*not edited
Talia
I get up from my desk and walk up to Mr. Mendes desk. His eyes meet mine as I stand right in front of him.
"Hi Talia, are you Italian."
"Half from my dad side and my mom's side from Ethiopia." My mother was born here in America but her my grandmother was from Ethiopia.
"That's cool, what else you have two more things to share."
"Let's see...I like to write poems and short stories. And I like music."
"Can I read one of your poems or short stories some time?" He asked quite interested.
"I don't know, they're probably no good."
"Come on It's always to get another person opinion, opens up a new perspective."
"Since you put it that way. Sure, tomorrow during 8th period okay."
"Yeah I have no class then so yeah that will work." He smiles and everything lightens up around him. I start to head back to my seat with a smile and the twins give me a look.
"What?" I say sitting back down.
"You spend quite a long time up there," Rose says.
"We were just talking, he wanted to get to know his students," I state and look up at Shawn who definitely winks at me and calls the next person.
After he finished talking to everyone he wanted us to write a paragraph on the most exciting thing that happened this summer. I wrote about my birthday party. Then he makes an announcement at the end.
"Who has the eighth period off?" I and two others raise their hands: Ezra and a stoner girl Beth.
"Okay can y'all wait one minute after the bell rings." He says and then the bell rings to dismiss the class.
"I'll be waiting outside," Rose says. Once the room was empty except the three of us he explains why we're still here.
"So I'm new here and need some help moving things around and organizing for the next few weeks. Which one of y'all are interested in helping during your off period."
"Nah I like to go home earlier," Beth says getting up and leaving. "I agree with Beth," Ezra says leaving me and Mr. Mendes alone.
"Will I get extra credit if I do?"
"I've seen your previous grades, you don't really need extra credit. But if that's what it takes for you to help then sure."
"Okay, when do you need me."
"Tomorrow, after I read what you bring, is fine. I'd say today but I got some unpacking to do at home and hate to make you stay late on the first day back." I nod.
"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow, Mr. Mendes."
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I go meet Eli by the tracks as we agreed earlier. I smile when I see him sitting under the bleachers our favorite hangout spot in the whole school.
"Hey beautiful," I smile my cheeks heating up as I sit down next to him.
"Hey, what did you want to talk about?" Please don't be about the kiss. Please don't be about the kiss.
"It's about the kiss." Shit.
"Oh yeah, I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable I was really drunk and wasn't thinking."
"The thing is I wasn't uncomfortable at all, I really liked it." I almost faint from his words.
"And I wanted to ask you on a date how's Friday?"
"Yeah Friday is great," I smile. Eli leans in and gives me a quick kiss before getting up.
"I have to pick my little sister up, but I'll text you later." I nod and watch him go. Kai decided to take a bus to his friend's house and Paris went with Greyson so I didn't have to take anyone else home. I go grab something to eat at a local deli before driving home.
When I park I noticed our neighbors car was in their driveway and considering my moms home she's already harassed them. I grab my turkey sub and walk inside to my mother cleaning the living room.
"Oh good you're here," she says turning off the vacuum. "I talk to our neighbor earlier and ask them for dinner Friday night and you have to attend," she says with a stern tone.
"But I have a date," I whine. By the look on her face, I definitely can't get out of this dinner.
"Fine, just know that you're ruining your daughters love life." I stomp upstairs to my room and text Eli.
Me
I have to cancel Friday my mom is making have dinner with the new neighbors.
Eli
It's fine how about next Friday after the game.
Me
It's a date.
I sigh flopping myself on my bed and taking out my sub sandwich from the paper bag. Next Friday isn't too bad of a wait, Eli's soccer game shouldn't be too long either.
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"Now I encourage everyone to either buy or check out The Catcher in the Rye at the library we will start reading it next week," Mr. Mendes says right before the bell rings. "I'll see y'all tomorrow." Everybody starts to pack up their things and leaves his classroom, of course, a few girls drooling on their way to the door.
"Ezra, Eli and I are hanging out at Frank's after school does you can join if you want," Rose tells me. I have been craving franks diner pizza.
"Sure soon as I finish helping Mr. Mendes," I tell her.
"You're so lucky to be helping out the hottest man alive," She gushes and I shake my head. Rose gives a pathetic wave and smiles to Mr. Mendes before leaving the room. Once we were alone I sat next to him at his desk and pulled out one of my poems.
"Envious that's an interesting title," Mr. Mendes says before reading my poem out loud.
The bond was strong until one moved farther away, the love was full bloomed until one started to wilt.
My heart was aching for yours, but I guess yours was craving for theirs. I knew it was coming so that's why
I can't be envious of someone I never met, I can't be envious of someone I could never understand, I can't be envious of the one who got their heart.
"This is good, is it about anyone in particular," he smiles making eye contact with me and I nearly faint. I breathe keeping my composure before responding, "not really, I was reading a book and got inspired when I wrote this."
"I'd like to read more you have talent miss De Luca."
"Mm sure maybe next time this is all brought today." He nods while I put my poem back in a bag and start to help Mr. Mendes put some books in his bookshelf.
"So tell me about yourself, Talia?"
"What do you want to know?" I grin.
"Anything really. You tell me about yourself and I'll tell you about me since we have an hour to kill." I nod and think of something interesting about me.
"I'm originally from Texas."
"Really? I've only gone once for a teacher seminar in Dallas."
"You said you were from Canada, where exactly."
"Pickering, Ontario But I moved to Toronto in college."
"Now you're here, why did you want to be an English teacher?"
"Because I love to write either it be a song or a short story, your words can come to life when shared with the world." God is it possible to be in love with a teacher.
"That's nice." I smile putting the last book on the shelf. We start to put some posters up and then he calls it quits for today."
"Thanks for helping me Talia, it's starting to look like my classroom."
"It's no problem, do you need help again for tomorrow."
"Not tomorrow I still have to find some boxes at my house that is supposed to be here. Hopefully, by Thursday I can find them, I want to be done before the weekend." I nod.
"Okay just let me know when you need me,"
I say grabbing my things.
"I will," he smirks then winks. Is it just me or did he mean something completely different than what I'm thinking? Oh, Talia stop he's just your teacher don't get your panties in a bunch.
I shake off the thought waving goodbye to Mr. Mendes and leaving the classroom. I go to my car to meet the group at Franks diner.
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