Ungrateful bastard.
Shoving one of the small chairs under the table, Elizabeth let the frozen smile she'd been wearing through the school day slide from her face as she went about straightening the room. The dark cloud of anger she'd been cultivating since the day before practically had steam rolling from her ears.
Jerk.
Slamming the eraser against the chalkboard hard enough to cause the dust to cloud, Elizabeth vigorously wiped away the days work, while chanting jerk – jerk – jerk in her head. It didn't matter that there was nothing more to clear off the board, she kept going until some of the pent up anger dissipated.
Self centered asshole.
Clearing the clutter of her desk, not using any care as she shoved the stray papers into one of her desk drawers, Elizabeth reminded herself for the hundredth time how Jason Morgan's less than appreciative thanks the day before meant nothing to her.
They weren't friends. Barely knew one another at all really. Besides being an accomplice in hiding a murder from the authorities and, oh yeah, saving his worthless – drugged out ass over the weekend, they were practically strangers.
Jackass.
She couldn't help but feel pissed off over the way he blew her off the day before when he'd woken up. Snapping at Francis with barely any acknowledgment to her. Within seconds Sonny and the guard were giving her their thanks and she was left by herself in an empty house. He didn't even have the decency to thank her for being there for him. Or apologize to her for being forced to stand by while he puked his guts up.
She was a teacher not a nurse. There was a reason she was in this profession dammit.
It had been torture waiting to see if he was going to be okay. She'd stupidly worried about him. What she should have done was kick him soundly in the ass when she had the chance. Shove him down the stairs and outside in the rain.
Ungrateful piece of cow dung.
And now he had her cursing like some kind of sailor in her head. She never cursed like this before. Ever. Just another thing to thank that – that – darn it she was out of insults.
"Tink?" Luke's voice caught her off guard, causing Elizabeth to yelp before casting a dark look over at him. "Now is that anyway to greet me after destroying my bar?"
"I'm sorry." Grumbling just a little, Elizabeth moved from behind the desk to give Luke a hug. "I've had a bad day. And for the record that bar fight wasn't my fault. I was an innocent bystander."
A tight smile on Luke's lips showed he'd already heard of her weekend adventures, the dull sparkle in his eyes showed he didn't approve of the ones that had nothing to do with his bar. Elizabeth had a feeling his trashed bar was the least of his concerns.
"Well I'm back so you need to turn that frown upside down."
All she could muster up was a tight lipped smirk, Elizabeth squeezed his hand. "I am happy to see you. I was afraid you'd miss tonight. Lulu's worked extra hard on her artwork so she could show it off to you."
"Ah yes, the fateful Back to School night." Luke nodded knowingly as he studied her sullen expression. "I kind of expected to find you in a blind panic. With golf ball sized hives all over your body."
"After the last couple of weeks, the last thing I am worried about is tonight turning out badly." Seeing Luke look instinctively over his shoulder, Elizabeth wasn't too surprised when he went to close the door from prying ears.
"I heard Lansing paid you a visit." The overly chipper Luke was gone and in his place was a serious and protective Luke.
"Yeah." Her answer had him nodding to himself. Wondering just how much Luke already knew, Elizabeth didn't have to wait long to find out.
"You're in a pinch kid." Elizabeth watched as he rubbed a hand over his weary face and couldn't help but feel he was overreacting. Out of everything that had happened so far, Ric Lansing's visit was on the bottom of her list.
"I don't see what the big deal is. He's upset because I confirmed Jason's alibi. That's it."
"Jason shouldn't have used you as an alibi." Luke muttered. "He's been doing this long enough to know better than to pull some innocent kid in like that."
"I'm not a kid." It grated on her nerves, Luke referring to her as a kid. It seemed like everyone kept seeing her as some silly little girl and it was starting to piss her off. "I wish everyone would stop treating me like I was one."
"You're right, you're not a kid." Placing both hands on her shoulders, Luke brought his face closer to her face to make sure he had her full attention. "But you are innocent and I plan to keep you that way."
Narrowing her eyes, Elizabeth felt a set up. Something about Luke's behavior seemed to be practiced. Like his visit was to warn her off, or to keep her in her place. Remind her, once again, how serious the situation was. "A little late for that don't you think? I stopped being innocent in this when I agreed to keep a man's death a secret."
"Which I appreciate."
"Or when I had a police officer show up at my door, after midnight, to question me."
Nodding, Luke's composer started to being a little desperate. "It must have been terrible, I know."
"And when Jason Morgan was wrapped around my toilet - ."
"Eww - ."
"Drugged out of his gourd I did exactly as he asked. I didn't call 911. Or insist he go to the ER."
"Elizabeth this isn't some game." Luke whined. "You need to stay away from Jason and Sonny. All we need is a loose thread to pull free and everything we've all been doing to keep Max's death quiet will come unraveled."
The room went deathly quiet as Elizabeth blinked dumbly at Luke. Her mind seemed to have given up the ability to process information for the moment. When it started working again she wrenched herself from Luke's grasp.
"I'm that loose thread, aren't I?" Beyond hurt, Elizabeth stared at Luke for only a second more before turning her back on him. "Well that's just great."
"Come one Tink."
"No, I understand." Oh she understood all right. Grabbing her jacket from the hook behind her desk, she blinked away the stinging, dry feeling from her eyes. "I'm glad you're back, Lulu really missed you."
"You can't be mad Elizabeth." Standing in the center of the room, looking dejectedly at her. "That world isn't for you. This is the world you should be in." Indicating the classroom with his arms, Elizabeth felt instantly insulted.
Coming to a complete halt, Elizabeth spun on her heel and gave Luke a look that made him shut his mouth. "What world is that exactly? The one where I am surrounded by five year olds and fairytale books? Because I'm not smart enough for anything else?"
"No." His eyes going wide as an owl, Luke shook his head. "That's not what I was saying at all."
"I am sick and tired of everyone treating me like I'm going to do something stupid. Like it or not I was dragged into this and no one can change that. I may not be used to all this." Her arm waived out wide, when she couldn't find the words to express what 'this' was. "But that doesn't make me stupid."
"I never said you were stupid." Luke said.
"I need to get going." Frustrated that she couldn't find the words to express the way she was feeling inside, Elizabeth headed to the closed door. "Tell Laura I'll meet her hear in a couple of hours."
"Tink." Luke begged, but she didn't stop.
Back to School night had been a colossal disaster in epic proportions.
Not like Elizabeth hadn't seen it coming the second Michael Morgan had shown up with father and extended family. Her student's parents had instantly gone on the defense their eyes wildly searching for their children.
Ric Lansing on the other hand had a slow sneer spread across his mouth and Elizabeth had wondered at the time if he would've swirled his mustache had he had one.
Luke Spencer and Alexis Davis snapped at one another over the punchbowl, while Laura tried unsuccessfully to drag her husband to the opposite corner. The more Laura tried, the more stubborn Luke got. Alexis didn't take the clue and move on herself, instead she tried to give as good as she got, getting frustrated when she couldn't out do Luke on their petty argument.
Elizabeth had done her best to ignore the underlying tension. Really she had. Even going as far as keeping her back to Jason Morgan at all times. If she hadn't she would've tried to kill him with her death ray glare. Though to be fair, he would've had to actually look in her direction for her evil glare to work. It seemed he was busy ignoring her as well.
Jerk.
So honestly it hadn't been her fault when she found herself occupied with one of her students parents. Who were involving themselves in their child's education. Asking questions on her teaching style and the up coming lessons. Relieved to be able to speak to people who were normal and didn't look at her like she was planning on selling them out, Elizabeth had missed the moment Ric Lansing left his spot and crossed the crowded classroom to where Sonny and Jason were standing, listening as Michael told them about the map on the wall.
She'd also missed the way Johnny and Francis snapped to attention or Laura's groan. What she hadn't missed was Lansing's loud, obnoxious voice from across the room. Just loud enough to be heard over the murmuring of adult's and children at play.
"Must be nice having an 'in' with your son's teacher." The underlying slur had several stunned eyes swinging Elizabeth's way.
Choking on the cup of punch she'd been sipping, Elizabeth felt her face turn the color of an over ripe tomato. The ability to communicate verbally vanished, forcing her to stand with her mouth hanging open.
"Did I speak out of turn?" Ric's oily apology seemed to be more incriminating. "Was your relationship with Ms. Webber supposed to be a secret?" Even with her back to the on going show, Elizabeth could imagine the shallow unapologetic sneer on Ric Lansing's face. Almost the way she could feel the disapproving glances she had been getting from the parents.
Her eyes had darted over to where Luke was standing, his argument with Alexis forgotten. Surprisingly he didn't do anything. Out of everyone in the room, she had thought he'd step forward and defend her. To tell Lansing to shut up and make the nightmare go away. It wasn't until he turned heavyhearted to her that she understood what was happening.
Like Luke had said earlier, she was the thread in the tapestry. At the moment Ric was trying to pull at it. Make her do something that would give him some kind of wiggle room. She'd been the road block in his taking Jason Morgan down. Like everyone else, he saw her as the weak link. The only person who'd been between him and the arrest of his career. That and he was getting sadistic pleasure making her pay for not siding with him. Either way he was ruining one of the most important nights of her life and there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it.
From that moment on she had in shock. Unsure what she should do. Wanting desperately to be able to act like nothing had happened, Elizabeth knew she wasn't that good of an actress. Frozen in place while making small talk with anyone brave enough to come near her, she was extremely grateful when Luke had positioned himself next to her, his grim face glaring down anyone stupid enough to look at her wrong.
It wasn't until the last family left her room when Debra showed up, her appearance frazzled. All it took was a look and Elizabeth knew the shit was about to hit the fan.
Sitting across from the tired looking principal, Elizabeth knew if there ever was a night to cry herself to sleep, this was it. She'd been preparing for this night the moment she'd decided to become a teacher. Wanting nothing more than to please the parents of her students. To become that one teacher who had made a difference in a young persons like. Now, if she were lucky, this wouldn't be the last night of her extremely short teaching career.
"Elizabeth please tell me you're not dating Jason Morgan." Raising a hand before Elizabeth could respond, Debra leaned forward. "Not that it's any of my business who you date, but knowing will make my job so much easier."
"I'm not dating Jason Morgan." The look of relief was clear and Debra let out a long breath and sat back.
"Thank God." Elizabeth waited hesitantly for Debra to continue. "I have had almost every concerned parent in my office tonight, demanding your removal."
"Because they thought I was dating someone?" Irritation made her frown. It was one thing to want her to be removed if she were a poor teacher. But to want her to be fired because of someone she was dating, it gave her a dark feeling for the job she loved.
"No, because they thought you were seeing Jason Morgan." Her eyes went to the slightly open door of her office. "Elizabeth you need to be careful. I don't know how you made enemies with Ric Lansing, but you need to watch your step."
"Are you saying I could lose my job because of what he said tonight?" The irritation was replaced by cold dread. She was so far in debt with her student loans and mortgage payment, losing her job would kill her.
"No, not over what happened tonight." Looking nervously at the door again, Debra pinched her lips and looked as though she was carefully weighing her options. "I just got off the phone with the Superintendent, who's not overly pleased that his niece wasn't hired, and is a member of the same country club as Ric Lansing. They play golf with one another every Thursday."
Oh.
"Alexis Davis is dating Ric Lansing." Debra went on in a lower tone. "Though that is something they've been able to keep a secret over the last five months. She's part of a Mommy's and Me group with Connie Talbot, an anchor for Channel Five News. Who's been trying to find a story to get her into the the lead anchor spot. Small town teacher making nice with the mob could possibly do it."
And the world just keeps getting smaller.
"Apparently my dream job is a little more political than I had thought." Wiping her sweaty palms on the smooth fabric of her skirt, Elizabeth felt some of the brightness she felt for her job fade.
"This is a small town Elizabeth. Next week there'll be other news." Debra sighed and looked across the desk. "It's how you handle yourself while you're in the spotlight that'll stop the rumor mill from talking about you."
