Chapter 3

There had never been much doubt about who would get the Teacher of the Year award.

Winona, though, had never cared about the rules. She only cared about views. She asked around among some of the senior teachers and found out that the final decision on Teacher of the Year was up to me.

That night, I came across Winona's video. She was sitting in an empty classroom, the lights dim, with a pile of half-graded papers on the desk. She didn't mention the award at all.

"Sometimes, I wonder if being good to my students really even matters. Do people who don't know how to flatter their bosses ever get recognized?"

People at school started gossiping the next day.

Winona was in the teachers' pantry, coffee in hand, chatting with the others. "Sue gets good results because the school gives her all the good students. And she's always going to Mr. Fuller's office. Who knows what's going on between them?"

She wasn't exactly whispering. Everyone nearby could hear her.

One of the younger teachers said, "Winona, don't say that. Ms. Brooke is a really good teacher."

"Of course she is. She knows how to play by the rules," Winona replied with a smile.

No one said anything after that, but the looks on their faces had changed.

I overheard the whole thing through the door, but I didn't go in or speak up for Sue.

The security camera in the corner caught her expression clearly. The mic picked up everything she said too.

I sent the clip to a few of the key parent representatives. Even though they didn't say anything out loud, they quietly started asking to move their kids to other classes.

I went back to my office, uploaded the clip to Google Drive, named it, and saved a backup.

Dad couldn't do anything back then because he had no proof.

When I got back to Westbrook High, I started by upgrading the security system. Every public area, from the hallways to the teachers' pantry to office doors, and my office, was recorded.

That evening, I passed the Teacher of the Year display. Winona was staring at Sue's photo, a Teacher of the Year application clenched in her hand. On her phone were the numbers behind her account.

She said quietly, "If she can get ahead by going to Mr. Fuller, why can't I?"

…

It was Friday evening, and most of the lights in the office building were already off. I'd just finished going through the Teacher of the Year materials when someone knocked.

I looked up and said, "Come in."

The door opened. The smell of perfume came in first. Winona stood in the doorway, already changed out of her work clothes. Two buttons on her blouse were undone, and her skirt was shorter than usual.

Winona closed the door behind her. She smiled as she approached me, her heels clicking against the tile. "Mr. Fuller, you're still working at this hour?"

I watched her and reached under the desk to turn on the recorder. The red light on the security camera in the corner was still on.

"What is it?" I asked. I didn't tell Winona to sit down.

But she sat down anyway, and her eyes quickly turned red. "Mr. Fuller, I've been under a lot of pressure lately. Ms. Brooke keeps picking on me. I'm trying to do what's best for my student, but she accuses me of putting on a show."

Tears rolled down Winona's face, and she pulled out a handkerchief.

She reminded me so much of Lena.

Back then, Lena had come into Dad's office just like this, telling him her family was poor, that she wanted to stay in school, and that she'd never forget his kindness.

But in the end, she pushed Dad to his death by weaponizing those tearful eyes.

I closed the papers in front of me. "Ms. Lambert, the award is about more than just your teaching results. I consider character too. Your class has ranked last in language arts three times in a row. Parents have complained about your live streams too. You're not fit for the award."

Winona stopped crying for a second and looked at me. Her eyes were still wet, but the hurt was gone. "I can raise their grades."

She stood up and walked around the desk. Then, she stopped beside me and bent down, lowering her voice. "I only get one chance. Mr. Fuller, please just help me this once."