Chapter Text
I just carried up 30 pounds of classroom stuff up a flight of stairs. im so done right now. i set down the box outside my classroom door.. 227 and absolutely collapse. Im winded, im breathing heavy… i dont feel my hands! UGH! im already regretting everything.
—
I just came up to my room, with a small little trolley to carry stuff, it was kinda hard to get up the stairs.. but i got it. my room is 228… i was just about to unlock my door when i see this lady… just one door down from mine— oh she looks bad! is she conscious? im not that kinda doctor!! I start to worry, what if— ok! no.. no whatif’s right now. I take a deep breath, and go off to check on her
“um.. hey.. miss? are— are you ok?”
—
“nnh.??” i mumble, gosh i sound pathetic…
i lift my head and see this dorky looking guy… concerned, crouching close to me.. am i alive?
“oh..! uhm… yeah im.. im sorry… just.. uhm.. a little winded..” i motion at the box, as if that made sense!
“oh! moving in yeah… stairs are hell!” he chuckled nervously
“can i get you water? igottahelpyou,idhateformyneighbortopassoutonme…”
“huh…?”
oh she is gorgeous…. what am i thinking?! shes probably older than me! shes gonna think im a desperate dork…!
i cleared my throat and spoke up again, the nervousness in me seeping through my voice
“no, not at all!! its hard moving all the stuff in.. uhm… are you new here?”
i watched her open and drink the water as she processed my words, am i talking too fast?
—
Oh saving grace… im so in need of water, i snap back into it, listening to the last few words he said.. slowly putting together the words in my head
“new..? yeah uhm.. first year teaching”
“oh cool! its quite rewarding… its my second year.”
he chuckled— which i found myself smiling, he got nervous again
“i just brought up my last bit of stuff… uhm… so i could help you!!— with your stuff!.. yeah?”
i chuckled lightly, grateful for his offer
“yeah.. just lemme try and..” i exhaled, and slowly pushed myself up
—
as she stood up, i smiled nervously, and glanced at her teachers badge, she probably just got it today..
Dr. ♪♪ , ♪
a Dr? i wonder what her degree is in— ♪♪ is a cute name… ♪…oh my gosh Ryland Grace SNAP SOME SENSE IN YOURSELF YOU JUST MET HER!
i also spotted a little star on the corner of her badge, in our area.. staff were marked with a star if they had any medical complications, it had helped alot of people in the past apparently.. i suddenly understood her situation
“sorry— uhm…” she dusted herself off and extended a hand, which i shook, she had a very professional firm shake
m
“im Ms. ♪ .”
“Dr. Grace!” i smiled, i probably look silly… wait? ms? but she has the title dr…! now im confused.
“uhm—excuse me for being nosey, but i noticed your badge says Dr..”
she looked down at her badge and chuckled
“oh.. i have a juris doctorate. i was at a law firm for like.. 2 years, before yknow—now coming to teach here..!”
“ooooh! should i be saying Esq. ♪ then... right? thats was they use for lawyers”
“oh please, no need for such honorifics, just miss, or call me ♪♪.”
♪♪..she wants me to call her ♪♪..? her first name??
—
I realized, i just told him to call me by my first name… its been awhile since ive heard it from someone who isnt a friend.. even my closest colleagues in the law firm called me ♪… never my first name
“♪♪..” he smiled
and weirdly.. it felt natural from him.
“so! ♪♪, let me help you out..” he grabbed the box that was so so dreadful for me with ease, and i unlocked my door
“this is such a great help.. truly.. i owe you”
“oh nonsense! im just being nice.” he mumbled, unpacking the box
“this is my second day of moving stuff in, its not easy for me unfortunately”, i sighed, then helped him unpack
We continued in that gentle rhythm for quite some time, moving in boxes, unpacking, decorating the classroom, it was really nice… Dr. Grace was simple to talk too, he was the 8th grade science teacher.. and i was the 7th/8th grade Civics teacher, its a bit funny, growing up, the teachers that were close were often like.. science & math… or history & english! He was quite charming too, kind.. helpful, had good insight. after an hour, before either of us could realize it… the last box was done. Now we kinda just sat on the desks, and just kinda talked about things.. anything random really, mostly about classroom stuff though. I let out a sigh
“well, Dr. Grace… thank you”
he got nervous, smiled and fiddled with his hands
“its no big deal! hah.. im glad that i could help. i like this kinda stuff!”
“can i treat you to coffee? i remember seeing a little shop on the way here..” i mumbled, pulling out my phone to look at the maps
“oh i know what you’re talking about! i mean… im not doing anything.. only if you want too…. its a nice place, they have good drinks.”
I look over at him, gosh hes a dork, i let out a chuckle
“yeah? ok! we can go, my treat.. please.”
—
We take our time and eventually walk out the school, she seems nice! easy to talk with… doesn’t mind my little rambles.. which i cant seem to control! guilty! I take a pause at the bike rack— right. i have to explain the bike thing to her now..
“so.. uhm, i bike… but its ok! i can just.. bike to the cafe.. meet you there” i rubbed the back of my neck nervously.. yet, a the ends of her lips curved up into a smile
“ive got a space in my trunk for a bike yknow, i can just give you and your bike a ride..”
Suddenly, im smiling, and … it was probably more than a smile, cause she let out a giggle… oh this cannot be good for my heart long term.
—
He looks like a cute puppy… his eyes lit up like i just held out a treat… i realized what thoughts went through me and i felt myself getting embarrassed. oh thank the LORD i dont blush easy. right?
i was gonna say something, but then he beat me to it— “i mean if you really dont mind! yknow!”
“Dr. Grace why would i mind… its my treat anyway, cmon, wheel it over, my cars not far.”
He smiles all boyish and giddy, his shoulder scrunching up for a moment, like a little silent “yay!” it was cute… im so done for.
we walk over to my car, a cute, well loved.. but maintained! 2012 volkwagsen beetle “i know she seems small, but your bike will fit if i pop down the backseats!” i mentioned, he nodded and started to help me put down the cars backseats
“your cars cute by the way, very fitting for your character” he mentioned, a smile as he helped you push down the backseats, wheeling his bike over to put in
“Thank you!” I chuckled “always loved the buggies… they are too cute to not have one.”
He smiled and we both started to configure his bike in the car… “hey wait maybe this way!” I pointed with my hands,
“mmh that wouldn’t work ♪♪… the handlebars would hit your window.”
“on second thought, your right.. i didnt see that.”
he giggled “ooo i see way now, look… handlebars this way… and then.. we lift this..”
i let out a little “ohhhhh!” now knowing what to do, i help him accomodate his bike in the car, after we got it in and he smiled, proud of his spatial abilites “woomph, there it is” he said proudly, which made me genuinely laugh
“Did you seriously just say that?”
“Was that a bad thing to say?… hear it from my students sometimes…”
I laughed and facepalmed, my shoulders shaking with my giggles. I nodded and he started laughing with me.
—
♪♪ was laughing at me… which i would take as a bad thing! If it wasn’t so… endearing? I found myself laughing with her, it was contagious. Maybe I should run background checks on what my students say… for safety purposes. and also cause i realize how silly my reference was.
“alright alright.. ill take that as a lesson learnt…” i laughed, fiddling with my glasses
“mmhmm.. Dr. Grace seems you need to learn alot culturally to handle the upcoming class..”
“oh cmonnn! your like my age right? that means we both gotta do that.”
“i turn 25 in august, Dr. Grace.”
i choked on my spit hearing her..
“WHAT! i thought — how?”
she chuckled “i graduated with my associates at 17 through dual enrollment .. same time as my high school graduation, then my bachelors at 19.. then law at 22.. spent 2 years in the legal field.. now im gonna teach civics…” she hummed, then motioned me to get in the car— which we did…after we got in, i spoke up again
“i uh... i had a similar path. but i uh, stayed longer in my field before teaching. im 28... so its like.. we arent toooo far off in age, i just expected you to be like.. older… or my age. he chuckled nervously”
she started the car and smiled whilst i talked, i learnt why she randomly decided to switch to teaching, though she didn’t get into the full story.. which is fine, like.. i didn’t tell her about why i became a teacher! its embarrassing enough being exiled from academia. ♪♪ probably would think im crazy if i told her..
soon enough, we reach the coffee shop, it was really only like a 5 minute drive. ♪♪ seemed quite interesting! i was excited to have a new teaching buddy, my last friend, carl, ended up leaving for another school. Even though i only knew him for a year, he was easy to talk with and kept me sane throughout long grading sessions. we decided to try and keep in touch, but its been a busy summer, for him atleast.. but hey! schools starting, and soon i will be busy too.
—
“mmn.. ill get a vanilla bean latte.. small… what about you Dr. Grace?”
“huh? oh yeah.. uhm.. vanilla bean latte works! its too late for me to have coffee tonight”
I let out a little laugh, “yeah so two of those, thats all.”
i pay, and we get our drinks… he speaks up
“i dont let myself have coffee after 4 on these slower days…”
i smile and look up, his eyes, which i finally notice the blue within them. “yeeeah i get that, i have a rule like that for myself! so yknow, vanilla bean!”
we both gravitate towards the chairs near the window, the cafe was pretty cold compared to the warm outdoors we already were used too, and the warmth from the sun outside hit our skin… we both sip and chat, him telling me about things that i should expect when teaching, what the first year is like..
then a thought comes to me;
… so far, we are kinda like the same people.. just different fonts.. comics sans and arial narrow.. however, im not sure whos whos yet..