DISCLAIMER: All recognizable characters are not mine. They belong to good old DK and are used here without permission for no financial gain.
Author's Note: This takes place NEXT year, in the 2001-2002 school year. Yeah, I know, it's not here yet, but I need a whole year for my story. Anyway, r/r!
The New Girl
Getting to Know You
Steven Harper shook his head in frustration. They had lost so many teachers...he didn't know how he could possibly fill the spots. Especially the math classes. Their Calculus teacher had quit last year, and he had been unable to find a replacement.
Suddenly, an idea popped into his head. "Louisa!" he called. "Can you get me the phone book?"
After she had given it to him, he flipped through it until he found the right page. He dialed the number and waited anxiously for the person to answer. "Hello? This is Steven Harper. I need a favor."
*****
Scott Guber was walking down the halls, searching for students. It was the first day of school, and many were still loitering in the hallways, unwilling to go to class.
He spotted a short, thin girl with brown hair. She carried a backpack so large that he was surprised that she was able to stand up. In one hand was a violin case.
"Excuse me," he said as he walked up to her. "Why aren't you in class Miss..."
"MacCarthy, but actually..."
"I don't know if you are aware of it, Miss MacCarthy, but here at Winslow we expect the students to go to class on time."
"Yes sir, but you don't understand..."
"Who is your teacher this period?"
"Actually, I don't go to this school," she finally managed to say.
"Oh really. Then what are you doing here? What school do you attend?"
"No, you don't understand..."
"I think that I understand perfectly, Miss MacCarthy. Now come with me. We can clear this up in my office."
The girl looked around desperately. "Steven!" she said loudly.
Steven walked up to them. "Ah, Caitlin, Scott, I see that you two have met."
"Not really," the girl said sardonically.
"Well then," Steven said. "Caitlin, this is our vice-principal, Scott Guber. Scott, this is the new Calculus teacher, Caitlin MacCarthy."
Scott looked at the girl in shock. "What?"
"I guess you won't be reporting me for truancy," she said, raising her eyebrows at him.
Scott looked like he was having trouble breathing. "I am very sorry about the mistake, Miss MacCarthy. If you will excuse me..."
Caitlin watched in amusement as Scott turned and practically ran down the hall.
"I'm sorry about that, Caitlin," Steven said.
"No problem, Steven. Maybe I should carry around a permanent hall pass," she joked.
"Thank you again for doing this. We were in big trouble without a math teacher."
"Well, I'm just glad that you thought of me," she said cheerfully. "I'm glad to be doing it. I need something to keep me busy until next year."
"Julliard, isn't it?" She nodded, and Steven shook his head. "You certainly are amazing, Caitlin. Only 18 years old, and you already have a doctorate in math from Harvard, *and* you're going to Julliard."
"I don't know if I'm actually going," she corrected as they walked down the hall. "I have to audition."
"You'll get in," he said. "I remember when you were here you were always walking around with that violin. You played in the auditorium every day at lunch, and everyone would always come to listen."
She smiled. "It's great to be back."
"Well, it's great to have you back. I hope that the rest of the day goes more smoothly."
"Thanks, Steven. I'm going to head over to my class now."
"All right. I'll see you later."
Steven turned and walked down to his office. Scott was waiting for him there.
"Steven, what were thinking?" Scott asked without preamble.
"Whoa, Scott, what are you talking about?" he demanded.
"How could you hire that girl to teach here? She must be about 16 years old!"
"She's 18, Scott, and she'll be a great teacher. She already has a Ph.D. from Harvard in math. We'd be lucky to get a teacher with her credentials."
"She's only 18, Steven! How can she possibly hope to keep order? She's probably not even licensed to teach!"
"I talked to the superintendent," Steven said. He was trying to be patient, despite Scott's ravings. "She said that Caitlin can teach her. After all, she could teach at a university if she wanted." Steven tried to mollify him. "Scott, relax. Everything will be fine."
Scott marched out of Steven's office and resumed his prowl through the halls. As he neared the math classroom, he heard the most beautiful music. He peered in through the window. Caitlin sat on her desk, eyes squinched shut, playing the most beautiful music on her violin.
He stood there for a while, completely mesmerized. He watched her until the bell rang. Then he jumped in surprise and hurried off, trying desperately to ignore the feelings that rushed through him.
Author's Note: This takes place NEXT year, in the 2001-2002 school year. Yeah, I know, it's not here yet, but I need a whole year for my story. Anyway, r/r!
The New Girl
Getting to Know You
Steven Harper shook his head in frustration. They had lost so many teachers...he didn't know how he could possibly fill the spots. Especially the math classes. Their Calculus teacher had quit last year, and he had been unable to find a replacement.
Suddenly, an idea popped into his head. "Louisa!" he called. "Can you get me the phone book?"
After she had given it to him, he flipped through it until he found the right page. He dialed the number and waited anxiously for the person to answer. "Hello? This is Steven Harper. I need a favor."
*****
Scott Guber was walking down the halls, searching for students. It was the first day of school, and many were still loitering in the hallways, unwilling to go to class.
He spotted a short, thin girl with brown hair. She carried a backpack so large that he was surprised that she was able to stand up. In one hand was a violin case.
"Excuse me," he said as he walked up to her. "Why aren't you in class Miss..."
"MacCarthy, but actually..."
"I don't know if you are aware of it, Miss MacCarthy, but here at Winslow we expect the students to go to class on time."
"Yes sir, but you don't understand..."
"Who is your teacher this period?"
"Actually, I don't go to this school," she finally managed to say.
"Oh really. Then what are you doing here? What school do you attend?"
"No, you don't understand..."
"I think that I understand perfectly, Miss MacCarthy. Now come with me. We can clear this up in my office."
The girl looked around desperately. "Steven!" she said loudly.
Steven walked up to them. "Ah, Caitlin, Scott, I see that you two have met."
"Not really," the girl said sardonically.
"Well then," Steven said. "Caitlin, this is our vice-principal, Scott Guber. Scott, this is the new Calculus teacher, Caitlin MacCarthy."
Scott looked at the girl in shock. "What?"
"I guess you won't be reporting me for truancy," she said, raising her eyebrows at him.
Scott looked like he was having trouble breathing. "I am very sorry about the mistake, Miss MacCarthy. If you will excuse me..."
Caitlin watched in amusement as Scott turned and practically ran down the hall.
"I'm sorry about that, Caitlin," Steven said.
"No problem, Steven. Maybe I should carry around a permanent hall pass," she joked.
"Thank you again for doing this. We were in big trouble without a math teacher."
"Well, I'm just glad that you thought of me," she said cheerfully. "I'm glad to be doing it. I need something to keep me busy until next year."
"Julliard, isn't it?" She nodded, and Steven shook his head. "You certainly are amazing, Caitlin. Only 18 years old, and you already have a doctorate in math from Harvard, *and* you're going to Julliard."
"I don't know if I'm actually going," she corrected as they walked down the hall. "I have to audition."
"You'll get in," he said. "I remember when you were here you were always walking around with that violin. You played in the auditorium every day at lunch, and everyone would always come to listen."
She smiled. "It's great to be back."
"Well, it's great to have you back. I hope that the rest of the day goes more smoothly."
"Thanks, Steven. I'm going to head over to my class now."
"All right. I'll see you later."
Steven turned and walked down to his office. Scott was waiting for him there.
"Steven, what were thinking?" Scott asked without preamble.
"Whoa, Scott, what are you talking about?" he demanded.
"How could you hire that girl to teach here? She must be about 16 years old!"
"She's 18, Scott, and she'll be a great teacher. She already has a Ph.D. from Harvard in math. We'd be lucky to get a teacher with her credentials."
"She's only 18, Steven! How can she possibly hope to keep order? She's probably not even licensed to teach!"
"I talked to the superintendent," Steven said. He was trying to be patient, despite Scott's ravings. "She said that Caitlin can teach her. After all, she could teach at a university if she wanted." Steven tried to mollify him. "Scott, relax. Everything will be fine."
Scott marched out of Steven's office and resumed his prowl through the halls. As he neared the math classroom, he heard the most beautiful music. He peered in through the window. Caitlin sat on her desk, eyes squinched shut, playing the most beautiful music on her violin.
He stood there for a while, completely mesmerized. He watched her until the bell rang. Then he jumped in surprise and hurried off, trying desperately to ignore the feelings that rushed through him.