Page 49 of The Teacher

When the place is empty like this, I’m reminded of my days here with Skipper, back when we were teenagers. Sneaking a few kisses in empty classrooms. Playing with each other away from the security cameras.

Those were good days.

And now I’m fighting for my job.

I head back towards my classroom. I have a stack of work to finish and now, in the quiet of the empty school, I can finally get started. Take my mind off the crises I’ve just been thrown into by the principal and Miss Tweed.

I turn the corner.

What’s that?

I hear noises coming from my classroom. The door’s open, and voices are echoing from inside.

It’s after school, there should be no one there.

But there is. Someone’s talking.

I duck up against the wall and listen. Male voices. I inch closer to the open doorway and peek around the corner to get a view of whoever it is.

It’s Skipper.

He’s in my classroom with his back to the doorway.

What the hell?

What is he playing at? He needs to leave my classroom immediately. I’m going to be so furious when I storm inside.

But before I barge in, I want to listen in on what he’s talking about. I think he’s in there with other people.

Let me hear for a second. Let me see what he’s up to.

It can’t be anything good.

“So, let me run this whole play down for you because it’s one heck of a thing to understand properly. I understand its difficulties, I had to study it when I was your age. I had to study it with Miss Finn when she was a teenager.”

He’s talking about me?

He’s talking about Shakespeare?

What is he saying? Who is he saying this to?

“What was she like?”

Who’s that talking? Sounds young.

A boy.

“What? Miss Finn? She was pretty stuck up. She was a nerd, but, hey, a very pretty one. I basically fell in love with her on sight right then and there.”

“Ew!”

Another boy to the one talking earlier.

Who is Skipper talking to?

“Yes, ew. Okay, should we go through this stupid play or not?”

There’s a murmur of approval.