Birds of Prey - Twisted Desire Ch. 05

"How many female teachers are sleeping with their male students here?" Barbara asked tentatively, her voice clear and unwavering despite the tremendous shock of revelation.

"As many as the students can handle, I'd imagine." Kaplan said simply with a shrug.

"Oh." Barbara wanted to vomit. This was worse than a simple nightmare. At least you could wake up from nightmares. Was everyone in on it? Did nobody care about the fucked up shit that was going on? "So... Am I in trouble?"

Kaplan shot the redhead a look. And then rolled her eyes.

"If your situation with whoever you were peeping on is one-sided, then stop harassing the young man. If he's not interested then he's not interested." Kaplan droned on as if this conversation was routine. The horrific implications of that nearly knocked Barbara off of her feet. Then Kaplan slid the WayneTech binoculars across her desk, closer to Barbara's side. "If it's not one-sided then don't get caught."

Don't get caught. The words rang in Barbara's head. Oh my God...

"...And you're okay with it?" Barbara inquired, stone-faced as she took the binoculars from Kaplan's desk, quickly shoving them back into her purse.

"Expecting a teen boy to embrace celibacy is like expecting a lion to embrace starvation. Don't get caught." Kaplan said without sparing a glance in Barbara's direction. The Headmistress peeled off her gloves, tossing them to one side of her desk.

"I-" Barbara's next words died in her throat. Something gleamed, catching the light from the Headmistress's desk lamp. Something that was on Kaplan's hand. On her finger to be precise. Barbara froze, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. "Thank you, Headmistress."

"You're still here." Kaplan noted, annoyed. She looked up from the papers on her desk, training her icy blue eyes on the pervy teacher that ought to have been on her way already.

"Sorry... It's just..." Barbara feigned a relieved smile, stepping closer to Kaplan's desk. She needed a closer look. She had to be sure. "That ring you have. It's very beautiful. Where did you get it?"

Kaplan pursed her lips, holding out her hand to inspect the ring in question. On her right hand, a simple band of glossy, black stone. It glimmered beautifully in the light.

Barbara wanted to scream.

A moment later, Vivian Kaplan smiled warmly, as if the last half-hour of contempt and stern warnings hadn't happened. She brought her hand up so Barbara could get a closer look, as if the redhead would be impressed.

"Oh, this?" Kaplan mused, stifling a small giggle. "My husband gave it to me."