Words [Riley Matthews]

29 ~ new teacher

Gabriel has no idea why he's so surprised that their English teacher quit. From how bad the class was, he couldn't blame their old teacher for quitting. 

The class sat, patiently waiting to see if he'll show up. To no one's surprise, he didn't show up. 

"Where's Garabaski?" Maya asked.

"Uh - oh," Lucas said.

"We did it," Gabriel said, unenthusiastically.

"Did we do it? Did we finally break him?" Riley asked.

Cory Matthews walked into the English class.

"You broke him!" he announced.

It was clear from his tone and expression that he wasn't thrilled.

The entire class cheered except for Gabriel. As much as he wanted their teacher to leave, he wasn't proud of his actions. It wasn't something he'd do. Even back in Boston, he wouldn't have done it. At least, he wouldn't have done it before losing his mother.

"Quiet!" Cory said. "Mr. Garaboski retired yesterday."

The class cheered once again.

"Quiet!" Cory repeated. "The man survives Vietnam and Mrs. Garabaski, and he can't get past you. Now he left a here that expressed his feelings. 'Dear, you little -' okay I can't read this."

"He always talked about the good old days before 1985," Lucas said.

"Yeah," Gabriel agreed, looking over at Lucas. "What happened before 1985 and during 1985?"

"That was the year the New York Board of Education said you couldn't hit a kid with a ruler," Farkle answered.

"Yikes," Gabriel said. "I didn't expect that."

"Board of Education, I do believe I am," Maya said, smiling. 

"Well, now you're gonna need a new English teacher," Cory said.

"That's okay, thanks," Maya said.

"Uh, Maya? You might want to give this teacher a chance," Gabriel said, looking out of the classroom window. 

A woman wearing a black leather jacket was looking into the window and was approaching the door.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Miss. Harper Burgess," Cory said.

She entered the classroom and held up her helmet to greet the class.

"You got a bike that goes with that outfit?" Lucas asked.

"Eighteen hundred CC ten count Fat Bob tank," she said. "What do you ride?"

"He road a sheep," Riley spoke.

"Sixty - two quad hoof fleece tiny count before you fall asleep Bob," Maya said.

"Wanna race?" she challenged.

"No," Lucas said, shaking his head.

Miss. Burgess rejoined Mr. Matthews in the front of the class.

"Miss. Burgess is here to teach you about great books and great ideas," Mr. Matthews said. "Please give her the same respect you give to me."

"Oh, we can do better than that," Riley said.

Class finally started the class properly. Miss. Burgess started to pass out comic books instead of a proper book.

"Frank Miller," she said, "the Dark Knight Returns."

"This is Batman," Gabriel said.

"A future Batman," Miss. Burgess corrected.