A Summer Musical

🎶 Chapter 1 ~ Colleagues 🎶

Miss Jenn's POV

I took down the posters for East High's production of "High School Musical" and "Beauty and the Beast" in my office. I set them in a box which was already full of various things found in my office. I heard a knock on my door. "Yes?" I asked. I was hopeful it was Benjamin. There were not many colleagues I got along with, and over the last semester we had grown closer. I was becoming fond of him in a way I had not been before.

"We need to have a conversation." I heard. Principal Gutierrez walked in and took a seat across from my seat, which I took. Now I really wished it had been Benjamin, getting nervous as we sat there.

"Oh?"

"Last semester there were obvious issues with your teaching style, which you did end up avoiding consequences for."

"Yes, well, things are fine now, are they not?" I asked.

"After all the drama with the Alan Menken awards, the various consequences for the disruptive behavior with the North High rivalry, and that semester, the school board decided that we need a new drama teacher." He finished. I felt my heart drop. I had grown to love this job and all the kids in the program. I had even grown to love the school and had a bond with a few teachers. Well, mostly Benjamin.

"Oh." I simply nodded, unable to form any better thoughts.

"Pack what you need, no longer just for summer." He stood. I watched him leave before lying my head on my desk. I got emotional as the next few minutes passed. I heard another knock on my door.

"Who is it?" I asked grumpily.

"Benjamin." I heard, perking up slightly as I heard his name.

"Come on in." I invited him, brushing my hair out of my face as I moved my face to look at him as opposed to the blank wooden desk. He sat across from me. "What is it?"

"I was only stopping by, wanted to talk a little, but you don't seem to be... in the best mood." He responded, sounding mildly awkward.

"Oh, just... already missing this place."

"We'll be back next fall." He smiled slightly, looking around my empty office.

"You will be." I said, a mix between talking and muttering.

"Are you leaving?" He asked, disappointed clear through his voice.

"Not by choice. Fired." I told him, mindlessly looking in one box of my things.

Mr. Mazzara's POV

I looked at Jennifer. Knowing her, I could have guessed it was a joke, but she looked dead serious. "I assume you're upset?" I wondered.

"Honestly, yes." She nodded. "It's such a home here. And all the kids... they're just so wonderful, all of them." She teared up.

"All of them love you, I'm sure you can keep in touch." I tried to cheer her up, which I could tell was not working.

"But the job, the school, you... I'll just miss it."

"We can keep in touch as well." I said. She was now crying. Unsure what to do, I walked around her desk and gave her a hug. It was slightly stiff until she returned it, giving me the comfort and confidence to hug her more normally. Inside, it still felt awkward, because I rarely hugged others, and because I had a crush on her.

"I guess so." She nodded weakly, crying onto my shoulder. It was wet, and I noticed, but I ignored it.

"Hey, er... so we were never really sure if colleagues were able to... date, remember?"

"Yes."

"We're not exactly colleagues anymore." I said. I guess it was an attempt at flirting, but Jennifer tends to be oblivious.

"Yeah." She nodded.

"So, um... we could."

"Date?" She asked, rightfully taken aback.

"I like you, Jenn, so yes." I nodded, suddenly feeling like a high schooler who had no idea what they were doing again.

"Oh..." She started to trail off, disappointing me. It did not really surprise me, but I was not happy about it. That is, until her reply came in the form of leaning in as she looked at me, I assumed for a kiss. I leaned in too, but waited for her to make the first move. A second later our lips did touch, though. "We could definitely go out sometime."

"Oh, uh, great." I smiled. "And everything career wise will work out."

"We'll see." She smiled back.