Page 45 of Friends with Benefits

It didn’t exactly seem relevant to the curriculum.

If she watchesSurvivor, too.

Of course.

By lunchtime, Theo is exhausted. He Clorox wipes his desk, then collapses into his chair, removes his cowboy hat, and unwraps his avocado sandwich, more than ready for twenty blissful minutes of solitude. Until today, school has been the place where he still feels the most himself. At home, he tries to be himself. Except now he can’t fall asleep without watching an episode ofLove Islandwith Evelyn. He wakes up to her voice either humming or singing “Here Comes the Sun” to her plants. It raises his resting heart rate, a data point that he records daily. At first, the spike concerned him. He almost made an appointment with his cardiologist. Instead, he told Brian at his next therapy session, who asked if he had any other symptoms—chest pain, shortness of breath, heartburn.No.

It’s just the song.

Evelyn singing.

So he supposes it’s still concerning, that spike.

Theo pinches the bridge of his nose, inserts earbuds, and plays “1985” to clear his head. He doesn’t even get through the entire song before there’s a knock on his door, then Ms. Connors’s head poking in. “Theo? Do you have a moment?”

He removes his earbuds, sitting up a little straighter. “Course.”

“I heard that congratulations are in order?”

Milo works fast.

Theo shrugs.

“So nonchalant.” Ms. Connors laughs, entering his classroom, and it takes his eyes a moment to adjust to the colorful chaos of her flowy rainbow pants and T-shirt that saysHOCUS FOCUS. She takes a seat at the student desk closest to his and crosses her ankles. “Well, congratulations! Everyone is just thrilled for you. Though… I can’t say we’re not the tiniest bit surprised. I mean. We didn’t even know you had a girlfriend.”

He laughs. “It’s not like anyone ever asked.”

It comes off defensive.

Ms. Connors’s eyebrows crinkle.

Then soften.

“You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“Oh.”

It catches him off guard, the apology.

He has no idea how much he appreciates one until it happens. Because five years into his career at Foothill Elementary, Theo still isn’t seen as a colleague. He’s Mrs. Cohen’s son. The kid who wasnota pleasure to have a class. He’s not an idiot. Theo knows he’s a nepo baby. Knows that Lori outed his big dream to reform education policy out of pride, but also knows that’s the reason why everyone keeps him at arm’s length. They think he has one foot out the door. They don’t see the effort Theo makes to empower his students and meet them where they are. They don’t browse his highly curated (and self-funded) library. Or believe that Theo is meant to be in the classroom.

But Theo loves his job.

He’s damn good at it, too.

“We care about you, Theo. We’re a family, here at Foothill.”

Theo nods, wondering if Ms. Connors is speaking on behalf of the entire faculty or using the royalwe. Who’s to say? It doesn’t matter. If they are, in fact, a family, then he’s the baby. Not taken seriously. A nuisance. Naïve.Fuck that.Theo doesn’t need a work family. He needs field trip proposals to be approved, smaller class sizes, and an annual supplies budget.

Of course, he’s not going to actually say that.

“Thanks, Ms. Connors.”

“Veronica.”

“Veronica.”

“I mean it. I truly am sorry if you’ve felt isolated or excluded in any way. The first few years as an educator are tough under any circumstances. Yours… I just need you to know that you’re doing great, okay? Parents are happy. The kids love you. Your mom would be so proud.”

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