Work Text:
The district has still not forgotten, even with a new boss and a million changes. The district does not trust Abbott, yet. Especially since Ava was parading him around in Miami, they do not trust them. The representative is supposed to be there at 8:05 a.m.
Which is unfortunate.
Because at 8:00 a.m, Ava is pretending not to notice O'shon stealing some of her breakfast. The same one he brought her.
He's leaning behind her, just eating and scrolling through his phone before starting some work around the school.
"This is the last bite." he says.
"You said that 3 bites ago," there's bite to her words, yet she stays sat in her office chair, unfazed and used to O'shon.
He leans on her desk, positioning himself in front of her, putting his phoned own, he answers. She grabs the sandwich,
"Because, if not you would've forgotten and then I would've wasted 5 bucks on that." She stares at him, about to yell back about him being poor. Once she finishes her bite of an amazing sandwich.
When they got interrupted.
Melissa appears in the doorway.
"The districts here, so Ava keep your hands where they can see them."
Silence.
Ava freezes mid-chew.
O'shon stays there, reality setting in.
Melissa sees them both stare at her, and then each other.
"Okay so youse heard me?"
They stare at her like she barged in on them in a moment, eve though they're just eating breakfast.
"I'm just the messenger, so is the important district people that catch you and Ava making out in a closet, yeah that's not gonna be my fault." She sees them just sitting there frozen.
"Whatever." She walks out of the office, leaving Ava and O'shon in shock.
They'd just gotten the hang of working together, thinking that they wouldn't care who sees.
Except now it matters
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The District representative comes into her office a couple minutes later.
O'shon had run to a corner, pulled some wires out and started looking busy.
Everything is normal.
Everything is professional.
But everything has to be a lie.
"Well why start in my boring old office while it's being fixed." She points the guy, some white guy in his 30's, to O'shon, still at the corner of her desk.
Desperately trying to hide the fact he most likely ripped something that's not supposed to be unplugged.
Ava starts leading a little to over-the-top tour, even for her.
"So, here at my prestigious, diverse school, we pride ourselves on collaboration and professionalism." She doesn't turn back to see O'shons face
He nearly chokes.
"Wonderful."The representative says.
Ava nods, and he can see something. She's plotting somethings.
"Like here, we have our very own tech guide. See, Mr. O'shon here has been an excellent addition to our educational community, and family here at Abbott." She adds the last part.
Mr. O'shon, there's no ways she just said that.
MR. O'SHON
Now he knows this is on purpose.
He looks at the guy and stands up. Time to plan his own thing.
He reaches out to 'shake her hand'
"Thank you, Principal Coleman," Adding emphasis to his words. "That is something coming out of your mouth. I appreciate it."
He shakes her hand, holding on just a little to long for her to notice.
He can see she's pissed. The second he said that her jaw twitched. Like when she gets mad watching Love Island.
She holds his stare, narrowing them she see it. This was war.
"Yes, well. I have that affect on people."
She digs her nails to his hand, just before she lets go.
Janine who has seen this all go down saw it.
She turns away, running to go tell everybody else.
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The tour continues. Their walking down the hall while Ava boasts about the teachers classes their walking by.
"This is how teachers add tot heir classes learning environment. Adding enough paper gives the kids,-" He interrupts just as she's about to say something else,
"Excuse me I just have a question." He folds his hand in front of him
"Yes of course. I am like an open book."
"How often do your tech guy and you collaborate?" In an innocent tone, she reads the double meaning,.
She smiles. Trying to look as professional as possible.
"Only when absolutely necessary."
Across the hall, Gregory chokes. He sneezes. That was the most untrue thing he's every heard coming from Ava. And that's Ava.
The representative turns.
Gregory recovers almost immediately.
"Allergies."
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Janine can not believe she got roped into this dumb act. Ava asked her to be in her office once she and the representative walking. Technically she was invited into the office.
Doesn't mean she can't do a little bit of snooping.
But seriously, who wouldn't. It's still hard too believe that she is truly settled down with O'shon. Looking at the framed photo of O'shon and Ava, she realizes something. It's almost like she can hear them.
She looks at the clear walls and sees them clearly walking towards Ava's office. She rushes to sit on the chair and practice what to say.
"Why thank you Ava for your wisdom on my problem yesterday.'" It sounds weird but it'll have to do.
O'shon had been lurking around her office. Clearly waiting for Ava to come back.
He was trying to act normal walking into her office, bumping into Janine.
"O'shon, " She can't but smile at the though of catching him red-handed. "I thought you were finished with Ava's office?"
Like a deer caught in headlights he answers. "I just forgot something I had to do." He still needed to fix the cable that he had broken earlier.
Trying not to dwell on the fact that Ava was 100% going to yell at him, she walks in.
Ava walks into her office confused but glad O'shon was there. Finally someone she doesn't have to be fake around. 'Just until we get home' she reminds herself.
"Oh," Gesturing towards Janine. "this is one of my prestigious teachers, why Ms. Teagues what do I owe this pleasure."
Forcing a smile she answers, " I just wanted to thank you for helping me with my situation yesterday. Truly I could not have done it without you."
The representative smiles at this interaction.
Ava dismisses Janine and sits in her chair. O'shon was kneeling under her desk, Why who knows. She sets her phone on the desk and leans on the arm rest.
O'shon is trying to find the broken cable when he hits his head, unbalanced he rests his hand on Ava's chair. Steadying himself he keeps searching.
Her hand goes on top of his, giving his hand a squeeze before resting interlacing her fingers and setting them on her desk.
"I believe that a strong leadership is about maintaining appropriate workplace boundaries."
O'shon looks at her from his spot.
Janine looks at this all happening before leaving where she was trying to snoop.
They are not getting through the day
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By lunch the fake professionalism was becoming an unspoken game. They were both so committed to trying to make the other slip up.
Ava passes him in the hallway so many times it's hard not to notice.
"Good Afternoon, Mr. O'shon." Nodding toward him, leading the representative to the break room.
Melissa is watching this like watching the Philly's play. "It's 12:20"
The smile Ava gives her has so many meanings. A 'don't you start too' in her eyes flash as O'shon replies. "Good afternoon ladies."
He opens the door for her and hears Melissa tell him, "You two are about as slick as an oiled baby seal."
Confused he walks in after them. This was going to be a long lunch.
Melissa on the other hand, is having the time of her life.
The Representative is supposed to leave right after lunch, and counting down the seconds Ava shows them how everything works.
"The microwave can be on a fritz but just ask if you have a problem."
"Thank you."
Ava nods before leaving to a spot o the couch. Seeing O'shon sit on the other end of the OTHER couch. Subtle.
Maximum professionalism .
Maximum distance.
Sitting diagonally across from him he sees he got food from their favorite place.
This man was going to be the death of her.
The representative smiles.
"It's nice to see such healthy workplace relationships." Gesturing to everyone around him.
Everyone goes silent, acknowledging the second meaning it could have.
This is the most entertainment the whole staff had gotten since, well, a while.
Melissa is laughing subtly while gesturing something to Jacob. Who looks happy enough to end a war.
Gregory and Janine are both trying to act as normal as possible, but that doesn't stop them from giving each other a look.
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The representative leaves with hopefully a good report.
The front doors close.
Silence.
As silent a school with kids who just had lunch can be.
And a bunch of teachers hanging around her office waiting to see anything happen.
Ava is sitting in her chair with O'shon leaning next to her.
Then-
Ava points at O'shon.
"Where is it?" her finger still in the air she watching him go to his bag. He comes back with a container..
"Takeout and it should be warm, maybe." He places it into her hands, giving her a peck on the cheek.
Ava could feel Melissa roll her eyes. "You guys, he just left."
Ava, with her food already open and ready to dig in, gives her a look.
O'shon though, he didn't eat his lunch, wanting to wait and eat with Ava. He pulls up a chair next to her and starts setting everything in place.
Still staring, Melissa sees Ava give him a kiss on the cheek and say, "Well, for us, school is out."