Zoe Donaldson is a high school science teacher and inspiring published writer. She lives an unconventional life which she shares with her best friend Beth. Following a loss she and Beth decided to create something meaningful they can use as therapy...
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Chapter 2: The New Guy
During my lunch break, I sat staring off into space in my classroom, mindlessly tapping the end of my pencil against my desk. How is GrAyCE saving today and why?
In those thirty five minutes, I should be going to the restroom and then making my way back to my classroom to stuff my face with leftovers from last night. Instead, it is usually spent holding in my urine and eating my cold leftovers since my microwave is broken now since a kid thought it would be a great idea to stick a fork in it, but that's another story entirely.
After the bell rings, I don't even have time to make my way to the teacher's lounge to use their microwave. Nope. As the bell rings and most kids are leaving for lunch outside, there are still many kids staying and some even entering to eat their lunch in my room.
How did this even start? I guess that's what happens when you're one of the few cool and welcoming teachers on campus, but now it has bound me to the room. Per school policy, I can't just leave the kids unattended since anything could happen, such as the aforementioned fork in the microwave.
While I was sitting in my class, with the background noise consisting of kids talking about music and clothes and who was cuter than who, the principal, an older man with salt and pepper hair, came in with a new guy I had never seen before. He was wearing black dress pants, a long sleeved light blue dress shirt. With the way he flinched at even the slightest movements from the rowdy students, he seemed pretty nervous.
Principal Rick did not have to say a word about who this man was, I knew it immediately. He was the new chemistry teacher that would be across the hall from me since the previous one, Ms. Ram, suddenly got married and moved to Canada.
"Hello, Ms. Donaldson!" He smiled, taking a quick look around the room. "You have a full class today, it sure looks like the place to be. You don't have a club today, do you?"
"Oh no, not today." I shook my head. "Thursdays only."
"That's good, then. I wanted to introduce you to the new chemistry teacher." He explained, motioning to the man beside him. I immediately stood and offered to shake his hand as the principal continued with his cordial introductions. "Mr. Dennis Claw, this is Zoe Donaldson, our eccentric biology teacher."
Dennis sent me a tense smile before uttering a greeting. "Hi, nice to meet you." Nervous would be an understatement. When his hand touched mine, I could feel how clammy his palms were from all the sweat. Gross.
"...Hi." I muttered, subconsciously keeping my now-damp hand away from my body and any of my belongings. "Welcome."
"She is now your go-to for any help you may need since she is right across from you. Plus, she is a kind person!" Principal Rick told Dennis with a wide grin.
I smiled politely as best as I could, although a trained eye could tell that I was forcing it. "Sure." I responded, wondering if it would be too rude to use hand sanitizers in front of him. I decided that it would be.
