2 Otis Otis
As Mina wandered into the old school, she felt smaller and smaller as she walked. She desperately looked around for her cousin, Henry. Finally she spotted him and started in his direction. She hesitated when she saw who he was with, Vlad, the boy she met on Halloween. When her eyes landed on the boy in dark cloths she felt the lagging yanking of a force stronger than gravity again. She debated on weather Henry would start up the jokes or not, but she didn't want to be alone...
"Henry!" She called out to him; he turned and smiled at her.
"Hey, cousin! Ready for your first day?" She shook her head. "Don't worry about it. You can chill with us for as long as you want. Right Vlad?" naive
Vlad nodded and Mina felt a bit of relief. At least she won't be eating lunch alone.
"What class are you going to?" Henry asked her as they continued down the hall.
"Mr. Craig, I think. But I am not sure where it is." She admitted, her cheeks reddening again.
"Hey, Vlad can take you. You have him for homeroom right?" Henry placed both his hands on Vlad's shoulders and moved him between him and Mina.
"Sure." Vlad answered, and continued walking. Henry and Mina fallowed. After a moment Vlad stopped walking and Henry waved them off. Mina looked at Vlad and he offered her a smile. "Here's our class."
"Oh, thanks." She replied and entered the class after him. He sat down in the back of the room and when he saw she didn't really know where to go, he gestured to the seat next to him. "Thank you again."
"You're not good with new places are you?" He asked, making her beat red.
"Not really." She confessed and sat down. "Sorry." He shrugged and was suddenly transfixed on the front of the room. Mina looked up to find the pretty girl who she met dressed as an angel on Halloween. Meredith, was it? Vlad's crush, she could correctly guess.
As the girl and her friends sat down, her friend got to write a note. She then passed it to Vlad who read it with dread and never answered. What did it say? Mina asked herself. Don't be nosey!
As she finished scolding herself a man burst into the room. He seemed to be different than how she pictured Mr. Craig to look like.
"Good morning class. I'm Mr. Otis, and I will be substituting for Mr. Craig during his absence." Of course he doesn't look like a Mr. Craig he isn't one. "As my first name is the same as my last, you may call me by either, providing the obligatory title 'mister' precedes your choice.
"It's unfortunate that we've been brought together in these circumstances, as Mr. Craig was...is...such a fine and clearly admired teacher. But as regrettable as the situation is, I will do my best to inform and educate you in an entertaining manner.
One girl raised her hand but asked her question before he picked on her. "Do you know Mr. Craig?" The man paused to lick his lips before he spoke.
"I'm afraid I haven't had the pleasure."
"How long have you been a teacher?"
"A long time," was all he told the class. "Very long indeed. Most recently I was a full-time mythology teacher at Stokerton High, but I have taught many subjects all over the world."
Mina saw Vlad raise his hand and the sub nodded. "So you teach English, too?"
"No. Well, that is to say, not until today." Mr. Otis took out some papers and passed them out to the class. Then he started to speak again. "But no worries. I've already come up with a lesson plan that I'm sure you'll find both informative and entertaining."
