Page 81 of Atticus
“You would focus on his dick,” Denise says coolly, and a few of the women cover their mouths. “Why so worried about what’s in the robot’s pants, Sullivan? Afraid he’s out-performing you?”
The PE teacher’s face contorts angrily.
“That’s enough.” Carlisle’s voice booms over all of theirs. Her lips are a thin line, her gaze on me, cold and furious. “I knew this program was going to be a mistake. I knew it the moment you were unboxed. You’ve been nothing but trouble, a thorn in my side. Because of you, our entire school is currently a laughingstock, and I’ve got the entire education board breathing down myneck to clean up this mess you and Miss Warren have put us in.”
“You put us in this mess,” I reply. “When you made Lucy’s private life your business, and you had no right to.”
My response garners several wide-eyed stares and a few sharp gasps. They’ve never heard me or seen me push back. I was designed to be obedient, gentle.
But why wouldn’t I push back now when Lucy’s reputation and well-being are on the line?
Carlisle glares, her warning painted with venom. “You’ll be silent. Nothing you say matters. You are parts and machinery. You arenothing.” She barks to Bryant. “Lock him in the science utility closet. I don’t want to see his face for the rest of the day. We’re sending him back to BioNex.”
“BioNex won’t take him back,” an elderly woman, the school’s resident math teacher, pipes up quietly. “I already tried.”
“And I’m not locking him in any closet,” Bryant replies. “He’s not a rabid dog. He’ll come with me to my classroom, and he’ll remain there during the fundraiser.”
“You think we can have the fundraiser now with this hanging over all our heads?” Sullivan demands.
“Notourheads,” Trey points out. “Your head. You’re the one making the biggest stink of all, and let me tell you, it reeks.”
“Are you really gonna sit here and defend a robot?” Sullivan takes a step closer to Trey. “There’s something you wanna tell us about yourself, Trey?”
“Only that you’ve got two seconds to get outta my face before I put you on the floor,” Trey warns, jaw set. “Back up, Phil, before you really embarrass yourself.”
Sullivan swallows, but when he sees that none of the other teachers are backing him up, all huddled in their groups or listening to the exchange, he takes a step back.
“These the kind of people you hire, Carlisle?” Trey remarks, his gaze focusing directly on the flustered principal who can’t seem to focus between their confrontation and Renee speaking with her about their voicemail being full. “Got your football coach here acting out of control, trying to physically intimidate your school resource officer right in front of you, but somehow, we’re worried about the sweet little history teacher having an android boyfriend? Really?”
“It’s ridiculous,” Denise breathes, arms folded. Next to her, Miss Curtis doesn’t say much, but nods meekly in agreement.
“I said, that’s enough! Sullivan, get out,” Carlisle growls.
“You’re really gonna—”
“Out!” Carlisle repeats. Sullivan scoffs and slams the office door behind him. She turns to Bryant. “Fine. Atticus stays with you until the fundraiser is over. Then we’ll throw him into the county dump after school hours. Just get him out of my sight!”
I square my shoulders.County dump?
Bryant gives me a gentle pat before I can properly respond. “Come on, let’s go before they start getting hysterical.”
“I’ll come with you,” Trey agrees, and the three of us make our way through the school corridors, past rows upon rows of old lockers. A few teachers who weren’t in the office stare at us—at me—as we walk by.
“They’ve all lost their minds,” Bryant mutters when we’re far enough away from the main office. He unlocks his classroom door and ushers us inside.
“This has never been about Lucy,” Trey says after the door is shut. “This is about you. I mean, yeah, she came in here, switching things up, rattling cages, but the way Carlisle and Sullivan are acting, it’s the perfect excuse to get rid of you.”
“They’re really going to throw me away?” I ask, perplexed. Such a possibility has never once occurred to me, and it has my wires crossed, body stiffer than it’s ever been. I’m not riddled with fear or even confusion.
I’m indignant.
They would throw me away.
“I wouldn’t put it past them at this point,” Trey says. “I mean, we know Carlisle and Sullivan have been waiting for you to give them a reason. Alleged sexual misconduct and poor PR is enough for them to run with. I know a few other teachers will be on board with giving you the boot.”
“Well, I’m not going to stand here and just allow them to pile me into the back of a pickup truck and throw me into the dump.” I clench my fists. “I’m not inanimate. I cannot be discarded that way. It’s—”
“Inhumane,” Bryant finishes for me, nodding. “I know. But you can’t leave. And never run. The moment you run, you become guilty of whatever it is.”
