I' so sorry. I'm a horrible author to this story. I have had this chapter saved on my computer and haven't updated it and I have no good excuse. I guess I could say because of school and the holiday season, but that's just lame and doesn't help anything. So, here's an update. I am terribly sorry for making you guys wait and you've probably forgotten all about this story. Sorry! Enjoy if you're still interested!
The first day of school was half way over. Meredith greeted her morning students with a smile and had a laid back hour with them going over the syllabus for her class and then playing a couple of games to help her and the students all get to know one another.
Meredith was proud to say that she was a well liked teacher by the staff and her students. Students tried their hardest to get in her class and she tried to make sure they all did. She loved her students and she loved her job. So far, this year looked to be going great. She seemed to have a lot of great kids in her class.
This morning there was definitely some buzzing going around about the new teacher, Mr. Shepherd. To all the girls, he seemed to be dreamy and to the guys' he seemed to be a cool guy. The students were shocked to see the replacement of the beloved Mr. Harley, but they seemed to be very welcoming.
She made her way to the teacher lounge in hopes that some of the other staff would already be in there eating lunch, but she discovered an empty room. She grabbed her lunch from the fridge and sat down at the table before pulling out her phone to check for any messages. She had a text from her best friend, Cristina Yang, and she clicked to view it.
Cristina was her best friend that she had met at a local bar near Seattle Grace Hospital. Cristina was a surgical intern at the hospital and they had met one night at Joe's bar located across from the hospital. They each vented to one another when things were bothering each other and from that a friendship grew.
She looked at the message that read: How're the new brats?
Meredith let out a soft giggle, knowing her friend didn't understand exactly why she loved teaching kids so much. Cristina was a hard-core surgeon and wanted nothing to do with kids, and Meredith was the complete opposite. She didn't see herself settling down or getting married and she definitely didn't think she'd have kids, so the most natural thing for her was to become a teacher and have a bunch of kids each year.
Great, I love my new students. There's also a new Biology teacher, all the girls are calling him dreamy. Meredith responded.
You have a new McDreamy co-worker? Cristina asked.
According to my new students, I guess so.
And what do you think? Is he McDreamy to you?
Eh, he's ok. I'm not interested in co-workers, you know that. It would complicate things, plus I don't do relationships.
So, have a casual fling.
Not with a co-worker. That makes me unprofessional.
So what. You like sex, use him for that.
No! Stop it. Shouldn't you be learning how to be a surgeon or something?
Yeah, on a break right now. I'm operating on a heart in an hour.
Well, good luck with that. Go save a life.
Will do, have fun with your brats and McDreamy.
Thanks.
Meredith stopped texting Cristina and heard the door open behind her. She didn't turn to see who it was, she knew it could only be one of five people, and they would eventually speak.
"No one else is having lunch right now?" She heard a voice unknown to her.
She turned in her chair and was met with the curious eyes of Derek Shepherd, or McDreamy as Cristina was starting to call him. That name actually fit him well, very well.
"Who knows, they may have lunch at a different time or got caught up with something. Your class at lunch right now?" she asked.
"Yeah," he said. "I'm Derek Shepherd by the way. I know we were introduced earlier, but I actually didn't have a chance to talk to you." Derek said as he sat down across from her. "You don't mind if I sit here, do you?"
"No, that's fine. I knew who you were before Mark even said your name. People have been talking about you starting here awhile now. You've made quite an impression on the students as well." Meredith said, letting out a little giggle that made Derek smile. The sound of her giggle was the most beautiful noise he had ever heard.
"Really? And what impression is that?" Derek asked. He was flirting. He felt like he was back in high school again talking to the prettiest girl in school.
"Well, the girls think you're hot and the guys think you're a cool dude." Meredith said.
"Well, that's nice to hear…I guess." Derek said with a chuckle. He waited a few moments before taking a leap and possibly crossing a line. "And does Miss Grey agree with either one of those?" he asked, flashing the smile she assumed was the smile he used to get in all of the girl's pants. It probably would've worked on Meredith too, if she weren't aware of their surroundings.
"Really? You're trying to flirt with me in the teacher's lounge?" she asked.
"Well, I hoped I was accomplishing flirting…" he said chuckling.
"Wow, you're just like him." Meredith said softly, still smiling.
"Like who?" Derek asked confused.
"Mark freaking Sloan. You think that with a few good lines, and that damn smirk that you can get in any girls pants. Just because you try to be all McDreamy and you got all the high school girls swooning over you doesn't mean you can get in mine. I'm immune to that asshole and I'll be immune to you as well." Meredith said, standing up and throwing her lunch away before exiting in a rush without one last look towards Derek.
She almost ran into Mark as she was leaving. "Whoa big Grey, if you wanted to talk to me you could've just said so, no need to run into me." Mark said with a smirk. That damn smirk.
"Shut the hell up, Mark," Meredith responded before brushing past him and making her way to the confides of her secret room.
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"What the hell did you do to big Grey?" Mark asked as he entered the teacher's lounge.
"Don't call her that. She has a name, and it's Meredith. And I didn't do anything to her, you did." Derek said, snapping at him. He could've actually gotten somewhere with Meredith if it hadn't been for his jerk of a friend. Mark had once again ruined Derek's chance with a girl.
"Dude, what the hell is your problem?"
"I was flirting with Meredith, and I was going to possibly ask her out, but since I'm friends with you she assumed I just wanted to get in her pants. So she stormed out of here and now she hates me." Derek explained.
"Dude, why do you care?" Mark asked.
"Because, I could've really liked her and started a relationship with her. She's beautiful, and has a melodic giggle but she's also secretive. You ruined my chances of getting to know her, really get to know her. All because of you. You suck, Mark." Derek said, standing up and getting ready to throw the remains of his lunch away as well.
"Derek, you don't even know the girl. Plus, if I can't get in her pants, you definitely won't be able to." Mark said.
"I don't want to get in her pants. I want to get to know her, date her, and see if anything could come out of it. God, there's more to a relationship than sex Mark." Derek said.
"You're such a girl. Derek, she's not worth it. Don't you think a relationship would complicate your job?" Mark asked.
"Shut up, Mark." Derek said before leaving the room and going to his classroom.
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The end of the day was here and Meredith was packing up her stuff for the day when she heard a knock on her door. Without looking to see who it was she answered the person and allowed them in.
"Hey," she heard a rough male's voice say. The voice belonged to Derek Shepherd.
"What do you want?" Meredith asked, not bothering to look at him.
"To apologize. I wasn't trying to get in your pants. And I'm not anything like Mark, trust me. Mark and I grew up together, and he's practically my brother, but he's an ass. He's all about hookups and sex, that's not me." Derek said.
"Are you gay?" Meredith asked with a giggle.
"No I'm not gay." He said as he rolled his eyes. "I just care about more than sex. I wasn't trying to get in your pants. I was trying to see if I had a chance with you, because if I did then I would've liked to get to know you." Derek answered.
"Why?"
"Because, you intrigue me. Your beautiful and smart and nice. You have no idea what students say about you. You've heard the talk of your students when they talk about other teachers, but I listened to all my students today say so many good things about you. You're loved by this whole school." Derek said.
"Look Derek, you seem like a sweet guy. You're nice and I'm sorry I called you an asshole. But you have to realize that with you being friends with Mark, that doesn't put you in a good light. And I'm sorry I accused you of wanting just sex, but it seems you want so much more than that. You want a relationship. You're the type of guy who wants marriage and all of that, and that's not the kind of girl I am. I don't date, I don't get into relationships and I will probably never get married or have my own kids. That's why I'm a teacher, because I'll never have my own. So, even though you seem like a sweet, caring guy. You're not the guy for me, and I'm not the girl for you." Meredith told him.
"How do you know I'm not the guy for you, or that you're not the girl for me? We don't even know each other. I'm just asking for one date, no marriage or a lifetime with you. A date. That's it." Derek said.
"I'm sorry, but no. I don't date, but I definitely don't date co-workers. If you'll excuse me, I need to get home." Meredith said before grabbing her belongings and moving towards the door, waiting for him to follow and exit so she could lock the door.
"Can we be friends?" Derek asked.
"Sure, we can be friends." Meredith said with an amused smile as she locked the door.
"So, does that mean you'll share your secret room with me?" Derek asked with a smile.
"How did you know?" Meredith asked shocked.
"Mark told me, it's no longer your secret." Derek said with a chuckle.
"How did he know?" Meredith asked.
"I'm not sure. Does that mean I can?" he asked.
"Fine, but you don't get to let him in there. I won't allow it. I go there to read and get away from the craziness during my planning period or before school starts, so you can't be there when I'm in there." She said, laying down the rules.
"Ok, I can live with those rules." Derek said, feeling accomplished.
"Alright, well I guess I'll see you tomorrow. Welcome to SGHS." Meredith said.
"Thank you. See you tomorrow."
"Bye Derek," Meredith said before turning and leaving down the hallway.
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"So, when is McDreamy going to show up?" Cristina asked Meredith that night at Joe's.
"Uh, he's not. I'm not even sure if the other teachers remembered our yearly tradition." Meredith responded.
Every year after the first day of school the teachers would get together at Joe's and celebrate and toast to a new year. They had been doing it for three years now, but she wasn't sure if they would show up. No one had mentioned it earlier that day.
"Well, here comes one." Cristina said as she saw Lexie coming up to the bar.
"Hey guys," Lexie said, taking the seat next to Meredith.
"Hey Lex, how was the first day?" Meredith asked.
"Great, my students are good. I'm excited for this year. How about you?" Lexie asked.
"Also good, all the kids are excited to start learning about bones and they want to go to the morgue." Meredith said with a smile.
"Hey guys," Alex said entering the bar with Izzie at his side.
"Hey, what's up?" Lexie said as they took their seats.
"Not much. Got through the day and dealt with the new students." Alex answered.
"I don't know why you say it like that. The students are great. Mine are so excited for the course, and they love playing with the robotic babies. They're going to think otherwise when they have to take home the babies for a weekend." Izzie laughed.
"Yeah, that's some hard-core stuff." Cristina mumbled under her breath sarcastically.
"Well, we can't all be heart surgeons." Alex said.
"Shut up, Evil Spawn." Cristina retorted. "You don't have the brains to be any kind of surgeon. You teach ceramics, that's not even a hard-core subject to teach."
"Stop it you two." Izzie said in a mothering way. "Have you guys heard all the buzz over Mr. Dreamy?" Izzie asked excitedly sipping her drink.
"You mean, Mr. McDreamy?" Cristina asked.
"Yeah…wait no it's just Dreamy. How do you know about him?" Izzie asked.
"Meredith was texting me earlier about the new teacher and said the students were calling him dreamy, so I came up with McDreamy." Cristina said.
"McDreamy, I like that." Lexie laughed.
"So does all the other girls in the school. I hear he flirts with Miss Grey." Alex added.
"What?" Meredith asked, choking on her drink.
"Yeah, I heard some girls chatting in my room and they said that McDreamy is so cute and that no one stood a chance because he had googily eyes for Miss. Grey." Alex said, in a high-pitched girly voice.
"That's not true. We talked, he flirted, and I denied him. That's all." Meredith said casually.
"Excuse me, that's all? Meredith, explain!" Lexie said.
"It's not a big deal. We were in the teacher lounge and we were talking, and I mentioned how the kids were excited he was teaching and that the girls thought he was cute. He asked me if I agreed with the girls' and I accused him of being just like Mark and went off on him about how he just wants to get in my pants and that I was immune to Mark and that I would be immune to him as well, then I stormed out. We talked at the end of the day and I explained to him that I couldn't and wouldn't start a relationship with a co-worker and that we just needed to keep things professional. It's not a big deal." Meredith finished.
"He likes you, and he flirted with you. That's a big deal." Izzie said excitedly.
"No, we're just friends." Meredith said.
"Sure." Cristina added.
"Oh, I invited Mark and he might bring McDreamy." Lexie said.
"Ugh, Lex, why would you invite that scum-bag?" Meredith asked with a groan.
"Ouch big Grey, that hurts. Why wouldn't anyone invite me? Everyone loves me." Mark's voice said as he joined the table the group was sitting at, with Derek in tow.
"That's not true." Meredith grumbled.
"Who's McDreamy? Me?" Mark asked.
"No, it's actually, Derek." Alex said, not thinking of what he was doing.
"Alex!" hissed Izzie, Lexie and Meredith quietly as Cristina laughed.
"Derek, McDreamy?" Mark asked shocked.
"What?" Derek asked with a chuckle.
"You're McDreamy." Alex said.
"To who?" Derek asked, looking over at Meredith hopefully. Maybe she came up with that nick-name.
"All the girls in school. They were very chatty today and named you McDreamy." Meredith answered with a giggle. She didn't want the others to include her and Cristina's earlier phone conversation, so she spoke up first.
"That's…embarrassing." Derek said.
"Don't be embarrassed, they all love you." Izzie told him with a smile.
"Well then, I guess I should be happy for that." Derek said.
"Yeah, normally we have to hear all about how much they think Alex and Mark are cute, this year I guess it's you." Meredith said. "I'm getting another drink, anyone want anything?"
"I'll take another, I don't have to be to work till tomorrow afternoon." Cristina said.
"I'll come with you." Derek said, standing as well and following Meredith's petite frame to the bar.
"Thanks for inviting Mark and I tonight," Derek chuckled.
"Sorry, every year the teachers get together and have a drink on the first day of school. I didn't think any of them would remember, but they showed up. Also, I never invite Mark to places unless I have to." Meredith answered.
"Is there a reason you hate him so much?" Derek asked.
"He's just annoying. He thinks he's God's gift to every woman, and he tries to get in every girl's pants. I don't like his arrogance and the way he acts is just annoying. Sorry, I know he's like your brother, or best friend or something." Meredith said, before ordering her drink order.
"No, I understand, it's ok." Derek said, also ordering his drink of choice. "So, who's the woman sitting next you? Does she work at the school, because I didn't see her today?"
"No, she's actually a surgeon at Seattle Grace Hospital." Meredith answered.
"Really? My dad worked there as a Neurosurgeon. What is she doing here?" Derek asked.
"We met here. Once I moved here I didn't really know anyone, so one night I came here and we were both getting drunk and complaining about life at the bar, and ever since then we've been friends. We're different in a variety of ways, but we've become good friends. And then the rest of the group started coming here and now we're all a big group." Meredith smiled.
"I see, well all of you but Mark that is." Derek chuckled.
"Exactly." Meredith giggled.
"Look at them," Izzie said with a smile back at the table.
"What?" Lexie said, turning her attention away from Mark.
"They're totally flirting!" Izzie said, happily clapping and laughing.
"Iz, calm down." Alex said with a chuckle.
"Sorry." She said.
"Let's make a bet, how long do you guys think till they sleep together?" Cristina asked.
"What? No. She won't sleep with him. If she won't sleep with me, she won't sleep with him." Mark said.
"Would you shut up? She's not interested in you, and she won't be. Give it up." Cristina said.
"Instead of sleeping together, why don't we make a bet on how long till they go on a date. She won't sleep with him before she dates him." Lexie said.
"True, she's not a slut." Izzie added.
"Ok, I give it two weeks." Cristina said.
"By the weekend." Alex added.
"Hmmm, I think a week." Lexie said.
"I'll go six days." Izzie said.
"I say never." Mark said.
"Ok, so we'll see whoever is closest once they go on their first date. Whoever is closest wins forty bucks." Cristina said.
They all turned their attention back to the couple in discussion and noticed how they were bother laughing and flirting.
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What'd you think? Derek shows interest in Meredith, but she's not allowing it. And our first bet has been made! Comments?
