Author's Note: I have a few songs that accompany each chapter that I'll post. This first chapter is "My Soul I" by Anna Leone, "Runaway" by AURORA, "November Rain" by Blanco White, and "Wherever I Go" by the National Parks. Also, I don't own Twilight or any of it's characters.
Hope you enjoy!
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, letting her head rest against the seat behind her. The airplane engines thundering to a start, and the forward motion rocking the plane slightly. The music playing in her ears fading to the background of her mind as her thoughts catch up to where she is. The overwhelming feelings take her by surprise and she had to take another deep breath to stabilize her racing mind.
Was she doing the right thing? Was running away really the answer? As the plane took off, she looked out the window and saw her future changing with every passing second. The ground getting further and further away, and in turn, she was getting further and further away from him.
She was bound for Washington, she didn't really have plans beyond that. She had enough cash in her bank account to get her a shitty used car and maybe first month's rent for an apartment. She should have applied for some jobs, or at least decided on a town. Shaking her head and closing her eyes, she let the exhaustion she had been carrying for months overtake her, it had been so long since she had gotten more than 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep. She was safe. She was getting away. It was a new start.
So what if she didn't have a plan, she would make one up as she went.
She woke up with a start, completely unaware of her surroundings a few hours later, when she realized the plane was landing. She rubbed her eyes and looked below her.
The scenery took her breath away. Lush green forest lay sprawling in every direction, she had never seen anything so…alive. She felt the steel clamps that held her heart from beating too happily barely flutter as she allowed herself to feel inspired. Maybe she was doing the right thing.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, please ensure your seatbelts are fastened and your tray tables are in their upright position. We are now beginning our final descent into Seattle Tacoma International Airport, we should be landing within the next few minutes. As always, we thank you for choosing to fly with us and we want to be the first to welcome you to Seattle."
Sydney took another deep breath and changed the music on her phone to play the song she found most comfort in, My Soul I by Anna Leone. She figured it was an appropriate song to begin her new life here, leaving behind everything she had known for a new start where she knew nothing or no one.
She was in no hurry to get off the plane, letting others who seemed to be annoyed that anyone stood between them and their end destination go before her. After all, they would all be waiting at the baggage claim together anyways, what was a couple of extra minutes?
She grabbed her backpack, which she had nicknamed Big Bertha in what seemed like another life, a time when she was carefree and happy, a time when she traveled and had new experiences and was fearless. He had stolen that light from her, convinced her that she didn't want adventures anymore.
Heaving the large backpack onto her back, she navigated her body through the narrow aisle, walking towards the unknown.
"So it begins" She muttered under her breath.
Sydney made it out the taxi loading area, with Big Bertha on her back and one suitcase dragging behind her. It was everything she needed, nothing more. No conventional trinkets, no emotional ties or memories, just clothes and toiletries, a few dishes, and some blankets. She got into a car and realized she had no idea where to go.
"Uh, is there a used car lot anywhere around? I need to buy a cheap car." She said unconfidently.
"Yeah, there's one a few miles out, that where you wanna go? I don't know what their prices are like but we can give it a shot." The man said, looking at her in the rear view. She simply nodded and internally smiled at the use of 'we' in his sentence.
The used car lot had more options than she was expecting. After a few hours and 4 test drives later with a man who wouldn't shut up, Sydney decided on a grey Mitsubishi Montero, it was an older model but it had enough room in the back that if she needed to sleep in it, she could do so comfortably, and it looked like it could handle off-roading.
She paid cash, and threw her belongings in the back. She grabbed the steering wheel as she sat in the parking lot, and just stared at the dashboard.
"Well, fuck, here goes nothing." She said, and started the car, not knowing what to do next. She pulled onto the freeway and aimed West, figuring that was always a good option.
She finally allowed her thoughts to surround her and flood her consciousness. She was hit with so many emotions, it took her breath away. She started silently crying as memories played through in her mind, and as she kept driving, she shook with sobs that couldn't be controlled.
"Sweetheart, you know I would never make you choose, you know I would never make you feel like that." She could hear his voice as clear as day, the memory seared into her mind.
"That's the thing though, you want me to choose, you want me to be the bad guy!" She had said. "Fuck, Brice, we've been fighting like this for months. I can't keep doing this with you. Maybe we weren't supposed to work out. Maybe this our time to call it."
"You don't know what you're saying, Sydney." He said threateningly. "Let's not make any decisions we would regret, right babe?"
The rest of that night played through, his hands curling into fists at her mention of separation. His eyes flashing with a rage that couldn't be described nor contained. He had made her feel pain. Physical, emotional, the overwhelming desperation to flee. He had never laid hands on her before that night, only manipulated her thoughts and actions until she felt like she was suffocating in a straight jacket that didn't actually exist.
Every single day, she had been checked on and monitored, her cell phone had been gone through when she was sleeping, her diet criticized because "you know, you're looking a little heavier than you were when we first met babe, you know I don't care about that stuff but I know you want to look good." Every single decision she made, he made sure he was there to approve or disapprove.
Her friends had stopped reaching out months ago, her family as well. They all lived nearby, but the life was being extinguished from her eyes and no one could sit around to watch it happen, especially because she wouldn't let them. Her pride getting in the way of being honest and asking for help.
That night that broke her was a week ago. She had made the decision to leave while lying on the carpeted floor of their apartment, her ribs screaming in pain every time she breathed. She had laid there for hours, memorizing the texture of that tan carpet. The fibers weaving together in a never-ending dance. How she wished she could have just melted into that carpet, join them in their blissful state of unaware. She eventually called an ambulance, when she realized the sun was rising through their sliding doors, the light filtering through the shitty blinds that always made too much noise. She had heaved herself up onto the couch and found her phone, the screen cracked from when he threw it at her head and dialed for help.
The sobs that wracked her body while she drove on the highway had eventually subsided, the emotions running through her finally petering out. Sydney realized she hadn't really been paying attention to the road or her surroundings while she had let the memories overtake her.
She wiped her eyes with her hand and finally took stock of the sights before her. The highway twisted gracefully and was surrounded by lush forest. The road looked slick, evidence that it never did stop raining here, mist settling at the edges of the road. She had no idea where she was, but this place was damn near perfect.
As the road continued on, she felt the slightest sense of contentment. It was a feeling so foreign to her that she pulled over to the side of the road and just reveled in it. It wasn't quite peace, no, it would be months before she could attain that, but it was the first time she hadn't felt like her throat was closing or her chest was caving in.
Sydney got out of her car, leaving it running, because she honestly hadn't seen another car in miles, and just stood at the forest wall, looking into it and breathed. She allowed her nose to be filled with that damp air, that was tinged with pine and rain and foliage that she couldn't make out. Tears fell from her eyes as her hair blew in her face, and she laughed thinking about how ridiculous she probably looked.
Moments passed and she just stood. Let nature heal in its own way.
She climbed back into her car after what felt like hours, pushing her hair back from her eyes, making the conscious decision to stop in the next town she saw. She figured this was as good of a place as any.
Putting the car into drive, she saw a flash of silver to her right, in the forest, and before she could even turn her head to look, it was gone. She blinked a few times, then pulled onto the road once more.
Miles passed and she finally saw a sign for a town, Forks, it was called.
"I can't tell if that's a fitting name or just outright dumb." She mused out loud.
It was a simple town, unremarkable at best. She passed a diner that had a gas station next door, wanting to ask around for places she could stay, she pulled in.
She got out of her car and while walking through the door, she realized just how small of a town it was when every single patron's head turned to her. She smiled in thanks as a waitress called out, "Anywhere ya like."
Picking a spot at the bar, she grabbed a plastic menu, looking over her very limited options. "What'll you have ta drink honey?" The waitress asked, a coffee pot resting in one hand and her fist resting on her other hip, she was distracted, looking around at all of the other tables.
"A coffee, actually, thanks." Sydney replied. "Hey, would you happen to know if anywhere is hiring or if there's any rooms to rent around here?" She asked as the waitress, Madge, according to her name tag, filled up her mug.
With that, Madge looked over Sydney with a suddenly very scrutinous eye. Seemingly pleased with how Sydney looked, she waved her hand in the air and said, "Not a lot of options here, unfortunately. I would put you in contact with James, whose sittin' over there, he got a small house that he rents out, just was vacated a couple months ago. Needs a lot of work but it's cheap as all get out. As for work, we could always use an extra hand if you have experience, or the elementary school is lookin' for a teacher if ya got a degree."
Sydney smiled fully now, "Thank you so much, which one did you say was James? And I might have a copy of my resume in the car if you want me to give you that. I'd love to work here. I've served before for a couple of years."
"That one with the Carhartt jacket, shoving his face full of burger at the present. And don't worry about a resume, just give me a number I can reach ya at. Will you be stickin' around town long?"
"Uh, I hope so. Wanted to start something new, figured here was as good as any." Sydney said, standing up. "Would you mind if I put in an order for the large fries?" Madge nodded and waved her hand again, dismissively, turning back towards the kitchen.
Sydney made her way over to the presumed James and cleared her throat as she approached his table. "Hi, are you James? Madge told me you might have a place to rent in town."
James patted his face with his napkin and looked over her, as Madge had. There was a certain appreciativeness in his stare though, that Sydney wasn't all too comfortable with. "Well, as a matta of fact, I do. Needs some serious help though. You handy?" He asked.
Sydney nodded, "I can manage myself." She smiled bravely as she allowed the double entendre to settle over him. He nodded curtly in reply and said, "Well, it'll be about $300 a month, that includes water and utilities and sewage. Payment due on the 1st. Think you can manage?"
Sydney nodded and smiled brighter now, "Yeah, that would be really great. How should I get in touch with you?"
"Well, I can take ya over there once I'm done eatin' and we can get all details in order, if you're lookin' to move in right away, that is."
"Yeah, that would be perfect, I just ordered some food as well, just let me know when you're ready. I really appreciate it." She said, turning back towards her seat.
Her smile that took over her mouth was unabashed and full, she couldn't believe how easy it had all been. She could be working at the diner, she potentially had a place to stay that was way below what she had expected to pay in Washington. Maybe this place was going to be alright.
She left her contact information with Madge, who promised to call her the next day. She also gave Sydney the number to the elementary school, just in case.
James' car was an older black truck, that spewed black smoke from the exhaust, showing its signs of old age, coughing out what little life it had left. She followed him through the small town streets onto Zepeda Lane, and pulled into a small white house that was the last home before a lumber yard.
James got out of his vehicle and patted his belly. Sydney laughed through her nose at the sight, but she was unnaturally excited about this tiny home. She could see it needed some serious work.
The gutters were clogged beyond recognition and falling off of the roof entirely at points, the screen door was missing the top hinge and sat at an angle propped onto the frame. The front porch was missing parts of the railing that connected it throughout. The white paint was chipped and faded, looking sad and pitiful in the grey that surrounded them, but Sydney saw right through it all. She envisioned what it would look like with a fresh coat of paint, the exterior getting the love it needed. She could see herself reading a book in a rocking chair on the porch, drinking her morning coffee. She smiled, and got out of her car, never taking her eyes off the house.
"Whattaya think?" He asked, gesturing grandly behind him.
She looked at James and said, "I love it. Truly. How soon could I move in?"
James, faltered for a second, but caught himself. "Darlin', you know that the outside looks bad but it's nothin' compared to the inside, are ya sure ya could handle it? I could really use the rent money but I don't wanna put ya in a tight spot neither." He sighed and looked at the house.
"No, no, it's okay. I really could fix it up. I've done some construction and if there's plumbing or electrical problems, I could always hire someone. I want this house, James. I can't thank you enough for showing it to me." She wasn't disillusioned that this house was going to be easy, she knew there would be problems and she knew they would add up eventually but it was a place to live, a place she could call her own, and for that price, she would have to make do.
"Okay, well let's take ya inside and see what ya think." James said, pulling the screen to the side, having to hold it up with his shoulder while he unlocked the door.
It was a simple house. One story with a living room and kitchen when you first entered and a bathroom to your right, there was also what she assumed was a bedroom was in the right-hand corner. It had white walls that were stained a slight yellow from previous tenants smoking indoors with wooden floors and older fixtures. The kitchen was outdated but it would do, she could smell the mold and immediately started making plans in her head of how best to clean it up.
"Well, I don' really have a contract or nothin' for you to sign, but I gotta piece of paper we could write one out right quick in the truck. Take a look 'round and I'll be right back." James said, patting his coat trying to find his keys.
Sydney walked to the bedroom and saw that it was decent, with large windows framing a bed in the center of the wall. It wasn't large but it was big enough to fit a bed and dresser comfortably. She pressed her palm into the mattress and scrunched her nose, making a mental note to buy a mattress immediately.
"Well, here we go. How about $275 a month until you get this place fixed up right then we can renegotiate. I don' want a young thing like yourself gettin' inta anything ya can't handle." James said from the kitchen as Sydney walked out to meet him.
"I couldn't do that to you. $300 is more than fair. It's not all that bad, just needs some love." Sydney said, tucking her hair behind her ear. "And I'll let you know if it becomes too much, but it'll be good for me to have a project to focus on, if you don't mind me making some changes, that is."
James waved his hand in the air, dismissing her thought, it must be a Forks resident thing, everyone seemed to do it. "Do what ya need ta. Just don' go paintin' the walls pink or nothin', it'll ruin the manly façade I got goin'." He chuckled. Sydney smiled and shook her head.
"No pink walls then." She leaned down over the paper and began writing.
Sydney Delahunt and James Monroe enter into a rental contract starting March 4th, 2017 wherein Sydney Delahunt rents this property for $300 a month to be paid on the first of every month.
"Good enough?" Sydney asked, offering the pen to James. He read the paper and nodded, signing the space below and handed back the pen. Sydney took it and felt the weight of what this decision meant as she carried the pen down to the paper. Her fingers grasping the object, the ink flowing easily from its tip. Her name appeared in time with the smile that crawled from her lips.
"Well, I have $300 cash that I'll give you now for the month of March. Thanks again James, do you think I could get your contact information, just in case?" She asked, pulling open her wallet.
"Yeah, I'll leave it on the fridge, I'll go ahead and call to get ya water and electricity turned on, you might not have it tonight though, I'm 'fraid." James said, proffering another paper from his pocket and sticking it to the fridge. "Now you jus' lemme know if you need anythin' at all, ya hear? Even if a damn mouse is crawlin' around, I'll come take care of it." He said proudly, hooking his thumbs into his jean pockets.
"I think I can manage a mouse but I'll call if anything comes up, I can't tell you how thankful I am. I appreciate this more than you know." Sydney said, holding out her hand for a handshake. James took it and looked at her for a moment longer.
"Alrigh' then. I'll be goin'." He crossed the room, and saluted her with two fingers on his way out of the door.
Sydney let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. She looked around the quiet house and tried to memorize every detail. This was hers and hers alone. She didn't have to share it, she didn't have to live with anyone, especially not him. She could be whoever she wanted to be, do whatever she wanted to do, see whoever she wanted to see, get any job she pleased, go running just for the hell of it, get lost in the forest just because. She could taste freedom on the very tip of her tongue.
She glanced at her watch, 4:15pm, wondering where the closest home improvement store was or if there was a store in town that sold sheets, just to get her through the night. She looked at her phone for the first time since she left Florida, and took it off airplane mode, readying herself for the onslaught of messages she was sure would come.
"Babe, where are you? I keep getting your voice mail, are you still at your mom's?"
"Syd, this isn't funny anymore, c'mon"
"Sweetheart, you know I said I was sorry, just come home."
"Sydney, seriously, what the fuck. Where are you? Don't make me call the cops."
"Hey Syd, it's mom, Brice keeps calling. Am I still telling him that you're going to visit family? That's what I've been telling him anyways. You need to just be honest with him. He'll probably leave you alone once he knows you're gone and not coming back. Anyways, hope you had a good flight. Give me a call when you can, love you endlessly."
She called her mom quickly, letting her know she had landed safe and was staying in a town outside Seattle for a bit, but was careful to not tell her exactly where, in case Brice asked her later. She trusted her mom not to say anything, but Brice was so damn manipulative she wouldn't put it past him to get it out of her.
After hanging up, she looked up a store in town and pulled her belongings into her new home. She got back into her car and drove into town, finding the store easily. She pulled down the visor, looking into the mirror for the first time all day, when she realized this, she was shocked. Normally, she was entirely too aware of how she looked because of Brice. He made sure to point out every flaw, every blemish, every time her hands were a little dry.
She took stock of her appearance. She had a heart shaped face with green eyes that looked tired, years ago they used to light up her entire face when she was 20, but now they just looked red-rimmed from exhaustion at her age of 26. She wasn't very skinny, but rather a healthy weight which gave her face shape. Her full lips were her favorite feature of her face. She had light brown hair that fell in curls around her shoulders. She was conventionally attractive but her self esteem had been so battered she never saw herself as she truly was. She closed the visor and grabbed her keys.
The store was stocked well enough to get her through the night but she needed to find a larger city to get all the things she really needed. She found sheets for the bed and after debating with herself for 10 minutes as to whether it was a queen or a full, she picked a pattern and threw it into her basket. She found a pillow and a towel and decided that would be good enough.
Driving back to her house, she really took inventory of the town as she drove. There was only one stop light in the whole town and people walked around on the side of the road, she assumed nothing was too far to walk to. The light sprinkling that had started around the time she had left the store was a full-blown rain by the time she pulled into her dirt driveway.
She deposited the items onto the bed and made quick work of putting it together, admiring her handiwork with her hands on her hips at the foot of the bed when she was finished, when she felt it.
The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and goosebumps covered her arms. It was like someone was watching her. She looked out the windows into the fading light and didn't see anything but green forest.
"Well that was weird." She muttered out loud. "Hey, if you're watching me, could you…not? Maybe? I'm new here and I'd like to stay here and I don't need some creepy ghost scaring me away my first night. Okay...thanks." She said loudly to the quiet house around her. She then laughed at herself and shook her head, walking towards the kitchen and grabbing her keys.
She ate dinner at the diner and got to talk to Madge much more in depth. Madge was a curious creature. She had lived in Forks all of her life, but had never made plans to leave, nor did she ever want to. She was perfectly content in the town bubble. Sydney was fascinated by her, listening to her stories of the town's residents from over the years. Who had left, who had stayed, who was now trying every drug they could get their hands on, who was drinking themselves into oblivion.
"And here's one of our finest, Charlie Swan." Madge said, cutting her own story short, Sydney turned to see a man in his 50's with short, dark hair and a moustache, his police badge standing out. Sydney waved in his direction and he nodded.
"Now, what lies are you spreading today Madge?" Charlie asked, pulling up a seat next to Sydney, "Charlie Swan, chief of police, you must be new around here." He offered his hand, which Sydney shook.
"I'm Sydney Delahunt, just moved here today actually. Was hoping to stay a while. Madge was just giving me the town gossip." Sydney said, laughing. Charlie rolled his eyes.
"Half the stuff she tells ya isn't true and the other half is stuff I don't even know yet, gotta watch out for her." He said, jokingly. "It's nice to meet you Sydney, what brings you to Forks, anyways?"
"Needed a new start, a change. Landed in Seattle and drove until I found a town that felt right. I know it sounds silly, but when you know, you know." Sydney said, picking at her salad.
Charlie just nodded and gestured to Madge, "The usual." He shrugged his jacket off and placed it on the seat next to him. "Well, if you ever need anything, let me know. You'll be the talk of the town, I'm sure, but they'll get used to you soon enough."
Sydney replied her thanks and after finishing her dinner and eliciting a promise from Madge to call her tomorrow, she left the diner. The night had cleared up after the brief rainstorm and the earth smelled fresh and new. It was cool and muddy, her feet sinking with each step she took in the dirt lot.
Thank god I got a 4-wheel drive, she thought to herself. As she walked to her car, enjoying the peaceful night, she saw a flash of silver in the corner of her eye again. Turning quicker this time, she tried to catch it, but it was gone.
"Okay, it's fine, you're just going crazy." She muttered to herself, getting into her car.
She drove home with her windows down, letting the cool air surround her and whip past her. She took deep breaths and felt the steel clamps on her heart let up slightly.
She slept soundly that night, not bothering to set alarms for the morning, assuming she wouldn't sleep for long. But when she awoke, the overcast day illuminating her room ever so slightly. She turned over and looked at her phone, 10:45 am.
She was surprised, she hadn't slept that long in years, but damn did it feel good. She stretched in her bed, rubbing her eyes and got up slowly. She took her time pulling clothes from her suitcase and made a mental list of the things she wanted to accomplish.
"Okay, I need a new mattress, I need to call the school to see if I can get an interview, I need paint, I need hinges for the screen, need to see if there's a ladder to clean out the gutters, need cleaning supplies…a lot of cleaning supplies…need to stop talking to myself out loud…" She muttered to herself as she ran her fingers through her hair. Her curly hair never seemed to want to sit where she styled it and she had resigned herself to leaving it to its own free will after years of struggling with it.
She made a call to the elementary school Madge had given her the information for, which was actually the Quileute Tribal School on the reservation nearby. They were in need of a 3rd grade teacher and were looking to hire someone immediately, their last teacher having to leave on maternity. Sydney told them about her degree in Special Education and they made plans to interview the next day.
She then made her way to Port Angeles, the closest big "city" according to her phone and made a day of wandering the aisles of the home improvement store. Picking out paint colors for the exterior and interior, finding new door handles and locks, and enough cleaning supplies to last her a lifetime. She bought a few lamps and a small coffee table.
She stopped at a furniture store and ordered a new mattress and couch to be delivered the next day, then finally made her way to Target to pick up the rest of her home goods and dry groceries. She picked out a rug and curtains to match her paint and a new bed spread that fit with her theme. She picked a new shower curtain and coordinating shower mat.
She hadn't loved shopping like this before this moment and she couldn't believe how wonderful it felt to just pick out menial items that would fill her house. But, to her, it was the freedom of choosing, it was being able to decide without repercussions what she wanted. She didn't have someone behind her, second guessing everything she chose.
She had picked a light cream for the living room, kitchen and bathroom, and a light grey for her bedroom, with all the natural light she figured she could add decorations to brighten it even further. For the exterior, she had picked a dark green, like the forest behind it. She would paint the trim and the shutters white to make it look new. She was genuinely excited.
Returning home, she listened to music as the road wound through the forest, her mind quiet.
She immediately set to work on cleaning as thoroughly as she could, letting the music from her phone fill the air. She started in the bedroom, scrubbing the walls and floors, then onto the bathroom which took more than her fair share of elbow grease. It was downright disgusting when she started but was starting to resemble an actual bathroom when she was done. She finished the kitchen and living room, and looked around with pride. No longer was it dank and dark, it was actually starting to resemble a home, her home. She put up the rest of her recent purchases and sat on the floor of the kitchen, eating a bowl of cereal and looking around with a quiet joy.
The next few days passed quickly for Sydney, the interview at the Quileute School went exceedingly well, she had interviewed with one of the Tribal Elders, and she was hired on the spot and was slated to start the following Monday. She was genuinely shocked at her luck, she had entirely expected to be living out of her car and jobless for weeks on end, but here she was, with two jobs, and a home. She would be working at the diners on the weekends and during the dinner shift on Thursday and Friday, which worked out well with her school schedule.
She had painted the inside of her house and had started the outside, but as it rained so often, she had to stop every few hours and wait for it to pass. She had cleaned and fixed the gutters as well as the screen door and her furniture had been moved in.
The weekend before she started teaching, she allowed herself to just sit in silence for hours. She wrote letters to old friends and she read books she had abandoned months prior. She could feel the weight being lifted from her chest with each passing minute.
Monday morning arrived and she made her way to the school, wanting to arrive early so she could get a lay of the land. The school itself was a simple, grey shingled building that sat on the water, overlooking the ocean. She walked up the steps and entered in, finding the office.
"Hi, I'm Sydney Delahunt, I'm the new teacher." She said to the receptionist who had just sat down. The receptionist smiled at her and put her purse under the desk.
The receptionist had a wide face, mostly cheekbones, with eyes too small to balance them out. Her nose and mouth were both too broad for traditional beauty. Her flat black hair was thin and wispy and fell to her waist. But what drew Sydney's attention was her eyelashes, they were so long that they almost reached her eyebrows, accentuating her deep brown eyes.
"Hi there! I'm Kim Cameron, I volunteer at the front desk a few days a week, I heard you were coming in. I think the paperwork is all completed, but I'll show you to your classroom and have the principal come meet you there." She said sweetly. She rounded the desk, and led Sydney down to a hallway with 5 doors on either side. "So, the elementary and middle grades are in this building and the one next door houses the high schoolers. I'm gonna be honest, our drop out rate is pretty high, so they tend to group the students together more over there. We really push the kids to stay in school, we at least want them to finish 8th grade, but it can be a tough battle. You'll be teaching 3rd grade which is a good age, I think you'll really like them. We have a great class." She opened the 3rd door on the left and gestured for Sydney to enter.
It was a simple classroom, bare white walls with minimal posters hung. The desks in rows of 5, all facing the front white board. Sydney scrunched her nose, "Is there any way I could decorate the classroom a bit more? I could use my own money if you needed me to. I just…I hate the bare classrooms, I find them to be more distracting than decorated ones."
"Oh! Of course. The last teacher, she wasn't that great. She, uh, left, suddenly and she took anything she could sell. So, when we came back, this is what was left. But, feel free to do what you need or want. I'm sure we can see if there's a stipend for furnishings. I'll look into and get back to you at lunch." Kim said, looking around. "Do you have any questions? I'm sure the principal can answer them too, but it's really nice to meet you!"
Sydney shook her head, smiling, "No, I think I got it, thanks so much for your help. I really appreciate it, and it was lovely meeting you as well." Kim waved and closed the door behind her. Sydney immediately set out on rearranging the classroom. She set up 5 groups of 4 desks each in clusters and looked through the pile of discarded art work to hang on the wall. She drew a picture of a forest scene on the white board, with her name Ms. Delahunt written into the trees.
"I see you've made yourself at home." A deep voice said from behind her as she was finishing hanging a finger painting. Sydney looked over her shoulder while she was on her tip toes and found herself looking at one of the most beautiful men she had ever seen. He was tall, 6'5" at least, with short black hair that shined even in the fluorescent lighting. His caramel colored skin was taut over defined muscles and his face was defined and hardened but his eyes danced, showcasing a child-like quality.
Sydney laughed, "Yeah, this place was a little sad, so I figured I'd do something for the time being. I'm Sydney, by the way." She said and held out her hand to the man.
"Nice to meet you Sydney, I'm Seth, or Mr. Clearwater to my kids. I teach 2nd grade next door. We'll be seeing a lot of each other, I'm afraid." He joked. "Do you think you have everything you need? I don't have much to spare but if you needed anything, I can lend you paper or pens or whatever."
Sydney looked around, "I think I'm good for today, the sub that's been covering is going to be here so they'll fill me in on what's what and where the students are at. I can see what I need for supplies and then make a run at the end of the day." Seth nodded and sat in one of the too small chairs, and it was a funny sight to see, his giant body crowded down into that tiny chair and Sydney couldn't help but to laugh.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. There's just no regular sized chairs anywhere in this damn place, so get used to seeing all of this" he gestured down his body, laughing as well, "trying to fit into these."
A bell rang, then, and Seth stood up, "Well, let me know if you need anything, and let me know whether or not the students eat you alive. You should have at least one friend though; my buddy Jake's daughter is in this class and she's a sweetheart. Good luck Sydney!" He smiled to her and ducked out of the doorway.
She smiled and turned back towards the classroom, "Here we go." She said under her breath.
