Disclaimer: Don't own.
Disclaimer 2: sorry?
:}
Andre hesitated a moment as he approached the school. 'Can't believe I'm back. After Ten years, TEN YEARS, I'm back. I went out, tried to make my mark, did pretty good, and still, here I am, once again, at Hollywood Arts. Man, who'd have believed…?' He felt butterflies, even as he approached a set of double doors.
"Hey Buddy…!" Festus called from his new location, no longer just in a food truck. Out of respect, the school had rented him an actual space in the new grounds, a permanent private spot for him to make and sell his meals, free from the stricter food truck regulations. Dre almost couldn't believe the truck was gone, even as the food remained. "I know it's tempting to just wander in, see where so many future stars are getting their training, but it's a closed campus. You need to head around, talk to the principal. Otherwise, the on campus police officer, and they have em now. But the nice officer will arrest you, or at least escort you off the school."
"It's okay, Festus, I'm working here." Andre assured the man.
"And how is it you know my name?" The Yerbainian import asked.
"Dude, I went here, for four years." Andre protested.
"So?" The short order cook wondered. "Do you have any idea how many students go through here? I couldn't remember, and one of them tried to Kill the Yerbainian Prime Minister. No mater, didn't like him that much anyways."
"It was an accident." Andre protested. "Tori's shoe just flew off, and then next thing you know, she's being arrested, and thrown in jail, and we tried to get him to just exile her, but then Robbie had to go and kill his squid, making things all complicated."
"AnDre?" The older man finally recognized the musician. "AnDre Harass. My gods, you're working here? To-Re went and became a movie star. Didn't she take you with her?"
"I write music for her, plus a few others. Hell, I helped write one of Jade's chart toppers, and got the credit for it." Andre smiled. "Did you know Jade only went into music to help pay for her first film? Then she had to find she wouldn't be able to both make and star in her projects, and Tori got the gig. Kinda funny, how they swapped dreams along the way. Course, Jade makes way more money, but that… And you don't care, do you?"
"And they left you?" Festus pushed.
"I'm a local legend, looking to give back." Dre insisted. "I like it that way. Then, a few years ago, I ran into Eli, and he tells me that Hollywood Arts is like constantly looking for people to help fill the demand for a top quality education in the arts. So, a couple of years later, I have my single subject, and got me a job teaching."
"Why single?" Festus asked.
"Kinda haven't found me that right…. and you were referring to my teaching credentials, weren't you?" Dre felt embarrassed.
"I teach home economics." The food truck chef told him. "Had to go through school based creDentialing, because my degree wasn't recognized. So, I work here two ways, both feeding the students, and teaching them to feed themselves."
"Oh…" Andre was stunned.
"And you still need to go around, use the main office." Festus continued. "THIS building has street access for the office, so you can control who sees the students. Once you have your ID, then you can use any old door."
"So I can't just walk through…" Dre had slid up to the side door, a double door reminiscent of the one he used to use entering the Hollywood arts of old, only to find it locked.
"Scan your ID to the side, then open the door." Festus told him. "Top of the line security here. Betting the security office knows you tried to open the door. They'll check the cameras, and if you go around, just write it off as another person not knowing the rules."
"Security office…." Andre felt off.
"New head of security insisted." The cook told him. "Lots of new things in this new building. Like my shop. Did you know I have direct access to the school? I can use the door in the back of my private bathroom, cause of course I have one, to enter the faculty restroom on the other side? Means I don't have to go outside on a rainy day to head inside. Plus, I can sell food out of the faculty restroom, so the students don't have to go outside. Just, so far, Principal Debla hasn't said yes."
"I'm just gonna head around…" Andre told him, turning to go around the building.
The trip around was an education in it's own right. The whole school had done more then just change locations. This building was built with donor money, giving the school a lot more of what it needed. A parking garage was located across the street, and a causeway allowed students and faculty to cross over without risking traffic. There was what had to be a permanent outdoor stage at one point, near the near parking, where plays and performances would be offered. There was even gust parking close to the main entrance, something Dre hadn't even considered. Taking a moment, he measured the building, realizing how big the whole thing had become. 'When I went here, we were lucky to have a hundred and fifty students per grade, and got to study in a fairly big building. This is bigger, maybe six stories, wider, and I'm told will eventually teach over fifteen hundred students. Most of the expansion is on donor money. This, it's intimidating, but oddly awesome…'
He found the doors to the main office, and almost face palmed. It looked like the main entrance to a secured building, with glass walls showing the front office and the staff already there. He approached the doors, and was immediately stopped by yet another locked door. An intercom blared to life. "Can I help you?"
"Andre Harris." He called out. "I'm supposed to get oriented today."
"ID?" The voice asked, as a drawer opened a short distance away. Dre headed over, pulling out his wallet, and placing his drivers license in the tray. Moments later, the voice told him to approach the front doors. The buzzing sound let him in.
"Mister Harris, sorry about the security, but we've had problems in the past." A woman he hadn't noticed told him.
"How'd I miss you?' He asked.
"I have no idea." The woman harrumphed, even as she handed him back his ID. "I waved to you when I took your ID. Maybe you weren't looking?"
"Maybe?" The musician said. "Um, Is Helen available?"
"Doesn't mater." The secretary said. "You'll be speaking with our new Vice Principal. Kinda the most obsessive person yet we've had when it comes to discipline, and that's counting Lieutenant Vega and his security obsession. Did you know both his daughters went here. Both Tori Vega, as well as her sister, children's entertainment icon Trina Vega."
"Tori is still one of my closest friends." Andre told the woman. "So, who's seeing me, and how long am I gonna be sitting here?"
"Misses Shapiro." The woman said, and her look told him this wasn't going to be fun.
Cat entered the building from the back, stopping at Festus's place long enough to grab a coffee. "I'm so glad we included the gourmet coffee. Much cheaper then the Jetbrew kiosk we have." Cat smiled at the cook. "So, how's the wife?"
"Still miffed that I'm only a small shop owner." The man said. "But what can I do. My fault for marrying her, just because she was pretty, and her personality reminded me of Yerbainian woman, all driven and demanding. Sometimes, in the fits of romance, she tries to rip my manhood off. Life is good."
"Tell Hope she's welcome here any time." Cat purred. "Just as long as she remembers she's an executive now, with RPX. Yea, we welcome music executives here whenever they want a sneak peak at our best." Cat giggled. "That is, unless Jade is with her. Love me my sister from another mister, but that woman is damn scary."
"I'll tell her you said hi, if I see here, and can avoid whatever she's plotting on throwing at me." Festus promised.
"You're wife too." Cat pushed.
"I was talking about her." He replied. "Me and scary, we get along. Just as long as I stock the fancy coffee."
"I'm gonna sneak in through your restroom." Cat told him, using the back entrance to avoid being seen entering the building by any of the early arrival students. Cat knew better then to be too obvious. 'Always someone with some piddling problem they want me to fix. "Miss Shapiro, my friend got his face stuck in the drink machine again." I swear, Sinjin needs to learn how to keep his face out of my business. If he weren't my best back stage instructor…'
It was a short walk from the faculty restroom to the office. Cat enjoyed looking at the new facilities, the same one's she'd lobbied to have made, all while finishing her teaching credentials, then her masters, plus teaching middle school music. But she achieved her goal, being the second associate principal of Hollywood Arts, right along with Mister Dickers, the strong authority figures that made the school run. 'Except Helen is such a strong force herself… I guess the students are just lucky to have us…'
Cat walked into the office, noting Andre sitting in the waiting room. "Tell Mister Harris I'll be with him in a moment." She called out to the secretary. After entering her office, she placed her coffee on her desk, and centered herself. 'Time to get this school another aces level teacher…'
Cat didn't like to talk about her rivalries, mostly because to her a rivalry was what you had with someone you otherwise liked. Jade was her big problem, the goth having made an odd choice of careers for herself, then making more money then someone into the heavy types of music she preferred should make. Add in the movies she wrote and often produced, even if she couldn't afford the time to act in or direct, and Jade did very well for herself. 'I chose to give back, teach. I wanted to teach the little one's, except I found out Hollywood Arts was moving, and someone had to turn this place into the kind of school we all deserve. And sure, it was way free wheeling back when I attended. We're insanely lucky no one got kidnapped, besides those four shruggers we never found out about, and I only know happened because I recruited Tori's dad to be our head of security, on the cities dime.'
She shook free of rage at the losses she had never known they'd had, and focused instead on the bright tomorrow she was helping build. "Send him in, and send for Sikowitz."
Andre followed the directions he was told, and found himself in Cat's office. "Cat, wow…"
"Dickers is a semi-successful comedian, and Robbie is a mainstay on Trina's show, made by Jade's fucking production company, but on Trina's idea, so we both have way more money then most students would expect." Cat told him. "You know, given that an educators pay is based on estimating the poverty line, then halving that. We at Hollywood Arts pay loads more, but choose our faculty when we can. That's why you're here. I can vouch for you, as can Sinjin, and maybe Festus. Did you know he married Hope Quincy? She's the one who signed Jade, gave her her own sub-lable, and helped make that into a production company. But I forgave her, cause they helped build this cool new school." Her brown eyes lit up. "We have room for over three thousand students, plus? And, on top of that, we have labs, and small classes, and I have a hand full of apartments on the top floor, where we can let teachers live if we have too. I have one there, for when I work late, and so does Dickers. Helen never works that late, but Sikowitz does. His place is right next to mine, and when were both here, we have so much fun…"
"And you're the new vice Principal of Hollywood Arts?" Andre asked.
"Started last year, but they kinda had to hire me, after I went and used Hope's contacts to get the donor money needed to build and operate this place." Cat informed the boy. "So, you wanna give back? The big problem I have is, I can't afford to have a bunch of part time teachers here. Not yet. I have a few offices prepare, so our teachers could use em, but then I found out we weren't gonna go by the model I proposed, with a huge staff of part time teachers backing a smaller staff of full timers, cause the teacher union hated that idea. And believe you me, I get it, I really do. It's about job security, and accountability, and professional teachers and such. Only, this isn't like other schools." She stopped herself.
Cat smiled at the boy. "Okay, still miffed. I have a few issues. Still, let me get you processed in. Then, I'll have Erwin show you around." She giggled. "I get to call him Erwin cause I'm technically his boss. Sikowitz will show you around, where your classroom is, which faculty restrooms you're allowed to use. Did you know, many schools only have one set of faulty restrooms? If your too far away, you have to cover half the school just to relieve yourself. I made sure we had enough bathrooms for everyone. Plus, the entire top floor, with some exceptions, is for our use only. No students up there unless we want them. Not even for PE, cause the gym's downstairs. Hell, even the pools in the basement, cause indoor pools rock, and it just fit better."
Andre wasn't too sure of the whole value of the basement pool, especially not in earthquake prone California, but he wasn't there to argue. He was there to give back, and maybe make some money his parents would understand. 'Not that I'm anywhere near broke, but they believe in hard work, and making music, that see that as a hobby. Besides, more a local celebrity, and background player. No, teaching, that'll give me something I can talk to mom about. No idea why, but she always respected teachers.'
It didn't take that long for Dre to finish filling out the scads of paperwork he needed too. Background check, insurance, ID, he filled in and procured each part of the process. 'Man, who knew it was so frigging hard to get cleared to work with kids?'
"So, Andre, right?" Someone asked asked.
"Sikowitz?" Andre smiled as he saw his old teacher. "You still hanging around, huh?"
"I remember you now." The old teacher smiled, a more genuine smile, as the memories of that group of students flashed back to him. "My god, so much has changed in the last, what was it, ten years? The antics you guys used to get into… But anyways, I've followed your career. Kinda liked how you chose to handle the fame, staying more of a local legend. Glad to have someone like you here."
"So, what's been happening with you." The musician felt embarrassed that he hadn't kept in touch with the man who'd helped shape him.
"Oh, same old same old." The drama teacher waved off. "Always new students, with their own hi-jinx. The more things change, the more they stay the same, right. Never got that until I realized that kids, they come in waves. Not saying any one group is like any other, just that I've had a few kids like you, or Tori, or Beck. Robbie and Cat, their more unique. I've had some similar, but they are so easy to remember." His eyes drifted towards the back office where Cat's office was located. "Cat's especially easy to track, but she did managed to marry Robbie, helped him get a place on this kids news show, with Rex as an anchor, along with Trina, of all people."
"That's good." Dre said, glancing back at his new boss's office. "She really didn't fill in too many details."
"No, she wouldn't." The aging drama teacher said. "I know there's something I'm forgetting."
The secretary offered "Your wife maybe?"
"Nahh, can't be her." Sikowitz said. "I'd never forget her."
"You're married?" Andre felt floored. "Tell me all about it while you show me around, kay?" Inside, he was anxious to find out just what kind of circus freak the balding teacher had wound up with.
"Not much to tell." Sikowitz said. "Erin is a teacher too, teaches history here. Good woman, former model, from her youth, but very rooted in the present. Plus, being a mother has helped her focus on what she wants, and not the odd things others might value." He'd started heading out the door. "I'll introduce you when we head by the daycare."
"You're kids there?" Dre asked. "Wait, you have a kid?"
"A daughter, Katheryne Marie Sikowitz." The man sighed. "Yea, after my child was born, Erin swapped to being the daycare worker, still paid as a teacher, and still fills in some days, but mostly she keeps the dirty little secrets of the Hollywood Arts students, as well as the not so secret children of our faculty, health and happy."
"That's good." Dre nodded. 'Things have changed….'
"I remember the days she was born." Erwin Sikowitz continued. "Holding her hand, urging her to push… Then the scream as the young boy entered the world."
"Um I thought…" Andre was worried.
"I was in the wrong room." Sikowitz said. "I wondered why she'd chosen to wear so much spray tan. Explained why they were looking at me funny, thought." He saw the look on his former students face. "It was supposed to be a C-Section. But I motivated her to push hard, and the baby was born naturally. Little Michael Erwin Washington came into this world healthy and happy."
"I… You know what? Never mind."
"I did manage to get to my Erin in time." The man continued. "Third child's a charm, right?"
"Please, don't tell me…" The musician was regretting catching up now.
"Hay, their man weren't there, and they did appreciate the help." The father said. "But Erwina is a sweet girl, and her mother was so happy someone showed up for the birth."
"Sorry I asked." Andre admitted.
"So, this way, let me show you the school…" Sikowitz guided the younger man around, showing him the classrooms, the offices for the full time faculty, the multiple lounges for the teachers, as well as the different spaces for the students. The stairs, with the keyed doors that let those with the right ID's through tot he different floors, some restricted to faculty, or those who were supposed to be there, but all locked so that between classes the moment of students was tracked, and outsiders couldn't just wander. "The students get used to this surprisingly fast. They know which doors they can use, and which one's they can't. It's about color coding in the scanners. Anyways, the ID lets us know who opened what door when, so if there is a problem, we usually have a good idea who was where when it happened."
"So, apartments, huh?" Andre asked.
"Erin and I have one." The man said. "I wasn't crazy about it. We have a house we're renting as well, and that's where we prefer to live. Only, we work here, and have a small child, so having a place here is preferable. Erin insisted we get the apartment, and when we checked out finances, we discovered her trust fund was enough to cover a good deal of the cost, so we went for it." He shrugged. "She had a following in Europe."
"Right." Andre said. "And which classroom am I gonna be teaching out of?"
"Music class four." The teacher said. "Let me introduce you to Anthony, the head music teacher."
"Was he the one I had, way back?" Andre asked.
"Re-introduce." Sikowitz corrected. "Come, we're in for quite the time. Welcome to the world of creating the next generation of stars…"
They headed off to the music department, where Andre would find a much more sane set of people. He'd be walked through the different parts of the music department, and shown his classroom, the classes he's be teaching, as well as who'd be helping him the first few months as he earned his credentials.
A gorgeous woman, tall, blond, well built, maybe early thirties, walked into his classroom. "Hi." He said, putting as much base as he could in his voice.
"Andre Harris?" She asked. As soon as she saw him give a hint of a nod, she continued. "Erin Sikowitz. I'll be your supervising teacher. I'm usually in the daycare, but I have like three helpers, and can come down for a bit to help out. Just, while I want you to lean on me as much as needed, it's gonna be your classroom, so figure out how to teach. Specifically, find your teaching voice, so that the students can get the best from you."
"YOU'RE SIKOWITZ'S WIFE?!" Dre gasped.
"What gave it away?" She wondered, a dark smirk on her face. "And yes, I was a student here, about four years ahead of you guys. And yes, I wanted to be his wife from the first day I was in his class. Don't judge. I became a teacher just to work here, with my modeling experience, so I could find him and nail him down."
"Right…" Andre no longer wanted to know.
"Anyways, Miss Shapiro asked me to help you out, so here I am." The attractive blond continued. "She claims your one hell of a musician. I hope so. It'll help give you credibility with the students. Always need that with the music students….. Anyways, lets see what comes, right? Just understand, I'm very happily married."
"And I just gave up." Andre told her. "I thought life would make more sense if I came back, gave back. Only, here I am, with Cat as the assistant Principle, and Sikowitz married, with a child, plus two other kids named after him cause he couldn't figure out which room you were giving birth in. I just, this doesn't make any sense, and I'm done."
"You want it to make sense?" Erin asked. "Keep teaching here. Things circle round, and the next thing you know, everything makes sense. So, lets get started, cause we're gonna have us so much fun…"
:}
Kinda ran out, an after some time, had no idea where to take this, so I published. Hope you enjoyed it.