COMMENTS.
Sage;
"Please write down the key points that are on the projector. These are major things that you need to know for your first exam. The lecture and the lab go hand in hand. What you learn here is applied in the labs." I watched as the door opened, Novalie walking in with a cup of coffee and a donut causing me to smile. I was glad she took my advice and hoped that she stayed up for the lecture.
I wanted all of my students to succeed, but Novalie shocked me in the lab. I could tell she was smart and I wanted her to get her money's worth.
I watched as she sat down and pulled out the syllabus, flipping it to the back causing me to sigh. It was a class requirement to have a notebook, yet she seems to be content with writing on the back of her two page syllabus. I didn't let it bother me any longer, continuing on with my lecture.
She was up for most of it, writing abruptly on her syllabus as I explained the chapter that we were focused on. I gave them definitions and applied it to the lesson that I was presenting. I noticed she started to crash toward the end, slapping herself awake and chewing on a piece of gum to try to remain present. But she started to decline as I started to wrap up the lesson, her head slumping forward as she crashed, falling asleep.
Damn it. Am I that boring?
Everyone dashed past the sleeping student, leaving it my responsibility yet again to wake her up. I packed my things and walked up the stairs, tapping her shoulder but she didn't budge.
"Ms. Carter." She still didn't budge and I grew a little concerned, slowly placing my bag down and shaking her awake. She didn't move and I bent down, placing my hand on her pulse to make sure she was breathing.
She was, and the relief washed over my body as I stared at the sleeping student. She was beautiful, her cheekbones raised slightly. She had a small button nose, her lips full and shaped wonderfully. I admired her for a second, before starting to shake her awake again.
Her eyes fluttered open and she yelped from my face being so close to hers causing me to flinch, holding her chest as as she sat up while looking around the empty room. Her eyes met mine and slowly grew disappointed as she realized that she yet again, fell asleep during my class.
"I'm sorry.." She whispered, the tears welling in her eyes causing me to swallow hard. I sighed and stood up, watching as she grabbed her things and stood. She was a little bit shorter than me, at least by two inches.
"Just get some sleep before the next class, Novalie. This will affect your grade."
She nodded and walked off in a hurry, leaving me alone as I sighed before walking out of the room and shutting the door. I only had two classes to teach on Monday's, being grateful for the break as I walked to my car. I slipped inside and drove home, wanting nothing more than to lay down and take a nap.
Naps were the only way I could get any sort of rest without the nightmares. It was better than not sleeping at all, though some days were like that. But today wasn't as I took off my clothes and slipped under my comforter, falling into a dreamless nap.
I wasn't sure how long I slept, but I knew it was a while as I woke up to the sound of crickets from outside of my window. The moonlight shined through my window and I groaned as I sat up slowly, running a hand down my face before grabbing my phone.
7:15pm.
"Damn. Definitely not going to sleep now." I groaned before looking through my text messages.
'Dinner?' - B.
I sighed at the text message as I contemplated my response. I haven't seen Brooke in a while. She was one of my closest friends, but after she got married and had her son, we haven't hung out as much. Her husband was a real piece of work, always grilling me as if I was trying to take his wife from him.
I wasn't that type of person, though. I've been single for a while. It wasn't intentional, but after being discharged I just had other things to focus on. I was still trying to get my mental health back on track. I can't possibly date someone who wouldn't understand my outbursts of panic or nightmares.
The only person that did was Brooke.
'Sure. Let me know when you're outside.'
I stood from my bed and stretched before slipping on my shorts. I walked out of the room and into my private gym, shutting the door and placing my phone on the aux as I stared at the large punching bag in the middle of the room.
This was my outlet. I haven't been in a ring in years, but I still practiced as a way to relieve any tension I felt in my body. It felt good, punching the bag until my knuckles were red and sore and my arms ached in the way that I needed them to. I did just that, the sweat dripping down my body as I grunted with every punch. I let out all of my frustration, kicking and punching the bag as the loud music drowned out the thoughts that raced in my mind.
My phone started to ring and I sighed as I wiped the sweat from my forehead, before answering the phone.
"I'm outside. I rang the bell twice but no response."
"I did tell you to let me know."
"Just shut up and open the door." I hung up the phone and walked out of the room, dashing to the living room and opening my apartment door to see my best friend grinning widely as she held up a bottle of wine. I rolled my eyes and stepped to the side, watching as she walked in before shutting the door.
"You stink." Brooke chuckled as she wrinkled her nose causing me to shove her shoulder as we both laughed.
"Hey, Brooke."
"Don't 'hey' me. We have a lot of catching up to do. Austin is with Anya tonight, so we are free to drink and eat as we please. I bought Thai.." She sang as she held the bag of food up causing me to chuckle before nodding.
"Alright."
"So, you mean to tell me that he said he will keep going until he gets a boy? And you're okay with that?" I scoffed as I wrinkled my nose while Brooke laughed and nodded as she stirred her noodles.
"Yes I'm okay with it. I love him, and I do want a boy. And I'll be having a lot of sex. What more could I ask for?" The honey blonde grinned causing me to laugh and roll my eyes as I sipped the Chardonnay in my glass.
"I don't know, B. I think it's really obnoxious. Then again, I don't like the man so-"
"Oh hush. I'm sure you guys will get along. I think he's just weary that my best friend is a lesbian and has a penis."
"Well, no one told you to tell him." I shrugged causing her to chuckle as she sipped her drink. We fell into a peaceful silence as we finished the rest of our dinner, my thoughts taking over as I tried my best to keep my anxiety low about another sleepless night to come.
"How is work going?" Brooke asked, her dark brown eyes finding mine as she sipped her wine. I sighed and shrugged causing her to arch a brow.
"What's that attitude? I thought you would be excited to start teaching again."
"I am. I just..there's this one student that I'm a little worried about."
"Ooooh, do you have a crush, Sage?" Brooke asked as she wiggled her eyebrows causing me to scoff.
"No, Brooke. Jeez."
"Well you should. You've been single for so long, I'm sure your balls curse at you every night-"
"Brooke! Shut up!" I laughed as I felt my face turn red from embarrassment. She laughed with me as she shrugged before drinking the rest of her wine.
"She just..it's only the second week and I already see a lot of red flags. She's been late to class twice, and she's always falling asleep. Not to mention, she doesn't even use a notebook. She uses the back of her syllabus to write her notes."
"Huh. Either she does drugs or she has a lot going on in her personal life."
"I think the same thing. She always looks exhausted and embarrassed when I wake her up. It's like she knows she shouldn't be falling asleep in class but can't help it."
"Have you tried asking her if she was okay?" Brooke asked. I thought back to earlier today, the student abruptly cutting me off to tell me that she was fine.
"Yeah. I just..she's smart. Really smart. It concerns me to see someone that exhausted. She had to force herself to stay up and it's like I saw her physically crash."
"That doesn't sound good at all. What's her name?"
"Novalie."
"Like that movie with Natalie Portman?"
"Yes. I thought the same thing. Her name is Novalie Carter."
"Hm. Maybe she works nights or something. Just..try to be patient with her, and if it persists then give her a talk. We never know what some of these kids are going through. Trust me. Our teachers didn't know."
"Yeah..that's true." I breathed as Novalie's face filled my mind. I hope that the next few weeks improve and that she gets some sort of sleep. I understand how exhaustion works, and it isn't a good feeling.
But I can only do so much. After all, I have a class to teach and she isn't the only student that has needs.