It only took 5 years but she's back!
I'll keep this short and sweet. I'll totally try and go over my TVD stuff, I might continue it or rewrite it, but it won't be abandoned.
Please don't be too harsh with this. It's still in its infancy. Oh, and this is a short chapter but I will be updating weekly and they will all be longer than this one.
Enjoy!
The smell was the first thing that hit her as she walked down the hallway, taking in everything from the lockers to the tiled mosaic bulldog on the floor.
It seemed normal. Cold and empty, which she had to admit felt a little bit eerie, but normal.
It was a school after all. It looked like a school, it smelled clean like a school; of floor polish and chalk. And just like a school, it became chaotic with teens at the mere sound of a bell.
The shrill noise almost made her jump with fright, but she soon became too distracted by the numbers of people swarming out of classrooms and into others, with some stopping to drop things off in their lockers before continuing on their journey.
She was still new to this teaching business, and in a way she still had yet to shake off the feeling of being a student. She had half expected Principal Weatherbee to ask her to stand up in front of people and share a fact about herself when he had introduced her to the other faculty members in the teacher's canteen.
The first few hours had been spent handing in social security numbers and passports, going over paperwork and proving that she really was who she said she was. It had then progressed into a lecture by the principal about what could and could not be taught or discussed in the classroom with pupils.
Jeez, she thought to herself, you'd swear I was looking to date one of the students.
She wasn't about to screw this up though. After leaving college and finishing her teacher training, it had been difficult to find a teaching job. She had been forced to move to New York City after a teaching agency had asked her to cover for a substitute, but she had needed permanent work, plus New York was an impossible city to live in, if you wanted to eat anyway.
She couldn't believe her luck when she was asked to remain in New York state and just move to Rockland County. She really didn't want to have to move again. She had just gotten used to figuring out New York tax forms. At least this way she was still in New York but not in the city itself. She had to thank whoever it was that had decided to pump money into the school in order to start new classes and extra-curriculars, which had led to the teaching vacancy. Even better, was the fact that she got to use her original degree that she had loved, and not just regurgitating useless facts from books like most teachers were forced to do.
She found the room easy enough. Students were already in their seats talking amongst themselves,a few were texting or mindlessly doodling in their books. Not for the first time today, she wondered why the school were starting her class midyear and not in September like a normal school. It was probably to help students to gain extra points towards their GPA. Whatever the reason, she was just thankful to be in a job.
"Alright pipe down, I'm here now." she stated, trying her best at sounding authoritative. Some students could eat you alive, she knew that already, and she felt that if she were to look scary in the beginning, it would mean they wouldn't try to test her on her first day, well that's what she had been telling herself at least. She quickly made her way to her desk and let her bag fall to the floor by her chair before turning to the board.
"I'm Ms. Carter" she started, as she wrote her name on the chalkboard, "and I see that a number of you have chosen to take my sociology class."
She turned back to the class, "Don't be fooled into thinking that it will be easy. If you are someone that hates to read or doesn't care about keeping up to date with the news, you're most likely going to struggle. This isn't a soft subject, as much as people like to say that it is. Any questions?"
"Yeah I have one", a kid with too many muscles for his age asked, "What are you doing after class, babe? Unless the real teacher plans on keeping you back for detention".
"Reg!" a girl with dark hair hissed at the guy, who appeared to be eyeing up his new teacher.
"Pack up your stuff and head to the principal's office", was the only response he got. Ms. Carter had told herself that she would be taking no prisoners today, and she intended on sticking to it. Reg looked at his new teacher as if she were joking, but slowly began to pick up his bag when he noticed her unwavering serious stare. He sighed in annoyance before heading out of the room, all of the other students staring after him as he left.
"Any other serious questions?" the teacher tried again. She wasn't about to let some jerk like that ruin someone's chance at asking a question.
"Yeah, um…", a blonde girl started, "Since it's so late into the school year will we be having normal exams at the end, or a paper? Like how will this work?".
"Good question…" the new teacher kept her arms folded as she leaned against her desk and slightly leaned back to look at the seating arrangement which another member of staff had left on her desk for her to learn her students names, "Ms. Cooper, right?"
The girl nodded with a small smile, "Yeah, I'll just be asking you to write a paper for me. We will figure out material in today's class that we will cover for the rest of the year, and then I'll want you all to hand in a paper at the end of the year on any topic you like, but using theories that I will have taught you in class. It can be a broad topic since this will be a broad class, anything of your choosing really, if you can tie it into a class that we will have had. I'll explain it more clearly as we go on, no need to worry now".
The girl merely nodded. She seemed a little shy, but it was clear that she was going to be someone who would put the work in.
"So do any of you actually know what sociology is? How many of you took this because you thought it would be a walk in the park?"
Most of the class looked at each other, clueless as to how to answer the question and wondering who among them actually knew what to say to appease the teacher.
"It's the study of human society and interaction" the boy sitting next to Ms Cooper answered, seemingly a little bored, if not irritated, with his classmates cluelessness.
"Thank you, I believe you may have just restored my faith in humanity" the new teacher couldn't help but comment sarcastically, making the kid smirk a little, the girl next to him giving him a full blown toothy smile. These two were going to be top of the class, the teacher knew it. And that was all she needed to feel a bit easier in this new school.
000
The new receptionist didn't like her. It was clearly evident in the way she looked at the latest staff member of Riverdale High.
It wasn't like she hadn't made an effort with Ms. Bell the receptionist. She had smiled and tried to make conversation. She had worn one of her best blazers and tried to look presentable today. But no matter what, she knew that this woman was going to judge her, she just hoped that it wasn't because half of her hair was dyed white.
"You know there was no reason to send that young man to the office today".
Finally, here it is, the reason she hates me, the younger woman thought with an eye roll.
"What do you mean?"
"Boys will be boys dear. And can you blame him? You seem a bit young, I mean. You look like one of those teenagers from the city", came the reply.
The other woman had to hold back a scoff, "I'm 26. I'm not a child. He shouldn't be talking to women like that, full stop. My class will hit upon sensitive issues and I will not have him getting in the habit of speaking to people like that. Either he will respect his classmates, or he won't be in the same class as them".
"We'll see about that dear. He's a very good football player, and his parents are very influential people. I'm sure they wouldn't be too happy to hear that he is being denied a class he had signed up for".
"We'll see".
000
Day one had certainly been eventful.
She had had some great students, and some bad eggs. She had successfully managed to not make a fool of herself, yet also be judged by the receptionist. She had figured out exactly what the students would like to learn about this year, and was therefore able to start constructing a solid lesson plan for the rest of the year. And she had also managed to get over her fear of being called into Weatherbee's office to be scolded for kicking that kid out of her class. She didn't know if it would really happen or not. But she had decided not to dwell on it, and chose to give him another chance if he showed up again for tomorrow's class. Everyone deserves a second chance in her book, and that was one belief that wasn't going to change.
000
"So how did you kids get on today? Jug said something about a new class", FP Jones, newest staff member of Pop's, asked as he set down a plate of fries and four milkshakes on the table in front of his son and his three friends. The tediousness of the job was beginning to set in the closer he got to the end of his shift. He wouldn't say it out loud but he enjoyed seeing his son walk in and having the ability to have a conversation with him, despite the fact that there was still a part of his brain that felt guilty and embarrassed that his son had to bring his friends to the diner just to see his father mopping up spilled milkshakes and wearing the stupid hat that came as part of the uniform.
"Good yeah. It seems like it will be interesting", Betty responded with a smile, her arms crossed as she leaned against the table. She was sitting by the window, with Veronica across from her, and the two boys sitting on the outside part of their booth by the door.
"Yeah. I think we're gonna like it. Did you see how she just handled Reggie like that? She didn't even flinch!" Veronica chimed in, looking around at everyone. Out of the four of them, Veronica had been the most impressed by the new Ms. Carter. She knew that deep down Reggie could be a good guy. She had seen it when he had defended Archie and tried to help him with the Red Circle. But she had to admit that he could be a total sleaze, and totally needed to get over himself. A new strong badass was exactly what Riverdale High needed, in her opinion anyway.
"There's a new teacher in the school to teach a new class and she sent Reggie to the office for trying to hit on her", Archie said in response to the look of confusion which had crossed the face of his best friend's dad.
"New teacher, huh? Well she will need a tough skin if she's gonna survive around here. What did you think Jug?"
"It was good. Still too early to tell but it sounds like a cool class."
"I think you're gonna do great", Betty smiled at her boyfriend, before turning to his dad, "Apparently the class is going to have debates and political stuff. It's totally something that was made just for Jug".
His father merely chuckled, before turning to walk away and get back to work, "As long as you get a good report card boy".
There you go!
Please review, it would really mean a lot.
Until next week!