A Second Time Around

Chapter Eight

Hey guys! Sorry for leaving you hanging last time. As a way of apologizing, I prepared a long chapter for you. Enjoy!

P.S. please vote!!!

********

Stacey couldn't speak. She was utterly dumbfounded.

She can't tear her eyes away from Andrew. It's like being rooted to the spot, and she can't move a muscle.

Is this real? Is he really here? She kept asking herself.

When her mind finally registered that Andrew was indeed in the classroom, it made her jump into action.

She lowered herself a bit in her seat and hung her head, so that she won't be noticed. She rested her forehead on her hand to conceal her face.

Jenna noticed what she was doing and sniggered. She touched Stacey's arm and asked, "Are you okay?" looking at her weirdly.

Stacey just nodded her head. She can't let Andrew see her. Not in the classroom, or else he'll acknowledge her. And it hurts to see his face once again, let alone to talk to him, to see his heart-melting smile focused on her again...

"This is my first time teaching, and I hope you guys will go easy on me." Andrew spoke. Several of the class laughed. "As Mrs. Richardson had probably told you, I was once a student here, so some of you might've seen me around here once.

"I'll be the substitute teacher for Mr. Gibson's classes while he's away, but aside from his classes, I also have my own regular classes to handle."

Andrew then looked around; Stacey hid her face even more. Jenna was on the point of laughing and Stacey kicked her on shin. Andrew kept on talking.

"Since this is the first time I'm meeting you guys, I'm not going to start any lessons today." He said. The class cheered and Andrew waited for the noise to subside before adding. "But we still got a lot of time, so what I want you to do is introduce yourselves."

That speech was followed by groans from the class, and some even cried, "That's so high school!" It has another effect on Stacey though. She stiffened, and muttered a curse. Oh no...

One of the confident girls of the class yelled, "You introduce yourself first, sir!"

Andrew laughed. "Okay, okay. I'll go first. Hmm, what should I tell you?" He mused, thinking. "Well, you already know I was a student here once. I graduated batch 2012-2013. I passed the board exam in October of 2013. After passing the board, I immediately worked in Ernst & Young as an accountant for a year, and I resigned to take on a job as an instructor here. I've always wanted to try teaching, so here I am." He said, smiling at the awestruck faces of the class.

"So, I've introduced myself, now it's your turn." Andrew spoke, nodding at the girl in front to start.

The introductions began, and as Stacey's turn gets nearer by every student who stands up and sits down, her nervousness turned to trepidation. A lot of questions are crossing her mind one at a time, increasing the feeling of forboding.

I don't want him to see me. Hell, I don't want to look at him either! What if I start my introduction and after staring at him, I'll be rendered speechless? My classmates will laugh at me and he'll think I turned into a total dweeb. What if I faint? Or babble? Or worse...

Jenna nudged her sharply on the ribs, making Stacey wince and giving Jenna a death glare.

"What?" Stacey asked angrily. She hadn't meant to raise her voice, but she did. She felt the single word rang unpleasantly around the room, and she blushed as everyone's attention was focused on her. An awkward silence fell.