Chapter 6: New Teacher

We all got up to leave Mr. Marshall's office when I heard him say, "Miss Montez, I need to talk to you for just a moment please."

I started to get nervous again. I looked at my friends, each of them questioning me with their eyes. I nodded my head to all of them. I looked at Troy and noticed that he too had a questioning look in his eyes. I mouthed, "We'll talk soon," He nodded his head.

I sat down in an empty chair across from Mr. Marshall. I knew I looked nervous because he smiled at me and said, "Don't be nervous Miss Montez. I just would like to let you know that you will have a teaching partner for your classes. You won't teach together in the same class, you will just cover the same material each day."

"Oh, that's fine Mr. Marshall," I said wondering why he needed to tell this to me in person.

"You are probably wondering why I ma telling you this privately, and well, you see, this new teacher is my son. His name is Trey and let's just say that he's been in trouble since he was in high school. I think that he can connect with the kids and help them stay out of trouble," he said with a frown on his face.

I looked at Mr. Marshall in surprise. I had no idea he had a son let alone a wife. He didn't wear a wedding ring and there weren't any pictures of his wife or this son he talked about. I looked at Mr. Marshall and said, "Mr. Marshall I had no idea. I think that he too can help the students."

"Thank you Miss Montez, but what I would really like is for you and your friends to watch out for him. Just treat him like you would them," he said sincerely. I could tell he cared for his son but didn't approve of the things he seemed to do with his life.

"Your welcome Mr. Marshall," I said wondering how I would tell the gang about him.

I got up to leave when I heard Mr. Marshall say my name again, "Miss Montez, don't tell your friends that Trey has been in trouble. I don't want them to judge him right away."

I looked at Mr. Marshall and said with concern, " Ok Mr. Marshall."

I got out of his office and turned to go to the teacher lounge when I felt a hand on my arm. I looked and I saw Troy standing at the principal's doorway. I knew he'd be waiting for me.

"Troy, we aren't going to talk right now ok? I have something to tell the gang," I said sharply.

"Ok, but Gabi, we need to talk soon," Troy said in a monotone voice. I could tell there was something on his mind but I didn't want to talk to him just yet. I had to keep my thoughts straight and keep my word to Mr. Marshall.

I looked away from him and rolled my eyes. He knew how to annoy me and that voice did it. I removed his hand from my arm. I walked down the hallway and into the teachers lounge. I saw everyone in a big circle in the middle of the room. I walked up to them and they all looked up at me with anxious looks. They were all waiting to hear what I had talked about with Mr. Marshall.

"Ok, Mr. Marshall wanted to tell me that I would have a teacher teaching the same classes as me," I started and everyone started to ask questions. I gave them a look and they all went quiet. I continued, "The new teacher is Mr. Marshall's son. He wants us welcome him and treat him just like we would each other."

I finished talking and everyone started to talk again. I smiled to myself.

I heard someone clear their throat behind me. I turned my head and saw that it was Troy.

He looked at me and asked," What's his name?"

I looked at him and said, "It's Trey Marshall."

Troy nodded his head but kept his eyes on me.

I turned to look at everyone else, since they had all gotten real quite, and asked, "any more questions?" No one moved. "Ok then," I said seriously.

The room stayed like that for about five minutes and then we all heard someone knock on the door.

"Come in," we all said at the same time. I smiled at my friends and they returned a smile of their own.

I watched as a young man entered the room. He looked just like Principal Marshall. He too had the face of a 20 year old but his body looked more his and our ages.

"Hey, what's up? I'm Trey, the new science teacher," he said in a cocky tone.

We all went around the circle as we each introduced ourselves. Finally it got to me and I saw him look at me with interest. Just that look made my insides churn. "Hey, I'm Gabriella and we will be teaching the same classes only not together," I said politely. Now I was glad we didn't teach our classes together. I knew I shouldn't judge him right away but he was staring at me and it made me very uncomfortable.

Troy saw this and he asked Trey with forced politeness, "So why did you want to become a teacher?"

Trey adverted his eyes from me to Troy and said in the same cocky tone, "Oh, I wanted the three months off during the summer."

I looked at Trey in disbelief, "Wow he's going to be trouble," I thought to myself.

"I'm just kidding," Trey said laughing. "I guess the real reason is because I like kids and I've always been able to get through to them."

We all looked at one another. I knew that they were all thinking the same thing. I rolled my eyes knowing that Trey's first answer was the real reason. Chad and Taylor smiled at me. Eventually everyone else did too.

"That's cool," I heard Troy say with more forced politeness. He knew he was lying and I could tell it was starting to piss troy off. If there was one thing troy Bolton hated it was a liar. I knew this was going to be a long day as I looked at Troy. I turned back around hoping that I wouldn't catch Troy's eyes. I knew if I did I would soften right away.

We all went on talking among ourselves and I felt someone stand next to me.

Trey tapped my shoulder and said, "So, we are teaching the same class, cool. Should we start to plan now? Just so we have an idea of what we want to cover this week?" he asked politely.

I was shocked at how polite he was being. "Sure," I answered.

We left the circle and went over to a far corner and started to plan our lessons.

"So, my dad told you I've had some problems in high school right?" Trey asked after we had been planning for about five minutes.

I looked at Trey, shocked that he wanted to talk about his past so openly. I replied quietly, "Yes, he did, but he didn't say the kind of trouble you were in. He also said not to let the others know."

He looked at me surprised, "Really, he said not to tell them? And he didn't say what my problem was exactly?"

"Yeah that's what he said," I said sensing that Trey's problem was smaller than Mr. Marshall had implied.

Trey looked at me again, "Well looks like dear old dad wants to forget it ever happened. Whatever its not even that important, " Trey said mostly to himself.

I just looked at him curiously. "He still hasn't said what this trouble was." I thought to myself. "Well if he doesn't want to tell me them I guess that's fine."

We went back to our planning and heard footsteps in the halls. I looked at the clock and it was almost 8:00 (they start school at 8:15).

"Well I guess we had better get to our classes guys," I said out loud.

They all left including Trey. I looked around the room and saw that Troy and I were the only ones left.

"Troy, please not now," I said. I still needed time to think if I really wanted to get back together with Troy.

"I know Gabi, just meet me in the gym at lunch ok?" Troy asked quietly.

"Fine," I said and walked to my first class.