An Interesting Encounter
Jason Grace stared in the mirror, his blue eyes flicking over his appearance as he slowly finished tying his black tie. Clothes and shoes were strewn everywhere inside his box-sized apartment. He'd have to tidy it up before his girlfriend saw it. And try to make it look bigger Jason thought wryly. Piper would have a fit if she saw the size of it. She'd probably try to buy him something bigger, in a wealthier neighbourhood. But Jason like his apartment, as small as it was. The exposed beams across the ceilings, the victorian style windows and even the vintage style bathroom all gave the apartment a sense of, character. Plus he didn't want Piper looking taking care of his responsibilities He exhaled loudly, and ran a hand through his tousled blonde hair. Suddenly his phone buzzed in his back pocket. Jason pulled it out and answered it.
"Today's the big day!" Piper's voice squealed through the phone. The twenty four year old smiled widely at the sound of his girlfriend's voice.
"Don't remind me," Jason groaned, " I hate first days"
Jason never really understood why he became a teacher. His own high school experience had been less than perfect and he loathed the idea of ever setting foot in one again. And yet here he was on a crisp autumn day about to start his first day teaching at the high school, Jason himself attended, Jupiter High.
"Don't worry Jase, you're going to be amazing." Piper soothed "Just try to relax and you'll be fine."
"I hope so Pipes, I really hope so.' Jason replied. Jason and Piper had been dating since he was 17 and their relationship was still going strong. They didn't live together, as Piper was still studying in New York while Jason had been unemployed for the last 6 months, until finally being hired to teach History at Jupiter High.
"You better get going, its almost 8:00 there right? Piper asked
"Crap you're right!" Jason exclaimed He heard Piper's musical laugh through the phone as he fumbled around to grab his brief case.
" Well good luck Sparky! I love you" Piper sang. Jason smirked at the familiar nickname
"I love you too Pipes" Jason responded before hanging up the phone. Jason took a deep a breath picked up his briefcase and stepped out of his apartment.
Jason cruised down the main street on his way to school in his old blue Toyota, he sentimentally nick named Sparky due to the cars habit of shocking him as he tried to open the door after driving. At first it was annoying, but after a while he got used to it and even found it a little endearing. As he drove down the road he was amazed at how little his neck of the woods had changed. The same small shop windows greeted him as he drove past along with the cracked side walks and ornate street lights. The déjà vu was almost headache worthy. Finally, Jason pulled up at the gates of Jupiter High. The proud golden eagle emblem shone brightly under the glare of the sun. Despite being September, the sun was out and was shining brightly. Jason got out of his car and walked towards the main office, quietly reminiscing as he walked through his old school. Jason reached the office and turned left down the hall towards the principal's office. Jason knocked on the heavy wooden door and waited.
He then heard Principal Lupa's voice growl "Enter" Jason pushed on the brass door handle and entered Lupa's office. It hadn't changed a bit. The throne like office chair, the spacious wooden desk even the laurel wreaths engraved above the chair was exactly the same. Jason was struck by a sense of deejay vu as he remembered entering Lupa's office previously, with entirely different intentions.
"Well don't just stand there!" Lupa's harsh voice cut through Jason's thoughts.
"Sit" Lupa ordered. Jason almost smiled, Lupa hadn't changed a bit. While Jason stood at 6,1 and Lupa only at 5,7, Jason still had a very healthy respect for her, Jason dropped into the plush purple chair before settling himself and forcing himself to meet Lupa's grey, wolf –like stare.
"So it's great to be back," Jason began awkwardly "Indeed it has been a while" Lupa remarked the tension in the air was thick as Jason stared at the gracefully aged woman in front of him. Lupa then moved suddenly and Jason almost flinched, but managed to control it. "Here is your schedule and all other information you'll need" Lupa stated pushing a thick file towards him.
"Thank you" Jason nodded. Lupa then stood and smoothed her dark red pantsuit and checked her graying bun. Lupa gracefully held out her hand and Jason stood and shook it. "Welcome back Jason" Lupa said formally.
"It's a pleasure" Jason replied staring at the wolf head ring snarling up at him on Lupa's index finger.
"Well, I'm sure you'll want some time to prepare before your first class so, off you go" Lupa dismissed. Jason nodded and turned and left her office.
Jason headed to his classroom B-23 quickly unlocked the door and stepped inside, examining the room. It was very bare, but seemed functional. He'd have to do some decorating, he couldn't stand being in a room so impersonal. Jason didn't recognise the classroom. When he took History it was on the other side of campus taken by Professor Lupa herself. To take History at Jupiter High you not only needed to be able survive the tremendous work load, but also spending four days a week with the scariest woman you'll ever meet. He walked over to the desk at the front of the room and sat down. He pulled out the file Lupa had given him and found his teaching schedule. It was colour co-ordinated and everything, on par with Jupiter High's reputation of strict organisation.
" Grade 11 History, first period" Jason read out loud "Juniors… Great".
Jason pulled out his notes for the day and checked the time. 8:25. He had ten minutes. Jason set up the projector and pulled up his lesson plan on his laptop. Before he knew it the first bell had rung. Jason sat down at his desk and waited for his class to arrive. Twenty five or so kids soon wandered in, looking as Jason did on the first day of school, every year: tired, bored and already wanting it to be over. He got up closed the door and turned to face his class.
However before he could even introduce himself, the classroom door burst open, and another student entered the room. She had a slight frame and stood around 5,6, but held herself with such presence that she looked taller. Her long black hair was braided casually over one shoulder and she held a green folder under her arm. She was dressed casually, in a pair of faded blue jeans and a soft red knitted jumper. Jason expected her to say something, but instead she walked past Jason if he wasn't even there.
"Um, excuse me?" Jason called. The girl stopped and turned on her heel, her dark eyes flicking up to meet Jason's. Jason tried to hold her eyes, but found her sharp gaze too intimidating to keep. It almost reminded him of Lupa's. His eyes flicked across her mocha skin before finally landing on her forehead, so it would at least look like he was looking her in the eyes.
"Yes?" the girl inquired. For someone with such an intimidating presence, she was soft spoken. Jason swallowed and met her eyes once more.
"You um you-you're late". Jason stuttered hating how this girl unnerved him. The girl slipped her phone out of he pocket and checked the time. "It seems you're correct" she remarked, her other hand reaching up to play with the end of her braid.
Come on man, get it together Jason thought to himself " Well since it's the first day, I'll let it slide, but next time…" Jason let his voice trail off and tried to smile confidently. The girl raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.
"How… understanding of you." she quipped back before walking towards the back of the class and taking a seat next to a boy with unruly blonde curls and sharp grey eyes, made to look larger and almost owl-like behind glasses.
Jason noted the as the girl sat down the boy reached across and with a cheeky wink, patted her thigh. The girl looked up and smiled at him. It was like he was, congratulating her for sassing him. This made Jason a little mad. He picked up the roll off his desk and began to call out the names, watching out of the corner of his eye for the name the mysterious dark haired girl responded to.
"Malcolm Chase?" Jason called
"Yes Sir" the boy next to her called. Jason got further and further down the list and the mysterious girl didn't respond to any name.
"Reyna…?" Jason trailed off confused as there was no last name on the roll, just Reyna. The girl smiled and leaned forward slightly.
" Yes sir" Reyna replied. Reyna… Jason thought. It suited her.
" Well" Jason began " My name is Mr. Grace and I will be your history teacher for this year. Now I know normally on the first day, we're supposed to get to know each other and what not, but I'm a great believer of not wasting time as I believe trying to "getting to know each other stuff is so we are going to start our first topic today."
There was a slight groan throughout the class, as expected. Nobody really wanted to do work on the first day.
"Don't worry guys" Jason soothed "No writing, I just want to hear your thoughts." Reyna looked up from her bag, her book half out of it before dropping the book back inside and crossing her legs looking up at him expectantly.
"Our first topic for the year is Ancient Civilizations" Jason continued, rubbing his hands together "and for this period I want to hear you thoughts on which ancient civilization was better, Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome".
Jason looked up at the class waiting for someone's input. Finally a girl with wavy brown hair, freckles and deep-set green eyes, put her hand up.
" Nyssa?' Jason asked
"Well I think Ancient Greece was better, because Archimedes was Greek, and he was an absolute genius." Nyssa finished before leaning back on her chair, unconsciously showing off arms that were extremely well developed for a girl. "
That's great Nyssa" Jason praised "Anyone else?"
"Archimedes was Greek!"
"Socrates was a Greek philosopher!"
"The Greek gods!"
"I disagree." Her voice cut through the answers of other students. Jason turned, leaning back on the table behind him, meeting her dark gaze. Reyna's chin was prompted up one her hand as the praise of Ancient Greek died down. "It's obvious, Rome is the superior civilization especially compared to Greece."
Cries of outrage came from many corners of the room. Jason waited for the girl to back down on her position but Reyna didn't. She just waited for the shouts to die down. "Would you care to elaborate, Reyna?" Jason asked. The dark haired woman turned a bit towards Malcolm, trading little glances with the blond.
"If I must," Reyna started, sweeping a stray piece of hair out of her face. "What have we learned from the Greeks? Art? Philosophy? Math theorems? What an amazing contribution." Sarcasm slipped into her voice as a few students, possible friends of her, chuckled. "But the Romans, now they're something else. A superior military power, conquering many multiple empires including the Greeks, united them under one rule. They didn't stamp out those traditions but ingrained them into theirs. The Romans created a republic system which our current government is loosely modeled under. They spoke Latin, which is the root of many out of modern days languages. If we measure 'better' by how much an ancient civilization contributed to our current lives, Rome is clearly the 'better' one."
A silence fell over the room as the students processed her words. Jason opened and closed his mouth, not sure how to follow up on her little speech. Lucky for him, the bell rang signalling the end of period. "Thank you everyone, I would like you to read chapter one of the textbook. Dismissed." Students scrambled as they gathered their things. Jason's eyes unconsciously followed Reyna's movements as she grabbed her backpack. Malcolm nudged her shoulder, whispering something to her coaxing a chuckle from the stoic girl. Like she sensed him, Reyna looked up, meeting Jason's gaze. She nodded goodbye to him before turning around.
"Aren't you something else." Jason murmured, running his fingers through his blond locks. This was going to be one hell of a year.
