teacher ♤ s.t [rewriting]

01 ♤ [rewritten]

COURTNEY ♤

There's an unusual chill in the air that makes me grab a jacket, though I know I'll regret having to carry it on the walk back home.

Like past years, Olivia and Noah are waiting for me outside of my house, both of them living a few blocks away. We'd always walked to school together, ever since the sixth grade. Even though Noah had his license and a car since sophomore year, we never drove. There wasn't enough space to park, anyway.

"Hey, guys," I greet them, slinging my bag over my shoulder.

"Hey, Court," Noah smiles, offering a little wave.

Olivia does the same, a little preoccupied with her ear piercing to say hello however. We weren't allowed to wear any jewelry except clear studs, but it wasn't really a problem until after the first few weeks back when the teachers stopped caring. We had pierced her ears the other weekend, forgetting that how long it would take to heal collided with the start of school.

"You good?" I ask.

"Yeah, it just- it hurts," she mumbles, twisting it around a bit. "It'll be fine."

We start walking, no one really knowing what to say or how to act. We'd been together nearly the entire summer, except a few weekends when Olivia and her boyfriend went on vacation and Noah had to go visit some family. Other than that, there was nothing to say.

It felt a bit like a funeral march. The end of an era. This summer was the last time we'd bern able to mess around and not care. The future was looming over us, and it was finally starting to sink in.

"How's Sarah?" I ask finally.

She'd been spending more and more time with her boyfriend, so we'd been seeing her less and less. She used to walk with us sometimes, but ever since they'd started to date he'd always drive her, never mind the fact that he had graduated.

"I think she's good." Noah sounded unsure.

"Good."

None of us could think of anything else to say. We'd already talked about everything under the sun just yesterday.

It didn't take long until we reached the school. Our lockers were all in different halls, so we always
parted ways in the main lobby.

"See you at lunch?" I asked, and they nodded.

"See ya."

•••

The day seems to drag on for forever. Most seniors only come in for half the day and leave for work, or vice versa. However, considering that out of the three of us Noah is the only one with a car or a job, we just settled on taking a lot of electives together. Most of our classes were together, honestly, so it wasn't too bad.

It was the same for each period, though. A quick overview of the course and a syllabus to get signed by your parents who wouldn't even read it, and then a wildly uncomfortable ice breaker activity for a room full of people that had known each other since we were twelve.

I was especially dreading my last period: chemistry. Out of every class I had ever taken, any and every branch of science was hell for me. It wasn't a piece of cake for my friends either, but it made a lot more sense to them than I could ever imagine.

Apparently there a new teacher, too. I hoped it was a woman with a lot of empathy and patience, because I didn't think I could handle my confusion from any other type of person.

However, upon finally entering the room I had been eyeing with anxiety for the past three years, I was immediately dismayed to see broad shoulders and a name scribbled on the board starting with "Mr". The rest was blocked by the aforementioned, who was turned away from the class, writing something else on a clipboard.