Luke
I slowly unlock the door to my classroom. I walk inside and shut the door behind me. I'm twenty minutes early today. My feet carry me to the desk and I basically fall into my chair. I sigh as I open my briefcase to pull out my planner and notebook. My tired eyes read over the lesson plans I wrote for today. A yawn escapes my mouth every few minutes.
After I took Cassi home last night, I went straight home and crawled into bed. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to continue reading the book that I was looking forward to finishing. I tried to sleep, but the problem was that I couldn't. My mind was keeping me awake. I thought of Cassi and how she was so intrigued by my house. I thought about our car ride home. It didn't feel awkward driving a student home, it felt natural. My mind then started thinking about the questions she asked me, and how I so easily opened up about my friends.
Then, from the late hours of the night to the early hours of the morning, I thought about them. I thought about Michael and Calum and Ashton. I reflected on the fact that I had not talked to them for a long time. All I could think about was the last day we all hung out together. That feels like ages ago. I began to feel the need to contact them, and I'm still feeling that this morning. However, I don't know how to contact them. I don't even know where they are or what they're up to these days. All I know is that I miss them, and I wish I could tell them that.
Suddenly the first bell rings. I jump up from my slouched position and check my watch. How did twenty minutes go by so quickly? I wasted my time to prepare by once again thinking about Michael, Calum, and Ashton. I scurry around my desk to open the classroom door. A few of the students waiting outside enter into the classroom and head to their seats. I greet each one with a smile and a hello. Every time I speak, I feel the urge to yawn. I really wish I brought some coffee with me today. Luckily I have a free period during second period classes. I can use that time to get coffee and maybe have a quick nap in my car.
I walk back to my desk and sit down, waiting for the late bell to ring. I check my watch again, less than one minute left. I take out the stack of quizzes from my briefcase that I printed out last night. I start organizing things on my desk so that I can be ready to start once the bell rings. My eyes move up to look at my class. All the seats are full except for one. Cassi's. I roll my eyes. I'm putting too much faith into Cassi. I should know that she isn't going to try. At least the many hungover students in my class put forth the effort to be here.
As soon as the late bell rings, I stand up and walk to the door.
"Good morning everyone. Get out a clean piece of paper and a pencil." I say. I grab the door handle and begin to pull it closed. The door is almost halfway shut when I see Cassi quickly coming around the corner. We make eye contact and I shake my head.
"Ah, Cassi. Late again." I am disappointed.
"Sorry, Mr. Hemmings," Cassi mutters as squeezes into the classroom.
"You know I actually expected you to be here on time today," I reply. Cassi turns around the face me
"Expect the unexpected," Cassi says with a smirk. She turns on her heels and walks to her desk. I watch as the girl sitting beside Cassi leans over to whisper something to her. Cassi then nods her head and gets out a piece of paper and a pencil.
"Okay. Today we are going to take a pop quiz." I say and walk back to my desk. I can hear quiet groans and whines coming from behind me."The quiz is going to be on Romeo and Juliet. I want to see what you know and understand about this play before we read it."
I grab the quizzes off my desk. I walk up and down the rows of desks, handing each student a quiz.
"Make sure you write your first and last names on the top of the quiz. You will write your answers on the quiz. There is a short writing portion of the quiz. You will write your paragraph on the piece of paper I instructed you to get out." I place the final quiz on Cassi's desk and head back to my own.
"You may start your quiz now. If you have any questions, come to me. Once you're done, bring your quizzes to me." I take a seat in my chair and stare at the notebooks on my desk. What could I do while my class is taking their quiz? There wasn't anything school-related that I could do since I already planned everything for this week. I have a rough lesson plan ready for next week and I do need to take some time to put more detail into it. However, I think right now I'm too exhausted to focus on that.
I turn in my chair so that I am facing the computer. Maybe there is something I can do. My hands reach for the keyboard and begin typing before I can comprehend what I'm doing. I sign in to my computer and go straight to Twitter. I haven't been on Twitter in almost two years, so I am surprised when the login I type in works. I open up my page and click on my followers. I quickly scroll through the couple hundred people that are following me. Most of my followers are people from college, with some acquaintances from high school and a handful of strangers mixed in. Finally, I came to the name I was looking for. Ashton Irwin.
The computer takes me to Ashton's page as I click on his name. I stare at Ashton's Twitter icon. He hasn't changed one bit since I last saw him. His smile is still bright and happy. Probably happier than when we were friends. His eyes still hold the same liveliness they always have. The only thing that seems to have changed about Ashton's physical appearance is that his hair is longer.
I glance at Ashton's tweets, trying to get a grasp of what he's been up to. He recently tweeted something about going to rehearsals. Rehearsals for what? Is he releasing music? Or in a band? I know that Ashton was really passionate about music, but I never knew that he'd be doing such big things. I continue to look through his tweets. It's apparent that he is in the music industry. I want to do more digging, but I don't think I have the time for it. I'd honestly rather talk to the guy than stalk him. And before I can even give it a second thought, I send Ashton a direct message.
Luke: Hey mate! Haven't talked in a while, just checking on you.
I sat there and stared at my screen, hoping Ashton would respond quickly. However, it isn't even nine in the morning, so I don't blame him if he takes a while. I lean back in the chait, then practically jump as I hear a student clear their throat. I look up from the computer to see a small line of students has formed in front of my desk.
"Are you guys done?" I ask them. A few nod their heads while the others mumble out 'yes's. I reach my hands out to collect my students' work. I let out a few 'thank you's as I take up the papers. The few students that were at my desk each turn around and go back to their own desks.
I sigh as I grab one of my many red pens. I also grab the answer key I made just to make sure that I grab the quizzes correctly. It takes no time for me to grade the first part of the quiz. Now, I have to grade the writing portion. I quietly sigh once again, feeling too lazy to read the short essays. I decide to go ahead and grade all the multiple choice questions for each quiz, then grade all the paragraphs later today or tomorrow.
Just as I begin grading the fifth, and last quiz, more students come up to my desk to turn in their quizzes. I kindly take the quizzes and slide them towards the corner of my desk. I stare at the small stack watching it grow as two more students place their quizzes on the top. I look around the room and it seems like everyone is finished except for a few students. Thank God.
I pick up the first quiz in the large stack and start to grade it. As I am grading, I glance over at the computer. Ashton replied. I place down the red pen and turn back towards the computer.
Ashton: Great to hear from you! Things are going good for me. Hope all is well with you.
I'm glad he responded quickly. Although, I am let down that his response is vague and short. I shouldn't hold too high of expectations since we haven't talked in ages. I then waste no time to respond to Ashton. I would much rather talk to him than grade thirty quizzes.
Luke: Things are good for me as well. I was wondering if you would like to meet up sometime, just to catch up.
Seconds after I hit send, Ashton responds.
Ashton: I'd love to! But I got a pretty busy schedule.
Well, that's a little disappointing. This could be Ashton's way of "letting me down easy". I shouldn't be mad at Ashton. I'm sure he is getting to live his dream, and I should feel happy for him. If anything, I should be mad at myself. I should have stayed in contact with Ashton this whole time.
Luke: That's okay man. Maybe sometime soon.
Ashton: Yeah.
I can tell Ashton is not interested in the conversation. No surprise there. I guess I should end the conversation, there isn't anything else left for me to say. I start typing out my goodbye when Ashton sends another message.
Ashton: Actually, I know this is really short notice, but I'm free tonight if you want to meet up.
Luke: Yeah, that works for me.
Ashton: Awesome! I'll meet you at the old hang out at 7.
Luke: Okay, sounds good with me.
I begin to feel giddy inside. I am completely elated by the fact that I am going to get to hang out with my old friend. I have spent so many days feeling guilty for not keeping up with any of the boys. This feels like a small weight off my chest. I can't wait for tonight.
Ashton: By the way, I have to bring my girlfriend with me, so feel free to bring a date.
Luke: Okay man.
Ashton: See you then.
I don't say anything else to Ashton. All I do is close out of Twitter and go back to grading papers. My eagerness has died down some due to Ashton saying he'll be bringing his girlfriend. I wanted to have some time with just the two of us, but I guess this is better than nothing. Now I have to find a date, but who could I bring? It's not like I have any girl friends or a girlfriend that I could ask to join me. Actually, I don't really have any friends. That's so incredibly sad and lame.
I'm able to finish grading the rest of the quizzes by the time the bell rings. I want to pat myself on the back for giving such easy questions for myself and the students. Lucky for them, this grade only counts as a completion grade. My only goal is to test their knowledge, not fail them on the second day of school.
"I'm assuming that everyone finished their quizzes. So, have a great day and I will see you all tomorrow." I say to my class while putting up the graded quizzes. When I hear someone cough, I immediately look up from my filing cabinet. I had thought that everyone had left, but I was wrong.
There stands Cassi at the edge of my desk.
"Let me just finish this real quick," Cassi says. She places her paper on the corner of my desk and continues to write. I watch as her pink pencil moves quickly across her paper. She is probably scribbling down nonsense, just enough to finish her short essay. I chuckle to myself.
"You can slow down on your writing, love. I'll write you a pass if you are late for your second class." I tell her.
Cassi momentarily stops writing and glances up at me with wide eyes. I realize that she is taken back because I called her "love". God, why did I say that? I didn't mean it in any weird kind of way. It just fell off my lips. Cassi looks back down and starts writing again. She is still writing fairly fast, but not nearly as fast as before. She finishes with just a few seconds left until the tardy bell.
"Done?" I ask as she hands me her quiz.
"Yes." She responds.
"What took you so long to finish?" I ask while placing her quiz on my desk.
"I haven't read Romeo and Juliet for a couple of years. I couldn't remember most things." Cassi explains. She slides her hands into her pocket and shifts most of her body weight onto one foot.
"Ah, I see," I glance down at her quiz and I can immediately see she got many questions wrong. I tilt my head and look back at Cassi. "When you read Romeo and Juliet in ninth grade, did you actually read it or did you use summaries from Google?"
"Um, maybe a mixture of both." She bites her lip as I furrow my eyebrows. "Well, maybe I didn't read it."
"Now that makes sense," I reply.
"Yeah, sorry," Cassi says as she glances around the empty classroom. "Don't you have a second period?"
"I don't. This is my planning period." I tell Cassi as I watch her walk back to her desk and gather her belongings. "Let me write you a pass to your next class."
"Okay."
I grab a sticky note and begin to write a pass for Cassi. Suddenly a thought comes to my mind that I know I shouldn't be thinking. Maybe Cassi could be my date for tonight, in a friendly way of course. I don't have any intention of having a special relationship with her. I could never be more than friends with Olivia since I am her teacher, and I don't want to be anything but friends. Last night felt so nice talking to her. I think that we could have good chemistry. Good platonic chemistry. And plus, there isn't much of an age difference between us. Only three years. It's not that weird to be friends, right?
"Would you like to go out with me tonight?" I ask before I can think. This happens to me too often. My brain likes to make quick decisions especially when I'm running on no sleep.
Updated 4.19.20