A/N Hi all! I wasn't kidding when I said I was back! I do plan to continue with SIS (set in stone) after leaving it for so long I couldn't dare leave it now! I'm excited to be back at this! PLEASE review! I can't explain how much it means to me, and adds to the story life! I'm not too sure where I'm going with this story yet. It was just a little bunny, hopping around my little head! Let me know what you think, would you like to see more of this one? :)
I sighed again for what seemed like the thousandth time today, I ran my hands down my skirt down again to try to straighten the wrinkle-less fabric. I heard a half annoyed huff behind me, Alice Whitlock, she was one of the new teachers at Forks Elementary school, alongside Rosalie McCarty and Emmett McCarty. I had talked to her a few times over the summer getting ready for the new classes but we hadn't the chance to really talk much, she mostly stayed with Rosalie and Emmett. I understood Rosalie and Emmett sticking together since they were married but how did Alice fit into that bunch?
"Quit fidgeting Isabella! You look absolutely fine, and even if you didn't, you're teaching a grade one class, take a breather." Alice quipped, from the limited time we spent together I had already figured out that she loved fashion, she wasn't smiling but she wasn't glaring either, probably just nervous about her first day.
I sighed again and started to make my way to my classroom. It was the first day of the school year and I still had to finish putting name tags on cubbies and desks. I left my classroom door open a little bit for some back ground noise, it was oddly peaceful…..that was until you heard the evil four walk down the hall. I could tell they were still down the hall by the clicking of heels.
Jane Frankson, Tanya Torres, Lauren Bailey and Casey Burton were the 'queen bees' of the staff at Forks E. You never really get away from them, go to school with them, high school, teachers college and then you end up being co-workers at a school nonetheless, it was like an endless circle. I could hear the heels coming closer to me when they stopped outside my door way, I was still busy with the name tagging of cubbies in the back of the class so I hardly paid them any attention.
"And then she was like, no…and then I was like yes, and then she was like no and then I dumped by drink down her back." Tanya finished like she had done some marvellous thing, I rolled my eyes and ignored them, and I must've done a sufficient job because I hadn't even noticed when Tanya walked in and tapped me on the shoulder.
"What are you doing in my classroom, Swan?" She sneered.
Apparently Tanya hated me; along with her followers…I didn't know why, okay maybe I did a little bit. I dated Mike, and Tyler a few times back in high school and I had a semi-long term thing with Jacob Black. I guess she was lightly envious, but I couldn't believe her immaturity was still intact after all these years.
"What are you talking about now, Torres?" I sneered back.
"This is my class room; I am teaching grade on this year, room 3….so how can I put this in a way you will comprehend? Don't let the door hit you on the ass on the way out!"
I was about to snap at her again when Phillip Green (the school's principal) walked into our class room whistling with a quirky grin on his face, I think it was his idea of what looked like a sexy crooked smile. I had only ever seen the sexy crooked smile done on t.v or read about it in books, so I guess you could say I was a non-believer.
"Looks like you two ladies are getting along!" He grinned.
If I wasn't so disciplined I would have given him a look as if he had a third eye, but I just recomposed myself, smiled and nodded. Tanya seemed to do the same thing, though her smile was too much. I think she may have been going for the alluring look but it wasn't working out too well for her.
"So as you've probably discovered you have been assigned to the same class room, and I can assure you this is not a mistake. Due to overstaffing, and some recent complaints, we have decided to put the two of you together, you will be co-teachers of the grade one class." He was doing that not-so-sexy-sexy-smile again, grinning like he was a genius.
I wanted to yell at him for being a deranged moron, there was no way I could work with Tanya! I knew exactly what complaints he was talking about, she was not capable to be a teacher, and on top of that, she was a heinous human being. There was no way I was going to let this happen, self discipline be damned.
"Phil, you can't be serious, I have never had a complaint in all three of my years here! [Bella is 25] And I'm sure Ms. Torres can take care–" I tried to pled, but Phillip silenced me with a look.
"What complaints?" Tanya asked, she didn't nessacarly have an unpleasant voice, but it was almost like a wind chime, you can handle it for a few minutes at a time and then you want to rip it from the damn wall and bury it in the back yard. Phil sighed heavily and scratched the nape of his neck before looking at her.
"Well Ms. Torres some of the parents and students have complained in the past year that you were harsh as a teacher and unprofessional, so you will be working closely along side with Ms. Swan here until you can learn proper teacher edict." He explained to the floor, rather than looking at her.
She will be here until she learned proper teaching edict? Well great, she'll never leave!
"WELL I HAVE NEVER!" Tanya huffed, plopping herself into the new desk I had not noticed earlier. My desk remained at the front of the class, where it has stayed for three years when I started teaching.
"Hurry up and get your things together, the students will be here in twenty five minutes."
I was officially dreading working with Tanya, but at the mention of my new students coming in, ignored her and stood outside my door to meet them all.
Every kid was special in their own way, and each kid was cute in their own way, but there were defiantly some good looking kids in my new class, as they walked in there were two sets of twins and only about seven other students…..that was something about Forks. It wasn't every big so the classes were very small.
When it didn't look like any other students were coming in I closed the class room door. Tanya was still being a brat and huffing in her desk filing her nails. She hadn't bothered to notice the children as they came in and they studiously ignored her in return. I told the kids to find the desk with their names on it while I looked over my class list again.
Abigail and Austin Whitlock were one set of twins along with Graham and Lillian McCarty, I wondered idly if they were related to Alice or Rosalie and Emmett. I couldn't place the Whitlock's so much but Lillian looked like a splitting image of Rosalie, I would have to ask her. As I reached the end of the list I noticed one boy was missing, Owen Masen, I hoped he wasn't ill. I was just about to introduce myself to the classroom when a woman with caramel and slightly grey streaked hair opened the class room door.
"Hello," I smiled warmly. "Did you need help finding something?"
"Oh no dear, I am Elizabeth Masen, dropping off my Grandson Owen, I am terribly sorry we're late." She apologized.
I saw a tuft of brown hair poke its way beside Ms. Masen, he was really cute and I have seen a lot of cute kids. He had brown hair that almost had red highlights but they were very natural, he also had piercing emerald green eyes and he looked entirely too innocent for his own good. When he saw my smile at him, he must've gained some confidence because he walked over with his hands behind his back and when he reached me he handed me out a red apple.
"Hello m'am." He grinned crookedly. "My name is Owen, Owen Masen. I am in this class and I think you're very pretty."
This little boy was so cute, he was insanely well mannered and just adorable, I gingerly stretched my hand out and took the apple from him, and the cliché was sweet.
"Thank you very much Owen, you have really good manners and I look forward to getting to know you, would you like to hang your thing in your cubby and take your seat so we can begin class?" I smiled again.
Owen walked to the end of the class when Elizabeth waved, along with Owen, Abigail, Austin, Lillian and Graham also waved goodbye, I wondered if they had known each other. Once Ms. Masen had left and everyone was waiting, I finally introduced myself to the class. One of the girls named Ashley in the class asked who was sitting in the back, when I asked Tanya to introduce herself she scoffed and walked out.
After time had passed for a little while we decided to go play the ball game, it was a game I had created last year to get to know my students better, and so everyone else could do the same. I threw the ball to Austin and asked him who was in his family, when he caught the ball he took a deep breath like he was about to give me an essay answer.
"Well Ms. Swan, my Mommy works here at this school, he name is Alice and my Daddy works at home on his computer but he always plays with me when I get home and this is my sister Abby, Mommy says we're twins."
"That's nice Austin! Throw the ball to someone else now and ask them a question." I grinned.
"Oh I'm not done; I have two uncles and two aunts. Aunt Charlotte is my Daddy's sister, they are twins just like me, and I have an Uncle Emmett and Aunt Rose…..they are Graham and Lilly's Mom and Dad. Oh and my Uncle Edward, he's Owens's daddy."
Austin finished his speech and threw the ball to Owen.
"Well Austin told you almost everyone, but he forgot Grandma Esme and Grandpa Carlisle. I also have another Grandma…..her name is Elizabeth, but I just call her Grandma, and I have a kitty named Peep, he's orange."
We continued about the game for a little while when I noticed we had ten minutes left of the day, I told all of the students it was nice to see them and that I would see them all the next day, after a while all of the parents came in to pick up their kids from the class room, a standard for the grade one classes now.
All had come and gone expect for the twins and Owen. Ten minutes after the bell Alice showed up in my door.
Abigail and Austin both exclaimed at their mother's arrival and Alice hugged them both, telling them to put on their school bags.
"How'd the day go Bella?" She smiled, Alice was a very nice person- someone you could easily be friends with, she was just slightly overjoyed most of the time.
"Good actually, aside from being co-teachers with Tanya, how was your day?" I asked.
"It was –" She began but was cut off by Tanya.
"Thanks Swan, pleasure working with you too." Tanya sneered. I rolled my eyes.
"Well you can't honestly think it was going well?! You were here for twenty five minutes in total. Some first day, you didn't even introduce yourself, anyways….what were you saying Alice?" I turned my attention back to her, having enough of Tanya for a life time. She was a person you took in small, unfrequented doses.
Alice let out a small laugh before gathering all the kids, she called Owen who was doodling at his desk, he barley looked up from her when he spoke.
"I'm not going with you Aunt Alice, Daddy promised he would pick me up from school."
She gave me a worried glance.
"Look, Owen can be very stubborn sometimes, so I am almost positive that he won't come with me unless I dragged him and these heels just weren't made for that…..But if his father is too late give me a call and I will come pick him up." Alice bargained, handing me a card with her cell phone number on it.
"Okay," I agreed, I was slightly confused but I didn't let it color my tone, what father can't pick up his child from school? Especially if he made a promise, I know it is juvenile but a promise is binding.
Around three thirty- about a half hour after everyone had left Owen looked up from his drawing, and looked at the digital clock on my desk…I kept it there not expecting the six year olds to tell time quite yet. He frowned at the numbers and continued his drawing.
"Hey Owen, are you sure your Dad is picking you up? Mayer we should call your Mom, or Grandma? What about you're Aunt Alice?"
"My Dad will come." His little voice sounded determined.
I understood what Alice was talking about when she said Owen was stubborn; I decided we could wait just a little bit longer, I had to visit my Dad- Charlie tonight and make dinner at five thirty, but clearly Owens father would show up before then.
As the clocked ticked with each passing second towards the four thirty mark my phone seems to grow bigger and bigger, begging me to make a phone call but there was still a part of me that didn't want to crush Owen's thoughts of his dad picking him up. What kind of father forgets to pick up his son for two hours when he said he was going to be there? I groaned when the clock suddenly struck four thirty.
"Okay Owen, I will make you a deal. We'll wait ten more minutes for your Dad okay?"I bargained.
"Fine, but he will come." Owen stated stubbornly.
After a few more strokes of Owen's pen he smiled happily at his paper, spiking my interest. He showed me happily pointing out everyone in the picture. All his Aunt and Uncles, both Grandma's and his Grandpa were in the picture, drawing most attention to the picture of him and his dad. Without thinking I asked where his Mom was.
"I don't know. I don't know my Mommy. My Daddy never talks about her. I don't think she likes me." He sniffled.
I instantly felt bad for upsetting the boy and gave him a tight little hug and wiped the tears that were pooling over his eyes and onto his cheeks. Tanya walked in, for a reason I didn't know why she was still even at the school, and I was grateful to have the opportunity to step out of the room, Tanya snotted about why he was still even here but stayed in the room regardless.
I told Owen and Tanya that I would be pack in a moment, he nodded his little head while walking over towards the book nook and Tanya waved a perfectly manicured hand at me. How did someone like that wind up into the teaching profession anyways?
I went to the staff room to get a much needed drink and called my Dad to tell him dinner would be late, all while grumbling about stupid, irresponsible fathers, negligent mothers and why the hell was Tanya still at the school. No one else was here, aside from Owen and me. I decided it was unfair of me to judge anyone of the Masen's before I knew the whole story but the father was two hours late!
If he had- got forbidden- been hurt I'm pretty sure the news would have gotten here faster than this. I took a deep breath and tried to relax a little bit, rubbing my temples when I heard voices being raised.
"What could it possibly be now?" I groaned out loud, exasperated.
"He is MY son! Who the hell are you to keep him here this late without trying to contact me?!" A velvety voice, assumingly Owen's father, seethed.
"Oh, but I wasn't!-" Tanya spluttered as I walked into the room, she grinned at me smugly while she picked up her red Prada bag. "It was her fault." She clicked her beige heels together and walked out of the room making her teacher version of the Britney Spears outfit look sluttier than it had all day.
"I told you my Daddy would come to get me Ms. Swan!" Owen grinned at me, pulling himself to a closer hug around Mr. Masen's neck.
"Hello Mr. Masen," I spoke calmly.
Under the mask of anger that seemed to be permanently etched on his face I could see how beautiful he was. He had a chiseled jaw, clean shaven and a wild mop of hair on the top of his head; inhumanly beautiful.
"So you're the one who kept my son, why? Why didn't you call?" He seethed. "Some professional you are. Were you planning to kidnap him or something?!"
Was he joking? He was the one that was three or so hours late and he was questioning my professionalism? I leveled a glare at him but kept the anger out of my voice, having to change what I planned to say a few times in my head before I actually spoke.
"I don't know who you have spoken to previous to coming in here today but I can assure you, that had I known his father was going to be this late I would have called in advance." I spat at him, fire in my eyes.