Miss. Parsons is a fresh-out-of-college high school English Literature teacher who has a passion for love, Shakespeare and apparently, hunky southern cowboys. She pays close attention to detail, including the flirty smiles exchanged by students and...
The students filed into the classroom, at first one by one and then none at all. I sat at my desk for a long while, fiddling with my pen and tapping my dress shoe anxiously against the tiled flooring. The events that occurred last night whirling around in my mind, hardly allowing me to get an ounce of sleep. Taking a deep breath I let it feel it's way through my body before I released it back into the atmosphere, a few faces turned to give me a look as if to say 'Teacher's a little crazy today', but nevertheless they all turned back to their conversations paying me no mind, yet again.
"Okay class," Even to my own ears it sounded like I was shouting, shutting my eyes for a quick second I opened them along with my mouth, "Today, we are going down to the auditorium and we are going to act out Romeo and Juliet." This sentence elicited groans from my students and a grin from me.
"You've all been assigned your parts from our reading in class." My eyes wandered around the room, catching on Opal, whose light brown hair was curtaining her face blocking anyone's view of her from all sides. "This is the exact same thing just put more emphasis in it," I brought my hands to the front of my chest and motioned them outward as if I was offering my heart to them. Once again, I received looks that told me I was acting a bit off.
"Let's roll," I stood from my chair and encouraged the teenagers to get up from theirs and get a move on to the front door; I handed a script to every student as they piled out and I grabbed a clipboard that had all their parts written down, so no-one could switch at the last second. Although, I had made some changes myself. Once they had all left the room I jogged to catch up with Jack, he was the wide receiver for our school's football team and had a smile that could make any girl weak in her knees.
"Hey Jack!" I drawled, trying to sound as friendly as possible while trekking a few inches behind him, "I'm gonna have you play Romeo today." Jack had a girlfriend, so I typically paired him up with any other relationship junkie in class.
Max was right behind us and when he heard this he interrupted our conversation, "I thought I was Romeo," the tone of his voice was heartbroken, seeing as Opal was Juliet I didn't feel it was suiting for him to play the role. Jack turned and flashed his famous pearly-whites at him, slapping him on the shoulder he offered a wink.
"Better luck next time, bud." Max rolled his shoulders forward and peeked over at Opal who was at the front of the line. "Hey Opal!" Jack shouted out, in an attempt to gain her attention and once he did he began to make kissing noises in her direction as if she were a dog he was beckoning. Noting this, I offered her a tight smile to which she sent right back. Once the entire class had entered the auditorium I had them all line up on the stage so I could get a good look at them.
Bringing my index finger to my chin I tapped it, teasingly with a smile playing on my lips, "Alright, let's start Act One Scene One, can I get my Sampson and Gregory front and center, everyone else will be the audience." Two boys stumbled forward with looks of confusion crossing their features as the rest of the class made their way to the empty seats and I nestled myself into the center seat, front row. "And Action!"
Once they began their dialogue, Opal slithered over to me and nudged me with her elbow, "Miss. Parsons, I truly don't mind doing the kissing scene with Max," She paused and slid her glasses up a little higher onto the bridge of her nose before she glanced over in his direction, as did I, his head was hanging low and he fiddled with his fingers in his lap, "in all honesty there's no bad blood between us, he's in love with someone else." She shrugged as if to say there was nothing she could do about it. My ears perked though and I looked at her with wide eyes.
"But who?" I couldn't help it, the teenager in me was alive and well.
"You." If it was possible my eyes widened even more and I whipped my head to take another look at Max although this time I met his eyes and he smiled at me, adding a small wave to which I waved back. After our exchanged I turned to clear the air with Opal although she had already moved back to her seat, I slumped in my seat and breathed out a long sigh.
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After a long day, I began to pack up my things. I had so many thoughts racing through my mind that what with last night still freshly imprinted into my brain along with this new information I had learned about one of my students having a crush on me. While I'll admit it was all too flattering, it was all too wrong just the same. Sighing, I decided it was best that I hurry home and take a long, well-deserved bubble bath. Closing the clasp on my purse there was a knock that awoke me from my daydreams of the warm water running across my body.
"Yes?" I answered, batting my eyes wildly as if I was having trouble staying awake. The door creaked open, as if in slow motion and standing behind it was the last person I wanted to see in this moment. My lips pursed, "Hello Max.".
He breathed out a small grin and all-but leaped his way over to me thrusting out a single rose once he reached me, "For you," I forced a small smile and mouthed a thank you to him before turning back to my things and slinging my purse over my shoulders. "Let me walk you out." He quickly offered.
"Max, students aren't allowed in the teachers parking lot." Which was true, and once he heard this bit of information his face fell and his green eyes that once held the wildness of a teenaged boy now had sadness building up inside them.
"Oh, okay, well at least let me walk you to the door." He offered and once again I racked my brain for a polite way to let this boy down easy.
"Max," I started, clasping my left hand around my right wrist and twisting it in an uncomfortable manner. "I have a boyfriend." It was extremely middle school of me but, I hadn't known how else to let this kid down.
Max barked out a forced laugh and then cursed under his breath once he realized that I was in fact telling the truth. Without a word, he turned on his heel and walked towards the door but not before he slugged his head over the side of his shoulder, "Please don't tell anyone about this." He wasn't making eye contact, but looking off into the sea of desk, more particularly the one where Opal sat.
Smiling at his figure I nodded my head, "Scout's honor." Bringing my three fingers to my side, then realizing he couldn't see me and lowering them to my side once again. With a nod of his head he was whisked out the door by his long legs.
I followed in suit, leaving my room and walking in the opposite direction towards the teacher's parking lot, where students were not allowed. I laughed at the thought.
