Part of the "Disaster Strikes" Series, where teen girls endure hardship both from Mother Nature and the people around them, and not only manage to survive, but thrive!
Sarah Anne Jackson is a typical 16 year old girl in her small town of Summersvill...
Sarah Anne Jackson woke up with a jolt. It took her a moment to realize where she was, but once the school bus squeaked to a stop and she heard her classmates stomping past, she remembered.
Thank God for that pothole in front of Mr. Johnson's grocery store, she thought. After a long day at school, she'd always fall asleep on the bus, especially now that it was the end of the school year. Each day was more exhausting than the last! That pothole was the only warning that her stop was approaching.
Sitting up, she looked out the window. The school bus was turning onto Willow Avenue; she still had a few minutes before she needed to get off. Sarah put her feet on the seat and gently placed her phone between her knees. Waiting to make sure that it was balanced and leaning against the seat in front of her, she turned on the camera.
She laughed to herself when she saw her frizzy chocolate-colored hair sticking up in all directions. Her nimble fingers, trained with years of experience, quickly worked to untangle and de-frizz her curly hair, before elegantly braiding it in a single plait down her back.
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After that, she noticed that she was running out of time (they were on Elm Road already). Quickly applying a bit of wine-red lipstick and a touch of mascara to her long curly lashes, she studied her image on her phone screen. Looking at her bright brown eyes, defined cheekbones, and (thankfully) clear skin, a big smile spread across her face. With a wink and a nod, Sarah put her stuff away.
As soon as she was done, she felt the bus brake. Right on time again, Sarah Anne! Walking forward, she turned around right before getting off to hug the driver goodbye. "See ya tomorrow, Miss Sally!"
As she stepped off, she heard Miss Sally respond in her sunny voice, "Bye, darling!"
Shielding her face as the bus kicked up a storm of dust, Sarah started to walk. It was windy and dark, quite a contrast from what it had been earlier in the day. It'll probably start to rain soon, she thought to herself. I sure hope that I can keep my hair dry!
As she walked, she thought about her day; what already happened and what she would do next. After all, Sarah still had to walk about a quarter of a mile before getting where she needed to go. The bus dropped her off at the intersection of Elm Road and Cedar Lane, but Cedar Creek Elementary School was still a five-minute walk down the road.
It was a small school, with around 350 students, but it was cozy to Sarah. That's probably why she volunteered there every day after school, and had been doing so ever since the start of freshman year. She could never explain why, but something about seeing all those little bundles of energy running around and playing made her smile. Volunteering there solidified the feeling in her heart that she wanted to become a teacher.
It was a beautiful school too, always with green grass and perfectly trimmed trees. The layout was welcoming too. It was all one story, but was separated into different buildings which surrounded a courtyard and playground. The office was in front, while Kindergarten and first grade were together; so were second and third grade, and fourth and fifth. There was a separate building for the library and another one for the music, art, and other Specials classes, plus a seventh for the cafeteria.
She truly loved it there, and the students' reactions whenever she walked into their classroom always made her happy, no matter how bad her day had been. Everyone who met Sarah thought that it was impossible for her to have a "bad day." She was always pleasant and polite, a true Southern Belle. And for the most part, that was true; Sarah was an optimist and just a happy person, in general.
Lost in her own thoughts, she looked up and suddenly found herself at the door of the school. Smoothing down her blouse, she opened the door and walked into the bustling office, filled with parents asking questions and secretaries on the phone trying to find answers. Making her way through the organized chaos, Sarah signed in and got her name badge.
"Mrs. De La Cruz is in her office, okay? Feel free to go in, sweetheart," the principal's secretary said.
Sarah nodded and answered "Thank you ma'am!" before walking down the narrow hallway. Knocking on the door at the end of the hall, she heard a voice call "come in!"
Stepping inside Mrs. De La Cruz's office, the ever-present smell of coffee was the first thing Sarah noticed, even though she went there every day. The second thing that caught her eye was the short Hispanic woman who came rushing up to her.
Looking down at the principal, Sarah smiled and said hello. Despite her eccentric personality and small stature, Mrs. De La Cruz was not someone to underestimate. The 4 foot 9 inch woman could be very scary whenever she got angry. Sarah had learned that lesson very quickly after seeing her rant to troublesome students in lightning-fast Spanish.
But now, they were both smiling wide. As always, Mrs. De La Cruz invited Sarah to have a seat and offered her a caramel candy. Of course, she couldn't help but accept. The two of them spent the next five minutes talking about their days before turning to more serious business.
"Now Sarah," she said in her strong Mexican accent, "I was hoping that you could help me with a little problem we had today. Mr. Greenwell, one of the second grade teachers, is not here today. It was very unexpected, so we didn't have time to find a substitute. The other second grade teachers, Mrs. Miller and Ms. Gomez, have had to split his students, watching both their own classes and half of his. Of course, it has been very hard for them, especially for Mrs. Miller, since she is pregnant. Would you be able to watch his students?"
Mrs. De La Cruz must have seen the worried look on Sarah's face, because she spoke again.
"Don't worry, mi hija! There are twenty students in Mr. Greenwell's class. You will simply have to keep them quiet and occupied for the remaining two hours of the school day. Mrs. Miller will show you what to do and how to do it. If you need anything, ask her, okay?"
Sarah nodded. After all, if she wanted to become a teacher, she would have to be able to control a class full of children on her own. This was just practice, and practice does makes perfect.
"Of course I'll do it. I'd be happy to help you, Mrs. De La Cruz!"
"Ay, thank you!" she exclaimed, before offering Sarah another caramel.
After thanking the principal, she stood up and walked out of the office. I can do this, she thought to herself. It won't be that hard...
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