Teacher's Pet [Elvis]

Chapter 11 - He Is Everywhere I Am

"I thought I would be ruined as a teacher before, but now, I really am. Elvis heard all of that whole conversation."

I was on the phone with Deena again the day after that conversation happened, and I was at my kitchen table this time. She said, "Well, it's not like he didn't know it, anyway. I think he reacted the way he did because you were hurt by this situation, and you both know that a relationship isn't possible. The poor guy... He seems pretty emotional."

"He really is, but so am I. Which is why I don't know if I'll be able to go through with this Christmas party if he's going."

"Might as well not go back to school, either." I said nothing to that, just huffed. "C'mon, you can get through this."

"How about we just not talk about it for now? Let's talk about your love life. Have you told Joshua how you feel?"

"No... I'm too shy to."

"From what you told me, he likes you. You both are just waiting for the other to do something. Nothing will happen if that's that case."

"I'm just bucking up my courage. Now, tell me what you're wearing for the Christmas party. Please tell it's that red dress you have that you wore last year and got complements galore on it and made hearts pop from Jame's eyes."

My chest pinched. "Well, maybe I won't wear it now since it has an association with him."

"Sorry, I shouldn't have said that. But wear it anyway. It's so pretty. Along with teal, red is your color. It's one of your favorite colors, even. And it's festive. You can wear that green broach that Grandma got you for Christmas a couple years back."

"The broach that's from 1925? I think it's a bit dated."

"It's still pretty."

I shook my head, smiling. "Okay, I'll wear it, along with my gold shoes to complete the festive look."

"Ooo, the heels?! Yes, wear those! I wish we had the same size feet, or I would most definitely had stolen those by now, and I would've told you that I had no idea where they went."

I laughed. "You would do that, and then you would tell me the truth a week later."

"You know me so well. Now, you should get going. Have fun decorating for the party."

I was already dressed to go, I just wanted to talk to Deena first and vent. Once I was home from school, I made myself some early dinner, graded papers, changed for the decorating, and I called Deena. It was now almost seven o'clock. It would take the rest of the night to decorate. I would probably be going early tomorrow to finish it off.

"Thanks. I'll talk to you later. Love you."

She said so back, and we hung up. I took a breath, left, and headed for the school. People were already there, helping to set up. Teachers were there, their kids who were ages five to upper teens, it looked, and students that I recognized. I helped bring in the trees and started decorating them. We would have two in the room, elegantly  decorated since this room would resemble a high-class restaurant.

The younger kids mainly helped with the tree decorating. Kids their age were so willing to help and were excited to decorate for Christmas. I heard all sorts of stories from them, about Christmas and their friends and their toys and their families... Chatterboxes, but I loved it. I missed associating with kids. I missed my students. I didn't realize how much I missed them until I was spending time with Elvis's younger cousins at Thanksgiving.

The trees were decorated with gold and silver decorations as to create a more elegant spectacle. The round tables were also decorated with gold accents, along with real holy leaves, pinecones, and little red glass orbs to complete the Christmas color pallet. There was a candelabra in the center of each table, too. They wouldn't be lit since we couldn't light fires in the school, except for in the science lab.