Maybe we'll laugh like you never left
Chapter title: Maybe by Gabriela Bee
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(05/11/24)
7:15AM
If you asked Keating what the first email he read in the morning was, he would probably say absence reports on who isn't in classes that day. But today was not the case. The first email he opened wasn't one he expected.
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Good morning, faculty!
as you head into classes this morning, be aware that you may have new staff shadowing you. We have a few new staff member joining us from schools such as Balincrest, Henley Hall, Ridgeway High, and Welton academy, along with a few other colleges nearby.
Below you'll find a list containing staff who will be having a shadow today, and who their shadow will be. We expect you treat them with utmost respect.
Thank you!
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Scrolling through the list, he searched for his name, and found it.
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English Department Faculty.
John Keating, shadowed by George McAlister
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Keating raised an eyebrow, humming softly as he quickly sent an email to all his students for the day, wanting to make them aware so they weren't caught off guard or uncomfortable. Especially the poets, as he knew they had been taught by McAlister back at Welton.
He stretched, finally standing from his desk to reset his classroom. He opened the windows, placing a Sam Fender vinyl on his player for background noise. He made quick work of cleaning all the desks with a disinfectant spray (diluted so the smell didn't irritate anyone), turning all the lamps on, but keeping them relatively dim, and opened his classroom door, so students knew they were welcome to come in early if they pleased.
"Hi John. Is it alright if I come in?"
Keating looked up quickly, wincing a bit as he heard his neck crack a little. He looked to the door, spotting McAlister there. He grinned.
"Of course. If your classroom for the day too, you know. Make yourself comfortable George."
McAlister nodded a bit, slowly moving in the room as he set his bag beside Keatings desk.
"Who do you have today? I should probably become familiar with them."
Keating grinned at that, knowing McAlister was acquainted with half his class already, he wandered over to his desk, sitting down as he handed George a sheet of paper.
"Well, I've printed a copy of my register for today. I only have one class, and it's a double so it'll be an easy one for you."
George nodded slowly, sitting beside Keating as he read through the list. His eyes widened in sudden realisation.
"I'm teaching Dalton again? Please tell me he's calmer than last year."
"Now, I can't promise that. But he's a great student, we just have to see how he is when you're teaching too." Keating grinned.
Half an hour later, students slowly started walking in. Charlie made his grand entrance by being given a piggy back ride from Knox, chanting something in Spanish that neither of the teachers understood. Neil walked in, holding Todds hand as they say beside eachother towards the front of the class. Mesks and Pitts entered as usual, chattering about finding new electronic things to fix up for their dorm. And surprisingly to everyone, Cameron walked in hand in hand with Stick, the two going to sit beside eachother.
Keating looked at his class, taking a silent register as he counted his students, before nodding.
"Brilliant! Everyone's here. Now, I know you all saw my email this morning as majority responded asking who would be shadowing me today. I'd like you all to meet George McAlister, he's a brilliant teacher who has taught not only English, but Latin at Welton Academy. I hope you'll all make him feel welcome."
McAlister waved from his seat, smiling as he looked at the students.
"OH MY GOD NO. Captain! I can't chant Latin again, I just can't!" Screamed Charlie from the back of the classroom.
Keating shook his head, smiling. "Don't fear, Mr Dalton. Mr McAlister wouldn't make you do that. Only if you don't behave yourself."
McAlister laughed, looking towards Charlie. "I have a Latin textbook in my bag I'd be more than happy to lend to you if you'd like, Mr Dalton."
Charlie quickly shook his head, crossing his arms as he pretended to be a model student for the lesson, fearing he'd have to chant Latin.
The lessons were spent teaching their class about poetry, reading shakespeare, and watching an episode of Bluey per the classes request as it would 'fill them with motivation'. Keating and McAlister knew it wasn't true but they put it on anyways.
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"That's really freaky. McAlister is teaching here now, and I'm sure I saw Hager in the advanced Mathematics classroom." Charlie mumbled, holding onto Knox's arm as the Poets left the classroom.
Cameron nodded in agreement, hand in hand with Stick once again. The poets weren't sure if they were dating or not, but they could only assume they were.
"I get that. But it's also kinda nice to see him again, and I bet Keating was happy. They used to be friends when they were Welton students."
Stick looked towards Cameron, squeezing his hand gently.
"Oh yeah, it was in the yearbook Neil found during our final year. Both in the Dead Poets Society. What were the society meetings like anyway?"
Charlie's head snapped back towards Stick. "You know about the meetings?"
Stick nodded eagerly, smiling. "Spencer and I saw you guys 'sneaking out' at like 11:30 every Wednesday night. We used to cover for you when Hager did bed checks."
Cameron smiled softly, glancing at Stick as they headed back to the groups dorm. "You coming over for a bit?"
"Absolutely. Anything to spend more time with you." Stick exclaimed, heading into the dorm and into Cameron's room.
Todd and Meeks looked at eachother.
"So. Are they dating?" Todd whispered, clearly confused.
Mesks, equally confused, just shrugged. "Probably. Let them tell us in their own time."