GRAVITY | R. DIAS

• 2 •

September 1, 2023

With a bright smile on her face Martha enters the classroom. She's happy to be back. Not that she doesn't like the summer holidays, but it's always nice to get back in the routine of work. It's a nice bonus that she can start the new school year with a lovely group of students she already taught last year.

"Good morning! Hope you all had a great summer," she greets the class, while scanning the room. A few new faces, so the young teacher decides to introduce herself. "So I'm Miss Olsen and I'm going to be teaching you Biology and Maths."

"We already know that Miss," Ryan, a student from last year speaks. "Don't you remember us?" He places his hand on his chest and gives Martha a hurt look.

Ryan is a bit of the class clown, getting in all sorts of trouble in other classes. That's what she heard from other teachers though. In her classes, for some reason, he always behaves, apart from the occasional joke.

Martha grins. "Of course I remember you. How could I forget about you?" she answers, a smile reappearing on Ryan's face again. "I'm just introducing myself to the new students,"

Afterwards Martha lets the newcomers introduce themselves and then she starts handing out the books they'll need this school year. While she's going around the room with the books, she catches sight of two girls talking silently whilst looking at something on a phone.

"Jasmine and Molly, what's going on? And you better put that phone away," the blonde teacher says with a stern voice.

The phone gets shoved away quickly. "I'm sorry Miss. It's just, my cousin broke up with his girlfriend recently and we were wondering if you're still single," Molly answers with a cheeky smile.

Martha sighs loudly. Ever since this class found out she's been single for over almost two years now, they've been trying to set her up on a date. Single cousins, uncles, older brothers, the pictures and numbers have all been placed on her desk. "I'm still single and I'm not planning on changing that anytime soon," she says while dropping the last books in front of the two girls.

"Oh come on Miss, he's really handsome. Look." Molly takes her phone back out of her bag and holds it up to show its screen to the teacher.

"No phones in class," Martha says again without even taking a look at the picture on the screen. Molly again puts the phone away with a pout.

With that being settled Martha walks back to the front of the classroom. But she still isn't in the clear if it comes to her students interfering with her love life or lack of it.

"It's just so hard to believe that you're still single Miss. It doesn't give us a lot of hope for the future," Jasmine, the girl next to sighs. "Like you're so beautiful," The blonde teacher smiles at the compliment from the 16 year old.

"Hey! Maybe Miss can ask if her brother-in-law knows someone for her," Kyle, a boy sitting in the back of the class, speaks up.

"Your sister is dating someone?! Who? Is it a footballer?" Molly asks curiously. It's no secret to Martha's students what her sister does for a living, so she isn't surprised that the news of her sister's relationship with Martin has reached them.

"It is a footballer," Kyle answers. "She's dating Martin fucking Ødegaard."

A few of the new students look at their teacher with big eyes. Shocked by the revelation that their teacher knows one of the best midfielders in the country at the moment.

"Language Kyle,"

"Oh he's cute," Jasmine sighs dreamily. She had already taken out her phone while Martha was focused on Kyle.

"Again, no phones in class Jasmine,"

"Sorry Miss," she quickly slips her phone back in her bag. "But maybe Kyle is right, you could ask your brother-in-law and then you'll be a wag,"

"No she can't. If she's a wag, she'll stop being our teacher," Ryan cries out with panic written all over his face. "Don't leave us Miss. Please," he pleads.

The blonde teacher shakes her head with a laugh. "Alright guys, that's enough about my dating life for today. And just so you know I'm not asking my brother-in-law if he knows someone, so I'm not leaving you,"

When the last words roll over her lips, she notices Ryan letting out a relieved sigh. The boy can be such a drama queen at times.