That accusation had nothing to do with the photograph.
It was a lie designed to make the first lie more believable.
By lunchtime, parents from Marigold Elementary were tagging the school district in the comments.
A stranger messaged me that she would make sure I never taught children again.
Another person posted my workplace’s public contact information and urged people to complain.
I sat on my kitchen floor, staring at my phone.
My job was not glamorous, but I loved it.
I loved helping children discover that they could express themselves through color, shape, and imagination.
I loved the little boy who insisted every painting needed a dinosaur.
I loved the girl who never spoke during class but filled her sketchbooks with beautiful pictures of her family.
I had worked hard to become a teacher.
I could not believe Delaney was willing to destroy all of that because I had admitted a feeling I never acted upon.
