Jon pulled up behind a parade of mini vans. "Yuck," he muttered, shoulders rolling in disgust at the sight. Who would choose to drive those? Granted, his own shithead parents had just driven whatever piece of crap they could afford off the lot back in his day. At least Joe had a decent car, though he'd be giving him hell when he saw him again for the song "Let it go" being on repeat in his radio. It'd taken Jon a good 5 minutes to figure out how to make it stop. He carefully followed along the line of cars watching as each car pulled up. He'd gotten lost on his way here so instead of being early, he was now just on time.
His phone alerted him of a text. He pulled it out and read the text from Joe: Galina sent an email to Ms. Anderson about what happened. They won't release Jojo to you without that email so tell Ms. Anderson about it. I think she's kind of a hardass but Galina says it's for safety. Whatever, tell her about the email! Thanks man! I owe you.
Jon quickly texted back: No worries. Anything for G and JoJo.
A horn blasted behind him, shaking him out of his thoughts. Without thinking, Jon opened the window and stuck his middle finger out. "Fuck off fuckers!" The end of his yelled statement ending quietly when he saw the little kids going into the car in front of him with wide-eyed expressions. "Oh shit, sorry, sorry!" He yanked the baseball hat off of his head as he ran his fingers through his hair.
Thankfully, he was next in line. Finally! He opened the window to the elderly man with a clipboard. "Hey, uh, I'm picking up JoJo Anoa'i?"
The man stared back at him with a frown. "Ah sir, who are you?"
"I'm her dad's friend? Ah, Dean am... Nope, Jonathan Good." Jon had never been good with people in authority and just being in close proximity to a school was giving him the creeps.
"Sir, I'm gonna need you to pull over and show some identification. Mr. Anoa'i had requested special attention to Joelle due to his position," lowered voice, "in the wrestling world."
"Ah, do you watch wrestling?"
The man had the nerve to laugh, "oh goodness no! Haha, no! Please sir pull over and go into the office. We can't release her to just anyone".
Jon quickly pulled over to the side and jumped out of the car. He was annoyed already, thinking it wouldn't be a big deal to grab Jojo.
He looked down at the much shorter man with the clipboard who was gesturing at him incessantly. "Through those middle doors sir."
"I'll show you the middle doors," Jon muttered under his breathe, flexing his shoulders in annoyance as he walked towards the building. Suddenly he heard a giggle and a high-pitched and excited, "Uncle Jon!"
He looked up to see Jojo smiling and waving at at him. She quickly let go of her teachers hand an ran towards him.
"Joelle!" A voice rang out with alarm. Jon quickly ran towards Joelle, scared that she would run into the street. Hoisting her up in his arms, Jon smiled,"Hey JoJoBee." She smiled happily, then lost her smiled when she saw her teacher approach.
"Joelle Anoa'i! Come down her now. I can't believe you'd do something so dangerous." A young woman with a stern expression on her face barreled towards them, her hands were shaking as she tried to take Jojo from him. "Sir, please put her down." Jojo started to wriggle down, probably concerned about her teacher. ,
"Sorry Ms. A! I'm sorry. But this is my Uncle Jon, member, I told you all about him and my Uncle Colby and how their daddy's best friends and they play fight but not for real fight cause everyone loves my daddy!" Joelle finished her sentence quickly and almost without pause.
Jon let her down so she could talk to her teacher who had kneeled down to talk to her. He couldn't help but notice that she was pretty tall for a girl. Probably about 5'10", 5'11". She was wearing one of those long skirts that everyone wore now and a denim shirt that was buttoned and tied around her waist. She definitely didn't look like any teacher he'd ever had...he probably would have paid attention more in school.
"Jo, sweetie, it doesn't matter who it is. What's the rule for the end of the day?"
"We don't walk away unless you say it's okay," Jojo answered in a small sing-songy voice. "I'm sorry, but daddy said uncle Jon was gonna stay with us for two days! And then Mommy and I were gonna go with them to the show! And then I'm gonna see my Uncle Colby, and Auntie Tiffany and Auntie AJ and..."
"Ok, Joelle, but I don't know who your uncle Jon is, so I can't let you go with him." She stood up and finally looked up at him.
"I'm so sorry, Mr...," she paused and waited for him to fill in the blank.
"Ms. Anderson right?" Jon asked, reaching a hand out to shake hers.
She looked down at his hand in confusion before handing her out. "Yes, um I don't really know how you know that, but yes, I'm Ms. Anderson, Joelle's teacher. I can't release her to you without consent."
Jon smirked a bit. "Have you checked your email lately?
She frowned, "well, no, not since lunch"
Jon leaned closer to avoid making Jojo hear. "Listen her mom got into a car accident so her dad asked me to come get her." He breathed in slightly. She smelled like green apples. "The email has all that info you know."
"Oh my, is she okay?" She looked down at Joelle who was waving at some friends walking by who were all staring at him. "Look, why don't we go into the classroom or the office so I can check my email. I have to follow protocol because some weirdos, I mean other people, have tried pick her up before. Galina has spoken to me about being extra careful when releasing her."
He smiled at her use of 'weirdos' and said "Yeah sure no worries. G's gonna be fine by the way."
"I'm glad. Come on Jo, let's go in so I can double check and make sure mom and dad are ok with you going with your uncle Jon."
"Ms. Anderson," Jojo laughed and shook her head as they walked towards the office, "He's my daddy's best friend, of course I can go!"
He walked a pace behind them enjoying the view.