Miss Fell. (TVD Fanfiction)

The New History Teacher

The school called a couple days later and asked me to come to the school, apparently the newly hired History teacher wanted to meet me. I left Clark with my parents and drove to the school.

I strolled through the empty halls enjoying the silence before rounding the corner to see Mr. Tanner's old classroom. I approached the door and peered inside to see a man rifling through Tanner's desk. Even while I was a substitute, I couldn't bring myself to use, much less go through the desk. I missed Coach Tanner. Not a lot of people liked him, but I found his no bullshit, hard truth mentality, refreshing. He wasn't afraid to tell you exactly what you needed to hear and never sugar-coated it.

I smirked to myself, leaning on the door frame, bringing my knuckle up to knock on the door. The new teacher, jumped slightly and turned to look at me. I straightened my posture, "My apologies, I didn't mean to startle you. I was told that you wanted to meet me."

He stood up, smiling, "Oh no problem, I was just going through my new work space." He held out his hand, "Alaric Saltzman, thank you for coming."

I shook his outstretched hand, "Tabitha Fell."

Alaric let go of my hand a gestured to the first desk, "Please sit down." I did as instructed as he leaned against the front desk, "I wanted to talk to you about a few things. First and foremost I want to thank you."

I gave him a confused look, "You wanted to thank me?"

"Yeah, I mean, not a lot of seventeen-year-olds are smart enough or patient enough to be a substitute teacher for their own peers."

I chuckled, "Well it definitely wasn't easy, but I managed."

"Yeah, so I don't  know if you know this, but your old history teacher, Mr. Tanner, had two separate file cabinets; one for trouble students and another for students with great potential."

Mr. Saltzman went around and pulled out a large file, placing it on the desk in front of me. I opened it, "What's this?"

"That is the largest file in both those cabinets, yours." I opened the folder and began sifting through papers of essays I had written as well as public events I had helped organize. Mr. Saltzman continued, "You were the student whom he felt had the most potential to go far. Now I'm aware that besides school you have three other jobs?"

I closed the file, smiling sadly, "Uh, yeah, I work as a seamstress at Mary's Boutique, I'm a waitress at the Mystic Grill, and a member of the Historical Society, whom help organize town wide events."

Mr. Saltzman nodded, "Okay, and why are you working so hard?"

I sighed, "Well you might as well hear the story from me, instead from someone else down the line. I was kidnapped and raped when I was eleven years old. When I was rescued, I had a kid nine months later. My grandparents are currently taking care of my son, but by the time I graduate high school, I want to have a home for my son and I to live in."

Mr. Saltzman smiled, coming over to sit in the desk next to me, "I understand your situation, but you do realize that you still have time to be a kid yourself. Now, I'm not saying you should party and fry your brains with drug use, but the memories you make while you're in high school, you'll keep forever. And I know you want a future for and with your son, but have you thought about a future for yourself? A college? Or maybe a field you want to study?"

I looked down to the floor, "Not really, I've just been focused on keeping my grades up and saving money. My whole world revolves around my son."

"And I understand that for a parent the life of the child does come first, but if you aren't happy with your life then your son isn't going to be happy." Mr. Saltzman stood up, taking my file and putting it back in Tanner's desk, "I know there's still a couple of years left, but it doesn't hurt to start thinking about the future now." He held out his hand, "Allow me to buy you lunch. It's the least I could do for asking you to come to school during your break."

I took his hand, standing up, "Thank you, I'd really like that."

He escorted me to my car and then bought me lunch at the Grill. We talked for a little while longer about how he should establish his dominance in the classroom, once classes resumed after break, and how he should go about helping the kids in Tanner's troubled teens files. 

After that, I took my shift at the Grill and Mary's Boutique before getting home and receiving a call from Mrs. Lockwood about the Thanksgiving Potluck; the event was planned and ready. I was incredibly excited about the next couple of days and told Mrs. Lockwood that I would be bringing apple pie and pumpkin pie to the potluck.

Everyone else was already in bed while I stayed up to look at different pie recipes, when there was a knock at the door. I got up from my place at the table, opening the door, "Damon? What are you doing here?"

He leaned against the doorway as he couldn't enter and smirked, "I remember what I won."

I crossed my arms, "Oh really?"

"Yep, the thought kept bugging ever since you forgave me and I wanted to know what I had one. And then it hit me, I bet that I would have you fall in love with me. I won the bet, didn't I?"

I sighed, looking down at my feet and then back up to his eyes with determination, "Yes Damon, you did. I like you, but our relationship shall remain exclusively professional. I know that you love Katherine, so despite my feelings for you, I will ignore them and before you say something about enjoying life to the fullest, I will not become some booty call if you get bored. I have too much self-respect to let that happen."

Damon help his hands, "Woah there, tiger, I wasn't going to say that. I just wanted to know if it was true. I promised you that I wouldn't let anything hurt you, not even me, for the rest of eternity."

I smiled and stepped outside, taking one of his hands, "Thank you for understanding. I hope we can at least be friends."

He then took both my hands and kissed them, "The best of friends."

We stared into each other's eyes for a moment, but as soon as he went to cup my cheek I pulled away, walking back inside the threshold, "I'll see you later. Goodnight Damon."

"Goodnight, Lady Fell," he answered as I closed the door. 

I turned the lock and sighed, placing my back against the door and slipping down to the floor. I groaned to myself, "God, I am in so much trouble."