Everytime I enter this room, it’s a mess. I drop my bag on my desk,
exhaling loud enough for them to hear. “A so unuh treat unuh classroom?” I ask, eyes scanning the scattered chairs and chalk dust footprints.
“No, Miss! A the boy dem!” Two girls at the back call out quickly, like they’ve been waiting to blame someone all morning. I smirk and just like clockwork, the boys jump to defend themselves, their voices overlapping like a live podcast.
“Mi know seh a unuh!” I say, playfully accusing them. “Unuh nuh easy at all.”
“Miss yuh know seh yuh nuh rate wi,” Jahmeel says, his head leaning on his hand. The class erupts into laughter. They’re my form students—Grade 11—and they’re always on a thousand. But I love them still. This group has heart. And a whole heap of mouth. “Don’t say that, Jahmeel. Yuh know teacher loves y’all,”I say, eyes softening. As I speak, I catch Adrian walking up to my desk, silently wiping it down with disinfectant wipes.
“Thank you, Adrian,” I say with a grateful smile. " He does this every time. He nods, already heading back to his seat like it’s nothing. It’s how I set the tone in my classroom, vibes first, learning after. If you’re in my class, two things are guaranteed: you’ll laugh, and you’ll learn. That’s something Mrs. Adams always said. I need to call her. It’s been a minute. I raise my hand, signaling for quiet.
“Guys, you are too noisy now.”
A few mutters. “Okay, Miss.”
I settle into my chair and write on the board:
Summary Writing
“So, what do you guys already know about it?” I ask, turning around.
Instant chaos. Everyone starts shouting different answers.
I sigh. “Raise your hands, please. Mi only have two ears.” They quiet down and start raising hands. I point at a quiet girl by the window.
“Remind me of your name, sweetheart,” I say gently.
She stands. “Jania Lee.” She’s gorgeous. Chocolate-toned, thick, well-groomed hair pulled back into a bun. Eyebrows arched like a pro. She’s a likkle hot girl with her head on her body. I like that.
“Go ahead, Ms. Lee.”
“Summary writing is basically cutting down a larger work… and yuh don’t use opinions or examples,” she explains.
I nod. “Exactly right. Anyone want to add?”
Half an hour later, the concept is fully broken down, notes are taken, and they’re now trying a summary on their own. Some read quietly. Some write. Some pretend to do both. Me? I scrollInstagram while glancing up every few seconds. Then I spot Jania on her phone under her desk.
“Did you finish your summary?” I ask.
She startles. “Yes, Miss. Can I use the bathroom?”
“Leave the book,” I say, and she drops it on my desk before slipping out. Minutes pass. Then the bell rings. The class groans.
“Mi nuh like how Miss class fly so fast,” Ashley huffs.
“And the boring class dem feel like two hours,” Jahmeel chimes in.
I laugh. “Aww, see you guys tomorrow.”
“Tek care, Miss!”
Once the room clears out, I stay behind and call Nickoi. “So weh yuh deh?” I ask, already blushing at whatever dirty joke he’s about to make.
“Deh up a mi dawg restaurant. Wah yuh want? You want lobster?”
“Yes, babe.” Typical Nickoi. Always picking food for me like mi a child. As we talk, I notice Jania’s bag still on the floor. All now she nuh come back?
“Yah, mi soon link yuh,” he says, and I hum into the phone just to tease him.
