"You shmok! You incredibly thick-headed arrogant shmok! How dare you! I thought I made it perfectly clear last week that I wanted to escape my past…not have it shoved in my face!"
Marc internally flinched but calmly faced the hellish tempest that was Angry Lee.
Her eyes were narrowed, her lips pressed tightly together and her knuckles were white. All in all he was ninety-nine percent sure he was going to lose a little finger at least by the end of this confrontation.
"I didn't tell your students anything Lee relax," replied the counselor calmly, "I merely introduced them to some good music. Some good music you made…Shiri."
The former rock star flinched at her old stage name. While it was her middle name, over the years it had become more of an alter-ego than anything else.
"Yes made as in did in the past. A past that kept me away from my home, my family, everyone I loved. A past that kept me away when I was needed most. A past I don't want anyone here to know about. Part of the reason we were so successful in the States was because our manager understood the mentality that less is more," she said but the anger slowly leaked out of her voice. It was replaced by a tone of tired resignation.
"Lee I don't know why you're so afraid. I mean I know this town is a little conservative but you're teaching a pregnant fifteen-year old for God's sake! I highly doubt anyone will care about what you use to do six years ago," said Mr. Molina trying to calm his friend down.
Lee snorted, "Oh yes the parents here will simply thrilled that a pierce, tattooed, former rock-star (who by the way is living as a single parent) is teaching their kids about Shakespeare's finer points."
The Jewish woman sighed and slid into a chair. She desperately wanted to rip off her uncomfortable headband and let her still multi-colored hair down. But she couldn't, it was still school hours and it took forever to get all the hennaed pieces under the conservative black headband. She wanted to take off her stiff long-sleeved shirt and show her tattoos, she wanted to put her piercings back in, she wanted to be on stage in front of a crowd of over one-hundred thousand, she wanted her parents and brother to be alive…she wanted a lot of things but the reality was that they were all things she couldn't have.
"Look I won't tell anyone about your former life. I just thought you'd get a kick out of seeing and hearing some of your old stuff," said Marc apologetically placing his hand over Lee's.
Laoise sighed and said, "They're not idiots. One of them will eventually figure it out and then I'll have to uproot Nevaeh again. That is if the guys' presence doesn't tip anyone off first."
"Wait a minute," said the Hispanic man lifting an eyebrow, "The guys are coming here? Dingo, Caleb, and Yogi are coming here?"
The dark eyed woman nodded. "Someone lent them a recording studio, I think they have it in their minds that now that Bernon's dead I'll come back."
Mr. Molina nodded. Lee had called him and told him of the demise of her greatest adversary.
"Will you? Will you come back, I mean I know being a musician isn't exactly a stable job but I don't think it would be any different for Nevaeh then her living situation for the past six years."
Shiri bit her lip. "I don't know Marc. Part of me, a big part, misses it. I miss the crowds, the energy, the feeling of making music, of the music flowing through me. But I don't know if that would be the best thing for Nevaeh."
"Why not?" asked Marc, "Lee…you graduated from Oxford at the age of sixteen. You have one of the highest IQs in British history, you hate drugs, rarely drink, despise the party scene…I can see you raising a perfectly normal girl as part of My Deliverance. I can see Nevaeh having a really good life as the child of a rock-n-roller."
"I'll think about it," said Lee rubbing her mother's gold Star of David necklace. She'd inherited after her mom had died and had developed the habit of rubbing it whenever she was anxious, "I'm not saying yes to anything but…I don't know…"
Sighing she got up and headed back to her classroom.
"I'm telling you you're crazy! There's no way you're right!"
"And I'm telling you to just look! You'll see that I'm right if you just look!"
"What are you two talking about?" asked Amy as she sat down for lunch. Ricky followed shortly but made sure that Amy had everything she needed before doing so.
Madison and Lauren looked at each other, debating whether or not to steer the conversation in a direction that would benefit Ricky or to tell the truth.
"I think Ms. Amoit is Shiri," said Madison showing the soon-to-be parents the picture of the singer that Amy had printed from the Internet.
Ricky and Amy exchanged looks and Lauren rolled her eyes. "See I told you, you were crazy."
"But look!" cried the redhead pulling out another picture. In this one Shiri was wearing a long-sleeved thermal tee-shirt, cropped pants, converses, and holding her guitar. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and her make-up had a more neutral tone to it.
"Doesn't she look like Ms. Amoit? Plus she's holding, like, the exact same guitar!"
Amy had to admit that in that picture her Lit teacher and the singer looked remarkably alike. But still…
"There's no way a rock star would trade away life in the fast-lane to become a high school teacher," said Amy shaking her head.
Ricky however remained silent. The more he looked at the picture the more he could see the resemblance. The picture had been taken eight years ago so it was easy to see where subtle signs of age could slip in. They had almost the exact same bone structure, same colored eyes, same figure…and providing a stable childhood for her daughter would be a good reason for quitting the hectic life if a rock star.
"Hey guys what's up?"
The four of them turned to see Grace standing over by Ricky. Adrian was a few feet back from the perky blonde and watching Ricky with a mixed look of desire and contempt.
"Madison and Lauren were just telling us about how Ms. Amoit is Shiri from My Deliverance," replied Ricky smoothly, placing a protective arm around Amy's shoulder.
"That's crazy," laughed Grace rolling her eyes, "I mean Shiri has all those tattoos and piercings and multi-colored hair. Ms. Amoit is the most conservative dresser I've ever seen."
"And that's saying something," interjected Adrian moving closer to the group.
The drummer shrugged, "Maybe that's the reason. Hair dye can fade and piercings can be taken out."
"Yeah but why?" asked Amy looking at him, "My Deliverance disbanded at the height of their fame. I mean she was making more money than practically anyone else at the time. Why would you walk away from that?"
"Why would you?" Ricky replied cryptically, pointedly looking at her swollen stomach.
"Oh my gosh!" cried Grace in shock, "She has a daughter! She told us the first day of class…and she's six years old."
"That would be a pretty good reason to quit the fast-lane," said Lauren.
"You know guys we could just ask her," said Adrian rolling her eyes, "I'm pretty sure she'll laugh us out of her room but…"
"Hey Amy where are you going?"
Ben had seen Amy, Madison, Lauren, Grace, Adrian, and Ricky all leave and head for the same place at the same time and decided to check up on the love of his life.
"None of your business," sneered Ricky placing himself between the Italian boy and Amy.
"We're going to ask Ms. Amoit if she's a former rock-star," said Grace.
Ben just stared at them. When nobody smiled or laughed or cracked a joke he blinked and said, "Are you serious?"
Adrian nodded, "Yeah. I mean they do look an awful lot alike and they both are British."
"Fine," said Ben, "Let's go then."
Ricky opened his mouth to protest but one look from Amy silenced him. Sometimes being in love was really frustrating.
When the teenagers arrived at Ms. Amoit's classroom they found it empty, dark, and locked.
"Where is she?" asked Grace looking around, "She always here…either reading or writing or something…"
"Maybe Mr. Molina knows where she is, they're friends," suggested Ricky.
"How would you know that?" demanded Adrian giving her ex a look.
The drummer shrugged, "She mentioned it when I was dropping off my poems at her house last Friday."
Adrian opened her mouth to snarl but suddenly Madison shushed them. "Do you guys here something?"
Everyone went quiet and listened. The faint sound of an electric guitar could be heard echoing in the empty hallway.
"It's coming from the auditorium," whispered Ben. The other nodded and headed towards the source of the music.
The opened the door silently and what they saw made their jaws drop. It was Ms. Amoit alright…but she looked like an entirely different person. Her shirt was untucked and unbuttoned and the sleeves were rolled up to her elbows. Her black cami lifted up enough to see a fiery phoenix peaking up over her jeans while a vine and flower design was clearly visible on her left arm. She was playing the guitar like none of them had ever seen. Her fingers flew up and down the fingerboard wringing note after note from the instrument. A look pure contentment was on her face as she played, as though nothing in the world made her happier than this.
After about two more minutes she ended and Grace couldn't contain herself any longer.
"Oh my gosh Ms. Amoit that was amazing!" cried the cheerleader excitedly bouncing up and down, "I can't believe you're Shiri! I mean of all the places for you to end up!"
The Lit teacher started in surprise and turned to look at her students. Biting her lip she quickly buttoned up her shirt, rolled down her sleeves, and packed the guitar away. She hoped down from the stage and walked quickly to the seven teenagers.
Her face was expressionless as she approached them but her fists were clenched at their sides and her knuckles were white.
"Look," she said once she reached them, "There is a reason I've kept my past quiet. I'm asking you to please respect me enough to keep this to yourselves." Without another word or even a glance backwards she walked out of the auditorium.
"And then she just walked out! Like a queen or something! Oh my gosh mom Ms. Amoit is really the coolest teacher ever!" gushed Grace to her parents later that night.
Dr. and Mrs. Bowman exchanged looks. "So wait honey, you're telling me that your World Literature is a world famous rock star?" asked Kathleen Bowman incredulously staring at her daughter in disbelief.
Grace nodded, "Yeah she was the lead singer of a band called My Deliverance. I mean she was amazing! Her voice...it just moved me…you know like the way those birth control pills you gave me did. She just…it was incredible to realize a legend like that had decided to rededicate her life to something as noble as teaching."
"Ms. Amoit is Shiri?" said Dr. Bowman raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah," replied his daughter blinking in surprise, "you listened to My Deliverance?"
The cheerleader's mom laughed. "Oh honey there was a time a few years ago when you couldn't turn the radio or TV without hearing My Deliverance. Shiri especially was popular because she was very young and very secretive. I hadn't even realized she was British. I'd never heard her speak."
"But it is a little concerning that she's your teacher," continued the Christian man frowning a bit, "She quit the business under a cloud of speculation…drugs, the mob, alcohol abuse…not to mention all of her piercings and tattoos."
Grace bit her lip. She really liked Ms. Amoit and didn't believe she would ever touch the things her parents mentioned but still…
"She has a daughter," said Grace, "According to Ricky she's about six years."
"Shiri a single parent?" mused Mrs. Bowman out loud. She and her husband exchanged looks.
"Grace honey I know you like Ms. Amoit but maybe we should speak to the principal about her past," said Dr. Bowman frowning some more.
The blonde sighed. It seemed that no matter what she did she always ended up hurting someone (or getting hurt by someone). She would pray for Ms. Amoit.