Glen P.O.V.

After leaving the office, I glanced at the map Mrs. Golden had given me. Taking the correct hall and navigating was extremely easy. After unlocking the room and turning on the lights, I did not like the way that it was set up. This shouldn't take too long, maybe five minutes. I started moving the ones that are closest to my desk. Thankful there is a big white board on three of the walls, it was easy to make the layout work. I had all of the desks arranged to face my desk in a semi-circle with five minutes to spare.

Grabbing my mug, I decided to go and refill my coffee, I left the door open so the students could just walk in and take a seat. If it causes a problem I'll just make seating arrangements…thank god it's a small school. I had always wanted to teach in a small school. I refilled my mug and was just stepping out into the hall, when Mr. Carter stepped out of the office, which is across the hall from the lounge. "Oh good, Glen I'm going to go with you and address the first class, explain about April, if that's alright?"

"Yeah, that would be fine with me." After the bell rang, we walked in companionable silence until we reached the halfway point in the hall. That was when he stopped and turned to face me. "Glen, I think it's only fair to warn you that, while there are good kids in this class, they can be a bit unruly for lack of a better word. There are a couple in this class that tend to think that Daddy's money solves everything. They are very spoiled, entitled and they are only sophomores, God help us. If they give you any problems, just deal with them how you see fit, shoot me an email or give me a call and I'll handle any fall back from repercussions."

"Sounds good. I can handle it." He laughed and gave me a little pat on the arm as we started walking again. "Oh, I don't doubt that a bit."

What we found when we got to the classroom was not what I had been expecting. One student had a shiny new laptop on his desk, that clearly wasn't issued by the school. Several where sitting on top of the desks and all of them were talking, which was fine, but what really got me, were the three that are at my desk. Two are standing on the side that faces the classroom, the other one is in my chair on the computer, who is apparently on YouTube looking for music to listen to.

When Mr. Carter asked me to step back out into the hallway, I did as he asked and took a few steps back. I waited until I realized that this group of kids are going to do everything but listen to him. The one boy kept typing away on his MacBook and the others did get off of the desks but continued to talk loudly. One kid was drinking a bottled coffee, the three at my desk paid Mr. Carter no attention at all, ignoring him completely. He tried to start again to no avail. I tapped him on the shoulder and told him that I got this. "Okay well I'm going to wait her in the hall for a bit, just for the first few minutes if that doesn't offend you?" I shook my head no and proceeded to enter the room to let them know that this is unacceptable behavior and make my presence known.

When I picked up the large metal trash can, from just inside the door, he gave me a quizzical look, I just put my right index finger up to my mouth in a 'shhh' sign. I took the bottled coffee out of the kid's hand and tossed it into the trash can hard enough to make a very loud bang. Most of the students, except the ones on the computer and MacBook boy, who has earbuds in, jumped and shut up immediately, before realizing that Mrs. Mathews probably wasn't going to be there today and there is a big scary looking guy holding a trash can, blocking the doorway. The students probably couldn't hear Mr. Carter, but it was loud enough for me to catch. "Nicely done." I loudly dropped the trash can back into it's place next to the door and stepped forward, closing the kid's laptop and scooping it up all in one fluid motion. He started sputtering and some kids are looking at me like 'who the hell is this guy?'. Apparently the boy found his voice. "HEY! Give that back right now!" I just kept walking and pulled my keys from my pocket and deposited the MacBook into the bottom desk drawer and locked it. "Um I said for you to give that back." Continuing to ignore the brat, I turned to the two that are standing around my desk, who very smartly and immediately went and sat in more appropriate seats. I stood behind the one that is still on my computer, completely oblivious to what is going on around him. Even when he started talking to his friends, that are no longer there, I didn't make a sound. "Hey let's listen to Monster by Skillet." Oh the irony. As the music filled the room, one of the kids started to get the boys attention. "Hey Derrick…" I just silenced them with a raised hand. Derrick, apparently, started nodding his head to the music, having enough I reached around him and turned of the monitor. "What the hell dude?" After he spun the chair around, it is quite obvious that I am not who he expected to be there. "Derrick, is it?" He gave me a look like; 'whose asking?'. "Yeeeeaaahh." I pointed to the desks; "You can take your seat now." At that moment realization set in that I am apparently the substitute, and he took off to the desk next to a girl with an enormous grin on her face.

I walked around to the front of my desk and leaned back on it with my arms folded across my chest. I was about to open my mouth to speak when MacBook boy cut me off. "Look you obviously are unaware of who I am, but that is forgivable. My name is Tanner MacAlpin and you need to give me my computer back now." Ignoring him, once again, I begin to address the class with a very indifferent tone. "My name is Mr. Jacobs; you will address me as such. Mrs. Mathews has had to take an unexpected leave of absence. I will be teaching in her place until she returns, IF she is able to return this year at all. Is this understood?" When they all nodded except for Tanner, I focused all of my attention on him, with his arms crossed over his chest putting like a toddler. "Is there a problem Mr. MacAlpin?" Apparently he wasn't expecting me to address him or call him on his crap because his mouth fell open for a short moment before he recovered.

"Yes, there is a problem." He is sitting there with this incredulous expression on his face, mine blank, void of all emotion. "You still have not returned my property to me."

"Your property, Mr. MacAlpin?"

He rolled his eyes. "Yes, my property, the MacBook that my parents bought me for school."

"Sounds like it's your parents property then. I'll be sure to call them during my conference period to let them know where it is."

"But.."

"This conversation is over Mr. MacAlpin. Now," I turned my attention to the whole class. "I think we have gotten off to a pretty rough start, but I think most of you know that by now. Tomorrow, I expect you to all be seated and quiet when the bell signals the start of class. You are to have everything ready to start the lesson. I'll have what you are going to need for the day on one of the boards most likely the one to my left. Do you all have a copy of the required reading list?" At their acknowledgement, I continued. "Good. We're going to start off with Beowulf."

At their groans, I suddenly remembered that these are Sophomores, and I couldn't help but to chuckle. "What's wrong with Beowulf?" one young lady gave me an exasperated look.

"Mr. Jacobs are you kidding? Have you seen that book? Have you seen how they talk? We are going to have to look up every other word in the dictionary and some of us are going to need to look up THOSE words in the CHILDREN'S dictionary….its going to take us half an hour to read a page. Can't we just watch the movie?"

I nodded. "That's a fair question, but that's the point of school, believe it or not, to learn. When we get through the book, I'll see about getting the movie in here. You guys are also going to be keeping a Reading Log." Before I could continue a hand shot up. "Yeah?"

The girl cocked her head to the side. "What's a reading log?"

"Well it depends on what it's for." I relaxed my stance into a less combative position and rested my hands on each side of my hips. "Yours are going to keep up with what books your reading, how may pages you get through at a time, how long you read and there will be a section for words that you don't know. So whenever you come across a word you don't know, record it there and then there will be a column beside it in the same row to fill in the definition, you will need at least five of those words each week. These folders will be turned in every Friday at the start of class in the appropriate basket that is designated with the period your class is in. However, right now, I just want you guys to do a free writing assignment. I don't care what it is, song lyrics favorite recipe whatever just make it a full page. In the meantime, I'm going to take attendance since that got put off earlier. After you're all finished, we'll have a Q and A session. Since some of you look like your about to pop, although I'm not sure if that's from curiosity or neglecting to go to the restroom before class."

Walking back from the teacher's lounge I reflect on my first morning here so far. All in All, it had been a good morning. I am tired of answering the same questions over and over and over again. That's to be expected I guess. My knee is killing me. As I sat down behind my desk and propped my leg up on a stool, that had mysteriously shown up outside my classroom door after the second period, I grabbed a piece of paper out of the tray to the printer. "I need to make a list." I began to write things down as they came to mind. Pocket folders, I'll get a count later, some one seems to have absconded with the tape so I need to get some of that, might as well grab some staples while I'm at it. I could hear the next group of students coming in, so I put the paper aside for now. I had been looking forward to and simultaneously dreading this class. My girls and Timber. Hope her morning was interesting, but uneventful.

Before I really knew what was happening, the squeals of "Daddy!" really should have given me a heads up, I was being smothered by two heads of hair, four arms were squeezing me and almost knocked out of my chair, and air, by two girls bouncing up and down, jostling my knee in the process. Upon hearing the harsh intake of my breath, they immediately let go and started apologizing profusely. Through gritted teeth and held breath I managed to get out, " It's fine. Go sit down." Once they were headed back to their seats, of course they are flanking my wife. My wife…you know what, you need to get your act together and quite being freaking awkward around her. It's Timber. You love Timber! Man up and treat her like nothing has changed because NOTHING has changed. Except it had though.

The girls' little outburst caused a mini stir in the atmosphere in the room. Which I knew that was going to get around at some point, that I am, well was, there Stepdad. You divorce spouses, not children. Of course, this didn't stop them from adding fuel to the fire. Devan, my wild child, piped up excitedly. " Did you see who else is here?" they are both pointing, with both hands mind you, excitedly at Timber. Arista popped of next. "Why didn't you tell us that you were going to be here?"

I held up a hand to stop the inquisition, unscrewed the top of the water bottle I had retrieved from the lounge and spun my chair around, as best I could, so students wouldn't see me take one of my pain meds. Turning back around just as the bell sounded, I started the little spill that I had perfected throughout the morning.

'Arista would you get the door, please?' As she did so I took a breath and prayed that the meds would kick in soon and that the rest of this day went off without a hitch. "Thank you. Clearly Mrs. Mathews isn't here today. I'm sure that you have heard several different things already, she is out for the foreseeable future. So, you're stuck with me. My name is Mr. Jacobs you will address me as such. Yes, even you three. "I made a point of looking at Devan, Timber and Arista. Who all gave me the most angelic looks, as though they aren't capable of mass destruction and chaos when they are together. "Don't look at me like that you know exactly what I mean." I put a hand up quickly as I started to see hands shoot into the air. "We can get to questions in a few minutes. I'm sure that the change in desk arrangement may have thrown you off a little bit. There is a couple of reasons for that. Number one, being that I like for classes to have debates and discussions about what we are currently working on. You cant really do that if you are all in rows. Do not take advantage of this and start causing issues, those can be solved quickly…I am sure that you have heard about my first period class?" At multiple nods, I carried on. "GOOD. I am going to fill this out," I held up the attendance log, "and as I do, we will address any APPROPRIATE questions any of you may have as I call your name." I blew out a breath through tight lips as I looked down at the list of names. Here we go again.

"Adams, Michael?" The boy barely had his hand in the air before he was talking in rapid fire, like he was afraid if he didn't say it fast enough he couldn't ask it. "Okay so we have all heard a lot of things today and I was just wondering if you are who everyone said you are?" I just looked at him, waiting for clarification. "Okay fine, are really Kane?" I heard Devan snort a little, to which I cut my eyes at her and when she got herself, under control, I turned back to Michael. "Yeah, I am." He started to ask another question, but I moved on to the next name. "Brown, Sarah?" Looking up, I found her in the seat next to Arista. I nodded and she spoke in a cautious tone. "Aren't you supposed to be hurt?" I nodded. "I am. I had surgery on my knee a little over six weeks ago. Not supposed to be on it, but someone that I can't say 'no' to asked for a favor, so here I am." Looking a little lower on the list, I continued in this fashion, calling a name and answering a question until I got to the G names. I looked at Arista. "Okay, what is it?" She just looked at me for a few seconds. "Why didn't you tell us you were going to be here?" I shrugged. "I didn't know until the next to last minute." I looked at Devan, and she asked her question, clearly concerned and upset that I hadn't really told them anything lately. "On a scale of I'll live to career ending, how bad is your knee?"

"Eh, I'll live. Holloway, Bethany?" Glancing up and scanning the ring of desks, I found her in one of the ones closest to my left. Judging by the look on her face, she had a humdinger of a question. "Oh god. What?" She kind of squirmed in her seat for a second, like she was building up the guts to, actually, ask this to my face. "So, it's been rumored and confirmed on the internet that you got divorced, but you're clearly wearing a wedding band. Is that an indication that you have remarried or is it just, like, stuck or something?" I just stared at her like a deer caught in the headlights for a split second. These kids are nosey little turds. I don't know why, but I got the biggest grin on my face and couldn't help but laugh and glance at Timber. "Well, It's not stuck." I turned back to the list of names as Arista and Devan shouted "WHAT?"

"Not the time, nor the place." Oh they are definitely upset and DEFINITELY NOT happy with me. I chanced a glance at them. Timber is putting on a good façade. Well I think we may just pull this off until we figure out how to talk to them. She is sitting there, acting just as upset as they are. Ladies and gentlemen, the award goes to.

"Mr. Jacobs?" I looked back to my left, it was Bethany. "What now?" She pointed to the empty desk beside her. "Davin Holloway is out today. He's my brother and he is sick. Like, oober sick." I just raised my eyebrows and went back to the list, going through it until I got to Timber. "Timber, you got anything?" She just shook her head. That just left the one. "Mock, Benjamin?" He gave me a nod that seemed to say 'what's up?'. "Bethany stick this outside for me." She slipped the paper from my hand and headed to the door. My knee is hurting so bad I am seriously rethinking this entire thing. Benjamin has this cat that ate the canary grin on his face, like he has the million-dollar question. I give him an expectant look and don't have to wait long. "So, what's your wife's name and what does she look like?" My face morphs into a deadpanned look, along with my tone and don't give the answer he was hoping for. "I said appropriate questions. Okay you guys are just going to do a free writing assignment, start you off easy. I don't care about the topic, just make it a page long." Bethany's hand shot up. "Yes, Bethany?"

"What are the girls supposed to do?" All I could do was blink. Did she really just say that? "The same thing. Oh, I'll have what you need for the day, written up on one of these boards. So check those when you come in and get it all together." Can I go home now?