The Cheat

I have never seen such a beautiful woman. Her hair so silky and straight, eyes that could make a grown man drop to his knees and beg. Almost as if she was Medusa, except you wouldn’t turn to stone by the looks of her. Instead you would just instantly fall in love with her. The smile she has…the energy she gives off...she's perfect. I’ve never been so mesmerized by someone ever. I feel like I am being controlled by an invisible force that's making me want to walk up and tell her how much I love her. But I can’t do that...she's a complete stranger. She would think I am some freak stalking her. I continue to stare at her from across the school parking lot. I am most likely late to work at this point, but I don’t care. This woman is like an angel sent down from God himself.

“Wow she is so beautiful”, says Mrs. Ryan. “Yes...I think she is the new hire for Mr. Johnson… He only just left 3 days ago...I can’t believe they found a new hire so quickly…” I say as I accidentally lock eyes with the woman. She starts walking towards me and Mrs. Ryan, but Mrs. Ryan leaves instantly while I still continue to stare in awe. “Did I do something to you to make you stare at me the second I exited my car ma’am?”, she said. “No, no.. haha. It’s just you are so beautiful I can’t look away… I am sorry for staring, I really am.”. She stares at me with her piercing eyes. I started shaking a bit but not enough for her to notice. “Well thank you”, she smiles and holds her hand out towards me, “My name is Abry. I am the new English teacher here. Today is actually my first day and I am already late… Seems you are late too?”, I shake her hand trying to hold steady my hand.

I am not sure why I am so mesmerized by this woman. What is wrong with me?

“Yes I am late as well… I got here late to begin with but then I saw you which made me more late. I am sure you will be fine though. The principal is a really nice guy. He is actually my husband…”, I say as we start walking to the front of the school building. “Husband? How long have you two been married?”, she says to me stopping in her path as if turns completely red as if she was having an allergic reaction. “Um...6 years this coming Friday… Are you okay??? Your face is turning completely red..”, I say as I reach into my bag for water.

“Yes I am fine…. It’s just…..never mind.. I really should get inside. Have a nice day.”, she walks away quickly as she digs into her purse, dropping a small black notebook behind her. “Oh! Ma’am you dropped your note-,” she enters the school ignoring me as if I never said a word. Maybe she just realized how late she was? I am not sure…. I just know all the 17 year olds in my class are probably wondering where I am... I get to my class still confused at what happened in the parking lot. My students are of course sitting quietly waiting for me to start class. I love these students...So well behaved and patient. “Good morning class. Sorry for being late. Shall we start?”, I put the black notebook into my desk drawer and start class.

2 hours later

“Okay class, you may all head down to lunch. Please come back on time. We are very behind on our labs.”, I open my drawer to look at the black notebook. Should I open it? No….it's none of my business… I should really return it… But such a mysterious woman I must know what's inside of this notebook...I open it...and to my surprise it is completely empty. Why would someone carry around an empty notebook?... I hear odd noises in the hallway so I put away the notebook to check what is happening. Oh...It’s just Ms. Abry and my husband. I open my door to say hello and ask how her first day is going, but then it happens… My husband kisses her. I was so hurt I didn’t make a sound. I just watched in anger and confusion. She started kissing him back knowing that he is my husband… How could she? Yea I know she doesn’t know me well, but she knows he is married…. Who would do that? They continue to kiss and get very touchy. I don’t know what to do. He has the power to fire me. If I walk out of this door it's over with… My marriage….my job...everything… My husband; who is still kissing this woman; starts unlocking a janitor's closet and they both go in slamming the door behind them. I am just going to confront them… My life may end doing this but I can’t just sit here knowing that my husband is cheating on me.

I walk up to the door and I turn the knob...but it is locked.. “Hello? Is anyone in there? I heard the door slam loudly while in my classroom. Everything ok?”, I lied hoping that they would open the door. No one answers,but I continue to hear very slight moans coming from Abry. I walk away in tears. What do I do? How could he do this to me. Time passes by and they both exit the closest at separate times. “Hey Mr. Ryan…. I knocked earlier to check on whoever walked into the closest and slammed the door behind them. Are you okay? Why didn’t you answer? Gosh your hair is such a mess!” I say as I try fixing his hair. “I am fine hun. I need to get back to work. You should too. Get out of here.”My heart died instantly/. He has never talked to me in this way..

I walked to my classroom and grabbed the black notebook. When I walked outside of the school the air smelled differently. Does the smell of the air change when you find out you are being cheated on? I don’t know..I am going to put this notebook into Abry's car and leave. I am going to go home and pack my things and never look back. As I got closer to Abrys car,a little voice inside of my head was telling me to look deeper into the book. After what happened to me today I did it without thinking twice about it. And to my surprise there is a check worth 20,000 inside with a note right beside of it… I am frozen in my place because the check is written out to me… Why? Why is there a check worth 20 thousand dollars in a notebook of a woman I have never met before?

I put the check beside to read the note.. It said,

“Hello, you are probably wondering why there is a check worth so much in my notebook. Well, let me introduce myself. Hi, my name is Abry Ryan. I am your husband's wife. We have been married for 2 years. We have a daughter named Abigail and two pet bulldogs named Milkshake and Chole. I know you probably don’t care about any of this but I have known you for awhile.”

I started crying more. How could I not know that my husband has been cheating on me? He has another wife and a daughter! Why me…… What did I do to deserve this.. I continued to read...“ I am now telling you this because I want you to leave. I want you to disappear and never return. He is mine now and you won't be stopping me from claiming him as mine. I wrote a 20 thousand dollar check out for you to use to leave. I feel no sorrow for you. Leave.”

Anger starts running through me quicker than ever. I run to my car and head to my house. I am going to kill them both. I don’t deserve this. A few hours pass when my husband gets home. Not to my surprise, Abry’s car is right behind him. They seem confused that my car is parked outside. I reached for my gun as they walked into the house. “Hunny? Are you home?”, my husband says as I point the gun at him. ‘How could you? 6 years….6 years we were married just for you to throw me out like this? Why…”, tears started falling from my eyes. “Ashley….put the gun down….you don’t need to do this...Our marriage died years ago… Please…” he says while holding his hands up trying to protect Abry. I shoot her in the chest without blinking. I. watch as he drops to his wife's side to hold the wound that I just made. Blood is getting everywhere. The screams of my husband only get louder and louder. I aim up at the back of his forehead as he starts to beg for forgiveness. Telling me that he will never cheat again. I fire the gun. Ending both of their lives.I grab all of my things quickly and run to my car. I speed to the airport thinking about what I had just done. I don;t have enough money to buy a plane ticket and all of the banks are closed… I can’t cash the check to get out of this country. I throw the check out of the car in anger. I stop at a gas station to get gas. I am shaking so much. I just killed my husband and his wife… I am going to go to jail for life if I don’t get out of here now. I get my gas and speed away. As I am getting close to the airport I check my bank account to see if I am able to atleast get a plane ticket to a different state. I breaked in the middle of the road, surprised. A last transaction was put into my account worth 20 thousand dollars by an account by the name of Abry. It was put into my account during my second period class… Was the check just to show that the money was real and set to be put into my account? I have so many thoughts. I start driving faster to the airport. I whipped all of my prints off of the gun and threw it out of my window hoping no wonder saw or heard anything. I get to the airport and the police are lined up at the door.

“Ma’am are you Ashley Ryan?”, says the officer to me as I try to enter the airport.

“No…”, I say quickly. “Please let me by, My husband is dying at a hospital in another state I must get there now!’, I say trying to pass the cop. “Ok ma’am. I am sorry about your husband. Have a safe flight.” I start running towards the board of all the flights. China? I might as well….

I buy the plane ticket and run to the docking station. Luckily they were almost done docking the plane. I get onto the plane and sit in my seat. I am in shock. But I feel no pain or remorse. I am happy. I am finally happy.