My books landed on my desk with a loud thump as I plopped myself in my first period seat. Dread washed over me while I pulled out the homework for class and slid it to the corner of my table for when the teacher came to collect it, pulling out my phone to pass the time and maybe calm myself down.
I hate first period. Very very much. My teacher was a miserable asshole, and she always called me out on the dumbest things to try to embarrass me in front of everyone. I don't even get bad grades! I missed one assignment! It's ridiculous. I have to see her for two whole hours of my morning, she's my humanities teacher; she teaches English and History. I'm just glad it's the first class of the day, I get it over with quicker. No fear throughout the whole day, just the first few hours after I arrive.
I scroll through instagram while daydreaming about my fantasy home. In my dreams I'm in somewhere tropical, like Hawaii or the Bahamas. I have a little yellow house somewhat up a mountain, close enough to the beach that I can just walk when I'm not feeling lazy. It has a place for everything and everything has a place. It has a window seat. It has 2 bedrooms and two bathrooms, one connected to mine so I don't have to worry about getting to a bathroom in the dark. Maybe I'm married. I don't know. But I come here in my head when I need an escape. It's my safe place.
The bell jerks me out of the clouds and I notice I have a text from my mom.
I quickly put my phone away and pull out my pen, opening my journal to a new page for today's notes and doodling on the edges. Minutes pass and my classmates start mumbling amongst themselves. I look up to check the time, class should've started about twelve minutes ago.
"Riley!" I whisper-shout, trying to grab my friend's attention. I was sat in the very back, lucky me, because once I learned how much Ms. Robins hated me, I told her all the time how I wanted to sit at the very front, right next to her. We also tried to convince her that we hated each other, but we're stupid and screwed that up immediately, so now, Riley sits three seats ahead of me in the row right next to me.
She doesn't hear me since she's on her phone so I try again, just a little louder.
"Riley!"
Nothing. She's completely focused on whichever boy she's toying with this month. I tear out a paper from the back of my journal and crushed it into a ball and chucked it at her, hitting her right on the back of her noggin. She jerks her head to look at me, obviously annoyed while I hold in my laughter.
"Yes? Did you need something?" She asks, smiling.
I calm myself down before responding. "Yeah, do you have any idea what's going on with Ms. Robins? Class was supposed to start," I glance at the clock again, "Twenty minutes ago."
She shakes her head. "I'm just as confused as you are."
I sigh and give her a thanks before she goes back to her phone. I sink down into my chair and stare at the front of the room, studying it for the millionth time. I notice the teacher's desk is missing a lot of her usual attributes which is odd. I wonder what happened.
Someone unfamiliar walks in then, along with a staff. The staff—I think his name is P.J.—had a box with him. I watched him walk to the desk and started clearing things off and out of it while the new person erased some stuff that was left on the board. P.J. Left and the new lady turned around to face us with a smile, her name neatly written on the board, reading, 'Ms. Harmon'.
"Good morning, everyone! Sorry for getting here so late, I was notified last minute that I needed to be here," She chuckled, heading to the now-empty desk and putting her backpack on top, digging through it for what I assume was todays stuff. She pulled out a few slips of paper and threw one of them onto the copier before getting back to us but I raised my hand before she could say anything. She looked at me and motioned for me to say what I wanted to say.
"What's going on with Ms. Robins?"
"She..." She pauses, "She has changed jobs, is all I'm allowed to say."
"So she's not coming back?" Some guy from across the classroom asks. Ms. Harmon shakes her head and a few people sigh with relief in unison, and I hear a faint, "Thank GOD."
She chuckles and walks back over to the copier, pulling out the small stack of papers. She passes a small chunk of them out to the first desk of each row and everyone passes them back. When I finally get mine, she starts talking.
"You guys are lucky, I'm just giving you the task to relax for the last hour of class! I handed out some word searches, I also have some connect the dots, and they're all optional. Just let me know what you guys want."
A student raises their hand and she calls on him. He asks if we can go on our phones and as soon as she gives him the go ahead I pull mine out, excited to be able to relax for once.
"Oh, before I forget," She starts, not having to wait long for everyone to give her our full attention, "Your new teacher will be here after lunch, so if you want to meet him, he will be available here after school. Otherwise, he will be here tomorrow."
———
The rest of the day was very chill, it was nice. It was the first calm day for me since what feels like forever. I hadn't seen the new teacher yet, but I heard a lot about him, considering every girl here has a crush on him now.
School just ended anyways, so maybe I could go say hi, I thought to myself. I closed my locker once I grabbed everything I needed, double checking my pockets to make sure I had my car keys before heading out. I walked to first period only to see a crowd of girls standing around him, all of them trying to flirt with him. I could barely see him—all I knew was that he had short, jet-black hair, he was pretty tall, and from the murmurs around school, his name is Mr. Min.
I tried to come closer to get a better look, but some of the girls glared at me, which was weird but whatever. I waited in the doorway for a bit in hopes I could see him or say something to him, but when I checked the time, I realized I had been standing there for twenty minutes. For what? Why was I doing this? I shook my head and turned around, walking out.
I don't know if it was just a coincidence or what, but I got the urge to look at him one more time. He had turned to me, making direct eye contact. I don't know what happened, but I couldn't look away. He was mesmerizing. We stood there staring at each other for what could've only been thirty seconds, but it felt like a lifetime.
He was the first to look away. I felt...disappointed? I sighed and walked out faster than usual, getting to my car in no time, plopping myself down once it was unlocked. I slammed the door and laid my forehead on my steering wheel, trying to calm myself down. What is wrong with me? What is going on?
———
———
"So," Riley starts, grabbing another fistful of popcorn from the bowl and sitting back, laying her head on my shoulder, "Have you seen the famous Mr. Min yet?"
I shook my head, stealing a few pieces of popcorn from her hand, earning a playful slap on the boob. "I have not. We made eye contact, but that's all I've seen of him."
"Ooooh, what if it's love at first sight?"
"Ohh shut up," I laugh. "It's never going to be like that."
"Just teeeasin'" She smiles at me. I lay my head on top of hers and continue our movie, making light jokes here and there with her.
I've missed Riley very much. It had been at least a month since we've hung out. I've had many friends in my life growing up, but her and my internet friend Harley have stayed the longest. I met Riley in fourth grade and Harley in eighth. Now we're all seniors, almost half way done with school. It's crazy how fast time passes. I hope we still remain friends after we graduate.
"I've missed you," Riley blurts out. Feels like she read my mind.
"I've missed you too, Rye," I snuggle closer to her. "Do you think we'll still be friends when we graduate?"
"Absolutely." She says, no hesitance. "I can't really see what would stop us. Even if you moved away, I'd still want to talk to you everyday, even if it's a few minutes. You're my best friend, Thalia."
"You're my best friend too." I held out my pinky and she instantly looped hers with mine. No words were needed.
———
I woke up on the couch to my alarm. I looked up to see how Riley was doing; half her body was falling off the couch, and luckily it was the half with the legs. All I remember is hearing my mom come in and putting an extra blanket over us and giving me a quick peck on the forehead.
I nudged her with my foot before I got up to go make us breakfast. I heard her groan while I opened the fridge.
"Hey, Rye," I called out, getting another groan in response, "Lucky charms or cinnamon toast crunch?"
I heard a tired and faint, "Charms," and grabbed one bowl, not feeling too hungry for cereal. Maybe I'll grab a doughnut or something on the way to school. I checked my phone and saw my mom texted me her schedule—I'll have to come home as fast as I can after school so I can see her for the thirty minutes she's here. I left Riley's bowl on the coffee table and let her know I was going to change before heading up the stairs.
While I was planning my outfit and getting ready I was deep in my thoughts. I missed my mom a lot. My dad wasn't there, never has been. I'm not too upset about it now that I've grown up. He wasn't ready, I get it. They were young. But, that left my mom to make a lot of sacrifices.
I'm happy at where we are now; I'm glad I don't have to worry about choosing between food and getting home anymore. I used to be so mad at her for going to medical school and what felt like ditching me, but I am grateful for everything she has done. I like this stability, I just wish I saw my mom more. She used to be my best friend—still is, now that I think about it.
I ran downstairs, mentally flipping a switch so I could focus and be ready for today. Riley looked ready, definitely still exhausted, but she was ready to go. No words were said or needed, we went on autopilot in comfortable silence.
I went on a little detour to Dunkin' doughnuts, I've never tried it before and I am reeeally craving a doughnut. And maybe some coffee would be nice. I asked Riley in the drive through if she wanted anything before ordering. She didn't get anything which is a usual, but she refuses to let me pay for a lot of things, and it hurts my feelings a little bit. I like to spoil my friends, I want to be the person I needed when I was growing up. I end up just taking advantage of any gift-giving holiday I can and go all out.
Riley and I walk through school and I study her a bit. She looks like a zombie with a plan. I chuckle silently to myself and grab her hand and give it a reassuring squeeze before we part ways to our lockers.
I take some time to appreciate actually being excited for school while I get what I need for the day. Something new and actually exciting is happening! The last time that happened, a barely known band came to our town, scheduled a show, and then canceled to get drunk at a bar at the next town over. They left that same night.
My heart races a bit as I subconsciously speedwalk to class. I don't know why I am or why I'm feeling this way. Is my life really this boring? I shake my head and make a sharp turn to enter the classroom and instead of basically throwing myself in my seat and sinking, I sit in it like a normal person and get my desk and things all nice and pretty. It's then I notice I'm the first one to class. It makes me a little nervous.
I also noticed him then and Jesus CHRIST he is pretty. He's sitting at his desk, one leg over the other, the jet black hair, the glasses, his face as he reads and gets things ready. Holy shit.
I didn't even realize how obvious I was being until he looked up at me and gave me a little smile. He makes me nervous.
"Hi."
It takes me longer than I care to admit to fully process that he said anything. "Hi."
He stands up and walks to the first desk in my row and leans on it. "Am I allowed to know your name early?"
I nod. "Thalia."
"Hm," He nods. "Pretty."
He walks back to his desk and plops himself down, turning his back to me and facing towards the printer behind him. "Have you caught wind of mine?"
"I sure have, Mr. Min."
"Ding ding ding," He points at me without looking and spins back around to face me, a stack of papers resting in his lap.
"Good to know you pay attention."
I smile at him and he returns the gesture before getting back to work. I can't find any other way to continue so, with slightly shaky hands, I grab my phone out of my pocket to text Harley.
I watched everybody file in as the first bell rang and immediately noticed that almost all the girls in this class put an extra amount of effort in how they looked today. It made me kind of sad I didn't, but there is always tomorrow. I watched Riley slowly wake up and take a look at Mr. Min, instantly whipping her head around to look at with a face that could only read, 'Oh my GOD'. I mouthed 'I know!' To her and she turned back around, her jaw still to the floor. I was almost about to go over there and close it until she did it herself as he looked at everyone.
The second bell rang after five minutes and almost everyone was paying close attention.
"Hello, everybody, I am your new teacher, Mr. Min!" He pointed to the whiteboard at his name scrawled as best as possible on the board. I can barely read it but that's okay. His pretty makes up for it, I thought and immediately mentally kicked myself for it while he continued.
"Before we do any work, I will be handing out these sheets that I will need you to fill out so I can get to know you all a little better as a start. We only have one full semester together after next month and I want to make it count."
He walked back to his desk and grabbed one stack of papers I hadn't noticed and started passing them out to every first table in the row. "You guys know the drill, right?" Some people in front responded with 'yeah's and some just nodded. "Good."
Once they were all handed out, he turned to walk back to his desk but stopped a few steps short, turning back to us. To me. He was looking me dead in the eyes. My heart stopped. He pointed at me.
"Thalia, right?"
I nodded.
"You have detention."
———
A/N
Hello! Thank you for reading!
I hope you enjoy! Things are going to be a liiiittle slow but bear with me!!
Comments are greatly appreciated!! I'd love to hear your feedback <3