Chapter591TheTablesHaveTurned
Lysanderofferednoresponsetothepreviousconversation.
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However,Josiahfoundanopeningtosharehisthoughts,statingcontemtively.“Thenotionsof‘goodpeople‘and‘badpeople‘areoverlysimplisticssifications,reminiscentofachild’sviewpoint.When<b>you</b>trulyimmerseyourselfinthplexitiesofsociety,you’ll<b>discover</b>thatindividualsexhibitamyriadoftraits.Lifeisn’tmerelyamatterofck<b>and</b>whitedistinctions.”
In
toneofslightusation,Josephinquired,“AreyousuggestingthatMs.Thornepossessessomebadtraits?”
Josiah’sexpressiondarkenedashequicklycorrected<b>him</b>,“Donottwistmywords.”
AllImeantwasthatyourunderstandingissomewhatnaive.
However,Josephcountered,“ButIagreewithyou.Peopleareinherentlplex.Givenyourstatureandposition,whoknowswhathiddeyersyoumightpossess?”
Josiahfoundhimselfspeechlessatthisremark.
TheconversationtookatenseturnasJosephadded,“EveninthepresenceofMs.Thorne,youhintatthingsabouther.Thoughyou’reheretodaytovisitmewhileI’mill,sheremainsmysenior.Weallhailfromthesameschool,<b>and</b>Itakenopleasureinhearinginsinuationsaboutoneofourown<b>.</b>”
Josiahmassagedhistemples,hispatiencethinning.“Areyouactuallyabasketballyeroramemberofthedebateteam?”Becauseyou<b>sure</b>canramble!
Josephrecoiledslightly,addressingLysanderdirectly,“Ms.Thorne,didImisspeak?Pleasedon’tbeI’mnotverypolishedwithmywordsandcanbequitestraightforward.”
Josiahcouldonlymusteracold,sarcasthuckleinresponse,“Ha!”
upset.
Observingtheexchange,Lysander feltaneeriesenseofdéjàvu.Itremindedherofthedynamicsbeforetheirdivorce,whensimrconversationswermon.However,backthen shewasmarriedtoJosiah,butnow,post–divorce,theirsituationsweredistinctlydifferent,bothlegallyandmorally.
Withakeenobservation,Lysandernoted,“Youhaveaknackforartiction<b>;</b>perhapsacareeriwmight<b>suit</b>you.”
Josephpondered,“IfI’mstudw,isn’tastronmandofnguageessential?That’scrucialforunderstandingthwbook.Ms.Thornenguageisn’tmystrongsuit.Ifyou’retoobusytotutorme,maybeyoucouldsharesometipsonimprovingmyessayscores?”
Lysandersuggestedafteramoment’sthought,“Ifyoufindsomesparetime,itcouldbebeneficialtoengageinmorereading.”
Curious,Josephasked,“WhatshouldIread,though?<b>I’ve</b>alreadytackledthefourgreatssicalnovels,buttheydidn’tseemtohelpmuch.Couldyourmendafewotherbooks,Ms.Thorne?”
“I’llneedtothinkaboutit.I’llhaveMr.Owensendyousomermendationter,”Lysanderresponded.
“Thankyou,Ms.Thorne!”
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Meanwhile,Josiah,unabletovoicehisirritation,fixedapiercingstareonJoseph,whoreturriedasmuglook.Thetensionbetweenthemwaspalpable,asifchargedwithasubtlehintofchallenge.
Joseph,despitebeinginjured,whicharguablygrantedhimaformofimmunity,sigheddeeply.“It’snotjustmyssmateswaitingforme;Isuspectthepapersonmydesk<b>are</b><b>as</b><b>well</b>.ButifI’mseriousaboutpursuingacademics,Ican’tkeepshirkingit.WhenIgetback,I’lldefinitelyhitthebooks.”
HisremarkswerequitetoLysander’sliking.
Sheappreciatedhisresolve,noting,“HadIknownaboutyoumitment,Iwould’veaskedyourteammatestobringyourbackpackwhenweadmittedyouhere.Asinglewardlikethisisquiteconducivetostudying.”
Withouthesitation,Josiahadded,“Studyingshouldnotbepostponed.I’rrangeforsomeofetchyourbackpackfromyourschool.Justtellmeyourssnumberandseat,andit’sdone.Lysander,we’vefulfilledourdutybyvisiting;let’snotdytheboy’sstudiesanylonger<b>.</b>
Lysanderagreedwithasimple<b>nod</b>.
Josephshudderedatthethoughtofhismountainouspileofexercisebooksarrivingatthehospitalbutknewthataslongashefirmlyrefused,itmightnoetothat.
“There’snoneedforthattrouble,”hestatedstiffly.“<b>A</b>ssmateinformedmethatounguageteacherhas beeningoodspirittely.Afterthenightss,sheandthedeanntovisitandbringmybackpack.That’lsogivemeachancetoaskherafewquestions.”
Lysanderconcurred,“Whetherit’ssportsoracademics,thehigheryourscores,themoredoorswillopenforyou.Aslongasyou’rewillingtoput intheeffort,yourteachers<b>will</b>definitelysupportyou.”
Josephnoddedeagerly,likea<b>chick</b>peckingattheground.
“Do youknowMr.Marcus?The<b>one</b>whoteachesseniorsses,hisliteratureinstructionistop–notch.Plus,heoftenstaysbehindtoanswerstudents‘queries.”
“Ofcourse,Iknowhim.He’sleadingourss:Infact,he’ssupposedtetodaywiththedean,”Josephshared,atwinkleinhiseyeatthecoincidence.
Whatacoincidencethisis.
WheneverLysanderspokeofMarcus,hervoicecarriedatoneofdeep appreciation.
“That’sfantastic.Mr.Marcus<b>was</b>incrediblypatientinhelpingmesolvenumerousissuesinthepast.Aslongasyou’reeagertolearn,he’llteachyouearnestly.<i>By</i>theway,whoisyourhomeroomteachernow?”Lysanderinquired.
“Mr.Wren,”Josephresponded.
AflickerofsurprisecrossedLysander’sface,“Really?Hewasmyhomeroomteacheraswell.”
“Is<b>that</b>so?Ms.Thome,itseemswetrulyshareastrongconnection,”Josepheximedwithasmile.
Lysanderasked,“Ishemarriednow?Irememberhehadacrushonourmusicteacherbackinschool.Hisonlyhindrancewashisthinninghair,whichseemedtokeephimfrompursuingheropenly.Butwe,asstudents,couldclearlyseehisaffection.”
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teacher!Healinghisbrightteeth,Josephrespondedjubntly,“He’smarried!Yes,tothemusic
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beenecstatitely,especiallysincesherecentlygavebirthtotwins.Hehardlykeepsquietin
ssthesedays.”
ListeningintentlytoJoseph’sstoriesaboutWrenandthemusicteacher,thesmile<b>on</b>Lysanyler’sface.remained,reflectinghergenuinehappinessforherformermentors.asionally,shewoulddescribetheold
appearanceoftheschool<b>that</b>Josephhadneverseen.
“Ms.Thorne,there’ssomethingelseIwantedtoaskyou,”Josephbegan.
“Whatisit?”
“Everyoneatschoolhasbeenwhisperingaboutit–thessroomattheendofthefirstfloorinthboratorybuildingissupposedlyhaunted.Theysaythattenyearsago,aseniorgirldiedthere!Rumorhaditshehangedherself,trappedinawebofheartbreak.Noneofusdaredtoenterthatssroom!”
Lysandershookherhead,“No,that’snotpossible.Thatssroomisusedforstoringbrokendesks,chairs,andteachingaids.OnlyMr.Jaegerfromthejanitor’sroomhasthekey.Nooneelsecangetin.Howcouldanyonehangthemselvesinthere?”
“Oh,soitwasactuallyfake…”
“It’snotreal,don’tbescared,”Lysanderreassuredhim.
DespiteJosiah’spangofjealousy,Lysandercontinuedsharingthesestories,neverhaving toldhimthesecaptivatingtalesbefore,yetnowshewaseagerlytellingthemtoahighschoolboyshe hadonlyrecently
UponnoticingLysander’sinterestinthe library,Josephenthusiasticallysaid,“Ms.Thorne,didyounotgetthechancetovisitthelibraryduringtheschonniversary?Don’tworry,oncemyinjuryheals,I’llgobackandtakesomephotosforyoutosec.”
Lysanderchuckled,“Allrightthen,youbettergetwellsoon.Butfromwhatyou’reimplying,coulditbethatyouhaven’treallyspentmuchtimeinthelibrary?”
Josephfeltslightlyembarrassedasheadmitted,“I’vebeenthereoncebefore,although…itwastohelpthenewmathteachermovesomebooks.”
Josiahsawhisopportunitytointerject,“Merelybrowsingarounddoesn’tcountashavingtrulybeenthere.”
Joseph<b>shot</b><b>him</b>alook,“Canyounotinterrupt,please?Ms.ThorneandIhavemontopic.We’rediscussingthingsaboutourschool,HarborbrookFifthHighSchool,whichyoudon’tbelongto,soyouwouldn’tunderstandhowterrifyingourlibrarycouldbe.Thethingwestudentshatedthemostwasbookmaintenance,andthe<b>ce</b>wedetestedthemostwasthelibrary!”
Josiahfurrowedhisbrow.
Lysander<b>,</b>sensinghis<b>frustration</b><b>,</b>quicklyexined,“Ourschoollibraryhasalwayshadapestproblem.Toprotectthebooksfrombugs,thelibrarianfrequentlyspraysalotofpesticides.Theairbesquitepungent,makingitdifficulttostaythereforanextendedperiod<b>.”</b>
“No,it’sjustthat,thisphraseseems<b>somewhat</b>familiar,asifI’vehearditsomewherebefore.”
LysandermimickedLysanne’shigh<b>–</b>pitchedvoice,“Youdon’treallyknowJosiah.Thefoodhedeteststhe<b>most</b><b>is</b>carrots,andthevorhecan’tstandisthyme!”
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Chapter591TheTablesHaveTurned
Josiahfoundhimselfbereftof<b>words</b>.
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