Free If You Want Me by Kayla Perrin

tension.”
    She didn’t like this. One minute, he seemed like the old Marcus she had known in high school, wanting to talk to her or be near her. The next, he pulled away and shut down.
    “There’s something I want to ask you,” he said after a moment. “I know that you came back here because your mother is sick, but is there something else going on?”
    Alice frowned. “No. Why would you ask that?”
    “Tanisha mentioned you’d be here for several months. I just wondered why.”
    “Oh. No, I didn’t tell Tanisha that. I told her I’d be here till the summer.”
    He didn’t respond. Instead, he stared at her as if she was a puzzle he was trying to figure out.
    “Hey, guys. I’m locking up now.” At the sound of Tanisha’s voice, they both looked to her. She stood across from them at the beginning of the other aisle, dangling keys in one hand.
    “Yes, of course.” Alice was glad to escape Marcus’s overwhelming presence. “Mia, you ready?”
    Mia grabbed her backpack from a front-row seat and slipped it onto a shoulder. “Uh-huh.”
    Alice grabbed her purse, then placed an arm over Mia’s shoulder as they walked to the exit. Marcus walked a few steps behind them, and she couldn’t help wondering what was bothering him.
    Forget it, she thought. She couldn’t very well pretend she knew him anymore, and trying to read his mind would only make her crazy.
    Tanisha held the back door open. She smiled at Mia, but didn’t even acknowledge Alice.
    “Thanks for coming today, Marcus,” Tanisha said when Alice and Mia stepped outside. A surge of anger shot through Alice’s veins at the realization that Tanisha hadn’t even given her a token thank-you. Funny how she wasn’t acting chummy-chummy with her when the audience was gone. But then she reminded herself that Tanisha had never liked her. Her actions now shouldn’t be a surprise.
    “Tanisha,” Marcus said harshly.
    “What?” Tanisha turned to lock the door.
    Alice and Mia were down the theater steps when Marcus replied, “What’s happening with Willie?”
    Tanisha’s back stiffened. “I fired him.”
    Marcus gave a brief nod. “I think it was great of Alice to stay and help out today. Don’t you?”
    Alice turned in time to see Tanisha roll her eyes. Realizing Alice saw her, she tried to mask her reaction with a fake smile. It didn’t work.
    “Yes,” Tanisha replied reluctantly as she stared at Marcus. Her gaze went to Alice. “Desirée, I appreciate you helping out today.”
    “No problem,” Alice said, casually placing a hand across Mia’s shoulder. “As I said, I did this for my niece. You mentioned that you want me to consider teaching the class on a permanent basis?”
    “Oh, well.” Tanisha waved a hand in the air, dismissing the idea as she made her way down the steps. “I’m going to talk to Willie, see if he’ll agree to some changes and come back.”
    Alice was slightly disappointed. Not so much because she wanted to be the new teacher, but because Tanisha was dismissing her the way she had done so many times in the past. After all this time,she didn’t think anything Tanisha did could bother her anymore, but apparently she was wrong.
    “Wait a minute,” Marcus said, placing his hands on his hips. “You told all the parents today that Alice would be taking over the class.”
    “ Possibly taking over the class,” Tanisha clarified.
    Marcus glanced at his watch. “What happened in the last two hours and ten minutes?”
    Tanisha shot an anxious glance at Mia. “I just figured I should try and convince Willie first before I offer his job to someone else.”
    Marcus frowned, then walked down the front steps. He bent before Mia. “Hey, sweetheart. Do you mind waiting at the car while we adults talk a few things out?”
    “Sure,” Mia said.
    Alice watched her stroll toward the BMW, then turned to face Marcus and Tanisha. Before she could speak, Marcus did.
    “Just what kind of game are you playing,