It's Golden
You had always known that teaching was your true passion and calling. Working with children, helping them learn and grow, brought you immense joy. So, when the opportunity to teach at the same school you could transfer your fraternal twins to came up, you jumped at the chance. However, as you stood outside their to-be teacher's classroom with your seven-year-old son and daughter, you realized that the transition might not be as smooth as you had hoped.
"Mommy, what if the other kids don't want to play with us during recess?" Your daughter said, tugging at your sleeve nervously.
"Serena, you're both such wonderful kids, and I'm sure you'll make plenty of friends in no time!" You replied, giving her a reassuring smile.
Meanwhile, your son Luca's eyes welled up with tears as he clung to your leg, reluctant to enter the classroom.
"Mommy, I don't want to go in," he said, his voice trembling.
You knelt down to his level, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "It's 'lright, buddy. Starting a new school can be scary, but you're going to do great. You're a strong and brave boy, and I'm proud of you. Remember what I always tell you when you feel scared or nervous?"
Luca nodded, sniffling. "Count to ten and think again."
"That's right," you said, smiling at him. "Now, take a deep breath with me. Inhale... one... two... three... hold... four... five... exhale... six... seven... eight... nine... ten. Good job! Now, tell Mommy what you're thinking."
"I think that I'll be okay, Mommy," Luca said, standing up straighter with newfound confidence. "I'm going to make new friends and try my best!"
"That's my baby!" You exclaimed, beaming with pride. "I'm so proud of both of you. Now, let's go meet your new teacher, okay?"
As you stand up and face the classroom door, it swings open to reveal an older red-haired woman, presumably your son's teacher. Damn, she's fine. She looked at you expectantly, her expression tinged with annoyance.
" 'Xcuse me, are you ever going to bring 'em in?" she said, her tone curt. "They're the new kids, right? They need to be on time everyday, especially the first day. Don't 'cha think?" Okay, maybe a little less fine now.
You took a deep breath, trying to stay collected. "I'm really sorry, Mrs. Schemmenti," you said, checking your watch, 7.42. Shit I'm already 12 minutes late. "My kids were feeling nervous, and I needed to comfort them before they got the courage to go in."
"It's MS. Schemmenti."
You give her a tight lipped smile. "Could you take them in now? I'm already late."
Her eyes widen impatiently, "I get that, ma'am, but just bring 'em in next time so I can help you handle the situation, alright? I'll take them so you can get to wherever you need to be."
"Alright." You scoff, and kneel down again to their height. "You be a good kids okay, amores mio? Do what I told you. I'll check on you soon."
"Okay, Momma." They take turns wrapping their small arms around your neck, "Love you."
"I love you too. Now go to Ms. Schemmenti." You guide them towards her.
Ms. Schemmenti's expression softened slightly as she looked at the two timid children. "Hi, Luca. Hi, Serena. I'm your teacher, Ms. Schemmenti," she said, crouching down to their level. "Let's go meet your classmates, 'kay?"
You watched as your babies walked into the classroom with their new teacher, feeling a mix of emotions. It was bittersweet to see them grow up so fast, but at least you knew they were in good hands. Principal Ava said that she was quote on quote the Sickest Teacher in all of Philly. You really hope she meant sick as in cool. Dealing with two ill kids is no small task for a 30ish year old, single working mom.
You pull yourself together and starting walking down the long corridor. Tan bricks and bulletin boards follow you until you reach your destination.
Looking through the doorway of Room 109, you see the janitor, Mr. Johnson, drawing odd shapes on the wipeboard. You introduce yourself to him and apologize for being late, explaining that you had an issue with your children down the hall.
He brushes it off, saying that "the kids in the classroom were getting bored anyway." You thank him for watching the kids and enter your classroom.
As you enter the room, you are greeted by bland walls and a dirty whiteboard with illuminati looking figures. There is a reading corner with an Eagles Rug and a bookshelf with dusty books. You take a deep breath and feel a sense of excitement and anticipation. You can't wait to meet your new students and begin teaching.
As you look around the room, you notice a young girl sitting at a desk, looking lost and confused. You walk over to her to introduce yourself, asking if she needs any help. She looks up at you with big brown eyes and a shy smile, and you know right away that no matter what challenges you face, you are going to love teaching at this school.
"Hi there, I'm Ms. Marino. Can I help you with anything?" You ask.
The little girl shakes her head and looks down at her desk. "I don't know what to do," she whispers.
"That's okay, we'll figure it out together," you say gently. "What's your name?"
"Jada," she replies softly.
"Well, Jada, nice to meet you! How about we start by introducing ourselves to the class? Would you like that?"
Maria nods, and you take her hand, leading her to the front of the classroom. You stand in front of the class and smile at your new students.
"Good morning, class. My name is Ms. Marino, and I am your new first-grade teacher. I am so excited to meet all of you and get to know you better. Why don't we go around the room and introduce ourselves?"
A small boy sitting in the front confidently raises his hand and exclaims, "But Ms. Marino, we already know each other!" He giggles.
"Oh, I know that," You replied. "But I don't know everyone's name yet! So, let's all stand up and say our name and favorite color. Why don't we start with Jada!"
As each child stands up and introduces themselves, you can feel your heart swelling with joy. These kids are going to be your new family, and you are going to be their guide through this new adventure.
After introductions, you begin to tell them about your life. As you teach, you can't help but feel grateful for the opportunity to be doing what you love. Even though it will be a challenge to teach a new group of students, you know that with hard work and dedication, you can make a positive impact on their lives.
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RINGGGGGGG
As the students leave the classroom, you can't believe how quickly the time has passed. The rapid-fire Get To Know You questions were a huge hit, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. You watch as the students file out of the room, waving goodbye and shouting out a quick "See you in an hour!".
You take a moment to stretch your arms and legs, enjoying the freedom of movement after sitting for so long. As you hop off the top of your desk, you begin to search for your lunch. The classroom is quiet now, and you take a deep breath, relishing the silence.
But as you reach for your lunch, your thoughts immediately turn to your kids. You wonder how they are doing in their new classroom, and if they have made any new friends yet. As a teacher, you know it won't be difficult for them to adjust, especially since the twins have each other. But as a mom, you can't help but worry about them.
Your thoughts are interrupted by a sudden realization - you should speak with their teacher and get an update in how they are doing so far. I could really use another good look at her. You mentally kick yourself for finding her attractive, especially since you've only known her for less than a day and have only spoken to her for a total of 10 seconds.
She had the widest hips though... loved to see 'em from behind...
Feeling a bit embarrassed, you sigh slowly and grab your lunch. Reluctantly, you get up from your desk and head out of the classroom. The Principal barely showed you around the school, only pointing out where each room was located. You can't help but feel a bit lost as you navigate your way through the hallways.
But the school isn't THAT big, you remind yourself. Surely, the teachers' lounge will be easy to find. As you walk down the hallway, you try to keep your eyes peeled for any signs of the right direction.
After scanning every room, you finally spot the teachers' lounge. You approach the door and pause to take a look at the three tables, each with a few empty seats. You head towards the first empty table you see, which happens to be right next to the door.
"I wouldn't sit there if I were you," a short, curly-haired woman says as you sit down. "Unless, you have a death wish, I mean."
You quickly stand up and grab your lunch box. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'll find somewhere else."
The woman grins and stands up excitedly. "No, no, don't be silly. I'm just kidding. You can sit with us!" She extends her hand, "I'm Janine Teagues. I teach 2nd grade."
"And I'm Jacob Hill! I teach History on the 2nd floor, but I like to hang out here during lunch. That's where all the cool kids are," a pale, curly-haired man adds, shaking your hand.
You pull out a chair and sit with them. "Nice to meet you both. The name's Gianna Marino. I just started teaching 1st grade here. Actually, my twins are in 2nd Grade. They moved here with me."
"Oh, that's so cool!" Janine exclaims. "I'm sure they'll love it here. They have Melissa right?"
"They're with Ms. Schemmenti," you reply grimly.
"Yup, that's her. She's an amazing teacher, she can just be a little stubborn and closed off to new people. It even took her a while to get used to me!"
At the mention of her name, the red-headed teacher walks in, followed by an older, wise-looking woman. "Who said I used to you, Janine," she retorts.
Janine falls silent, and you laugh at the exchange. At the sound of your laugh, Melissa, turns her attention to you. Her eyes widen, "what are you doing here?" She asks.
You look at her, confused. "I'm the new 1st grade teacher. It's my first day at Abbott," you reply.
"I don't think I've ever seen Melissa shocked before. It like watching Gregory dance except without the awkward long limbs flailing every." Jacobs laughs with Janine.
"Hey!" Yells back a voice coming from the couch.
The older woman, who introduces herself as Mrs. Howard or, "Just Barbara is fine, honey", steps forward to shake your hand. "And this lovely lady is Melissa Schemmenti, which you probably already know. But, I speak for her when I say that you can simply call her Melissa."
Melissa gives a simple nod at you before opening her lunch box without another word. Barbara senses the tension between you and Melissa.
"Why don't you come over here and sit with us? I'd love to learn your name," she says, gesturing towards the empty chair beside Melissa.
You send Janine and Jacob an apologetic look and pick up your things to go sit with Barbara and Melissa. They begin to chat with you, asking about your experience teaching so far. "What grade do you teach?" Barbara inquires.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot to really introduce myself. My name is Gianna Marino, and I teach 1st grade," you smile kindly at the brunette woman.
How it going for you so far?" Melissa says looking down as she picks at her salad.
You apologize once again for not introducing yourself properly before answering her next question. "Pretty good actually! The students are very open and communicative. I think we're gonna have a good rest of the year," you reply.
"That's amazing to hear! I had them last year as kindergarteners, and oh, were they such a delight," Barbara shares, and you exchange a kind look.
Melissa's eyes widen as she catches sight of the food you brought with you. "Is that Ziti you're eatin'?" she asks in a surprised voice.
You hold up your Tupperware container, nodding in confirmation. "Yup, family recipe. Whipped it up last night for dinner and I always end up with a ton of leftovers," you explain with a grin.
You Italian?" she asks, a hint of excitement in her voice.
You nod, taking another bite of your lunch. "My mom's Sicilian. Dad's from France but moved here when he was a kid," you reveal. "Was it the Ziti or was it the names that gave it away?" You tease.
Melissa chuckles, "names. But the Ziti really pull the nail on the coffin." She leans back into her chair, spreading her legs. Lord have mercy of me, I can't take this.
Don't do it, don't do it, don't do it... You can't help but feel drawn to her infectious energy. "Do you wanna try some?" you offer, holding out a forkful of the delicious pasta.
Barbara and Melissa look up at you, surprised. "Really?" Melissa asks.
"Yeah, sure, Italian to Semi-Italian," you grin at her.
She takes the fork from you and bites into the crispy exterior. The sight is wild. She makes a sound of pure bliss and her eyes roll back into her head. "I will not survive this year," you think to yourself, as you don't realize her grabbing another bite from your fork until she hands it back to you. "That was the 2nd best Ziti I've ever had."
You smirk at her, "Really, Melissa? All that just to be 2nd?"
"Sorry. nothin' tops Nona's Ziti. I'll just have to bring you some one day and prove it to you," she grins.
You can't help but smile back at her, already looking forward to her next visit. "I'll hold you to it," you say.
You don't think you've ever seen a prettier sight.
It's over for me.