Page 56 of Troublemaker: The Big Picture Edition

EMILIA: YES I’M DRINKING SHUT UP GOOD NIGHT!!!

I hold up my hand for Ryder to high-five.

“You know what? Cheyenne might be a genius. Dinner will be ready in ten minutes.”

CHAPTER 20

ALEX: You look hot in that pants thing, Miss Stiles.

EMILIA: It’s called a jumpsuit, and OMG don’t text me like that when we’re on school property!

ALEX: Text you like what, Miss Stiles? Your students are busy doing a super important bullshit theatre exercise, so they have no idea I’m texting you about your jumpsuit. Did you wear it specifically because you thought it would make it harder for me to access what’s underneath? Because you should know that a) I am actually capable of restraining myself in public and b) I have experience with getting women out of every imaginable type of clothing, so nice try.

EMILIA: This was a terrible mistake.

ALEX: The jumpsuit or having me here? Because asking Alex Vega to help with a theatre production is never a mistake. Jumpsuits are tricky but manageable.

EMILIA: It is awfully cute how seriously they’re taking this exercise, though.

ALEX: Well, now you’re going to have to go sit in the corner for calling my theatre exercises “cute.”

EMILIA: Calm down - I said the kids are cute. Not your bullshit theatre exercise.

ALEX: Well, it’s the only one I can remember that doesn’t involve talking. They’re actually only supposed to have a few minutes to silently draw five things they love about Christmas, but if I can keep them quiet for ten minutes while texting you, then fuck yeah theatre, am I right?

EMILIA: Yes. But I’m putting my phone away now.

ALEX: Bah. Humbug.

CHAPTER 21

EMILIA

Eat my dust, Miss Farrell.

Yeah, I watched the YouTube video she posted of the holiday show that she staged last year.

It was good.

Okay, it was very good.

Like, really impressive.

But also extremely annoying and sort of creepy because she made the kids act like little adults.

And there were so many pop culture references that only grown-ups would get.

So of course all the parents and staff are still talking about how great it was.

But guess what I’ve got up my sleeve, Miss Farrell? And—let’s face it—up my skirt, probably. Eventually.

That’s right.

I’ve got Ryder’s dad.

Also, I have enlisted Franklin to help us design the set, in exchange for my doing the dishes for the rest of the year.

But more significantly, I’ve got Ryder’s dad.