Teacher in training...

Let's make this thing!

Since this story is now officially in the ChickLit genre, I decided to add a new part today. I also changed the cover and added a picture with all the main characters! Enjoy :)

-purplelotus

Let's make this thing!

"Nellie, come to my office for a moment please" Avery told me, as I was walking down the hall. I followed her in silence. This looks serious, did I do something wrong?

She closed the door behind me, with a look of which I couldn't quite grasp the meaning of; a mix of concern and uneasiness maybe?

"I'm sure you remember the Tomas incident involving two of his classmates, Zack and Javier. Zack's mother called me and asked to meet you, she says we overreacted... You need to be here at four Wednesday."

Wow already a complaint and a meeting with a parent, after only a week of teaching! This is just great! Sarcasm is really good to dissipate anger, even though it's only mental....

"I'll be there...." I replied

"What's wrong?"

"Umm, how does it normally go... parent-teacher meetings?" I asked in a hesitant manner.

"You can't anticipate them; every parent is different and has its own ways to deal with school and their children. Mrs. Livingston seems like a woman who doesn't understand the situation, who is confused.... We never know how the parents react and behave, until we meet and communicate with them."

"Of course I understand, thank you for informing me".

I left and went to lunch, where I was headed before the conversation.

"Hi, so when do we make our work of art?'' I asked Kenneth while taking a seat at the round table.

"Yes! You finally acknowledge that it will be the best collage this school has ever seen! We could meet up Saturday at one?" he said in a kid-like tone.

"Yeah, that way we're sure to have enough time to finish it and tweak it if we need to!"

We exchanged cellphone numbers, in case he wouldn't be able to find the apartment.

Saturday

Lindsey helped me to put our small apartment in somewhat order, the week that had just passed being hectic and all, we hadn't had time to organize our stuff.

Let's just say that a majority of her things ended up in a pile on her bed, the door of her room closed! Also, I'd like to point out, even though I love my roommate like the sister I never had, she's very messy. I blame her artistic personality...

I wanted to give off a good impression to Kenneth, my mother taught me to present myself and my home at its best, a rule that resonated with me through the years, I guess.

I felt like it was a step further to being accepted as a teacher, like when you bring a new friend at your place for the first time, if it makes any sense.

We ate microwaveable meals for lunch, since we were a little worn out by our cleaning session of the morning. I brought up my meeting with the principal and my student's mother next week, seeking some sort of comfort, it actually worried me even though it was completely ridiculous!

But all I got was "Wait, so you're seriously scared of meeting a kid's mommy" from Lindsey who was laughing. I knew she meant well but that wasn't what I wanted to hear!

The doorbell rang at exactly one o'clock, I buzzed him in immediately. A few minutes later, he emerged in our living room. I introduced him to my roommate.

"Wow you guys have really nice place!" Kenneth said while staring at Lindsey's latest piece still on the easel next to the espresso brown couch.

I noticed Lindsey checking him out as if that surprises me! I rolled my eyes at her, but she ignored me until he turned around to ask where we would be working on the project.

"This way" I said bringing them to the kitchen table, Lindsey had put different glues decorative stickers, sheets of paper and glitter tubes on the counter upon his arrival. It made me think of arts and craft class in kindergarden...

We divided the work, Carpenter and I were in charge of finding and printing pictures of BAHS alums as well as their work while Lindsey cut and wrote with an elegant stencil the historical facts that Kenneth had written and printed prior to this meeting.

That took us three hours; we hadn't even composed the poem that would be placed at the center of the collage yet!

We took a coffee break, after which it felt like those few times at University when you drink caffeine to wake you up, and it actually helps you to do your work and be more focused. We couldn't be stopped!

7:30That's the time it was when we had finish our, rightfully so, work of art! A black and white wallpaper on a cardboard was the background of the collage, the pictures and facts were framed by black paper and glued in artistic positions thanks to Lindsey.

Lastly, at the center of it all, was written with a calligraphy-type stencil the poem. Let's just say we were pretty freaking proud of what we had done. I have to admit I thought it was beautiful!

"I think we deserve a reward after all that hard work! I say we go get a drink, I'm buying the first round!" Lindsey said with enthusiasm.

I stared at Lindsey as the only way I found to tell her you're-not-getting-drunk-with-my coworker! She rolled her eyes at me... again!

"Sure good idea, I'm starving!" was the last thing I heard before I was dragged to the nearest restaurant bar downtown... "Thank you Kenneth" I told myself with sarcasm.

This is going to be an interesting night to say the least!