Chapter Text
The first thing David Washington noticed when he walked into the school carrying a duffel bag was the red and blue tiles that split the school into two, with red going to the left and blue going to the right. Even the doors followed the color code and he could see a few different shades of each color on the visible doors. But for some reason there was a brown one on the red hallway.
He could hear the chatter of students in classrooms and the shouts from the louder ones, but closer to him he could hear loud footsteps of two people and he turned to see the two principals of the high school, Vanessa Kimball and Donald Doyle.
He’d talked with both of them over the phone but was a bit unsurprised to see the both of them seeing as they completely fit their voices. Vanessa was a tall business looking woman wearing a black suit with her black hair pinned up and bright eyes that looked like they’d catch everything; she walked with confidence and purpose, the exact opposite of the pale and blonde Doyle. He wore a simple button down and golden vest and seemed to be constantly adjusting his large glasses as he walked over.
“Ah Mr. Washington. So glad to see you’ve made it today. Your classes don’t start until later but we can give you a tour of the school before then.” Doyle said almost to quickly when he reached Washington.
“Or we can show you to the gym and your office so you can be settled before your classes.” Kimball said with a sharp look to Doyle that had him shrinking back a bit.
Washington just nodded to them and wondered if Doyle had done something to anger Ms. Kimball to make her react like that.
“I think doing both could be done. I looked at the map of the school online. If that works for you two.” Washington said and received a brisk nod from Kimball and a nervous one from Doyle.
“Er, yes, that does sound good. I guess we’ll get to it.” Doyle said and led the way down the blue hallway with Kimball next to him and Washington in tow.
“In the front is the main offices you came in from, the library, and the nurse’s office. The cafeteria is at the end of the red hall.” Kimball said nodding away from the hall they were walking through and to each room and then the red hall.
The doors he passed seemed to all be differently colored but were all shades of blue, even the posters on the wall were all varying shades of blue. He could’ve sworn he heard a crash and a loud “Tucker did it!” Behind a plain blue door.
As he walked past one door that was a strange cyan or seafoam or some blue-green color, he saw a dark skinned man with long dreads and bright blueish green glasses on his face that stood in front of board covered in a different language. When he was nearly past the door he saw the man turn and see him and then, of all things, he winked at him.
Washington quickly turned back to look in front of him and walked faster to listen to whatever the two principals were saying to him now.
“This is the blue hall. The red hall is obviously the hall with the red tile. For the most part it’s just to split homeroom students and lunch times. The gym is down here so you’re apart of blue team. It’s what the teachers on this hall call themselves. I’m afraid the floorplan has caused quiet the rivalry amongst the teachers here.” Kimball explained.
“Yes but the students do find it fun. The teachers on this hall would be Tucker, Church, Caboose, and you of course,” At the name Church, Washington glanced quickly over at Doyle and then forced down the feelings of anger and hurt that rushed up, telling himself that it must be a shared name and not his boss still working at the last school he taught at. “The teachers on the red hallway are Sarge, Grif, Simmons, and Lopez.” Doyle continued.
Washington silently nodded to the both of them when they glanced back.
“I know your past working experience ended rather badly. But I am glad that you were able to begin working here after our last P.E. teacher left.” Kimball said and stopped in front of two metal doors.
Washington resisted the urge the fiddle with the edge of his grey jacket sleeve or bag strap and was about to nod before he stopped and decided speaking might help.
“I’m glad I was able to find this job so quickly. I wasn’t exactly expecting to find work in a place as close as Blood Gulch.” He said and the small group moved past the doors and down a short staircase into a decently sized gym with changing rooms and an office to one side and a weights and locker room on the other side. Pull-out bleachers were set up against the wall and opened the space up.
Currently the large room was empty and their steps echoed on the floor that was scuffed and worn out looking. In all honesty it seemed more comforting to him rather than a brand-new gym.
“Here’s your office over here Mr. Washington.” Doyle said, already in the doorway.
“I go by just Washington.” He said as he walked into the small office.
There was a window that showed the gym and a desk and chair with a bulletin board across the back wall. For some reason it was covered in motivational posters. Nothing else was in the room that he could see as he set his duffel bag down on the desk.
“Your classes start next period and then you have a lunch break and two more classes. Have any questions about anything and either one of us or one of the other teachers on your team can answer it. I hope you have a great first day.” Kimball said in a brisk tone and nodded to Washington.
He resisted the urge to salute her as he nodded back and she led Doyle away and out of the gym.
In the moment of peace, he opened up his duffel bag and pulled out several files and placed them on the desk before grabbing the framed pictures out of the bag and setting them up on his desk so he could see them. Three of the five pictures were of two extremely adorable cats and the last two were of him and two other people. He almost picked up one of those two but instead picked up one of the two cats sleeping.
“So is that your girl or what?” A new voice suddenly asked in his doorway.
Washington dropped the picture on his duffel bag and spun around with fists raised to see the same teacher that had winked at him earlier now holding his hands up and stepping back.
“Chill dude. Sorry to barge in but the kids wanted details. You’re the new P.E. coach Washington yeah?” The new man asked.
Putting his fists down but not relaxing completely Washington nodded.
“Sweet dude I’ll call you Wash. Names Lavernius Tucker but just call me Tucker. Or whatever you want to. Bow chicka bow wow.” Tucker said and winked again.
Washington could only raise his eyebrows in confusion at the man he could see was a few inches shorter than him. Was he hitting on him?
“What nothing? Okay fine. Anyway welcome to the blue team. We also got Church, who’s a total ass, and Caboose, who’s a total idiot but somehow good at his job. I’m the coolest guy here and I’ll be your go-to man for anything you need. Quick tips: the reds are losers, the nurse is doctor Grey and she’s terrifying, don’t talk with Doc, the counselor, the students will probably hate you if you make them do real work, and the staff parties are required for newbs and are legendary.” Tucker listed quickly.
Somehow confusing Washington even more.
“Was I supposed to understand any of that?” He asked and Tucker laughed.
“No way man. You won’t understand jack squat of life here at Armonia High. None of us do. You just gotta know enough to survive the lunch rushes and rallies.” Tucker said and patted his shoulder.
Washington had no clue how to react to the man or his words. He could only wonder what he’d apparently gotten himself into with his new job.