Beyond The Classroom

Unexpected Company

The atmosphere at Faye's classroom buzzed with excitement. It was the week before the Intramurals, and the students were eager to hear the plans and activities laid out for the event. Faye stood at the front of the room, smiling at the lovely energy that filled the space.

"Alright, everyone, settle down," Faye said, her voice commanding but warm. The students quickly took their seats, their attention focused on her.

"As you know, our Intramurals are coming up next week. Here's the schedule for the activities," She began, holding up a printed itinerary.

"Day one will feature boys' basketball and volleyball. Day two is for girls' volleyball and badminton. Day three will be boys' football and badminton. Finally, on day four, we'll have the Mr. and Ms. Stonebridge pageant. This will include categories such as Best in Gown, Most Popular, and a Question and Answer segment."

The students murmured among themselves, excitement evident on their faces. Faye continued, "I'll be assigning participants for the various sports. Remember, it's imporant to support one another and have fun."

Faye called out names, assigning students to different sports. When she got to volleyball, she looked directly at Yoko. "Yoko, you'll be playing volleyball."

Yoko nodded, a mixture of nerves and excitement washing over her. Volleyball was her favorite sport, and she was eager to compete.

With the assignments completed, the students were dismissed, their chatter filling the hallways with talk of the upcoming events. The next day, the Intramurals kicked offf with much fanfare.

Yoko searched for Faye amidst the sea of students and teachers, but couldn't find her anywhere. Disappointed but not wanting to miss out on the action, she made her way to the bleachers. Soon, her friends Angel and Isabell joined her, and they settled in to watch their classmates play basketball.

As they cheered and chatted, a teacher named Ms. Victoria approached and took a seat beside them. "Enjoying the game?" She asked with a friendly smile.

"Yes, Ms. Victoria," Angel replied. "It's pretty intense."

Ms. Victoria nodded, "Basketball always brings out the competitive spirit."

They continued to watch the game, their conversations light and pleasant. When the game ended, Angel and Isabell said their goodbyes to Yoko, heading off to the mall despite the Intramurals still being in progress.

"It's lunch time," Ms. Victoria said, turning to Yoko. "Would you like to join me for lunch?"

"Sure," Yoko agreed, happy to have company. She followed Ms. Victoria to the main canteen where they found a table and ordered their food.

As they ate, Ms. Victoria shared stories about her boyfriend, lowering her voice. "You're the only one who knows about him," she said, laughing softly. "Not even my parents know."

Yoko laughed along, feeling a sense of camaraderie with the older woman. "That's a big secret," She teased. "I promise! I won't tell."

Meanwhile, Faye wandered the campus, her mind preoccupied. When she finally made her way toward the canteen, she saw Yoko and Ms. Victoria laughing together. An unexpected pang of jealousy struck her, and she turned away, her heart heavy.

Instead of joining them, Faye walked in the opposite direction, finding a quiet spot to collect her thoughts. She couldn't understand why seeing Yoko with Ms. Victoria affected her so much, but the sight of them together stirred emotions she wasn't ready to face.

Back at the canteen, Yoko continued to enjoy her lunch with Ms. Victoria, oblivious to Faye's inner turmoil. They talked about various things, from school activities to personal interests, creating a bond that Yoko found comforting.

——

The day after the first round of Intramurals had wrapped up, Faye went home, her mind swirling with thoughts. She skipped dinner, the sight of Yoko and Ms. Victoria laughing together replaying in her head. It gnawed at her, a bitter feeling she couldn't shake. She tried to distract herself by diving into her schoolworks, but the image of their happy faces kept intruding.

As the hours passed, an idea began to form in Faye's mind. She thought of a way to balance the scales, a way to perhaps give Yoko a taste of her own medicine.

——

The next morning, before the sports event began Faye sought out Mia, the upperclassman Yoko had mentioned. Mia was often in the gym early, practicing her volleyball shots.

"Mia," Faye called out as she entered the gym. Mia looked up, wiping sweat from her forehead. "Morning, Ms. Faye. What brings you here so early?"

"I just wanted to talk," Faye said, forcing a smile. "How are things going with your team?"

As they chatted, Yoko arrived at school and made her way to the gym, hoping to catch a glimpse of Faye before her volleyball game.

She stopped short when she saw Faye and Mia talking, standing close to each other. Her heart sank, jealousy flaring up inside her. She clenched her fists, feeling her mood darken.

Faye noticed Yoko's reaction out of the corner of her eye and couldn't help but feel a twisted satisfaction. Her plan was working. She continued talking to Mia, but her mind was on Yoko's visible discomfort.

When it was time for the girls' volleyball team to play, Faye took her place on the stands to support her students. She watched Yoko intently, a small smirk playing on her lips. Every time Yoko made a good play, Faye shouted, "Go, kid!" The teasing nickname was a deliberate reminder of Mia, the person Yoko liked.

Yoko's frustration gree with each shout, she channeled her anger into her performance, playing harder and faster, determined to win. By the end of the game, she was exhausted. Her team had won, but she felt drained and annoyed.

As Yoko stumbled off the court, Faye stood up and walked over to her, carrying a water bottle. "Drink, you're very tired," Faye said, her voice softening.

Despite her irritation, Yoko couldn't help but feel a spark of happiness at Faye's concern. She took the bottle and drank deeply, trying to regain her strength. As she finished, Faye sighed and placed a hand on Yoko's waist.

"Come on," Faye said gently. "Let's go to my classroom. You need to rest."

Yoko, still catching her breath, nodded and followed Faye. The mixture of emotions inside her was overwhelming. She was angry at Faye's teasing, confused by her own jealousy, but also deeply touched by Faye's care.

In the quiet of Faye's classroom, Yoko sat down, her body still buzzing from the game. Aye handed her a towel.

"Why did you keep calling me 'kid'? You know I hate that."

Faye's expression softened, a hint of regret in her eyes. "I was trying to motivate you," she said, not entirely truthfully. "I'm sorry if it upset you."

Yoko sighed and picked her bag and things, "The one thing that made me sad is that you talked to Mia, you know how I feel about her and still made me jealous."