A California Christmas (Silver Springs #7) - Brenda Novak Page 0,26

otherwise be overlooked or forgotten, and I’m running out of time.”

That was a good reason to have Dallas do the coaching, all right—one he couldn’t complain about. “Then you’d better go. You don’t need to walk over with me. I haven’t been on this side of campus very often, but I can find the gym.”

“It’s okay. I’ll at least introduce you before I abandon you.”

Dallas remembered his first Christmas at New Horizons, before Aiyana had adopted him. He would’ve been one of those boys who didn’t get a gift if she hadn’t orchestrated it. “I’ll donate a couple hundred bucks to the cause,” he said.

“Are you sure?” Eli asked.

He shrugged. “Why not?”

Eli shot him a quizzical look. “Because this thing called money that you don’t seem to care about? It can keep you fed and put a roof over your head.”

“Who needs a roof when you can sleep under the stars?” he joked. Since it was just him, he didn’t have high expenses. And now that he had a sponsor, he had more money than ever before, anyway.

Eli rolled his eyes. “Not everyone can live as simply as you do.”

Before he could respond, Dallas noticed a woman marching purposefully toward them. He assumed she was a teacher. Dressed in a no-nonsense skirt and jacket with low heels, she clutched a stack of books to her chest.

“Oh jeez,” Eli murmured.

“What is it?” Dallas asked.

“Mrs. Seamus. She can be a pain in the ass.”

Dallas was eager to hear why Eli thought so—he seemed to like most of the other teachers on campus—but this one was drawing too close for them to continue talking without being overheard.

“Mr. Turner?” she said as soon as she reached them.

They both could’ve answered to that name, but Dallas knew she wasn’t talking to him.

“Is something wrong, Mrs. Seamus?” Eli asked.

“I hear we had that female anchor from LA on campus today,” she replied.

“Emery Bliss?” Eli filled in.

“Yes.”

“Not in any official capacity,” he assured her.

She looked taken aback by his response. “She was in the cafeteria, wasn’t she?”

“She was.”

“My question is why? I don’t think she has any business being here, do you?”

Dallas felt his spine stiffen. “Why do you say that?”

Although he was the one who’d spoken, she continued to direct her complaint to Elijah. “An hour ago, I caught two girls in my class trying to look up—” Her voice turned squeaky, and she cleared her throat. “Well, they were trying to find a video that was recently posted of Ms. Bliss online.” One eyebrow arched above her thick-framed glasses. “I assume you’re aware of the one I mean.”

Eli sighed before responding. “Yes, but...how’d they find out about that?”

“It’s been on the news, Mr. Turner.”

“I can’t imagine many of our students watch the news, Mrs. Seamus,” he said, coming right back at her.

“They may not watch it, but some have smartphones and a few others have laptops. Those who don’t can access the internet at the computer lab. And even if that weren’t true, most have parents, brothers, sisters, cousins and friends who talk. In other words, they get the same information as the rest of us. When I walked over to see what all the fuss was about, Chanel Rogers clicked to what she was supposed to be doing, but I pulled her aside after class and she told me Jimmy Graham, also one of our students, was excited to have seen Ms. Bliss in the cafeteria today. So he texted a friend who lives in LA to say that she was on campus. And his friend told him—”

Eli lifted a hand to stop her. “I can guess what his friend must’ve told him.”

“Right, and then he told Chanel and who knows how many of our other students. Word will have traveled through the whole school by tomorrow. Can you imagine the memes that are probably already circulating? This will distract even our best students,” she predicted disapprovingly.

“I know that isn’t optimal, but—”

“Optimal!” she broke in. “May I remind you that Chanel is only thirteen—and Jimmy is fourteen?”

“I know the ages of our students,” Eli said. “But...what is it you’re suggesting we do?”

“I’m suggesting Ms. Bliss return to her own home as soon as possible, of course.”

“What if she needs a safe haven?” he asked. “What if she was wronged and is struggling herself?”

“Then I feel sorry for her, but she’s not our responsibility. We have to do what is best for our students. Seeing they get what they need—and protecting them from anything that

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