~A Once and Again Series~
Now and Then Dimitri's Side
Chapter 10// Another Brick in the Wall
On Wednesday, Dimitri entered the classroom for the first time. He began of course, by announcing who he was. But even as he did this he was wondering if SHE was here. "Hello class, I'm Mr. Dimitri." The room quieted down as the class listened to him. "I will be taking the place of Ms. Smithson. I hope I will be an adequate replacement. Two things you all should know before we go any farther. One: you will have to read in this class. Two: you will have to write in this class. If you are not willing to do either of these, feel free to walk out that door."
Of course no one did. But, August could see the dislike in some of their eyes and knew that he most likely wouldn't be seeing those kids again. August looked slowly around the room, though, enjoying the way those students that were considering dropping the class squirmed under his eyes. And THERE.. there was Grace. In the front row, looking shocked at the sight of him. She didn't know HE was going to be her teacher, but August had had a head start, he had already known she was going to be his student. And, so he was prepared. The sight of her, looking slightly different, but still the same, didn't distract him.. well, it didn't distract him THAT much.
"Good. I hope you all kept your word now, and read and write when I ask it of you. We will be doing 4 main essays and two short stories. Yes, that's 6 papers you have to write. Plus a few short essays when needed. Again, if anyone isn't prepared to give me that, then this class is not for you. I will expect you all to give me your best effort in your works. There will be plenty of chances to restructure and edit your papers, but if you don't have a good base to work from, you'll end up with a nicely structured piece of crap."
Some students smiled softly, others just looked scared, and Grace looked far away, as if she was lost in her memories. What memories are dancing in her head? August wondered, already pretty sure he knew the answer to that.
* * *
He dismissed the class. He heard them go, his eyes focusing on Grace. He hadn't dared to really look at her during class. Not after that first glance. It was just too much. He couldn't believe it was her sitting there. Grace had her head down and was slowly putting her books away. August could tell she wanted to talk to him. He walked to the window, and considered this.
Could he talk to her? What would he say? Should he just let it out right away that he was married? Or would that be too forward of him? Perhaps she was involved with someone else.. oh, yeah, he had never thought of that, but it was very possible. Grace might have found someone, someone else, in the time they spent apart. He couldn't just blurt out that he was married, because it was likely she didn't care. If she asked, yes, if she asked, then he would tell her.
August heard her moving now, she was coming to join him at the window. He pretended to be studying the view of the parking lot, but he couldn't even focus on the blur of red, blue, and gray cars. He could only sense her, standing no more than two feet away from him.. after all this time, and she was back, by his side.
Grace's hand moved and August realized she was pointing at the parking lot, "Fifth car in on the last row, the red Honda is mine."
August focused on the car, picked it out of from the blur of similar cars, "Birthday present?"
"Yeah, a birthday - slash - graduation present from my parents and Rick." Her voice was still so soft and lovely.
"It's nice. It fits you." He became aware that she was turning away from the window and turning her body.. her body.. towards him.
"I have a baby brother now. He's 1. His name is Dominic."
He turned towards her finally, seeing so much in that moment. He saw the way her hair had gone longer, perhaps four inches longer, and the way it shined under the classroom lights. He saw the warm tan of a sunny summer lingering on her skin. He saw the way her shirt clung to her body, showing off her ample curves. He saw her full red lips. Most of all, he saw her eyes. Those intuitive eyes of hers, still searching for answers and truths. August saw too much in that moment, more than he wanted to see, more than he should be seeing. He forced himself to smile, "That's nice, Grace." He moved away, to his desk, away from her and those eyes.
"So, what's new in your life?" Grace asked. "I didn't know you were teaching here. I, mean, you never told me where you were going."
A pang of guilt. Undeserved guilt, he told himself. He hadn't gone anywhere after leaving the school. But, he hadn't told Grace that, a little voice added. Damn. "Yes, because I never went any where." He shrugged. "I still live in my house, I just switched schools."
"Oh, I didn't know."
Now, Dimitri could hear guilt in her voice and he felt bad for saying what he did. But he said the truth, didn't that count for anything? Why should he feel bad for saying the truth? He shouldn't, he shouldn't. He closed his briefcase with a final click. He looked back up at Grace. She was still so beautiful, but maybe even more beautiful than before. She seemed more confident of herself than before, more accepting of herself, and than just added to her beauty. There was no way this beautiful creature could not have a boyfriend. She must have someone. She was just so.. special. Grace moved uncomfortably under his gaze and August realized he was staring. He remembered a line from the Pink Floyd song "Another Brick in the Wall" with slight amusement, 'Hey, teachers, leave the kids alone!' He looked away and at his watch, not really seeing the position of the hands of the clock, just needed to get away, get away from here and from her. "I guess I'll see you on Friday, then?"
He turned and headed for the door, hearing her call, "Yeah" after him. He made his escape. 'All in all, it's just another brick in the wall. All in all, you're just another brick in the wall.'
* * *
"How was that extra class you took on?"
August turned in his chair at the sound of his wife's voice. "It went good. I think I scared half of them away," He called to her in the kitchen from his chair in the living room. He heard the jumble of pots and pans clanking, and a muttered curse. August sighed softly, thinking of other things as he got up to join his wife in the kitchen.
"I hate cooking!" Angelina was saying as he entered.
"Let me do it, then."
Angelina turned, seeing her husband, and grimaced. "No, I'm going to be a good wife. For some god damn reason which I have yet to find out, you married me, you chose ME, so I'm going to cook you the DAMN chicken things I bought."
August smiled slightly. He used to be amused by this. He used to enjoy to watching her try to cook. He used to sit on top of the countertop and laugh and smile at her as she burnt things and broke things. And he would kiss her, interrupt her from cooking, and led her into the bedroom, so they wouldn't have to actually eat the awful things that were supposed to be meatloaf or pot roast, but didn't resemble anything close. And that was only two months ago.. two months ago, she had amused him. But now..
"Why don't we just go out, then?" August asked.
Angelina slammed a pan on top of stove. Her blond hair flew around her face as she faced him with an angry scowl on her pretty face. "I want to cook for you!"
"Why don't you just give it up? I'm a good cook.. let me cook for you." Dimitri moved to his wife, feeling a sudden unexpected flash of love for the woman he married five months ago. He got close enough to put his hands on her slim waist before she pushed him away.
"I have to preheat or butter.. or something." Angelina turned back to the cookbook she had opened.
August watched her. "I don't think you should do.." He began as he watched her put the chicken breasts on an unsprayed pan. She threw him a look that shut him up. He waited. She began to prepare a marinate or something, August couldn't really tell. The kitchen filled with the heavy smell of burnt chicken. Angelina began cursing as the chicken stuck to the frying pan. He used to be amused also, by the way she would curse like a sailor.. but now..
"I screwed up another meal!" Angelina complained. She threw the spatula she had been using angrily at the sink and missed. Instead of picking it up, she stormed out of the room. August picked up the spatula, and put it in the dish-filled sink, making a mental note to himself to do the dishes. He went and turned off the burner on the stove and moved the frying pan with the burnt chicken to the sink, letting the faucet water run over it and then saw that it was useless. The frying pan had already gone through too many of Angelina's attempts at cooking. He went to the trash and tossed the frying pan in it and made a mental note to buy more pans.
He smelled smoke, but it wasn't from the ruined meal. Recently Angelina had begun smoking again. August sighed, opening the kitchen window, letting the fresh air come in and mingle with the oppressive air.
* * *
Now and Then Dimitri's Side
Chapter 10// Another Brick in the Wall
On Wednesday, Dimitri entered the classroom for the first time. He began of course, by announcing who he was. But even as he did this he was wondering if SHE was here. "Hello class, I'm Mr. Dimitri." The room quieted down as the class listened to him. "I will be taking the place of Ms. Smithson. I hope I will be an adequate replacement. Two things you all should know before we go any farther. One: you will have to read in this class. Two: you will have to write in this class. If you are not willing to do either of these, feel free to walk out that door."
Of course no one did. But, August could see the dislike in some of their eyes and knew that he most likely wouldn't be seeing those kids again. August looked slowly around the room, though, enjoying the way those students that were considering dropping the class squirmed under his eyes. And THERE.. there was Grace. In the front row, looking shocked at the sight of him. She didn't know HE was going to be her teacher, but August had had a head start, he had already known she was going to be his student. And, so he was prepared. The sight of her, looking slightly different, but still the same, didn't distract him.. well, it didn't distract him THAT much.
"Good. I hope you all kept your word now, and read and write when I ask it of you. We will be doing 4 main essays and two short stories. Yes, that's 6 papers you have to write. Plus a few short essays when needed. Again, if anyone isn't prepared to give me that, then this class is not for you. I will expect you all to give me your best effort in your works. There will be plenty of chances to restructure and edit your papers, but if you don't have a good base to work from, you'll end up with a nicely structured piece of crap."
Some students smiled softly, others just looked scared, and Grace looked far away, as if she was lost in her memories. What memories are dancing in her head? August wondered, already pretty sure he knew the answer to that.
* * *
He dismissed the class. He heard them go, his eyes focusing on Grace. He hadn't dared to really look at her during class. Not after that first glance. It was just too much. He couldn't believe it was her sitting there. Grace had her head down and was slowly putting her books away. August could tell she wanted to talk to him. He walked to the window, and considered this.
Could he talk to her? What would he say? Should he just let it out right away that he was married? Or would that be too forward of him? Perhaps she was involved with someone else.. oh, yeah, he had never thought of that, but it was very possible. Grace might have found someone, someone else, in the time they spent apart. He couldn't just blurt out that he was married, because it was likely she didn't care. If she asked, yes, if she asked, then he would tell her.
August heard her moving now, she was coming to join him at the window. He pretended to be studying the view of the parking lot, but he couldn't even focus on the blur of red, blue, and gray cars. He could only sense her, standing no more than two feet away from him.. after all this time, and she was back, by his side.
Grace's hand moved and August realized she was pointing at the parking lot, "Fifth car in on the last row, the red Honda is mine."
August focused on the car, picked it out of from the blur of similar cars, "Birthday present?"
"Yeah, a birthday - slash - graduation present from my parents and Rick." Her voice was still so soft and lovely.
"It's nice. It fits you." He became aware that she was turning away from the window and turning her body.. her body.. towards him.
"I have a baby brother now. He's 1. His name is Dominic."
He turned towards her finally, seeing so much in that moment. He saw the way her hair had gone longer, perhaps four inches longer, and the way it shined under the classroom lights. He saw the warm tan of a sunny summer lingering on her skin. He saw the way her shirt clung to her body, showing off her ample curves. He saw her full red lips. Most of all, he saw her eyes. Those intuitive eyes of hers, still searching for answers and truths. August saw too much in that moment, more than he wanted to see, more than he should be seeing. He forced himself to smile, "That's nice, Grace." He moved away, to his desk, away from her and those eyes.
"So, what's new in your life?" Grace asked. "I didn't know you were teaching here. I, mean, you never told me where you were going."
A pang of guilt. Undeserved guilt, he told himself. He hadn't gone anywhere after leaving the school. But, he hadn't told Grace that, a little voice added. Damn. "Yes, because I never went any where." He shrugged. "I still live in my house, I just switched schools."
"Oh, I didn't know."
Now, Dimitri could hear guilt in her voice and he felt bad for saying what he did. But he said the truth, didn't that count for anything? Why should he feel bad for saying the truth? He shouldn't, he shouldn't. He closed his briefcase with a final click. He looked back up at Grace. She was still so beautiful, but maybe even more beautiful than before. She seemed more confident of herself than before, more accepting of herself, and than just added to her beauty. There was no way this beautiful creature could not have a boyfriend. She must have someone. She was just so.. special. Grace moved uncomfortably under his gaze and August realized he was staring. He remembered a line from the Pink Floyd song "Another Brick in the Wall" with slight amusement, 'Hey, teachers, leave the kids alone!' He looked away and at his watch, not really seeing the position of the hands of the clock, just needed to get away, get away from here and from her. "I guess I'll see you on Friday, then?"
He turned and headed for the door, hearing her call, "Yeah" after him. He made his escape. 'All in all, it's just another brick in the wall. All in all, you're just another brick in the wall.'
* * *
"How was that extra class you took on?"
August turned in his chair at the sound of his wife's voice. "It went good. I think I scared half of them away," He called to her in the kitchen from his chair in the living room. He heard the jumble of pots and pans clanking, and a muttered curse. August sighed softly, thinking of other things as he got up to join his wife in the kitchen.
"I hate cooking!" Angelina was saying as he entered.
"Let me do it, then."
Angelina turned, seeing her husband, and grimaced. "No, I'm going to be a good wife. For some god damn reason which I have yet to find out, you married me, you chose ME, so I'm going to cook you the DAMN chicken things I bought."
August smiled slightly. He used to be amused by this. He used to enjoy to watching her try to cook. He used to sit on top of the countertop and laugh and smile at her as she burnt things and broke things. And he would kiss her, interrupt her from cooking, and led her into the bedroom, so they wouldn't have to actually eat the awful things that were supposed to be meatloaf or pot roast, but didn't resemble anything close. And that was only two months ago.. two months ago, she had amused him. But now..
"Why don't we just go out, then?" August asked.
Angelina slammed a pan on top of stove. Her blond hair flew around her face as she faced him with an angry scowl on her pretty face. "I want to cook for you!"
"Why don't you just give it up? I'm a good cook.. let me cook for you." Dimitri moved to his wife, feeling a sudden unexpected flash of love for the woman he married five months ago. He got close enough to put his hands on her slim waist before she pushed him away.
"I have to preheat or butter.. or something." Angelina turned back to the cookbook she had opened.
August watched her. "I don't think you should do.." He began as he watched her put the chicken breasts on an unsprayed pan. She threw him a look that shut him up. He waited. She began to prepare a marinate or something, August couldn't really tell. The kitchen filled with the heavy smell of burnt chicken. Angelina began cursing as the chicken stuck to the frying pan. He used to be amused also, by the way she would curse like a sailor.. but now..
"I screwed up another meal!" Angelina complained. She threw the spatula she had been using angrily at the sink and missed. Instead of picking it up, she stormed out of the room. August picked up the spatula, and put it in the dish-filled sink, making a mental note to himself to do the dishes. He went and turned off the burner on the stove and moved the frying pan with the burnt chicken to the sink, letting the faucet water run over it and then saw that it was useless. The frying pan had already gone through too many of Angelina's attempts at cooking. He went to the trash and tossed the frying pan in it and made a mental note to buy more pans.
He smelled smoke, but it wasn't from the ruined meal. Recently Angelina had begun smoking again. August sighed, opening the kitchen window, letting the fresh air come in and mingle with the oppressive air.
* * *