BEGINNINGS

I always knew that Maggie Rhee was not to be trusted. Don't let the "gee golly" farmer's daughter persona fool you. She knew how to get what she wanted from people.

It also didn't help that she was six months pregnant. With a baby bump, she couldn't be stopped. She could take over the world if that's something that she wanted.

"Are you going to mingle at all, Michonne?" Maggie asked as she took a seat beside me on Principal Monroe's loveseat. "Or are you going to pout all night long?"

"I told you that I didn't want to come to this Christmas party," I hissed back.

"No. As of yesterday, you said that you were waffling, which is not the same as a no."

"Could you please get away from me while I brainstorm how I'm going to get you back?"

"Are you really considering hurting a pregnant lady?" Maggie questioned in faux-horror as she rubbed the bottom of her belly.

Yep, Maggie Rhee could not be stopped.

"Tell you what," I began with a Cheshire grin while placing my hands along the top of her bump, "I won't do any harm to you until after you've had the baby."

"Come on!" Maggie laughed while swatting my shoulder. "This is the least you could do for me. I got you this job, by the way."

Ugh, Maggie was right. Just nine months earlier, I was praying to whatever deity that would hear me that I would get a teaching position somewhere else. Principal Negan had made my former school a hellhole, and after a grade level meeting where the main point of conversation was plotting his murder, I knew it was time to go. Maggie let me in on a soon-to-open 7th grade social studies position at her school. She had talked me up to Principal Monroe, and with the charm and knowledge I displayed during the interview, she had no other option but to add me to her staff.

With almost four months in the books, this school year had already been a breath of fresh air. The kids were overall better behaved, the administration was responsive, and I got to work on a team with the manipulative pregnant lady who also happened to be my best friend.

There was something else about this school year that I greatly appreciated. This something walked on bowlegs, wore a graying beard, possessed blue eyes and chocolate curls, and spoke with the sexiest southern drawl. This something was named Rick Grimes.

While I greatly appreciated Mr. Grimes, he had also been a source of torture since the second day of school. The original math teacher on our team, Ms. Jadis, left at the end of that day. She told us it was due to getting a job closer to home, but based on what the kids were already saying about how badly her classroom smelled and their inability to understand what she was saying, it was probably more likely that she wasn't going to make it the full year and got out while the getting was good.

About an hour after Ms. Jadis exited the building, Principal Monroe introduced Mr. Grimes to our team as the new math teacher. He gave me a firm handshake (leading me to immediately wonder about the firmness of some of his other body parts) and said with a slight smile, "Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Anthony."

It was lust at first sight on my end, and if Maggie told the story, the feeling was mutual. She swore he gave me the "elevator look" during our handshake. He may have, but I didn't want to get ahead of myself.

Sure, he always sat next to me during grade level and staff meetings, and we engaged in banter during homeroom every morning. We even got to the point where Mr. Grimes would ask me about my weekend plans every Friday during the extended recess time. However, I had convinced myself that we would be nothing more than coworkers, primarily because he already appeared to have been snatched up by Ms. Anderson, the art teacher.

The only evidence I had to go on was the rumors amongst some of the young ladies that Anderson and Grimes were caught kissing in his classroom after school one day. Once the rumors got going, I did notice that as Grimes escorted his kids to her class, that she would make a point to stand outside her door and greet him while welcoming the students, which she hadn't done until that point. There was also the early release day staff meeting just two days before this Christmas party when shortly after Grimes took his seat beside me, Anderson sat next to him. Every funny comment he made was accompanied by her placing her hand on his forearm and an over-exaggerated laugh.

It was then that I decided in my head that I would not attend the Christmas party. Unfortunately, I had forgotten to communicate that to Maggie.

"Nice of you to make it, Grimes," I heard Principal Monroe say as she and the man I lusted after from afar shared a brief hug.

"Well, looks like our whole team is here," Maggie acknowledged nudging my ribs.

"Looks like it," I sighed, seeing no reason to share in my friend's enthusiasm.

Just as the words left my mouth, Grimes noticed us and began to make his way over. He was wearing his ugly Christmas sweater as mandated by the principal. It was dark green with a reindeer in the center. The sweater would literally light up every few seconds. Along with the sweater, he wore dark blue jeans and his signature brown cowboy boots. But that bowlegged strut gave him a swagger that almost canceled out the ridiculousness happening everywhere else.

Once he reached us, he bent down to give Maggie a quick hug and belly rub. He then straightened up and turned his gaze my way.

"Chonne, I wasn't sure I was gonna see you tonight."

I was so used to addressing my colleagues by last name and vice versa (except Maggie since we'd known each other before becoming teachers), but over the past month, Grimes started referring to me by Chonne. I usually hate when people give me a nickname, but when he would say it with that deep growl, I would imagine how it would sound by my ear as he took me from behind.

I snapped from my dirty thoughts to reply, "Maggie talked me into it."

"I'm glad you're here." He stared at me for a few more seconds and then scanned his surroundings. He ran his hand through his curls (an act which I would have loved to have done myself) and asked, "So everyone's just mingling right now?"

Maggie nodded and responded, "Yep. Monroe said Secret Santa would start in a few minutes."

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Secret Santa didn't start for another half hour. While waiting, Maggie had left me to find her husband Glenn and scam coworkers into giving her more congratulations and baby bump rubs. After Grimes had gone to get a plate of finger foods, he decided to take Maggie's spot on the loveseat beside me.

"You did Secret Santa, right?" he asked stuffing a carrot into his mouth.

"Yeah. I made that mistake when I was in a better mood," I answered while picking at a piece of lint on my jeans to avoid eye contact.

Grimes immediately stopped and turned to me in concern.

"What's wrong, Chonne?"

I shrugged my shoulders. I couldn't reveal the reason behind my pissy mood. Just then, the reason for my pissy mood approached us.

"Rick!" Anderson squealed. "Monroe told me you were here, but I couldn't seem to find you. You weren't hiding from me, were you?"

Grimes remained seated and looked up at her. Just as I didn't share Maggie's enthusiasm in seeing him when he arrived, he appeared to feel that way about Anderson. Was there trouble in paradise?

Just as I was about to grab my metaphorical popcorn and enjoy the show, Anderson tugged on Grimes' arm, causing him to put his plate on the seat and stand up fully. He then looked to be going in for a hug, but Anderson was too quick and kissed him on the lips. It wasn't any more than a peck; there was no intimacy. Perhaps they just didn't want to do any PDA in my presence. Grimes then turned to me and said, "Wasn't hiding. Just talking with Chonne."

Anderson and I exchanged glances. I added a brief fake smile.

"Good evening, Ms. Anthony. I saw that Ms. Rhee brought her husband. Did you bring a date?"

She was trying it.

Since I was in the presence of my colleagues at my supervisor's home, I decided to keep it professional and not let her see me sweat. In my most calm voice, I answered, "No, I didn't bring anyone, but I'm sure that if I had, we would've come together, and I wouldn't have had to send out the search party for him."

Grimes began to react with a chuckle but he covered it with a cough into his fist. Anderson stared him down and held on tightly to his arm.

"Alright, everyone! Let's move to the den for Secret Santa!" Principal Monroe announced.

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For the next 45 minutes, I actually found myself enjoying the camaraderie as colleagues exchanged Secret Santa gifts. It didn't hurt that Anderson and Grimes were absent during this time.

I was especially happy to see Ms. Peletier's face light up seeing the Carolina Panthers scarf that I had gotten for her as her Secret Santa. Ms. Peletier was the science teacher on our team, as well as the team leader. Before the Secret Santa sign up, she had divulged to me that her husband Ezekiel loved the Carolina Panthers, and that she had gotten swept up in loving the team as well during their most recent Super Bowl run.

As Principal Monroe was selecting the next name from a black top hat on her desk, Grimes entered the den by himself and sat down next to me on the floor.

"What did I miss?" he whispered.

"People have been getting some really nice gifts. I got Peletier a Panthers scarf."

"And they got a good record this year," he laughed. "She'll be wearing that every day."

I furrowed my brows and looked behind him. "Where's Ms. Anderson?"

Those pretty blue eyes stared into mine and then scanned me over. I wasn't 100% sure about the "elevator look" on the second day of school, but I couldn't deny that that was what Grimes was giving me now.

"She left."

"Sorry to interrupt," Principal Monroe said standing directly in front of me with an envelope in her hand. "Here's your Secret Santa gift."

I had never been so happy to be distracted. I turned from Grimes and looked up at my supervisor. With no words, I took the envelope from her hands. She gave me a quick puzzled look and returned to the desk. I turned my attention to the envelope.

"Open it!" Maggie exclaimed clapping her hands with a wide smile.

Now all eyes were on me. Grimes inched toward me a little more. With no more hesitation, I opened the envelope and pulled out the single sheet of paper. I read over it to myself.

"Could you let us in on what it says or do we have to wait until Monday?" Peletier shouted, followed by some scattered giggles from the rest of the crowd.

Continuing to scan the paper, I announced, "It looks like a dinner reservation for two at the Brazilian Steakhouse."

The crowd noise immediately shifted from giggles to woos.

"That's pretty pricey," Ms. Espinosa scoffed as she folded her arms across her chest.

"Looks like someone used Secret Santa to out themselves as a secret admirer," Ms. Williams, who was standing beside Ms. Espinosa, theorized.

I looked over at Grimes in continued confusion. He kept his focus on the paper. He had gone mute, but his face was as red as a tomato.

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I remained seated on the floor to see one more present given before I faked a bathroom emergency. Once I entered the bathroom, I locked the door and sat on the edge of the bathtub.

The envelope and dinner reservation were still in my hands. I could not stop staring in confusion.

Had my thirst for Grimes been so obvious that this was someone's idea of a joke?

Did I really have a secret admirer? That one dude was flirting with me during one of the workdays back in August, but I hadn't spoken to him since. I think he teaches fourth grade? Wasn't his name Mike or Terry?

Why was Grimes so red in the face? Wasn't he with Anderson? Why was he looking at me like I was his next meal before I got the envelope?

My thoughts were disrupted by a few knocks on the door.

"Michonne, you okay?" Maggie asked from the other side.

"I'll be out in a moment."

"I'm not feeling too well, either. I think it's the baby. I wanted to get a goodbye hug before Glenn and I took off."

I flushed the toilet and washed my hands to keep up the façade. I dried my hands and opened the door. To my horror and surprise, both Maggie and Grimes were standing in the hallway.

She rubbed my shoulder and said, "I think you two need to talk."

"What about you and Glenn leaving?"

"We're just about to do Christmas karaoke," she began walking away. Just as she was about to turn the corner, she added, "We got at least another hour."

Maggie Rhee had done it again.

It was now just Grimes and me, staring at one another. My heart was pounding, and I could feel the sweat coming on from nerves.

"Good thing we're not English teachers like her," he stated tilting his head in the direction in which Maggie had exited. "We've both got problems communicating."

"What is this about?" I asked holding up the paper.

"I've been trying for months to put it out there how I feel about you," he began while taking a step towards me. "Ever since I heard the name Michonne, I've had this feeling about you that I just can't shake. It's why I sit next to you any chance I get. Your name's just so unique, I love saying it."

He took another step. I'm sure I stopped breathing.

"I always asked what you were doing over the weekend because I kept telling myself that one day, I would get the courage to ask you out on a date."

I blinked, still in shock.

"What…what…about—"

He shook his head.

"She wanted us to be a thang, but there wasn't anythang there. I made that clear to her tonight after what she said to you."

"Didn't you guys…kiss? That's what Enid and Lizzie said—"

He let out a heavy sigh, "It was her way of thanking me after I covered her class that time. It was just as awkward and…weird as you saw tonight."

I exhaled in relief.

"But this reservation—"

"Rhee and Peletier said simple and direct. It was just a matter of making sure you showed up tonight."

"The whole team was in on this?"

He nodded his head, wearing his own Cheshire grin. I shook my head and lightly hit his chest, which did very little to subdue his newfound cockiness. He took my wrist with one hand, causing me to slightly lose my balance. He then steadied me by placing his other hand on my waist. I placed my free hand on his shoulder. Our chests were now touching. Yep, I was definitely out of breath.

"Do you have any other questions?" he asked, his voice dropping an octave.

"You know, you could have just asked me out. This was actually more extra than simple," I laughed.

"Okay then." He released my wrist and now both of his hands were on my waist, with both of my hands on his shoulders. "Chonne, you intrigue me, and I would love to start getting to know you better over dinner. I'm not sure where this will lead, but I don't think I can go on without having at least tried. Would you do me the honor of being my date next Saturday?"

Pretending to think it over, I rolled my eyes and looked down the hallway. I didn't miss Maggie and Peletier ducking their heads trying not to get caught spying.

I brought my eyes back over to Grimes, "I would love nothing more than to join you next Saturday night."

"There is mistletoe above you!" Peletier yelled while still hiding her face.

Grimes and I moved our eyes upward, and indeed there was mistletoe hanging above us. We then turned our attention to one another again. Still holding my waist, Grimes raised his eyebrows and licked his pouty bottom lip.

I wanted to kiss him, but I couldn't help but still feel some kind of way about the evening's events or the fact that he and I had failed to express our mutual attraction until now. He was sexy, and I had been having my share of dirty thoughts, but the shy, old school girl in me took over. I was suddenly overcome with the desire for a more traditional courtship.

"Know what?" I whispered moving my face to his ear. "I think it's best to wait."

I removed his hands from my waist, creating some distance between us.

"Really, Chonne?" The worry that he had already messed up was evident on his face.

I quickly reassured him. "Like you said, we don't know where this will lead…but we'll figure it out. Soon. In a few more days."

His worry now turned to confusion. He then seemed to get it and nodded.

"Can I at least hold your hand?"

Without a word, I waved him over to me. He tightly wrapped his right hand around my left, and we made our way back to the den with an audience that had now grown to include most of the party attendees looking on with clasped hands and heart eyes.