Life, Love, and Other Inequalities

by Argentina Ryder

  “What about your plans?”

  “Same plans. Just realized that they weren’t complete.” He stroked Sawyer’s cheek. “Turns out, you were part of the plan after all. The most important part.” Turning his head, Matt glanced down at the cake. "I'm told that cake is guaranteed to make you love me again."

  Now Sawyer laughed. Kissing Matt's forehead, he stood and reached into a drawer, pulling out a fork. He waved it at Matt and returned to the sofa. "Guess it's time to find out," he said, pulling off the foil and taking a bite.

  June

  To: All_Staff_HaysMS

  From: Curtis White

  Date: June 4

  Subject: Last day of school faculty meeting agenda

  We made it through another year, Hawks. Please plan to meet bright and early Friday, June 8 at 9 am in the cafeteria. PTA is providing donuts and coffee. Admin will be in their offices all day to sign off on textbook, classroom key, and technology returns. Any staff not returning next year must complete an exit interview with me before they leave today.

  CW

  Matt stood in front of his room, looking around in wonder, thinking back at the year - and what a year it had been. He’d walked into this room back in August, angry that they had given him a time-sucking babysitting task, the last thing he needed before embarking on an already jam-packed school year. He couldn’t help but laugh thinking about it now; what a bitter little man he’d been.

  And now?

  He stacked all his textbooks in neat rows, waiting for his turn to take them to the textbook closet. He had unplugged his computer and printer. He looked at his empty walls, all the posters and math charts locked in his closet with his paper trays and other supplies. They’d wait all summer for him, until he came back next year, and the cycle began again.

  The idea made him smile.

  Glancing down at his phone, he noted the time. Twenty minutes to eight, still a little time before he had to head over, but he knew people would be there already. The tired staff somehow found that spark of energy, the idea of ten weeks off so close they could taste it.

  He looked around the room one more time. It had been quite the year, but it was over. There was nothing more to do, so he grabbed his backpack and headed downstairs toward the cafeteria for the last time this year.

  “And we’re going to be saying goodbye to Eva Moody. Eva has taken a position as head librarian at the high school, so our loss is their gain. Eva, we will miss you and your bright smile, but we all wish you the best of luck.” Eva stood, a sad look on her face as she waved at everyone, clasping her hands together as the staff clapped and wished her well.

  “Finally, please be sure to give your summer contact information to Rosa...”

  “Hey you.” Cora sidled up next to Matt during their break, one arm snaking around his waist as she hugged him. “We made it.”

  “We did,” he repeated, hugging her back. “Though there were a few days I wasn’t sure that would happen.”

  “But you did, despite all that happened. And in the end, things turned out good here, right?” She touched his shoulder. “How’s your boyfriend?”

  It still felt so strange to think of Sawyer like that. “He’s great,” Matt couldn’t contain his grin. “He’s working on a new video today and when I get out of here, we’re going to the ranch for a few days to help out before we leave.”

  Her eyes widened. “That’s right! Where are you going?”

  Matt took a deep breath. “Big Bend National Park, for starters, before it gets too hot. Then maybe into New Mexico.” It frightened him how nonchalant Sawyer was as he prepared for this trip, just driving the Airstream west and seeing what looked interesting during the two weeks between school ending and his summer classes starting. “All I know is that we’re taking turns driving that monster of an RV, so that’s also terrifying.”

  “At least you don’t have to worry about hotels,” she laughed. “It’ll be fine, and you know it. You look happy, Matt. I hope you guys have a glorious summer. You deserve it, more than anyone I know.”

  Matt walked into the front office to turn in his classroom keys. He sat next to Paul at the end of the line of anxious teachers, all ready to leave. “Waiting for Rebecca?”

  Paul nodded. “I’ve got to hand in my keys and then check them out again for the summer so I can come back this summer and condition the field. Asinine.” He shook his head. “You got any plans this summer?” Matt told him about the trip he and Sawyer had planned. Paul’s genuine smile and interest in the trip touched Matt more than he’d expected. “Not going to lie, Ruiz, I’m jealous as fuck of you guys traveling in that Airstream. Always wanted to do that, just drive an RV around and camp wherever.”

  “It should be fun. And you?” They watched as the door to Rebecca's office opened, Felipe exiting and Stella entering.

  “Letty’s family’s from Boston, so I think we’re heading up there for the Fourth of July. Her little sister just had a baby too, so…” They talked for a few more minutes, and then the door opened, and it was Paul’s turn. “Hey, if I don’t see you before you head out, have a great summer.” They shook hands, and Paul went inside the office, closing the door behind him.

  A few more people walked by, and pleasantries exchanged. Nurse Norma and her family were heading to Disney World. Laverne was starting a patio project, redoing her deck herself. Dan’s son was going to be a freshman at Texas Tech, and the family would go up to move him into an apartment. Soon, the door opened. Paul gave him a salute as he exited, and Matt headed inside.

  “Mr. Ruiz.” Rebecca had a small silver locked box on her cluttered desk, covered in small clear bags filled with keys. “How is your family doing?” she asked, giving him a sympathetic look.

  “Everyone’s good. We miss my granddad, but in a way, he’s still around us, everywhere we look.”

  “I can imagine, especially out there on your land.” Matt handed her the keys to his classroom and the gym. “We’ll see you back next year, right?”

  “That’s the plan,” he answered. “It’s strange, isn’t it? Leaving here for ten weeks, and then everyone comes back in the fall and we all just sort of pick right up where we left off, as if we were just gone for the weekend.”

  “I think about that too.” Rebecca noted his name and had him sign off that he returned the keys. “You have a great summer, Matt.”

  “You too,” Matt stood and headed out into the hallway. He was done.

  How are things going?

  Really good.

  Another hour and I’ll be done.

  The kitchen’s a disaster area, I’ll

  need to clean up before we leave.

  “Hey Matt.” Looking up, he spotted April, carrying a plant and heading for the front door. “Some of us are going to Gringo’s for lunch. Going away party for Eva.” Teachers could leave once they locked their classrooms up and checked their classroom keys in. “You wanna join us?”

  He pulled out his phone and grinned. “Yeah, that sounds good. I’ll meet you all there.”

  Heading to Gringo’s with the gang

  think you can join us?

  I’ll help you clean up when we’re done

  Sounds so good. I’ll meet you there.

  Get me a margarita if you beat me there

  Matt pocketed his phone. Looking back down the hallway, he thought about all that had happened this year. Good things, bad things, and yet Matt knew it was a year he’d never forget. Turning back toward the front doors, he pushed them open and jogged down the steps toward his truck.

  It was going to be an amazing summer.

  About Author

  Argentina Ryder spent her early career as a high school teacher in Texas, sharing her love of geography and traveling with her students. After completing her Masters in Education, she worked as a Curriculum and Instruction consultant while working on her first novel.

  Argentina’s bucket list includes visiting all the national parks and running a ten-minute mile. She s
pends free time in her garden, kayaking Texas rivers, and littering her house with various DIY projects. Her red slider, Pebbles, enjoys frozen strawberries, basking under her UV light, and spending quality time outside on sunny days while Lucrezia, her Siamese, mostly just sleeps.

  She lives with her family and her pets and is currently working on the second book in her Life, Love, and Other Inequalities series. Sign up for her newsletter here to keep up with what's going on in her world and get sneak peaks at what's coming up.

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  Thank you!

  Thank you for reading this book. If you enjoyed it, please review. They are really helpful for a new author like myself.

  Also by Argentina

  Destination Sawyer

  It was the worst week of his life. Sawyer Evans lost his livelihood, his boyfriend, and now his parents told him not to come back until he figured out what was really important.

  What better time for a road trip?

  And so begins a three-year journey of cooking, traveling, and self-discovery. Along the way Sawyer tries to find himself and discovers so much more. Destination Sawyer is a short story prequel to Life, Love, and Other Inequalities. Read it today!