Green Thumb

Hi.

It's a beautiful day today! The first day of spring, I love it. Spring is one of the happiest months for me. Probably because it's when all the beautiful flowers bloom from the ground, and make these streets filled with life! At least, that's what I think it does. I inhale the fresh air, that has a hint of gasoline mixed in. I walk across the street when the light turns red for the cars and green for me. Look left, now right. Now we cross. If you were curious, I'm headed to work! You're probably wondering what my job is. Well I'm almost there so you'll figure it out in just a second! "Mr. Benaro!" my boss yells, half damaging my ear drums. "Yes, sir?" I say rather calmly since I've gone practically deaf from his voice. "We need you to cover class 12 today! Mrs. Hows seems to have broken her hip from shaking it too hard last night. Oho, what a show." He says, seeming to drift away in the thought of Mrs. Hows. Gross. I shiver and half gag at the thought. The way he looked and how he was licking his lips wasn't helping either. My boss is such a pervert. "Yes, sir! But what about my class? Who's going to watch them?" I ask, avoiding eye contact with him. "Oh, I've got that handled. Now, go! Don't keep those kids waiting any longer," he says, escaping his thoughts, "..they might've destroyed the classroom by now.." He mumbled wobbling away. "I really don't get paid enough." I run to class 12 to see 10 innocent angels with their fingers intertwined with their own on the desk looking at me happily. Okay, this is different, my class doesn't even know when I enter the room.

"Uh, good morning class." I say, clearing my throat closing the door as I walk into the class and place my satchel on the desk. "Good morning Mr. Benaro." They reply in sync. That greeting was so depressing. I made them say it again. "Come on class. Let's try with little more, euphoric tone!" I smiles brightly to show my excitement to them. They don't seem too amused. One kid in the front with messy brown hair raises his hand high in the air. I call on him. "Yes..?" I ask directing most of my attention on him. "What does euphoric mean?" He asks with a bit of an accent in his voice. I can tell he wasn't from here. "Ah, I forgot you all were only like...3 and 4. Well euphoric means happy! To be excited about something." I explain writing the word on the board. I draw a happy face so they understand the picture better. "See? Euphoric. Everyone take out a piece of paper and draw euphoric." I instruct, taking out the attendance sheet. "While you all do that I'll take attendance, does that work for you?" I ask them looking up waiting for an answer. "Yes, Mr. Benaro." They reply in sync once more. Still pretty creepy to me. "Okay when I say your name be loud and proud to say here, is that clear?" I rhyme purposely. I hear faint giggles and see nods. "Haha. Okay, Austin Alint?" I call looking around. "I'm right here!!!" He half screams from he back of the class with his hand raised high. "Check. Polli Collins?" I look around. I don't hear any answer. "Hm, absent-" I feel a tug on my sweater. "Here." She says looking up at me with big green eyes. She's so small..and sneaky too I'm guessing. "Oh, hi there dumpling. Why aren't you in your seat?" I ask with a sweet smile, looking down at her. "I like being with the teacher. Does that work for you?" She giggles hopping in my chair. "Oh you're a little boss aren't you? Well you'll have to earn your place here like everyone else missy." I say picking her up and putting her down on the floor. "Go sit in your seat, and maybe if you're good I'll let you sit there for the day." I scoot her a bit, and she sprints to her seat with her back up straight with a wide smile painted on her face from ear to ear. I finish calling attendance, and it didn't take very long considering the fact that there's only ten kids in the whole class.

I plop down on the chair and look around the room. 'Perfect little angels, huh?' I think, no class can be picture perfect. Something in this picture doesn't seem right. I'll figure it out later. "Okay, class. Did everyone finish their drawing of 'euphoric'?" Everyone nods. I tell them to hold up their papers, and I found the little flaw in these 'angels'. Everyone's paper looked exactly the same. Isn't that STRANGE? I look at everyone's paper closely. Not one thing was different. Except for Polli's. Instead of a smiley face she has a picture of a girl and a freakishly tall man with crazy hair- that's me. "Well, Polli. This is great." I say smiling brightly, and acknowledging the fact she didn't copy off of everyone else. I hear faint mumbles and some rude remarks towards Polli. Well that's not very nice. Poor baby. "Your drawings are nice too class, but I need you all to do something different from one another." I announce walking back to my desk. The bells rings for lunch and I start to pack up my things. "Have a nice lunch Mr. Benaro." They say as one voice heading out in a perfect line. "Weird.." I say to myself gathering my things. "Mr. Benaro!!!" My boss yells, barging into the room forcing open the door with that gut of his. I really need to get him on a treadmill one day, I don't think that's healthy. "I need you to meet the substitute for your class! Lovely young lady. Nice body too- Uh, JOEY!" He hollers out the door looking for someone. This can't be good. Poor woman, getting perved on the first day by her boss. "Uh, yeah?" I hear a soft voice say, walking into the class room. My god, she was gorgeous. Short dirty blonde hair, freckles dotted across her face and arms perfectly. She looks a little sunburnt, maybe she's been out all day. "This is Mr. Benard. The one you're covering for." He says patting her on the back. What a creep. She smiles revealing her perfect white teeth. "Hello! I'm Joey Grastava! Nice to meet you!!" She beams holding out her small little hand, it has a bit of dirt on it. Maybe she works with plants? I stand up and look down at her shaking her hand. "I'm Olli Benard. Nice to meet you too. Heh." I shake her hand nervously, her skin is so soft. Oh great, now IM the creep. "I have to get back to work. So do you both..in 30 minutes. Well I'm off." He says burping and wobbling out the class. Christ, that man. "Heh. Sorry about him he can be a little..creepy and perverted. Like, all the time." I exaggerate picking up my satchel. "Nah, that's alright. He probably thinks I'm a lesbian anyway haha." She joked. Oh god, I hope she's not lesbian. At least Bi-sexual. Or straight. Straight would be nice. I chuckle a bit, adjusting he satchel. "Oh, well I see I might be holding you up. Sorry, uh I'll see you around?" She says, backing up to walk out the class. "Yeah. I'll see you around. Later, Joey." I smile, taking one more good look at her before she walks out. Ugh, what a cutie.