Chapter 2

At noon, Principal Sam called me into her office and spent the whole time trying to smooth things over. 'Ms. Hamilton, you really didn't handle this well. The parent just wants her child to learn a little extra. Help out while you're at it. Don't let this turn into a complaint—or worse, ruin the school's piano replacement deal with Mr. Carter and hurt the school's reputation.'

I pointed at the preschool's job-responsibility document on the desk. 'Principal, look closely. The after-school teacher's responsibilities only cover student safety and supervision. There's nothing in there about giving one-on-one piano lessons. I'm not agreeing to that.'

Principal Sam's face dropped at once. 'People need to be flexible. Yvonne's mom matters a lot to this school.'

'Then you choose. Me or her. Your call.' I didn't back down. Why should I, a teacher making next to nothing, be the one paying for whatever benefits Linda brought the school?

Principal Sam curled her lip, said nothing else, and waved me out. I thought that was the end of it. I was wrong—Linda decided to start playing dirty.

She had her daughter cling to me and demand piano lessons no matter what. Yvonne Carter had been spoiled rotten. She'd plop herself onto the piano bench, bang on the keys, and shout, 'Play for me! My mom paid you!'

'If you won't teach me, I'll smash this stupid piano!' When I refused, she threw fit after fit—ripping up other kids' sheet music, tossing activity cards all over the floor, snatching snacks from other children, and turning the whole after-school class upside down. The other parents could only swallow their anger. Everyone knew Linda was trouble.

Every day after school, Linda deliberately came more than an hour late to pick up her daughter. Once Yvonne was the only child left in the classroom, she climbed onto the piano again and started scribbling all over the keys with a marker, so I walked over, lifted her down, and took it away.

Then I spoke in a serious tone. 'Yvonne Carter, you can't draw on the piano. That's not okay. Didn't your mom teach you not to damage other people's things?' The second I finished speaking—

Yvonne suddenly twisted and dropped straight to the floor. She kicked her legs wildly, burst into dramatic sobs, and screamed, 'The teacher hit me! Ms. Hamilton hit me! She pinched my arm!'

I froze on the spot. I hadn't even touched her arm. What was even crazier was that while she was crying, she secretly pinched herself hard enough to leave a bright red mark behind.

Ten minutes later, Linda Carter rushed into the classroom. The moment she saw her daughter bawling on the floor and the red mark on her arm, she pointed right at me and screamed, 'Claire Hamilton! You dared hit my daughter? Have you lost your mind? I'm telling you right now, this isn't over! I'm filing a complaint with the Department of Education, and I'll make sure you never teach again in your life!'

I didn't even get the chance to explain before she slapped me across the face. I was shaking all over with anger. Then she grabbed Yvonne and stormed out before I could react.

That very night, a complaint was filed against me with the Department of Education for corporal punishment and professional misconduct. The next day, Principal Sam called me into her office again, slapped the notice onto the desk, and snapped, 'Claire Hamilton! Look at the mess you've made. A parent has complained all the way to the Department of Education, and you've ruined this school's reputation!'

I was furious, but Principal Sam wouldn't listen. 'I'm giving you two choices. First, you apologize to Yvonne's mom and the child, give Yvonne one free extra hour of piano every day, and get the complaint withdrawn. Second, you pack your things and leave. Our preschool has no room for a teacher like you.'

I actually laughed from anger and pushed right back. 'Apologize? Not happening. I never touched her child. The surveillance footage shows that clearly. If you want to fire me, fine. We do it by the contract.' Then I turned and walked out.

After leaving the office, I went straight to the security room and backed up all the classroom surveillance footage. It showed everything clearly: I had only lifted Yvonne down from the piano, and she was the one who threw herself to the floor and pinched her own arm red. With proof that solid in my hands, I wasn't scared—but I knew these people were going to be a nightmare.