Blind || H.S

The New Math Teacher

Nik's P.O.V-
              I gently pulled out a shirt from the very bottom of my neatly folded stack of shirts. I felt around the cloth to make sure it was the one I wanted. As my fingers brushed over the beautifully stitched flower pattern in the front that was still etched in my memory, a small smile crept into my face. It was the one. I tried to imagine how the shirt looked,  searching through my memory. A dark blue material, it's sleeves ending just after my fingers, the fabric reaching up to my mid thigh. And then the part I admired the most. The white hand stitched flower pattern. The one my mother had stitched for me. It was the last birthday present she had given me. The day of my 19th birthday. Tears formed in the corners of my eyes as her kind beautiful face flashed into my mind. I remember what she had said when I had tried the shirt on and asked her how I looked. "My girl would look perfect in anything she wears, because she herself is the most beautiful thing in the world", she had said and I had thrown my arms around her, hugging her tight as she kissed my hair.  I quickly blinked away the tears. This happened every time. I pulled out some random jeans not giving it much thought because most of my jeans were black or dark blue so it wouldn't matter. Gathering all my clothes I made my way to the bathroom, counting the twenty steps till I got there. Yeah, that's how I reach my destinations inside my apartment since the past two years. This way I manage not to crash into things and make a joke out of myself. A joke. That's what most people here classified blindness as. But at least it's better than the pity.

           Mockery makes me feel more human, the hurt makes me realise that I still have emotions. I changed into my clothes and then counted all the way to my kitchen. Cereal was my friend, most of my hasty mornings. Like it was today. I quickly finished my breakfast as the clock hanging on my kitchen wall rang eight times signifying that my shift started in an hour. You must be thinking, who would give me, a blind girl, a job. Well I guess some people in this world are still left with a heart. I am a music teacher at West Mount High.I'm lucky to get to earn a living out of my passion. I stepped out of my apartment right at the count of the twenty fifth step and closed the door, locking it after a little fumbling with the keyhole. I put the keys safely inside my purse that was in my sling bag. I slowly walked over to the door just opposite to mine in the long cold hallway. Emily's door. I knocked softly and waited. Emily was a fellow teacher at West Mount High. And my best friend, rather my only friend. We went to school together every morning. Shortly after, the door creaked open.

"'Morning Miss Punctual", her cheerful voice greeted and a smile spread across my face involuntarily.

"Oh well I thought it was past eight, sorry to hustle you", I said polietly with a hint of humour in my tone.

"Well you Knightley, owe me a coffee since I had to skip most of my breakfast" she said, as I heard her door slamming shut, the lock clicking into place.

"Guess its not my fault if someone decides to have a movie night and then fails to wake up on time the next morning", I said starting to walk towards the elevator, as the counts began at the back of my mind. Thirty six steps and then left.

"C'mon it was a Sunday!", she whined, footsteps catching up with mine. I just smiled at her childishness.

We walked out of the elevator and Em took my hand, leading me to her car. A blue Prius, according to her. She opened the passenger door for me as I got in and gently closed it. Soon I felt her sliding in the driver's seat next to me. And we were on our way. A brand new day with the same old darkness.

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"Good morning Nik", I recognized as I was getting ready for my first class. Mike was an English teacher while Emily took History.

'Hey, how's it going?",I asked, smiling brightly at the source of the sound.

"I'm good, how are you?"

"Fine, thank you", I said gathering the last of my sheets for class as the final bell rang.

'Okay, I guess I'll see you later", Mike said, probably leaving for his first class too.

"You will"

As I turned around to walk out of the staffroom, towards my class with the eighth graders, someone called from behind.

"Miss Knightley, may I walk you to class?", Bradley's voice sounded calm and collected as always. I turned to smile at him and nodded my head. He took my arm and led me through the endless chattering that echoed through the crowded halls. For once my mind was relieved to get rid of the counts.

Bradley is an eight grader if you were wondering. Let me tell you, he's one of those kids who come to accompany me to my classes everyday. Even though I told them I could manage, they surely understood that I needed the help, although I won't ever admit it. Hey before judging, tell me, would you if you were in my place?

Anyways, I do love their company. Even though it makes me feel pitied often, it also makes me feel cared for.

"You know you don't have to do this Bradley",I tried to convince him as usual.

"Aren't we still over it ma'am?"

"You are not gonna listen, are you?"

"Sorry but no I guess"

It was useless fighting him.

"So how was your Math test Friday?"

"Awesome. Think I'll get an A", pride laced his young voice,"By the way ma'am did you hear about the new math teacher joining tomorrow?", he asked curiously.

"Um, no. How did you know?"

"Everyone's talking about it. Oh we're here"

I smiled and let go of his hand. "Thank you Mr. Walker", I said doing the mocking courtesy and I heard him chuckle.

Class was blissful as always. Even though most of the teachers had loads of complaints against the kids, I never did. Rather they made me feel happy. Made me feel more 'normal'.

After two more classes with an off period in between, finally it was lunch, which meant that I got to ask Em about this new math teacher joining tomorrow. The thought had never left the back of my head since Bradley had told me about it. Well I do have my reasons, I'm the newest teacher here, still two years old. So I was excited that I won't be  'the newbie' anymore. I already had enough reasons to attract unwanted attention to myself and I had no desire for more.

"Em have you heard about this new math teacher joining us, from tomorrow?", I shot as soon as we settled down for lunch together, me getting her a coffee as promised.

"Oh you mean the math replacement?"

"Yeah"

"Of course, everyone knows". Yeah of course I don't count as everyone. I guess there was a handicapped section for school gossip too.

My stupid face must have showed my unnecessary discontent because just then Emily blurted a 'sorry I forgot to tell you'.

"You know,Kristen said he's this really good looking guy and is about our age", she bubbled,"She saw him in Coleman's office".

Mr. Coleman was our principal. He was a nice old man. It was he who had given me the job after all and he had said that it wasn't a blindness perk. That I had earned it with my talent.

"Oh', I said picking at my lunch and Em slurped her coffee, still gushing about the 'hot new math teacher'. I had a feeling, tomorrow was gonna be a long day. But sure it'd be nice to have the attention diverted from me for a while. Soon after Leah was waiting  for me, to walk me to my next class with the fifth graders.

School ended with me hearing a lot more excited whispers about the new math teacher, both from teachers and from students. I wondered what he was like. And that was the first time I seriously thought about him.

*Author's note: Hey everyone, if there's anyone reading this at all lol, I hope you're enjoying it so far. I just wanted you to know that since its summer vacation, the updates will be a lot quicker. So yeah read, vote, comment, go crazy! Bye I love ya*