Nik walked into the empty halls of the gym. A beaming smile was glued to his handsome, chiselled face. Despite the bullshit with Michelle's husband's boss, the cosplay threesome was beyond words. He never came so hard in his life, never had so much fun, and was happy the three of them were still together.
"What are you doing here so early, Suzy?" Nik asked, confused as he entered the classroom.
The Goth girl sat at her desk, twirling a pigtail patiently. Her skirt was shorter than usual, and an extra layer of dark makeup accentuated her sexy, mulatto features.
"I was waiting for you, Mistah Cracka-man," she said, staring deep into his eyes. "We need to have an important conversation, so I wanted to get you alone without any chance someone might interrupt us."
Her legs spread open, revealing a very lacy pair of black panties. Nik could only shake his head in disbelief, warry of what game she was playing.
"I don't have time for your games, Suzy. Stop flashing me your panties. It is a Monday morning, you're here early, cut through the bull and tell me what you want."
The cheery expression on Suzy's face turned darker, dropping the charade.
"Fine. I need your help."
"You don't have to bribe me with a panty shot to get me to help you with your classwork."
"Not that, Mistah Cracka-man...I need...your...protection."
Each word came out hard, stuck in her throat. Just because it was the best choice in a bad situation didn't mean her pride didn't have a say in it.
"My protection? Someone bothering you in class? A bully?"
"No, I'd cut anyone who tried to bully me. I need help with my gang."
"Let me guess, the girls from the other day were involved with you? I'll tell you like I told them, I'm not a pimp. I'm just a history teacher now."
"Now?" Suzy asked, curious to the word usage.
"Yes, I'm a simple, plain, boring history teacher. I only took down Jimmy out of self-defence, nothing more."
"You're going to have to choose sides sooner or later, Mistah Cracka-man. You're going to need friends...friends who would be appreciative of your help." Suzy leaned forward, using a finger to open up her top for a peak. "See anything you like?"
Nik didn't take the bait, remaining calm at Suzy's advances.
"No, I don't sleep with students, Suzy. I'm not interested. Besides, why are you running around in a gang? You're smart, crafty, you can do anything you want, not peddle your classmates around like meat."
Suzy folded her arms and scoffed at the comment.
"It helped me survive. You don't get it, do you, Mistah Cracka-man. This school isn't a normal high school. It's a funnel for those who are worthless and can't get out of the hood. We get two years to earn a rep, from ages eighteen and nineteen, as we're kept here in solitary from the rest of civilized society. The moment we hit twenty, if we're still alive we're out on the street. A high school diploma won't mean shit to someone with no shot at ever going to a fancy university. I'm just trying to earn my street cred so I'm not some thug's baby mamma."
"You're right, I don't get it. I see a woman with heaps of potential doing something else with her life, other than becoming a mama-san. If this is the road you want to lead, by all means, lead it. I just can't help you."
"Fine, you keep teaching us books and ignore the reality out in the hallways. I hate to break it to you, Mistah Cracka-man, you ain't the great white hope. You won't be changing the system here from behind a desk."
Suzy left in a huff, annoyed that Nik's resolve was so strong. All the other guys would bend over backwards for her at the flash of her panties, or a peep show. Without paying attention, Suzy bumped shoulders with another student as she rushed out of into the hallway.
"Hey bitch, watch where you're going...Oh, it's you, Suzy. You know you still owe me for the help I gave last month."
"Buzz off, I can't talk now, Seth."
The thug student grabbed hold of her arm and yanked the girl back into his sight.
"Did I tell you I was done talking with ya?"
"Let go of me, Seth, or I'll cut your balls off and feed them to your momma."
"Rich coming from some half-cracker bitch. Come down to the field later and you can thank me and my boys. Call it interest."
SMACK!
Suzy slapped him solid against the cheek, but it only made the teen angrier. His grip tightened, and nostrils flared up as he raised his own fist to strike the girl. The impact of knuckle on face didn't arrive as his hand was caught in midair.
"Touch her and you'll be sorry, kid," Nik said, blocking the blow.
"Fuck, you're hurting me, cracker. I ain't doing nothing this bitch didn't deserve."
Suzy managed to wiggle free and put distance between the pair. Nik's grip felt like iron, no give, as the thug tried to pull himself free. Nik only released his grip once he saw Suzy was out of harm's way.
"I don't care if she was being a royal pain in the ass. You strike one of my students, you fucked with the wrong teacher."
"Yo, she hit me first."
"Tell me you didn't deserve it."
"Fuck you cracker. I don't know why you're even here. You're dead in a week. But I think I'll pick it up early."
Seth stepped forward to land a hard punch but Nik was ready for him. Ducking under the overhand right, he shot up and landed an uppercut flush on the jaw. Seth crumpled like a bag of hammers, dazed and confused over what just happened. Suzy looked on in surprise and awe. She knew he took down Jimmy Jack easily, but she didn't think he'd be this good.
Grabbing him by the scruff of his collar, Nik roughly pushed Seth up against the lockers.
"That's your only warning," Nik said sternly.
SPLAT!
Nik closed his eye in discomfort, having been spat on with blood and saliva. Seth's blood ran down his face, dirtying up his clean shirt. Seth let out a pained groan as a hard knee struck solidly into his gut.
"I guess you get to join your 'brotha' in the pen. Stupid move, Seth, stupid move," Nik commented.
Turning the teen around, Nik hauled him off to the school office. Suzy stood there stunned but happy beyond belief. Even though Nik didn't agree to help out her gang, he did the next best thing.
X
"We're happy to help you with anything you may need during your tour of the school," Valerie said through a fake smile.
She had spent the last hour showing Amanda around the facilities before many of the students arrived. It was like pulling teeth. No money, no governmental support, just a war zone with a staff shell shocked into checking in and out for the paycheck. Miracles were still expected daily. But still, the lawyer looked down on the school, making snide comments as if she could do infinitely better.
"I'm sure you are. I'd like to sit in on the staff meeting today, meet the teachers, give them a pep talk."
"I think that can be arranged. Would you mind finally filling me in on what this was all about? I only got the email about you on the weekend, and not much other than to expect your arrival."
"All in good time. I'll mention it at the staff meeting."
Amanda sat down in the worn chair in Valerie's office. Just like outside, it was in major need of an overhaul and as much as the Amazon principal hated the dΓ©cor, any extra money they received was better put to use in the classroom than on vanity.
"But between us girls," Amanda began, "how does it feel to have a white man under your thumb?"
"Excuse me?" Valerie asked, stunned at the boldness of the comment.
"Not many white men choose to work in a ghetto, let alone accept orders from a black woman."
"He is a model professional."
"A model professional that hospitalizes his students, you mean?"
"Is that why you're here, to fire him?"
"No, not just that. We've also got a merger in the pipeline. The students here will be shipped out to the school in the 7th District."
"That's a white school."
"I know, and it is racist of them to horde all the best teachers and equipment from the blacks of this community. Besides, a little diversity never hurt anyone."
"So you're going to fire me too?"
"No, the principal of 7th District High is retiring at the end of the year. If you play ball with us, we'll recommend you for the position."
"Well, I'm honored," Valerie said, trying her best to look happy.
"You should be. It is about time the wealth was spread around."