Friday, finally, the only day out of every week I actually look forward too; but this one more than others. I pull up in front of my classroom, turning off the engine of my car. Grabbing satchel and keys, I get out my car and head to unlock the rear door. The lights slowly flicker on as I flip the switch and walk in the semi-darken chamber. My class sits on the south side of campus, not anywhere near any sunlight. Plus, the windows are blocked by overgrown shrubbery and trees. I still don't understand why they put them there. Maybe to remind the students that they're trapped inside, at least that's what I thought when I was in high school. I set my bag down on my front desk, and open up one of the drawers for my "Life's a Beach" mug and walk back outside. I saunter across campus, past the Art and Miscellaneous building, through the semi-crowd Cafeteria Area, until I reach the front steps of the Main Office. If there is one thing I hate about being a teacher - and I hate a lot of things- are the meetings us teachers have to suffer through. At the moment I'm about 10 minutes late to one I wasn't planning to show up to but Ms. Harley told me that the Principal was planning to show up to this one. So I'd rather make it look like I have a deep, and passionate caring for each and every explanation as to which department is next for a budget cut and why then get fired for actually not giving two fucks. I push open the doors to a dimly lit hallway, with the meeting room lights. Out the corner of my eye I see someone leaning against a door frame.
"Wow, Vantas, you decide to actually communicate with the other teachers for once?"
"Shut-up, Strider."
"Whoa, sorry Oscar the Grouch, I was only being friendly." I try to stroll by him be he walks right p besides me.
"Don't you have some testosterone, pumped Neanderthals to train?" I say curtly to him.
"I don't know why you hate the P.E. department so much." He states slant.
" Simple, because every time one of your steroid full goons are in danger of failing every class across the board, you and Coach Zahhak come lurk the halls of the teachers' lounge asking for favors." I stop and face him looking straight into his eyes. Though it's hard with his shitty shades and me being a half a foot shorter. "You'd think if you just tell them to do their assignments that this wouldn't be a problem."
"Yeah but-"
"Here, Strider, since it must be quite a bit of trouble for you to pick up the hint for you to leave me alone I'll make it even simpler. Fuck off." He clicks his jaw shut. I can feel his eyes giving me a glare through those cheap plastic specks and I glare right back.
"Mr. Vantas," Coach Strider leans in close, but I don't flinch. "You're little tough-guy act doesn't faze me." He drags out his words with an annoying click of his tongue at the end of each. "And if I were you, I'd reconsider my decision." he looks down at me for a moment before we walks back down the hall from where we just came.
"Asshole," I mumble under my breathe "Reconsider my ass." I try not to let him get to me as I continue on my trip down the hall. I glance at my watch groaning, messing around with him made me later than I already had hoped to be. I speed walk down to the meeting hallway, only to see no one else is there.
"Shit," I turn towards the door and open it to see no one's inside of it either. "Did I miss it completely!?" The door slams behind me as I walk down the hall back to the Teacher's Lounge. At the very least I can get a cup of coffee before I start my class.
"Hey, Karkat, I was beginning to wonder when you show up." As I head in, I see one of my only friends on campus sitting in a chair in front of the doorway.
"Morning, Terezi," I pull up a seat besides her smiling. "I would have been here sooner if it wasn't for that idiot Coach Strider."
"Again? I swear you two come up with the most ridiculous reasons to despise one another"
"What can I say, he is a very loathe able guy." I tell her flatly. "Did I miss anything important at the meeting this morning?"
"Meeting?" She pushes her red-rimmed glasses up her nose a little looking back at me "Karkat, there was no meeting this morning. They rescheduled it to next Wednesday. Didn't you get the E-mail?"
"Ah, no," I give myself a mental slap in the face "I guess I was too busy packing for the trip that it slipped my mind."
"That is today, isn't it?" She reaches over for my coffee mug and gets up to fill it for me. "Are you still taking your plus one along?" She asks me grabbing some sugar and cream for off the counter.
"Probably, he's turned in all of his assignments since Tuesday, I highly doubt he forgets today's." She comes back to the table and hands me everything, and I nod in appreciation. "I can only pray that he forgot to do it or left it at home." I roll my eyes while taking a small, grateful sip.
"Oh, stop it Karkat!" Terezi slaps my arm playfully while laughing "You know darn well he's the closet thing you have to a friend!"
"I wouldn't say friend, we just have a weird teacher/student relationship." I try to be nonchalant but she rolls her eyes.
"He's your friend and you know it."
"Ok, maybe you're right." I look down at my watch to see it's almost time for first period.
"I know I'm right," Ms. Pyrope gets up from her seat and starts heading towards the door. "Actually, maybe you two should hang out more often."
"What? Why?" I look at her quizzically.
"I just have a feeling." She smirks as she turns out the door.
"Whatever." I shout to her. I get up from my chair and head outside the building back to my classroom. The campus is finally starting to fill up with students, so I walk even faster to my classroom. I hate if there's a crowd outside of it, just like now. My mind starts to wander as I get closer. Just five more periods before Gam-. I stop myself from finishing that sentence. It's just going to be me, not with him. I shake my head, telling myself repeatedly that he's not coming. But no matter how hard I try, I am actually looking forward to this weekend together.
"Just five more periods, then...we...can go." I say aloud. I look up from my deep thoughts to see there's a larger than normal crowd in front of my door. The kids are cheering, and yelling about the door in a half semi-circle. I walk closer to see two kids scuffling on the ground.
"OKAY, everyone. MOVE!" I shout and shove my way through the crowd and grab the two boys by the collar. Now I really can't wait to get out of this place.