Chapter 2
EPOV
"Okay let's do it again. First and foremost, make sure that you're holding your pencil properly. It's going to look like chicken scratch if you can't properly hold your pencil when you write the letter 'S'."
"Mr. Cullen, may I go to the bathroom?"
"You know the rules Jessie, you don't need to ask. Just place your name magnet on the whiteboard where it says 'bathroom' and then you can go ok? Now who wants to be Jessie's bathroom buddy? How about… Amy? Alright class let's get back to writing."
It's the third week of school and I can't bring myself to pay attention for some reason. I love these kids, I do, but for the life of me I'm going to lose my patience.
I'm a grade 1 teacher at Forks Elementary. I love teaching kids, and I couldn't see myself doing any other job, really. But today is just a bad day and it doesn't help that I'm a little hung over from last night. Tanya and I celebrated our 1 year dating anniversary at the lodge. She wanted to go to Seattle for the night but I told her that it was a school night and I couldn't take a day off so early into the semester. So here I am standing at the front of the class with a splitting headache and dry mouth.
"Mr. Cullen, ummm… is something wrong?" I jerk my head over to where Gabriel is sitting and I shake my head a little.
"Sorry, Gabe, uh how about you guys finish the rest of the line and then we'll have 'centers', ok? I'm going to step out for a minute. Jason, you're in charge."
Yeah it's stupid that I put a 6 year old in charge of other 6 year olds, but I'm just going across the hall into the staff room.
I open some cupboards and can't find what I'm looking for. I walk to the cupboard beside the fridge and BINGO, crackers! My stomach is a bit queasy and crackers will help me settle my stomach. I grab the box and open it. I can't seem to get the plastic ripped open so I pull a little harder and it suddenly tears and cracker crumbs go flying everywhere. I stand there and take a deep breath. I look around and slowly pick up some off the counter and pop them in my mouth then put the box back.
Just as I'm about to open the fridge to grab a bottle of water, I hear the staff door open.
"Hey Edward, taking a quick break?"
Jessica Stanley. She's nice enough; never hit on me. Well she did once but I told her that I'm with Tanya and she backed off right away. See, we all went to school together and it wasn't until a year ago that Tanya and I hooked up. I was too busy in high school with sports and making sure my grades were kept up to get into any relationships. I had my friends and I had my best friend, and that was all I needed at the time. And in high school, Tanya was known as the queen bitch bee. I stayed away from her, so I didn't really know her. But as the years go on and we grew up, we somehow connected when she moved back here from California.
So here we are now.
"Hey Jess, I was just quickly grabbing a snack. I missed breakfast and I need something to get me through till lunch." I say, grabbing a bottle of water out of the fridge.
"Oh cool. Hey, so I'm in charge of organizing the 10 year high school reunion, and I was wondering if you were going to attend?" I take a sip of water before I answer her.
"Ah, well, I never really thought about it. I mean, I guess." I shrug my shoulders and push off from the counter.
"I need to get back to class, so I'll talk to you later?" I ask as I slip past her out the door.
"Sure, uh ok," she says. I smile slightly at her and walk across the hall.
I open the door and see that my kids are still writing away. Did I mention that I love these kids?
"Alright boys and girls, put your pencils away and papers on the top right hand corner of your desk for pick up. Mary, can you please pick up the papers and leave them on my desk?"
"Ok… Oh and by the way, Jessie and Amy haven't returned from the bathroom yet." I glance over at the white board where I read the names of the rogue children.
"Alright I'll be right back." I walk out of the classroom and down the hall where I know the girl's bathroom is. As I approach, I can hear giggling. I roll my eyes and stop in front of the door. I push the door open slightly staring down at the floor.
"Girls it's time to come back; you've been in there for too long. It doesn't take that much time for a bathroom break. Come on, let's go!" I wait a second and then I hear the electronic hand dryer go off. A minute later I smile as both girls walk under my arm that's holding the door open. They smile their white smiles as I usher them back to the class.
It's going to be a long day!
I toss my keys on the counter and take off my jacket and throw it on the couch. I'm exhausted today. All I want to do is pass out on my bed and never wake up.
Actually that sounds like a wonderful idea. I think I might do that. Looking over at the clock on the microwave, I see its 5pm already. Ok, just enough time for a quick dinner and then I'm going to bed. I shouldn't have stayed out that late and I really shouldn't have had that much to drink on a school night.
I walk through the kitchen to the junk drawer and pull out my favorite take out restaurant Mi Cho's. I pull out my cell phone from my pocket and dial the number by heart.
"Good Evening Mi Cho's, how can I help you?"
"Hi, I'd like to place an order for delivery please?"
I lean against the counter crossing my legs. The lady asks me to hold on and I close my eyes frustrated that I can't have my dinner instantly. Then again if I would have had gone grocery shopping yesterday instead of spending the day with Tanya, then I wouldn't be in this predicament.
I shouldn't be saying that about her. I love her… I do. It's just right now we're going through some sort of rough patch, I think. I'm not really sure what's going on. I feel like I'm along for the ride…I think.
I'm not really sure what I'm thinking anymore. We just don't want the same things. I'm brought out of my musing when the lady comes back on the line.
"Thanks for holding, what can I get for you tonight sir?"
"Yeah hi, can I please have a single serving order of Chicken Chow Mein, Honey Garlic Chicken and Beef Fried Greens?" I ask.
I wait a moment while she rings it up in the computer.
"Can I have your name sir?" she asks as I stand up straight and make my way over to the cabinet.
"Edward Cullen."
"Ok just let me bring your name up here." I open the cabinet and pull out my jar of coins. I know the bill is going to come to $4.27 plus $3.00 for delivery so I count out the change.
"Ok Mr. Edwin Cullen I see your address here, it's going to come to…"
"Edward," I say to her.
"Pardon me sir?" she asks.
"Never mind, $7.27 I know, thanks."
"Umm… ok. See you in about 20 minutes. Thanks for calling Mi Cho's."
I end the call and put my phone back into my jeans pocket. I reach for the bottle of Tylenol and pop two in my mouth and wash it down with some tap water. I decide that I have some time to take a quick shower so I make my way upstairs into my room and strip out of my clothes, leaving them on the floor. I'll get them later.
I turn the hot water on and then a little of the cold – I like my hot showers. I step under the spray and close my eyes reveling in the heat that soothes my muscles. I rest my hands against the wall and try to relax.
I start to think about Tanya as I desperately need to relieve some tension. I think about how she looked in that short tight dress she was wearing last night. I'm trying to imagine that she's here in the shower with me taking care of my needs, but for some reason I can't help but hear her screeching high pitched laugh, which instantly softens me.
Ok fine, I'll resort to thinking about someone else then. I clear my throat and start to picture a tan girl with long blonde hair, fine ass body. Just as I take myself in my hands I hear my phone ring from my jeans. I open my eyes as I recognize the ringtone. There is no way that I can concentrate now. Not with my sister calling me.
I forget the idea of any relief for now, maybe later tonight.
I turn off the water and I hear the ringing stop. But that doesn't stop me from getting out of the shower because I know that she's just going to call back. I step out onto a towel that I threw down and grab one off the back of the door and wrap it around my waist just as the phone rings again.
"I'm coming, I'm coming…" Yeah not in that sense either.
I grab my jeans and take out my phone.
"What up's baby sis?"
"You know that I'm older than you, don't you? Why do you always forget that?" she giggles into the phone.
"Yes Alice, what's up?" I ask as I walk over to my dresser and pull out a pair of flannel pajama pants. I take off my towel and pull the pants on and by accident drop the phone on the floor. In my haste to try and catch my phone mid fall, one of my feet steps on the other pants leg causing me to tumble into the dresser, knocking stuff over.
"Dammit!" I yell at no one. I pull my pants on and reach for my phone.
"Sorry Alice, I'm having a bad day. Is there a reason you called?" I stroll out of the room frustrated. I'll pick up my stuff before bed. I walk down the stairs as I hear the door bell.
"Just wanted to talk to you about last night? How did it go? Did you, you know…"
I cut her off before she says the word.
"No I didn't propose. I mean I have the ring, but it just didn't feel right. And I want it to be right. Hold on a sec, dinner's here." I open the door smiling at the boy holding my food.
"$7.27 please." he says politely.
"Just a moment." I walk back into the kitchen setting my dinner on the counter and grabbing the ten dollars that I counted out in change then walk back to the door.
"Here you go." I drop the change into his hand. He looks at me with eyebrows raised, so I raise my eyebrows challenging him to say something.
"Uh thanks."
"Yeah." I kick the door shut with my foot and make my way back to the kitchen.
"Edward, did you just pay for dinner with change?" I smirk into the phone and tell her that its money and they have to accept it.
"Yeah but come on, that's just not normal. Why are you still using change, anyways? Who does that?" she says into the phone.
I like to pay for small things with change that I get from when a larger bill is broken, so what? Lots of people do that, what else am I suppose to do with it? It's not like the kid takes my bank card and he definitely doesn't make change for a fifty dollar bill. See that would leave me with more change! It's a full circle, I'm telling you!
"Alice, I love you but why did you call me again?" I ask, opening the take out container and grabbing a fork from the drawer as I scoop some Chow Mein into my mouth and head towards my TV room.
"Nothing, I'll talk to you later about it. I can see that you're in no mood to talk about it now." I grab the remote and flick on the news channel.
"I'm sorry Alice, can we talk tomorrow?" I lean back on my couch cracking my neck.
"Yeah we can, are you still coming out with us, we're all going over to Bravo's."
Bravo's is a restaurant that serve really great food, a little pricy but great nonetheless, worth every penny.
"Ah I think I'm going to skip out on that one, I've got lots of school work to do, next week though, alright?"
"Edward, you teach kids in Grade 1. How much work can you actually have?" I roll my eyes and set my food down.
"Hey, I have writing lines to grade and I have to make sure crafts are ready and that centers is complete." I stab a piece of honey garlic chicken with my fork and pop it in my mouth.
"Uh huh, I can see avoidance is in your future. There is something that you're not telling me and I'm going to find out. You can't hide from me, Edward Cullen!"
"Didn't plan on it, Alice Cullen!"
"Love you!"
"Love you too, squirt, bye." I end the call and finish my dinner. I continue to watch the news and then I clean up the kitchen a bit. I look at my watch and see that it's already 8:30pm. Really where did the time go?
"Hmmm…"
I make my way upstairs to go about my usual nightly routine and noticed the mess on the floor. I take a deep breath and grab my cologne placing it on my dresser and then my Swiss Army knife. I grab my dress watch and some change and place it back on my dresser.
One last item on the floor, I know what it is, and I lean down to pick it up. It's a picture frame that I've had since middle school. I turn it over and there, staring back at me is a recent picture of my best friend.
Isabella Swan.
A/N: So what did you think of schemxy Edward as a teacher?
