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April and Weird Thoughts

Cas's pov:

"Good morning students," I say, projecting my voice so everyone can hear me.  "My name is Mr.Novak and I will be teaching you Language Arts and Social Studies for the next nine months."
I scrawl the name Mr.Novak on the board so they don't forget my name. I always use my sir name when I teach given that no one knows about my marriage to Dean.  I quickly glance up at my writing.
Good thing they didn't hire me for my writing, I think, disgusted by my writing that looks some what like chicken scratch. I look towards the class taking them in as I talk .
"Any questions?" I ask.
Hands flew up in the air. I pointed to different students with their hands up. A girl who introduced herself as Grace ask what we would be learning this term, and another asked  how long I had been teaching. I rattled off answers as if I had rehearsed them. The last question was from a girl named April. She was sitting in the back wearing a charcoal coloured hoodie with the hood pulled up.  She sort of grumbled out her question, like she didn't really wanna ask it, but was doing it anyways. Some kids turned and giggled as she spoke, but I acted like I didn't hear and kept my eyes on her.
"Are we just going to do first day of school crap all class?" She asked.
I was taken aback by the bluntness of her question, not because it was particularly rude, but because I didn't expect it. I half smiled and prepared to answer. She reminded me of Dean, oh how he rarely filtered what he said.

"Tell me April," I started. "Would you like to do first day of school stuff all day?"

"Nope," she replied. "No one wants to, I'm just the only who will actually say it."

"Well then," I retort. "I guess we will move on"

For the next forty minutes I gave intro to writing and I reading strategies, and how they can relate. When the bell finally rings it's a relief, it always is. No more pressure, or judgmental students. Just me, my computer, and the sound of Dean's voice through my headphones. When I finish the video, I am happy, my mood lifted. Although I was not upset before, for my happiness only soared higher after the video. There is a knock at my door before I could close my browser, and my heart skips a beat. I hastily close the search engine and call towards the door,

"Come in."

The small figure at the door is April. She stood there for a moment before she spoke.

"Can I eat in here at lunch?" She asks.
"Thinking about lunch already? It's still three periods away." I reply. I'm a bit confused about why she would wanna eat in here considering we just met.
"Well," she started. "This isn't exactly my first time in a school. Nobody is going to want to sit near me, it will go exactly like the last seven years have. It's just easier if I avoid the situation all together."
Of course my answer was going to be yes. I mean, the explanation was sad... In a eighth grader kinda way.
"Thank you." She said, sounding kind of shocked.
"No problem," I replied. "I'll see you at lunch."

When lunch came around April was ten minutes late. When she walked in I looked up at her with raised eyebrows, silently asking where she had been. She broke the silence first.
"I had to stay in class."
I had been a teacher for five years, I knew there was more to it then that.
"Okay..." I said, dragging out the "y".  "Why?"
"Well," she began.
She launched into a long story, actually, it was more of a dialogue. She told her side of the story, trying to make it seem like nothing was her fault, but I knew there was something she did. I could tell she was a trouble maker from the start. I enjoyed the fact that she wasn't a total rule follower, it was interesting. That girl in no way fit in with then other kids, and I could tell she knew it. She was sweet, and kind, but also reckless, and odd. April was a really interesting person, but she had begun to put thoughts in my head, and I was afraid of them. Not the thoughts that that sentence just implied by the way. No creepy thoughts, but thoughts of creating a family. With a kid that was just like April, because April was just like Dean. I finished my lunch with April and told her she was welcome any time. I hoped she would show up tomorrow. After all, not only was I her only friend, but she was my only friend as well.

The school day flew by quickly, as most days do. On my way out to my car all I could think about were my thoughts of family at lunch. I decided there was only one thing I could do to fix it, to stop the thoughts from swirling around in my head. I took out my phone and soaked Dean's number.
When I heard Dean pick up I made sure that I got the first word.
"Hello Dean. Are you gonna be home later? I think we should talk..."

Authors Note:
Hope you guys enjoyed that chapter! Please comment any questions, suggestions, ideas or concerns if you have any and I will do my best to reply and incorporate them. Thanks for reading!