CHAELISA One-shots

The New Teacher

***

"Professor Park.”

Roseanne glanced up at the sound of her name. Principal Jennie Kim stood in her doorway and Roseanne smothered her sigh. She got to her classroom hours before school started to she’d have time to prep. Not to engage in mindless small chat.

“Principal Kim,” she murmured, turning her attention back to her book. Roseanne looked at the slim brunette standing next to Kim. “Morning,” she said, eyeing her.

Jennie was clearly about to explain more, but the fire alarm started going off. Jennie swore under her breath, “Jisoo Kim.”

Roseanne smiled and looked at the table; the PE teacher was a bit inept and had set off the alarm multiple times. So many that the school was actually getting fined by the fire department.

“Can you stay with her for a moment?” Jennie asked, already moving before Roseanne could give a response. “I’ll be right back.”

Then she was gone and Roseanne was left with the stranger.

Roseanne looked at the woman - girl - who walked up to her. The black hair and dancing brown eyes couldn’t hide the impression of trouble that simmered underneath the innocent expression. Steeling herself, Roseanne watched her approach.

“Morning,” the woman said.

She’d already said that. “New student?”

She smirked, “New teacher, actually.”

“Aren’t you a little young?”

“Aren’t you a little hot?”

Roseanne brow arched. Not because she was burdened by false modesty, she knew what she looked like, but because of her forwardness. Caught off guard, she couldn’t think of a response.

Lisa took pity on her. “I’m the new Foreign Language teacher.”

She could work with that. “Spanish or French?”

“Both. Along with extracurricular Mandarin and Thai.”

“Four languages?” Roseanne muttered, glancing at her desk.

“Six. I also speak Japanese and Korean.” Lisa's grin was self-assured.

“Why so many?” Her PhD didn’t seem nearly as impressive as six languages.

“My dad was in the service. I traveled around a lot as a kid.”

Roseanne nodded, gathering up her books. Lisa glanced at the title. “Flowers of Evil ? Have you read it?”

Roseanne glanced up, “Several times.”

“Have you ever read it in its original French?” she asked.

Roseanne met her eyes, the challenge and humor dancing in brown depths. “No.”

“Then you haven’t read it.”

With a faint incline of her head, Roseanne acknowledged her point. She grinned. “I’d be happy to give you a private lesson.”