Best Friend Protocol

Best Friend Protocol (4)

SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATES

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     Tok, tok, tok…I excitedly knocked on the door of the classroom, hoping to catch my favorite educator inside.

     “Come in” Yelled a familiar voice.

     I didn’t waste any time in grabbing the doorknob and opening the door. My eyes immediately fell on the teacher’s table occupied by Mrs. Montgomery. Her blonde hair and fit body does not imply that she has been a high school teacher for five years.

     As soon as she laid eyes on my, her expression brightened. “Stacey!” She happily cried as she stood from her seat and strolled towards me to hold me at arm’s length. “It’s good to see you. You look gorgeous. How are you?”

     I pulled her in for a short hug. “I’m good. Exhausted though since I stayed the night at Seth’s and we spent the whole night watching movies”

     She smiled fondly at the mention of my best friend. “How is the playboy doing?”

     I waved the question off. “You know him. Screw and leave—“ That earned me a slap at the shoulder. “—How are you? You weren’t here yesterday.”

     “My husband and I had to take Colby to the hospital. He had a really bad fever—he’s getting better” Colby was her 8-month old son. Mrs. Montgomery didn’t want to take a maternity leave last year, even though the principal was afraid that she would burst any time. And she did. It was at lunch break so she decided to call me. In the end, Seth and I drove her to the hospital. The students didn’t even know that her water bag broke inside the classroom—they just assumed that it was just water spilled. Seth and I were there when Mrs. Montgomery gave birth, given that her husband was out of the state for a meeting. It was one of the grossest things that I have ever seen in my entire life.

     “I really hope that he’ll get better” I truthfully told her.

     “He’s tough as a nail” She winked at me. “I’m worried though. Hugh’s—“ Her husband “—parents have been taking care of him for a month now and they’re going back to Canada next week. I have to start looking for baby-sitters”

     This is one of those times that my good heart gets the better of me. “I could take care of him for you”

     She beamed. “You are an angel sent from heaven, Stacey Steele!”

     “Isn’t she?” A smug voice entered the classroom. I turned around to come face to face with a gum-chewing, leather-jacket wearing hot bad boy. I still cannot believe that he is the only guy in school allowed to alter the uniform by wearing a leather jacket instead of a blazer.

     “Mr. Aspen” Mrs. Montgomery greeted Toby and motioned her index finger to allow him to walk inside.

     Toby sauntered in, sneaking a wink in my direction. “How are you Mrs. M? Hope that little monster doesn’t keep you up at night”

     “If you haven’t been writing such excellent essays, I would have thrown you out of the class, Toby” Mrs. Montgomery joked. “Why are you here? Last time I checked, this classroom isn’t the cafeteria”

     “I just happen to pass by the hallway when I heard you two talking. I wanted to invite Stacey for lunch” He shrugged as if he has been inviting me to lunch every day.

     Mrs. Montgomery shot me an impressed look. “Alright. I’ll back off Stacey now” She raised her hands up in mock surrender and gave me one last hug. “It was nice seeing you, Stacey. Now go have lunch with your prince charming—watch out though. Seth might get angry” She winked at me before waving me out, not giving me the chance to defend myself.