Really really short chapter, sorry. At least the next one is almost three times the size. Zack is introduced in this chapter as you can probably tell. There is a lot of Jalex in this chapter.


CHAPTER SEVEN
MR MERRICK


After Alex had been going to school in Avonlea for two years Mr Phillips decided that it would be best if he left teaching and all the students that he'd taught agreed. On Mr Phillips' final day the girls in his class started crying even if they didn't like him. He gave a heartrending farewell speech beginning 'The time has come for us to part' which affected most of the children in the room. Once he left everyone stood around the building, not knowing what to do next. To leave would seem rude but it was staying was quite boring. Josie Pye stood up on top of the fence and walked along it, trying to get Jack Barakat's attention.

"I guess that some people think it's an accomplishment to walk a little picket fence," Alex said to Diana, "I knew a girl who could walk the ridgepole of a roof."

Josie heard what Alex said and retaliated, "I bet you couldn't do it, bookworm."

"I'm sure I could," Alex said as he turned to climb up the nearby ladder leaning on the school building.

"Don't do it, Alex," Jack pleaded once he knew what was going on, "it seems awfully dangerous."

Alex continued going up the ladder. Once he had reached the roof, he moved towards the centre. Alex had managed to walk along three quarters of the ridgepole when he felt something slip below him. All the students saw as he disappeared down the other side of the roof. Everyone rushed over either to see if Alex was okay or just out of curiosity.

"Oh, Alex," Diana began overly dramatically, "is you killed?"

"No," Alex replied as he opened his eyes, "but I think I twisted my ankle."

Jack reached down to Alex and lifted him up. Alex felt strangely safe.

"If you need help getting home-" Jack began.

"I think I'll be fine by myself," Alex tried to limp away.

"You can hardly walk, Alex, let him help you," Diana whispered to Alex.

"Fine," Alex muttered as Jack and Diana lifted his arms above their shoulders to help him walk.

Jack had to stoop and Diana had to stand on her tiptoes but it seemed to work. Jack and Diana attempted making small talk but Alex had no part in it.

"What do you think our new teacher will be like?" Diana asked Jack.

"I think that it'll be a female teacher."

"We haven't had one in a while."

"I also think she'll be strict when it comes to following the rules but nice at the same time."

"How's your father?"

"He's well," Jack replied, "and how's yours?"

"He's fine too."

The discussion continued like this until they reached Green Gables.

"What happened?" Marilla gasped when she saw Alex.

"He fell off the school house roof," Jack replied.

"Just this morning I thought, 'I wonder what he'll do today' and look! You have raised the bar, Alex Gaskarth."

Alex was in bed for three weeks after that and missed seeing their new teacher straight away. When Alex did go back to school he met Mr Merrick. A kind but stern teacher that seemed 100 times better than Mr Phillips even if Alex had only known him for one day. Mr Merrick had short brown hair and was tall. He seemed young, as if he'd just got his teaching licence, and was from Carmody. Alex took an immediate liking to him as did every other student in class.


See, Jalex. The next chapter is longer, has more Jalex and is just generally fantastic.