Chapter Text
“What the fuck is a teacher frenzy?” Is what Simon caught himself thinking, first thing in the morning, after taking barely three sips of coffee and seeing the text from the teacher group chat on his lockscreen.
A tap, another tap, and a few more later; his question was answered. It was what the eighth grade teachers staying behind called the day where basically all the other teachers were gone for who-knows what reason. Most of the time it was religious holidays or sickness, sometimes (which was a heavy sometimes because it's that rare) it was field trips. However, today? It was sickness.
Stem (or technology if we're being real here), history, two gym teachers. All coincidentally out sick on the same day. They were fucked.
Simon: Did they send out a coverage list?
Carl: They're sending them out at 7:30, I think.
Simon: That's…Inconveniently late for us.
Carl: Conveniently early for them.
Ryland: That's just our principal team and board for you…
We should at least mentally prepare ourselves for sub plans and rowdy kids though, right?
Carl: We should, but I think we were all already doing that.
Simon: Who's out today anyways?
Ryland: Uhmm…Jack, David, Yao, and Olesya..? I'm pretty sure..?
Simon: What a wakeup call that we need more female staff.
Carl: Yeah, those four are out. And you're right, Simon, we do need more female staff.
A few minutes after conversing, Simon had finished his coffee and left his mug in his sink (that was already piling with dishes, honestly, but like always; “I'll handle it later” mentality). Immediately he went off to his room to get ready for work. It was going to be hell, he knew it.
Eventually, Simon made it to his car and was now at a coffee shop drive through of all places. Which one? It was too early to memorize names, only logos. Donut. That's all he kept track of. And funny enough, he did also get donuts. For good luck.
“Caramel frappuccino with two pumps vanilla, iced mocha, and a dark roast. That sound about right with your coffees?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“And two Boston kremes, one strawberry and one vanilla sprinkled, two original glazed, two chocolate glaze, two powdered?”
“That would be correct.”
“Will that be cash or card?”
“Card, thanks.”
A few hand-offs, bit of small talk, and paying later; Simon was back to the road. And it was only 6:20. Lucky him.
7:18 and he had pulled up to the school, and he was silently grateful he was a middle school teacher when he took the time into account. Simon sat in the car for a few moments once he was parked, only to abruptly let out the most harsh sigh of his life and almost pull out his hair at his roots when he carded his hand through it.
Damn his colleagues for most likely abusing the sick leave system just to have a holiday for two more days. Well…Simon could only guess they were doing that since they all posted pictures of party places over the weekend that definitely weren't in town.
7:27 and he was in the building walking the halls to the teacher lounge, usually the eighth grade teachers met there on days like this first thing in the morning to mentally prep as a whole like they shared a brain. It was oddly helpful.
A light kick to the door and in Simon went, Ryland and Carl already there. They both looked up a little flinchy, not expecting the sudden intrusion.
“Oh Jes– jeez, that's a lot of shit that you're holding.”
“Stunning observation, Carl. Take the box to the table, would you?”
“Sure, yeah, ‘course.”
Simon held out the box for Carl to take once he was close enough who looked at him like he had two heads. Simon wasn't really one for nice gestures like these, it was mostly the other teachers buying the coffees and treats.
“What's even in there?” Ryland perked up and asked.
Simon didn't look over as he walked over to the table with Carl, but he did answer (for once); “Boston kreme, sprinkled, glaze, and powder.” He stated it so simply, like it was second nature. From the cup tray he grabbed the frappuccino and held it by the lid out to the dirty blond, “Yours.”
Ryland took it awkwardly with a nervous smile, Simon pretended not to notice the other's dimples poking out and instead held the iced mocha out to the third teacher in the same manner he did with Ryland's.
“Assuming it's mine?”
“Yep.”
“This is really nice of you Si, but uh…What's the occasion..?”
“Heh?” That got Simon to look at Ryland properly for the first time this morning.
“Well usually you don't…You don't get us things, these types of things at least. So there has to be an occasion, right?”
“Ryland has a point, you're not one for showing this type of affection to colleagues, so what gives?”
Simon stood there, bewildered and glancing back and forth between the two stupidly. Was he not allowed to do nice things just because? Okay, that was a stupid question, especially since he did have a reason. He usually did.
After a bit of composure catching, he sighed and gave an answer; “Well, I find you two more…Tolerable than some of the others, honestly, and if I were to show my appreciation for you both being more on the sensible action side of things like this, it'd be rude. Because I wouldn't get anything for the others. So for today, I thought I would for good luck. Is that reason enough?”
They both blinked at him, Ryland being the awed disbelieving and Carl being the judgemental disbelieving. It went on for a bit too long for Simon's liking.
“Keep looking at me like that and I'll take the donuts to my homeroom and make the kids rowdier.”
And just like that, the looks stopped and they had dodged the previous topic in a snap.
Carl had sipped his coffee while Ryland went for the donuts.
“I think the coverage list is out now, we should probably check it.”
“Oh shoot yeah–!”
“Don't talk with food in your mouth, Ry. That's how messes that let ants in happen.”
“Sorry…”
Carl rolled his eyes and pulled his phone out before the other two could even think of it, he seemingly checked through some things before looking at the list and making a face.
“How bad is it?”
“Simon, I'm praying for you.”
“Can't be that bad, hit me with it.”
“Jack first period, David third…”
“Oh, I'm fucking dying today. Ava has it out for me.”
“Stratt makes the coverage lists.”
“Ava influences the lists though, so they're both in the wrong regarding my fate.”
“Bright side, if you want to view it as a bright side, this afternoon they're giving the kids a two period study hall in their period six classrooms because of teacher shortage with the seventh graders too, so period six you're in Browne's.”
“Oh her kids are fine, I can deal with them. I'm not as fucked over.”
“What are the ladies putting me through three and six?”
“Jack and Martin.”
“Oh, that's liveable.”
“Wait, but then what about period seven?”
“Aha…I don't know how you two will feel about that.”
“Oh c'mon Carl, it's one class period. Worst case scenario it's a meeting.”
“Agree to disagree.”
“I keep forgetting you're the only teacher who likes meetings, Si.”
“I like calling out people's bullshit in front of higher-ups.”
That caused banter to ensue, and suddenly they were all (for once) making easy conversation, joking around, discussing an extent of whatever, anything until they had taken half a box of donuts and they realized it was 7:45 and they should rush to their homerooms before the kids get released from the bus loop.
On the way out, Ryland lightly grabbed at Simon's wrist and gave his usual awkward smile.
“Thank you, by the way, for the treats.”
“Yeah, of course, don't mention it.”
Ryland gave a gentle squeeze before letting go and heading off, for some reason Simon felt…Warm. Light. Like he never wanted to wash his wrist again. But that was weird, he wouldn't think of it. They were colleagues, nothing more. That meant, don't let feelings grow. Friendly or more…
Right..?