"Thanks for getting me out of Lima, Britt," I said as I unpacked a box.
"No problem," Brittany replied with enthusiasm, "I really didn't want to live her by myself. It's too lonely here."
I used to be stuck in the old Lima, Ohio after I graduated college until Brittany saved me. She's a teacher's aid at John Keynes Elementary for first grade. Brittany lived in San Francisco, California. The original first grade teacher was supposed to retire this year but she lost track of time and worked at school for a week. Then, Brittany suggests of hiring me because she knows this is my dream job since we were at McKinley.
Tomorrow, I get to go to the school and visit my future class and work with them a little before I confirm on actually TAKING the job. I suppose little kids aren't that bad to be honest.
So we unpacked almost everything in my room. It was so exhausting. Why can't today be friday now?, I thought to myself laying on my bed with my arms out like wings, this is so boring now.
During dinner, Brittany made mac and cheese. I really couldn't eat my food because I was so anxious, I kept asking Brittany many questions about the school and the students. She got so annoying, she had to yell at me like I'm her daughter. In return, I teasingly gave her a pouty face and she was going to throw her napkin at me.
When I was going to bed, I couldn't sleep either because of the same reasons. Plus it felt pretty weird sleeping in the great San Francisco. But, I eventually got used to it…. at 1:45 am.
Today's the day, Tee, I thought as I got out of bed and turned off my alarm. I kept thinking of negative and positive possibilities. Like how the kids won't like me or if I get hurt by one of them or if a parent complains for no purpose. I went to take my shower then I picked out my lucky outfit for this occasion. My black t-shirt that says: Dream On. The font was a in chinese symbols. I know, it's weird because I'm Korean. Then a maroon windbreaker from Zumiez and plain jeans. On the jeans, I rolled but the bottoms which I always do when I wear my black converse. I had also chose to curl my hair and put eyeliner and mascara on. You're going to do great, were the words in my head on my way to the school with Brittany.
I walked in with a deep breath and Brittany took my to the office. There, I met Sue Sylvester. By looking at her, I can see how mean and cruel she is on the outside but deep, DEEP down, she has a heart.
"Hi, Miss Sylvester," I said nicely and shyly with my high pitched voice.
"Hello. And you must be Tina Cohen-Chang," she greeted me as she took off her glasses with her hand reached out to shake.
"Uh, yes. And I think you know why I'm here?"
"Yeah, you want to be the teacher of the first grade rascals. Hope you don't die in there."
I sort of giggled a bit but then I realized that she was serious. I cleared my throat and replied, "I am willing to take the chance. Even if that means my life will be horrible for a few months."
"Ok. Your decision. You're dismissed to the classroom," then she put her glasses back on and started going back to her computer.
"Let's do this!" I whispered to myself with confidence.
I walked to the classroom of the first graders. As I walked in, I saw little children sitting on the rainbow checkered carpet in the front. The door opened and they all looked in our direction.
"This here is the lady I've told you about all week. Everyone, say hello to Tina or if you want to called her, Miss Cohen-Chang or Chang. Whatever you'd like to called her."
I heard the class say hi with different names calling out like Tina or Miss Chang or Miss Cohen-Chang with little giggles. Also a few girls came up to me and gave me a hug. But I had my eye on this little Asian girl sitting on the carpet looking at me in a shy way. She kept looking down at her hands, around the classroom, and at me. I tried my best all morning trying to talk to her but all the other little kids wanted to talk to me. Then, there was this boy with black leather clothing with a mohawk. He came up to me looking like he was the bomb or something.
"Hey you. You look pwetty hot. Wanna get wid dis?" I heard him say.
My eyes widened and I bent down to his height, "And what if your name?"
"Puckerman, Jack Puckerman."
"Well Jack, that isn't appropriate to say to an adu-" then he cut me off with his bratty voice.
"Hold it. I pretty sure I your favorite righ now so get with dis," he stuck his tongue out and I carried him to the front of the classroom with a chair in my other hand.
"Ok, everybody listen up!" I sort of yelled trying to get their attention between all the talking and screaming, "does anyone know why Jack is in this chair up here?"
A girl with blue eyes raised her hand and I pointed at her, "Becau he a jerk."
I was in shock, "No, it's because he's been a bad boy. So if I catch any of you being like him, you will sit here all day."
Brittany brought me an empty desk and set in front of Jack. All the kids were back to playing but the same little girl caught my eye again. I walked towards her then the bell rang. They went to their cubbies and took their snacks or lunch bags or a playground equipment outside. I shrugged in an annoyed way and looked up to the ceiling, uuggghhh.
Recess was over and me and Brittany planned something for stations. We had arts and crafts, ABCs, board games, and music stations. I sorted everyone out evenly. Brittany stayed in the board games station while I just walked around watching what everyone is doing and I say her again. She was in the arts and crafts station drawing a lot of trees and flowers. Comparing her drawing to the other five kids, her drawing was amazing. I also saw Jack drawing with girls and trying to make out with them. It was a disturbing sight for me. I went up to Jack and moved him to a different station which was the ABCs station for his bad handwriting but I placed him between boys. I stayed with him once and a while to check on what he was doing.
On Fridays, I guess they get out at 12:30. Once school was out, there were three kids left. Neil Lopez, Jack Puckerman, and the Asian girl. Surprisingly, she was the only Asian in this class.
I saw a man walk in with the exact same style as Jack and I tilted my head at him with a confused expression on my face.
"Aye, Jack. Let's go," the guy said and he looked at me. I stood up to greet him like what I did with almost all the parents.
"Hi, I'm Miss Cohen-Chang. I'm the new teacher for this class," I stuck my hand out and he shook it.
"Noah Puckerman. But you can call me Puck," then he winked at me. I let go immediately and nodded my head like it was good information but it really wasn't. There must be something wrong with this 'Puck' guy.
I sat back down then fifteen minutes later, a Latina lady with long black hair and a skanky dress stood at the door with her arms crossed, "Hi, I'm here for Neil."
I looked at Neil and he was cleaning his stuff up. I did the same as what I did with Noah, "Hello, Ms. Lopez. I'm Miss Cohen-Chang. You can call me Tina. I'm the new teacher for first grade."
"Nice to meet you, I'm Santana Lopez," she shook my hand and I say her eyes move to Brittany. No way.
I said bye to Neil, giving him a hug. Then, at the corner of my eye, I say Santana and Brittany making signals but communicating in a way.
Last, there she was, sitting in the middle table and drawing. I sat next to her and started a conversation, "Hi, what's your name?"
"M-M-Mei-Lee Ch-Ch-Chang," she answered but not looking at me.
"Well, Mei-Lee, what do you like to do?"
"I l-l-like to play the p-piano and dr-dr-dr-draw," her English was so clear that I understood her on so many levels except for the stuttering. She reminded me of how I was in high school.
"I love to play the piano," she looked at me with a surprised happy face.
"Wh-Wh-What is your favorite s-subject?" I think she was trying to see if we had almost everything in common.
I smiled at her, "Math. It's hard and confusing but it's fun and it gets easier."
"I like m-math as well. My d-d-d-daddy always does math problems w-w-with me in a work book he b-b-b-b-bought me," So her dad is that kind of Asian. I knew by that, her dad was a genius. Straight As with no distractions, "But m-m-m-m-my daddy likes to dance a-a lot. We dance when it's all q-q-quiet and b-boring."
Her dad seems pretty intense, "Wow, that's interesting. Maybe you and me can dance and draw on Monday while we wait for your dad."
"Mei-Lee, are you ready?" we turned to the door and I saw a tall Asian man by the door on his phone with his sunglasses on. Yep, pretty intense.
"Y-Y-Yes daddy. L-L-Let me get my bag," we both stood up and I went over to greet him.
"Hello," I stuck my hand out but no eye contact nor movement but his right thumb. I moved my hand closer to him as if saying that I'm not taking no for an answer.
He took his sunglasses off once he noticed my hand and he shook it. Still, no eye contact. I cleared my voice so he can look up. But once he did, things started popping in my mind and I fe;t my jaw dropped all the way down to hell.