You And Me

Chapter 18

After one quick round of sex, we got dressed and headed to work.

People that were at our wedding greet with with smiles.

The first bell rings. I head upstairs. Noah kisses my cheek before vanishing into his room.

Students are waiting outside my room. I dig my key from my purse. My classes this year is only juniors and seniors, but I had sophomore's last year, so I'll know the juniors. I only have two classes with Juniors and the rest is seniors.

"Hey guys." I say, rushing past the line of students to open the door.

My mind is filled with excited thoughts.

I'm pregnant.

I let them in the room.

"How was your honeymoon?" a kid I had last year, Andrew asks.
"It was good." I smile.

"Where did you go?" he asks.
"France."

"Didn't you grow up there?" he asks. The room slowly starts to fill.

"No. I grew up in California. My Dad grew up there. I visited there as a child." I say, arranging things on the desk. The late bell rings. I take a deep breath. "Okay, I'm going to start off easy." I say. I look around the room. "I had all of you in my class last year and the ones that weren't in my class were in my husbands class so I really don't need to introduce myself." I sigh. "You guys can call me Ms. Oates if that's what you're comfortable with.

Noah and I decided to take this year with our students very seriously so we're not going to mix classes unless it's almost break or the end of the year. We're not even going to disturb each others classes.

He peeks his head in the room.
"Do you have my planning files?" he asks.

"What what planning files?"

"It's blue, love. You told me you grabbed it."

I frown, digging through my things.
"Are you sure I grabbed it?"
"It was on the coffee table." he says.

"And it's blue?" I ask.
"Yes." he says.

"uh..." I dig through my things. "I don't have a planning file." I frown.

"Are you sure? It looks like this." he picks one of his kids binders. It's a student he had last year.

I frown. "That is a binder."
"Not in England." he says.

Sighing, I hand him the blue binder.

"Thanks, love."

"You're welcome."

He walks out.

"I'm going to start basic." I sigh. "I don't care if you guys go on your phone. No phones out during the tests, but other than that, you're fine. Except for now." I pause. "Now, you guys know I'm pretty chill, but...if your grade drops below a C, you will not be allowed on your phone."

"So if I got a 69, I can't go on my phone?" Daniel asks.
"Correct. If you bump it up to a 70, you can. If I catch you on your phone with a grade below the C, I will take it. Why? Because I want you guys to pass. You all want to go on your phone, so read the book and do your homework and you can. If you slack, I'm taking it." I shrug. "Simple." I pause. "Don't think I'm doing this to be a bitch because you're failing. I'm not. I'm doing this because I want you guys to excel and once the electronics start making your grades drop, they will be taken." I shrug. "And all of you know I'll get on your case for your grades." I say. "Also," I start. "If you guys are failing French, come find me. I'll help. If you're failing Spanish, come find me, I'll help."

"You know Spanish?" Daniel asks.
"No, but my best friend teaches it." I laugh. I pause. "Now for the stupid paperwork." I pass around the packs. "They're due Friday." I sigh. "You know the drill. Now I'm forced to go over the curriculum and shit so I'll just do that and bore you to death for the rest of the period. Feel free to tune me out."

"What about earbuds?" Jace asks.
"What about them?"

"Can we use them?"

"Not while me or someone else is talking. If you're doing work, feel free."

"If we get below a C and we want to listen to music while we work, can we?"
"No." I say.

<><>

The second fourth period ends, I'm fucking exhausted. I go to the staff bathroom and while I'm in there, I puke up my breakfast.

I go back to my room after washing my mouth and I pop a mint in, and then I sit down and put my head on my desk.
"What's wrong?" Noah asks when he comes in.

I hear my door open.

"I'm sorry but what the fuck did the test say? I have to know." Beatrice says.

"I'm pregnant, Beat." I yawn. "And I'm tired." I sigh.

She grins.

"When are you going to tell everyone?"
"I don't know. I'm like, seven or eight weeks right now. We've got to go to the doctors. Just don't tell anyone." I sigh.

"I won't." she says. "God, I'm so excited. Do you want a boy or a girl?"
"I just want a healthy baby." I say.

"Every Mother says that."
"Not true." I yawn.

"I got you food." Noah hands me a turkey and swiss sandwich and cauliflower with ranch dressing, and apple juice. "We're going to eat healthier." he says.

I don't protest, I just eat the food.

"Am I supposed to be sharing this?" I mumble.

He laughs. "No." he eats the same thing but carrots.

Beatrice pulls out a double cheeseburger from McDonald's.

I laugh.

"I'm not pregnant. I don't need to be healthy."

I laugh.

"Okay then."