Beca Mitchell never really aspired to be a teacher. Few people do after they're fifteen years old. It sounds good in practice. You help mould a generation year after year and share your intelligence to eager youth, who wouldn't want that? Except that's not what it's like. Not at all. Sure you get the odd few students who really care and though they may forget an assignment or two, they are generally well behaved and pleasant. However, in contrast you also have the inevitable group of students who don't care, don't want to be there and make your job pretty damn awful.
Being a teacher is really a job for someone who is a 'glass half full' kind of person and Beca is not one of those people.
And yet here Beca was, in her Toyota Yaris on her way to Barden High on a Monday morning with a piping hot coffee in one hand and the other firmly holding the steering wheel. It was the first day of the year which was always an exhausting day after a long Summer of lie-ins. As the music teacher drove into the parking lot of the school she had gotten to know so well over the past four years she mentally prepared herself for the morning. A morning which would be starting with a meeting led by her father, the Principle. He would do the same as every year; welcome everyone back, to which a collective sound of grunts and "thank you's" would be heard, he would then brief everyone on his plans for the year which rarely pulled through, such as ways to improve the canteen food or ways to motivate troubled students. It was the same old same old.
Walking up the steps of the tall entrance Beca was greeted by students in the older years she had taught for a while to which she replied with a smile and a curt nod. The brunette was mildly popular with the students of Barden High. She was young and approachable and taught a lesson where children could really express and enjoy themselves which did bode well with the students. This was in contrast to her father who was widely feared across the school. Mr Mitchell was a stern Principle and had tough punishments which was rather odd to Beca who had been raised by him and had seen how silly and dad-like he could be. His school self seemed like such a persona, not the real him.
"Miss Mitchell, hey!" Beca turned in the hallway to see an overly peppy Jesse Swanson approaching her at an alarming speed. It was too early for this kind of excitement. The man gave her a tight hug to which a whistle was received by one of the students walking by in the hall and many leering looks. At this, Jesse pulled back and began to walk alongside the music teacher. "Good Summer?"
The brunette took a sip from her coffee. "Quiet. Spent a few weeks with my Grandma which was nice I guess."
"Oh yeah, how is she doing by the way?" The English teacher asked sympathetically as they entered the teachers lounge.
The music teacher went to hang her coat up on her usual hanger but stopped to see an unfamiliar coat hanging on it. It didn't bother her, it just surprised her. That hanger was always just free to use and she had subconsciously dubbed it 'Beca's hanger'. She shrugged it off and hung her coat beside it on another free hanger before turning back to Jesse. "She's not really improving. She kind of acted like she was better but I think she just didn't want to worry me."
Jesse placed a hand on Beca's shoulder and gave her a sad smile. "I'm sorry, Bec's. I'm sure she'll get better. You know there's like a 90% survival rate for her condition."
"Not with her age" Beca added quietly before walking around Jesse and sitting down waiting for the meeting to begin. She honestly wanted that conversation to end. She knew Jesse's intentions were noble but the whole subject just upset her.
The teachers lounge was bustling now, full of teachers making tea and coffee and catching up for lost time over the Summer. Beca however, sat at her seat and opted to rest her eyes with folded arms. It was still way to early for this.
"Good morning everyone!" The music teacher was roused from her rest to another overly peppy voice. "Welcome back, I hope you all had a nice Summer." It was her father. The older man dropped his bag by a chair on the opposite side of the room before sitting and ushering the rest of the teachers to sit as well with various hand gestures which were honestly exhausting to watch this early in the morning.
"I don't have a lot to say this morning other than the usual" that's new. "It's a new year, which means a fresh start so I would really like to be picking up on those grades in the Maths department" Mr Mitchell looked towards Miss Posen who nodded politely before looking down slightly shamefully. "I would also really like to see a higher rate of extra curricular participation in sports so we'll work on that this year too" the Principle said in the direction of Amy who just lifted her hand and gave him an enthusiastic thumbs up.
"On it, boss man. You can count on me" the blonde Australian promised. Though she said that every year and nothing really came of it.
Mr Mitchell nodded before turning his attention to the full staff and clasping his hands together by his knees. "Now as you know, we had to say goodbye to our drama teacher, Alice, last year due to an offer she received elsewhere which we couldn't match and there was a concern as to if Barden could continue offering drama as a subject." A few heads perked up at this. Drama was a popular subject among students and losing it would really be a huge loss to the school but Alice was an awful person so she really isn't missed. "Well, luckily we've managed to find a very qualified drama teacher replacement" the older man beamed as he gestured to his left. Beca followed the direction of his arm and there she was. Two seats down from the Principle sat the new drama teacher, a young, redheaded, bright blue eyed woman with a confidence that seemed to radiate off of her. And she was beautiful, Beca could not deny that.
The redhead didn't even seem fazed by the sudden attention as she gave a polite wave and an endearing smile to everyone in the room. "I'm Chloe Beale, it's nice to meet you all. I'm really excited to work here" she said with a voice that was, yet again, way too peppy for this early in the morning.
Mr Mitchell smiled at the new teacher. "Miss Beale here has been on Broadway and worked with celebrities" he added to which the redhead chuckled and waved a hand as if it was nothing. "We're really lucky to have you here, Miss Beale." To that the new teacher smiled sincerely and gave a nod as if she was hoping for a conversation change. Maybe this was too much attention then.
The older man clapped his hands together once as he stood. "Well team, time to start the year."