Just Neighbors | spencer reid

042

"First day. Let's do this." I mumble, grabbing my bag before stepping out of the car.

I look up nervously at the big high school, walking up the many steps. Are they trying to kill the students with these stairs?

I use my ID they gave me yesterday to get buzzed in, my hand reaching for the handle and pulling the door open.

"Morning Yvonne." I say, waving to the office lady.

"Morning Valerie. Excited for your first day?"

"More nervous than excited." I laugh.

"Don't worry, you'll do great. Plus you're young so the students will like you more."

"I hope." I say, crossing my fingers.

I head up to my classroom, annoyed that I have to go up these damn stairs everyday. The things I do for kids who don't even want to be here. I unlock the door to the room, flicking the light on. I spent most of the day yesterday making this room less bland because before it looked like a jail cell. I write my name on the white board and set everything up before I hear the bell to ring.

Here we go.

The students slowly pile in, taking their seats. I notice their glances at me, some of them whispering to each other. Why did I decide to move to high schoolers?

Once it seems like everyone is here, I pull the attendance list up on my computer. Instead of making them say 'here', I just look at their photos on the computer and see if they're in the room.

Everyone's present. That's good.

"Good morning everyone, I'm Miss Fitzgerald. My name is on the board if for some reason you need to spell it."

Some kids nod and others I can tell don't care at all. You can't please everyone, I guess.

"I've never taught high schoolers before so this is all new to me." I say, leaning back against my desk. "I don't know how much you all liked Mr. Wendell and his teaching, but now you have me and things are going to be a bit different. Now, I'm going to make you all hate me by asking you to say your name and an interesting fact."

I watch their reactions. Some kids groaning and others rolling their eyes. "This is to help me remember who's who. It'll go by faster if you just work with me here, okay?"

They all comply and we get through the group quickly, all eyes back on me. "Okay now-"

"You never told us an interesting fact about you." A girl named Ella speaks out.

I cross my arms, "What would you like to know?"

"You got a boyfriend?" A boy named Simon blurts out, the class trying to hold back their amusement.

I look down, shaking my head with a smile on my face. I look back up, seeing everyone waiting for my response.

"I do actually. Do you?"

His face goes red at the question, the class falling into a fit of laughter. I bite back my smile, knowing I shouldn't be showing my amusement. Let's hope no one finds out I said that to a student.

"Moving on." I interrupt the laughter, "My first name is Valerie, but you all have the pleasure of calling me Miss Fitzgerald. I'm 24, soon to be 25 on March 11th. I love spicy food and my hobby is reading. That's pretty much it."