"Los Lomas High School needs new math teachers and my pay would be better I'm sorry sir, but I quit." I said as respectfully as I could to the principle of Olympic High School Mr. Johnston.
"I hope you already have a job, because you're not coming back here."
I walked into my new classroom on the first day of school, looked at the blank walls and sighed. "I can see you like things plain." A young woman, obviously a student, commented from behind me.
"Actually I was just thinking of how I should've spent more time here this summer. I'm Mr. Helmsley."
"I know, you're my first period teacher."
"Oh," I shook my head, feeling stupid. "What's your name?"
"Stephanie, Stephanie McMahon, but basically everybody calls me Steph." She said while she sashayed to the desk she wanted, front row center. One of her binders fell on the ground and I could not stop staring while she bent over to pick it up. My jeans tightened a little around the zipper and I crossed my legs to cover it.
"So uhh, are you good at math?"
"No, I just don't get numbers. Will you be offering tutoring sessions like the old math teacher?"
"If somebody asks for one."
"Let's go ahead and set one up, I'll need one the day of the first assignment. By the way, I have you twice, first and fifth period, is it a schedule screw-up?" I smiled, I got to see this beautiful woman twice a day! I chuckled while looking at my calendar, when I looked up she was blushing.
"Wednesday I give out the first assignment, I'll be here after school if you need help. Just come on in."
"That works, I TA sixth period, for Ms. Rasmussen just down the hall." The bell rang and Stephanie took her seat, I turned my back to her and wrote my name on the board. The tardy bell rang and it was still just Steph and I. "Is this a bad school or something?"
"No, I don't know why no one's here yet."
"Let me check my schedule and see what in the hell is going on. " I pulled the paper off my desk and read it aloud. "First period Geometry TS. What does TS mean?"
"I have no idea. Maybe we could use this time to get to know each other a little better." Stephanie shrugged and I sat down in the desk next to her. "Are you married?"
"No, my wife and I got a divorce last year."
"Oh, my boyfriend and I broke up last week."
"His loss," I said, my eyes covering her, taking in her body like it was the last time I would see it. "Why, I mean if you don't mind my asking."
"I broke up with him. He was constantly trying to get farther with me than I would allow." I choked quietly, but looked into her eyes.
"Are you ok? You look like you're gonna cry."
"I don't want to see him." She whispered, her head hitting her hands. I shut the classroom door and pulled her into a standing position. "I have the rest of my classes with him." I wrapped her in a hug, squeezing her lightly around her shoulders. "Let go of me!" She yelled and started to run for the door. I stopped her in from of it and she beat my chest hard with her fists, the tears started to cascade down her face.
"What happened? Did I hurt you?" I asked cautiously.
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Did your ex hit you?"
"Stephanie, he did, didn't he?" I leaned on the door and touched her shoulder again. "Take off your jacket."
"Why?"
"Please, Stephanie you've made me suspicious, and I'm a mandated reporter, I have to take it to authorities now, whether I know the whole story or not." She pulled her jacket off slowly, the shirt beneath it was tight fitting, I gawked a little, her breasts were nearly right in my face. I signaled for her to turn around and she did. I pulled the back down , exposing a large purple bruise. "Does it hurt?"
"Yeah, a lot." My finger traced around the edges lightly, but she winced and pulled away. "Mr. Helmsley, that hurts."
"How did this happen?"
"I've told you, I don't want to talk about it!"
"Fine, we're going to the counselors office." I grabbed my keys off my desk and locked the door behind us. "You're not going to run are you?"
"No, I guess not." She sniffled. "Mr. Helmsley, I don't want him to get in trouble." We were coming to the end of the math hall when she stopped and leaned against the wall.
"What's wrong?"
"I left my jacket in the classroom. It's cold out there." I slipped out of mine and wrapped it around her shoulders. "Thanks." Her hand folded over her stomach and I felt a pang of worry stab my chest. My hand rubbed over the top of her shoulder where I knew she wasn't bruised.
"Does your stomach hurt?"
"A little, I, umm, never mind." I stumbled a little getting more worried. "I just don't know you very well and I don't feel comfortable talking about this to much of anyone." My stomach wrenched and I felt my legs wobble.
I had dealt with pregnant students before, but I had never had feelings for a pregnant student before. "Stephanie, was he able to get what he wanted?" I rolled my hands.
"What?"
"You said he was trying to get more than you would allow, was he able to get it?"
"Mr. Helmsley, I, no, not quite." She shook her head. "I managed to get out of it." We were standing outside of the counselor's office, waiting for the strength to go in. "I really don't want to do this."
"You don't have to, I do, and it would just help if you were there." I pushed open the door and stepped aside to let her in.
"I'll start crying again." I looked up and the office hallway and reached for her hand.
"Go ahead, crying makes you stronger." She gripped back and looked over her shoulder. "For a second, in the math hall, I thought you were pregnant. But now I know the truth, or at least I know that isn't the case." Mrs. Rada, the guidance counselor, stepped in and Stephanie dropped my hand. "Mrs. Rada, I have a student here who's having some difficulty. Can we speak to you?" Mrs. Rada shook her head 'yes' and held the door open for us.
"¿Qué problema?"
"Mi novio pego." I looked at them dumbly.
"¿Por qué?"
"Porque yo no tengé sexo con el, estava muy furioso."
"I don't speak Spanish!" I said loudly.
"I was hoping so Mr. Helmsley." Stephanie whispered. "This is embarrassing."
"Que? Tu embarasada?"
"No! Estoy avergonzade." She shook her head and clicked her tongue. "Never mind, we can speak English, as to not upset Mr. Helmsley."
"Ok, what all did he do to you?"
"Mr. Helmsley, will you help me with my shirt?" Mrs. Rada's eyes widened at the sight of the bruise.