“That’s nice you got to stay with the team for that long. I’m assuming you played in college, where? Oh and don’t worry about having no direction. I only have One Direction,” Taylor added as an afterthought. That was until she raised her eyebrows and nodded at Chloe, waiting for the joke to sink in. Chloe took a second to process which direction Taylor was joking about, then finally it clicked. Chloe couldn’t suppress the corresponding groan. That was enough acknowledgment for Taylor, who let out a loud and enthusiastic laugh.
“So, where’d you play? You aren’t terrible.” Taylor took another shot.
“I played at St. Michael’s in Vermont.”
“Division Two. I’m surprised. I pegged you as a Division One player. I’m assuming you got offers, but you chose St. Mike’s for the academics?”
“Yeah, I knew I wanted a small school and I felt like I fit there. Vermont is beautiful and it worked. I’m from upstate New York so it was close enough to get home but still feel like a new place. You must have played. Where did you go?”
“Hartford Hawks, baby! But you were probably in third grade while I was playing. Pffft.” Taylor gave a dismissive wave. “Here, let me quick beat you at PIG.”
With that Taylor spun on the spot and hit a turn-around jumper from the wing, officially starting their game. Chloe stepped up and replicated the turnaround, the ball hanging on the rim and gently falling through. Taylor grabbed the rebound and started walking around the court, deciding which shot to take next. Settling on a three from the baseline corner, she drained her second shot. Chloe checked the time. This could take a while.
“You said you’re the varsity coach here? How are you guys going to be this year?” Chloe asked as she too hit the shot from the baseline.
“We have three senior starters from last year and four juniors that are ready to contribute way more this year. The biggest thing we have to adjust to is that we lost our post last year. She graduated and went to play at St. Bonaventure.”
“Do you have any other size?”
“Nope. And I don’t have any young guns that I could pull up either. We’re going to have to adjust to compensate, but let’s be honest you have to do that every year anyway. It’s the core part of my job. I’m going to have to be creative with our speed, primarily on defense, to make up for it. But that’s what I love, figuring out the different strengths and utilizing them.”
“How did you do last season?”
“We ended up losing in the championship game. That was a tough loss, but it’s definitely motivated some of the girls this offseason. They’re turning themselves into college prospects for sure.”
The conversation slowly shifted to different offenses to run that would work well for a smaller team, discussing the strengths and weaknesses of each. Not only was Taylor friendly, she had a great coaching philosophy. She could learn a lot from her, Chloe decided. If nothing else, she would be going to plenty of their home games—and most likely the away games as well. It wasn’t like she had other pressing plans.
Taylor took a three from the twenty-eight foot line, missing a touch long. As the ball rebounded across the gym, she turned to Chloe. “We only have five minutes until lunch! Let’s rain check this game, but I want to pick your brain about the motion offense you ran at St. Mike’s. I love that style of play, but my kids need more structure than that. Care to continue this in the staff lunch room?”
“Wow, yeah, that’d be great! I have to grab my food. Who knew? I thought I’d be the lame new kid eating alone in her classroom today.”
“Well, you are still the lame new kid. I’m a bleeding heart.”
Chloe laughed, heading to the gym door to get her lunch with the promise of meeting up with Taylor shortly.
* * *
The halls were as empty as they had been at the start of the period, but now they were filled with a palpable energy that only the impending lunch period could bring. Chloe quickened her pace to beat the mad rush to the cafeteria that was about to ensue. Sliding into the staff room the secretary had pointed out on their early morning tour, she spotted Taylor right away at a table near the windows. Waving, she headed over to join her.
“I feel like I should do something to haze you, but since you’re only a sub for the day, I’ll only ask you to bring me a napkin from the coffee table over yonder.”
Chloe changed direction to grab Taylor’s napkin, but as she walked she called out, “No problem. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, but the laws of the universe don’t apply to PIG scores. You opting not to haze me doesn’t negate the fact that I’m up on you.”
Laughing, Taylor responded, “Okay, hard-ass. Have a seat. This lunch period flies by.”
Chloe sat down and opened her lunch. The salad she’d packed the night before was much less appetizing when compared to Taylor’s homemade enchiladas.
“Those look delicious!”
“Thanks, they are. My partner Anne is an incredible cook. It’s a good thing too, or I’d be eating sandwiches every day.”
Resisting the urge to celebrate that always accompanied finding another lesbian, Chloe played it cool and brought their conversation back to the finer details and variations of the offensive schemes available for a smaller and faster team.
In college Chloe had been a part of a motion offense, one with a high degree of structure with ball screen and off screen reads built into it. After she described the system, which relied heavily on the guards reading situations and the point guard signaling an initial read option which would waterfall into corresponding reads, she and Taylor concluded this particular offense, while elegant and effective at the collegiate level, would be much too complex for the group of girls Taylor was expecting to come out for the team.
Two offenses stood out as the front-runners when they turned to options that the team could conceivably handle. Chloe favored a one-four high option, with lots of on-ball screens and back screens, whereas Taylor had been considering a flex option that was highly structured and offered more opportunities for mid-range jump shots.
“At least now I feel confident that I have two potential systems to implement. If I feel totally ballsy maybe I’ll put both in. There’s a fine line between brilliance and insanity. I passed it a long time ago, but that’s a minor detail.”
“That’s the spirit, Coach. Motivate the troops with your supreme confidence,” Chloe responded, generating a loud burst of laughter from Taylor.
The pair turned their attentions to their long-forgotten lunches with vigor, realizing that the lunch period was very nearly over.
“Oh, I almost forgot. Are you busy tonight? We play pickup about twice a week here and we’re down one tonight. We usually get at least eight and manage to get a couple good four-on-four games going, but damn Levit has a game tonight so she can’t make it.”
“Levit? Does she teach here? I think I have study hall with her next block.”
“Yeah, she’s tragically boring. Poor thing was a soccer player. But we still let her come play every week. It’s really because we’re the closest thing she has to a social life. Like I said, I’m a bleeding heart.”
“I’m not going to lie. You don’t exactly have me jazzed for this study hall.”
“Don’t worry. For a soccer player she isn’t half bad.” Taylor paused, then added a grin. “Some days I even like her.”
* * *
Since Chloe had no papers to grade during the study hall and prepping for class for another hour would only increase her nerves, she decided to bring her book and read something other than physics while “monitoring.”
Rounding the corner that would take her to the library, she saw two teachers talking near the opposite end of the hallway. They appeared to be one of those couples that tended to pop up in high schools, a tall, black-haired man with perfectly coiffed hair and perfectly tailored clothes and a brunette wearing tortoiseshell glasses and a patterned scarf. He was obviously flirting with her. When he placed his hand on her arm, though,
she tensed and pulled away. Making the decision to keep as far as possible from any lovers’ spats, Chloe sped up and ducked inside the library.
In the far left corner a door stood ajar to a room labeled “Quiet Study Area.” She assumed this was where study hall would be held but decided to check with the librarian to be sure. Walking up to the main desk, Chloe approached a woman with graying hair and rimless eyeglasses.
“How can I help you?” came the soft voice of the librarian.
“I’m subbing today for Mrs. Flore and I wanted to make sure the room in the back, the quiet study area, is where I’m supposed to go…”
“Oh yes, none of the students have come in. I haven’t seen Madeleine yet either, so you’re on your own for now. You might not have any students today. I believe the juniors are on a field trip, and I know for a fact that the two seniors on the roster have early dismissal. I’m Mrs. Ross, by the way.”
“Thank you so much! I should probably head in and wait to see if I have anybody to supervise.” The librarian nodded in polite acknowledgment and told Chloe to have a wonderful day before heading to the computer room to complete some other task.
Wondering where Ms. Levit might be, Chloe meandered into the study area. Inside were four large tables, each with six chairs. Another, smaller table stood at the front of the room with two more chairs. Assuming this was her table, Chloe sat in one and spun it to face the door.
Chloe was removing her bookmark, preparing to immerse herself in her book when a flurry of activity at the door grabbed her attention. The brunette she had seen outside the library minutes before hurried in the room.
Her hair hung loosely in a low braid, with auburn highlights now visible. Chloe hadn’t noticed the satchel that she carried earlier. It was swinging dangerously now as she stormed into the room with more than a hint of frustration. She wore black pants that clung to her legs, knee-high brown leather riding boots, and a loose-fitting maroon blouse. She reminded Chloe of the English graduate students she’d shared many cafés with outside Boston. She was intriguing.
As she turned to the front of the room where Chloe sat, the woman jumped in surprise.
Chloe could not help but laugh, standing simultaneously to apologize. “I’m sorry to sneak up on you like this, sitting here reading in your study hall, but I come in peace.” She expressed her regret with the slightest trace of enjoyment. “I’m the substitute teacher for Mrs. Flore, Chloe Amden.” Chloe offered an outstretched hand to the beautiful teacher.
The earlier tension slowly drained from the frazzled woman’s face as she released an audible sigh. Her features relaxed into a comfortable repose, allowing Chloe to take note of the way her hair framed her gently sloping cheekbones and full lips.
“I’m Madeleine Levit. I’m sorry for storming in here like a maniac. A stressful day is no excuse for being ready to roundhouse kick a stranger who’s sitting in the quiet study area quietly studying.”
Chloe shook the hand Madeleine stretched toward her, noticing as she did that she was wearing on her wrist a bright blue, knotted hair band that resembled a bracelet. Temporarily distracted, she imagined Madeleine with her hair pulled back into a ponytail. She could definitely pull off that look. Releasing the handshake, Chloe was brought back to the present as Madeleine went on.
“In my defense, you’re most definitely not Mrs. Flore, so I think my surprise was warranted.” The intensity in her expressive hazel eyes faded into calm composure again.
“Surprise, sure that was warranted. Jujitsu, though, maybe not absolutely necessary?” Chloe countered with a shrug. Madeleine greeted her quip with a peal of laughter, and the last of the tension etched in her face slipped away.
“I’m sorry your stress level is high enough that you’re prepared to level innocent strangers. But as long as you decided not to take me out with a nasty roundhouse, I can work with that.”
“You’re safe for now,” Madeleine answered. “But one question remains. Where are the children?” Her eyes shone as she gestured around the room. Chloe grinned.
“I haven’t the foggiest idea.” Both of them laughed comfortably. “Actually, according to Mrs. Ross, we get to oversee an empty study hall today. The juniors are on a field trip somewhere and the few seniors had an early dismissal.”
“Well, that is fantastic news. I’ll call down the attendance, and you can get back to reading without being afraid for your life.”
“That sounds like a great plan to me,” Chloe responded, settling in with her book for the second time. She doubted she would get much reading done. Madeleine was distracting, to say the least.
When Madeleine approached the table again, Chloe couldn’t help but smile. She was sure the English teacher would have plenty to do during this study hall, but she could not ask for a better way to spend her time than with a beautiful and witty peer. Madeleine’s voice broke through her thoughts.
“I’m sorry. I won’t be very much fun this study hall, but I really need to take advantage of the fact that there aren’t any students in today and get on top of these essays. If I don’t do them now I never will.” Madeleine gestured toward the manila folder stuffed full of papers that was sticking out of her bag, giving a shrug.
“No worries. Pretend I’m not here. I’ve got a date with Atlas Shrugged.”
“You’re reading Ayn Rand? Don’t tell me you buy into her ideology,” Madeleine scoffed, appraising the book Chloe held more closely now.
“Whoa!” Chloe called, tossing her hands up in the air in a mock surrender. “I read it in high school and I was intrigued by the notion of individual success. Embarrassing, I know. But now that I have a clue about how the world works and how vile Rand was, I’m revisiting it. I’ve got to be informed if I’m going to argue against it with my uncles.”
For an impromptu defense of her perusal of a book that plenty of people thought was drivel, she thought she’d done pretty well. She was content that she didn’t sound like a total moron at least.
“Okay, so you actually think about what she says as opposed to swallowing all of it. That’s refreshing.”
Madeleine stopped suddenly, her eyes widening in alarm, “Oh God, I’m so sorry. That was one of the most pompous things I’ve ever said. I get so used to forcing my kids to think about what they read I forget that many normal humans voluntarily do so. It’s the English teacher in me.”
She went on, her voice quiet, “You must think I’m a total ass right now.”
Madeleine’s outrage and then her subsequent, self-deprecating apology helped to temper Chloe’s knee-jerk reaction to the roller-coaster ride this woman had taken her on in a span of about four minutes. Her eyes traveled to Madeleine’s, reading genuine embarrassment there.
“What’s the point of a behemoth like this one if we don’t talk about it, right?” Chloe said. “But we aren’t at book club, and I hear you have work to do. Don’t let me keep you from it.”
Madeleine nodded and set her supplies out on the table, visibly relieved at Chloe’s willingness to overlook her book snob outburst. Then with the resolve of a teacher determined to be productive, she dove into grading her pile of essays.
It took Chloe a solid fifteen minutes to get through the page she had left off on. She was hardly surprised by this, as she had suddenly become very concerned about appearing scholarly while she read. This had resulted in her restarting the entire process twenty times or so.
After she had finally turned a page, she realized that for all of her efforts to impress someone that she would likely not encounter again, she had succeeded only in making it appear that she was reading at a first-grade level. Bringing herself back to reality and pretending she hadn’t had spent the past quarter of an hour being stupid, she finally focused on the reading. Initially distracted when Madeleine would turn a page or scribble down marks on the papers, eventually she became desensitized to the noises and stopped noticing entirely.
About halfway through the study hall, Chloe had a feeling Madeleine
was looking her way, but she resisted checking for fear of getting caught. As frazzled as she’d been when she came into the study hall, one of the last things Ms. Levit needed was unwanted interest from a substitute.
More than that, Chloe reminded herself that shifting her focus away from her future was a mistake. She could hear Hannah’s voice clearly, warning her to avoid any and all “cute homos” until she could personally determine their viability. She had no doubt Hannah would tell her to be wary of any woman, let alone one who likely had a beau working at the same school. She was only now beginning to let go of some of the anger and bitterness that had filled her for the last few months. She needed to focus on moving forward. Nothing was worth jeopardizing the possibility of achieving some semblance of stability in her life, the kind of stability, as Jacob would no doubt remind her, that teaching might provide.
Chloe’s thoughts drifted back to where she wanted to go with her career. She had so far genuinely enjoyed the day in Wiscasset; the kids she had worked with were receptive and she felt supported by the staff even though she was only a substitute.
Then again that’s how she had initially felt at UMass.
Today isn’t over yet, she cautioned herself, the realist in her rearing to life. A buzz from her pocket provided a welcome distraction—until she saw the text was from Nora.
A song by Ben Rector came on today and I smiled.
Chloe smiled too, then frowned. How was it that she was still susceptible to notes like this from Nora? Maybe because she represented something unfinished? The girl needed to realize there was no hope. She shook her head, amazed that she could be so stupid and selfish. How could she blame Nora for holding on to hope? Still, whatever Nora had represented before, now she was yet another loose end in Chloe’s life. That’s all she could be. She deleted the text. Perfect. Why couldn’t all the other knotty issues in her life unravel and blow away in the wind?
Breaking Even Page 4