.”
My lips part, taking in Anya’s information. However, the more it settles in, the more my brain begins to make sense of it.
“Anya…this woman that came in and bribed everyone,” I say. “What did she look like?”
Anya bites her lip as she thinks. “Um, she had long, blonde hair. It was really shiny. She also had light blue eyes and high shoes. Oh, and she looked really mean,” Anya explains.
Yup, sounds like Bianca. Just like I’d thought.
I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. Great, so Bianca bribed all of these kids to make my life a living hell. I’m
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not at all surprised.
Only, I refuse to let her win this game. Regardless of her trying to sabotage me, I’m going to make sure these kids put on the best damn performance the pack has ever seen.
“Thank you, Anya,” I say, smiling at the little girl. “I appreciate you telling me that. And don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone that you told me.”
This makes Anya smile back and I can tell by the fond way that she looks at me that she trusts my word.
Together, Anya and I leave the room and I make sure that she safely meets up with her parents. Then, I’m off to the pack house and heading right to my room.
I have a lot of work to do if I’m going to win these kids over.
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