Chapter 1700
Monday morning, the second floor of the administrative building at Sunset Valley High School.
Everyone was buzzing with excitement about the upcoming New Year.
Audrey, however, was feeling down. Jason had called the day before to say he wouldn't be coming back for New Year's because he had some big deals to close. In previous years, Audrey had always gone back to their hometown with Jason for the holidays. But just thinking about the outdoor toilet in the freezing winter made her shiver. She decided she might as well spend the holiday with Kevin and Bethany instead.
As she walked into the office that morning, she ran into a female colleague who said with a hint of jealousy, "Congrats, Ms. Johnson. You're something."
Audrey was taken aback. This colleague was known for her sharp tongue and couldn't stand seeing others do better than her. She was even more unpleasant than Vanessa, and Audrey usually avoided talking to her. She was surprised that the woman had spoken to her out of the blue.
The woman, seeing Audrey's stunned expression, assumed she was playing dumb and stormed off angrily.
Audrey was puzzled. She went to her desk, and Ethan, who sat nearby, smiled and said, "Congrats, Audrey. You owe us a treat."
"Yeah, Audrey, you really should treat us," chimed in a few other teachers.
"Ethan, what are you talking about? I don't understand," Audrey said, her confusion growing. "What is there to congratulate me for?"
Audrey felt like her luck had been terrible this year. Jason had gone to the big city, leaving her alone. If it weren't for Kevin, she would have been lonely all year. After finally finding some happiness with Kevin, she was kidnapped and nearly assaulted. A trip to Skyview City almost ended in disaster with her ex-boyfriend. At school, Oliver's constant scrutiny made her uneasy, and her annoying neighbor Christopher wouldn't leave her alone, forcing her to stay at Bethany's place. What was there to celebrate in such a miserable life?
If it weren't for Kevin's constant support, Audrey felt she wouldn't have made it through. She felt a mix of shame and dependency thinking about how Kevin's physical presence had become her source of strength. Without him, her days would be bleak and lifeless.
Every time Audrey was at her lowest, Kevin's passionate love gave her the courage and energy to face life. No wonder Alissa had once said that men were like a beauty salon and a gas station for women.
However, Kevin's insistence on not using protection was a problem. He always filled her with his seed, refusing to wear a condom because he claimed it didn't feel the same. This forced Audrey to buy emergency contraception frequently, which was both embarrassing and unreliable. She resolved that unless it was her safe period, Kevin would have to use protection, or she wouldn't let him touch her. If he did well on his exams, she might occasionally reward him with unprotected sex.
"Audrey, you don't know?" a female teacher nearby said enviously. "We all know. The list for the new staff apartments is out, and your name is on it."
Audrey's heart skipped a beat. She could hardly believe her ears. The first phase of the staff apartments had been completed, but there were only eighty units. After allocating some to the education bureau leaders and county officials, fewer than forty were left.
With over three hundred staff members at the school, competition was fierce. Everyone was trying to pull strings with the administration. Among the dozen or so people in the office, only David and Alissa had a real shot. Audrey was too young and had a short tenure, so her chances were slim.
Although Alissa had confidently assured her that she would get a unit, Audrey hadn't given it much thought. She never expected her name to be on the first list.
"Are you guys joking?" Audrey's voice trembled. "I don't even qualify, and I didn't submit an application. How could my name be on the list?"
"Audrey, it's true," Ethan said seriously. "We're not kidding. We heard Mr. Jones helped you get it. He said you were an outstanding performer and wanted to set you as an example for young female teachers."
Among her colleagues, besides David and Alissa, Audrey trusted Ethan the most. If he said it was true, then it must be.
The thought of actually getting an apartment filled Audrey with immense joy. She took a deep breath, trying to contain her excitement, and said as calmly as she could, "Let's wait for the official notice from the school before celebrating." She then tried to focus on preparing for her classes, but her mind was a whirlwind, and she couldn't concentrate on a single word.
Ethan, noticing Audrey's distracted state, understood her mixed feelings. Anyone would react the same way if they suddenly got an apartment. He figured he wouldn't be able to speak coherently if it were him.
Teachers' salaries weren't high, and compared to other county jobs, they were relatively modest. Even with a yearly income of forty to fifty thousand dollars, after living expenses, there wasn't much left. Although housing prices in the county weren't high, they still required hundreds of thousands of dollars. Relying on a salary alone to buy a house was unrealistic, so everyone hoped for the school's housing benefits.
Audrey's composure didn't last long. A few minutes later, Alissa appeared at the door, smiling. "Ms. Johnson, come to my office to fill out the housing application form."
"Okay, Ms. Garcia." Audrey hurriedly stood up and followed Alissa to her office. She was so distracted that she almost tripped on her way in.
Alissa picked up a blank application form from her desk and handed it to Audrey with a smile. "Fill this out carefully. You only get one chance. If you make a mistake, you'll lose your eligibility."
Seeing Alissa's triumphant expression, it was clear she had also gotten an apartment. Audrey glanced at the form and couldn't help but say, "Alissa, I never expected this. I thought I'd have to wait at least a few more years."
"Honestly, I didn't expect it either," Alissa said, her face flushed with excitement. She pulled Audrey to sit on the sofa, eager to share her joy. "I was eligible, but there was still a chance I wouldn't get a unit. Mr. Jones came through for us."
Audrey asked curiously, "Did you hear something? Was there a chance you wouldn't get one? You have the tenure, the qualifications, and the title."
"You're too naive," Alissa said, crossing her legs and showing off her black tights. This year, black tights were all the rage in Harmony County. They were warm, stretchy, breathable, and accentuated the legs.
Bethany had even brought back some high-end velvet tights from Skyview City and given Audrey two pairs, one black and one nude. Audrey didn't like the feeling of her legs being tightly wrapped, so she usually wore skinny jeans with thermal leggings underneath, even in winter.
According to Alissa, the initial list from the logistics department didn't include her. It was filled with relatives of leaders and school administrators. When the list was submitted, Oliver threw it in the trash, called in the head of logistics, and gave him a thorough scolding. He then personally drafted a new list, including veteran teachers and outstanding ones like Alissa.
At a subsequent school meeting, Oliver argued that young teachers also needed representation to keep their morale high, which led to Audrey being added to the list.
This was also because Audrey had performed exceptionally well. Kevin's eighth-place finish in the statewide essay competition was a first for Harmony County, and as his homeroom and mentor teacher, Audrey deserved much of the credit. Despite some objections, the list was approved almost unanimously.
Hearing about the twists and turns in the housing allocation process, Audrey felt a mix of emotions. Oliver was indeed a decisive leader. If he were ten years younger and she weren't already married, she might have been attracted to him.
But for Audrey, any hypothetical scenarios were meaningless. Her thoughts were all about Kevin. If it weren't for his competition success, she wouldn't have gotten the apartment. She felt a deep love for Kevin, grateful for the surprise he had given her.
Alissa noticed the emotion in Audrey's eyes and found her radiant beauty captivating. She smiled and said, "Audrey, you should be good to Kevin. Without him, you wouldn't have gotten this apartment. When I was a homeroom teacher, he wasn't this outstanding. You two must be close. You probably had sex last night, didn't you? I noticed you were walking a bit funny earlier. Did he wear you out?"
"Alissa, stop teasing me," Audrey said, blushing. "That guy can go five or six times a night. My private parts are sore. You should help me out sometimes."
"Impressive. You young folks can handle it," Alissa said, leaning in to whisper. "You guys use protection, right? It can get dry if you don't. When I was with Kevin, we didn't use condoms. You must have a lot of natural lubrication, right?"
"Kevin doesn't like using condoms," Audrey said, her face turning red. "He goes at it so hard that even with my natural lubrication, it's not enough."
"Not using protection is a bad idea. He might not understand, but you should," Alissa said seriously. "What if you get pregnant? You can't just have an abortion. It's too harmful to your body."
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