His Texas Girl// Lucas Friar

Girl meets the New Teacher Part 1

Ari POV:
Things have been great in New York since I've moved here. I've gotten reconnected to Zay and we're back to joking around like we used to, I got a new friend in Farkle, and my relationship with Lucas has become stronger. Only thing is Riley and Maya rarely talk to me and I'm not sure why. Anyway it's now Monday again and here we are going to Literature class.
"I hate this class" I say as we walk in.
"I know baby but we gotta go either way" Lucas responds. The bell rings and we take a seat. The teacher has yet to show up so we wait.
"Where's Garaboski?" Maya asks after a few minutes.
"Uh-oh." Me and Lucas say together and share a smile.
"Did we do it?" Riley asks.
"Did we finally break him?" Farkle asks smiling.
"You broke him." Mr.Matthews says walking in and we all start cheering. "Quiet Mr.Garaboski retired yesterday" he says only causing more cheering "Quiet! The guy survives Vietnam and Mrs. Garaboski, and he can't get past you. Now, he left a letter here that expressed his feelings. "Dear you little..." okay, I can't read this." He says laughing awkwardly.
"He always talked about the good old days before 1985." Lucas says.
"What did happened in 1985?" I ask speaking up.
"That was the year the New York board of education said you couldn't hit a kid with a ruler." Farkle says causing me to winse.
"Oh" I say.
""Bored" of education? I do believe I am." Maya says making me giggle and Lucas smiles at me.
"Well, now you're gonna need a new English teacher." Mr.Matthews says.
"That's okay, thanks." Maya says.
"Uh, I don't know, Maya. You may want to consider this one." Lucas says making me turn to window only to see a lady with a leather jacket and a motorcycle helmet.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Ms. Harper Burgess." Mr.Matthews says.
"You got a bike that goes with that outfit?" my bubs says.
"1800 cc twin cam fat Bob fuel tank wide glide. What do you ride?" The new teacher says.
"He rode a sheep." Riley says making me laugh.
"62-pound quad hoof white fleece, kind you count before you fall asleep. Baa baa." Maya continues as I keep laughing.
"Really baby?" He asks turning to me.
"I'm sorry bubs but that's was really funny" I respond, "I love you?" I say making him roll his eyes with a smile.
"Wanna race?" Ms.Burgess says.
"No." He responds making me snicker but stop as he looks towards me.
"Ms. Burgess is here to teach you about great books and great ideas. Please give her the same respect that you give me." Mr.Matthews says.
"Oh, we could do better than that." Riley says.
"Frank Miller, the dark night returns." Ms.Burgess says handing out the comic books.
"This is Batman." Farkle says.
"A future Batman." Ms.Burgess and I say together causing her to give me a proud look.
"What's the difference?" Lucas says.
"Bubs im disappointed in you now" I say teasingly.
"This story is the continuation based on an original series of characters. Do you guys know what that means?" Ms.Burgess says.
"Yeah" everyone says together.
"Um, aren't you supposed to be teaching us the important books?" Riley asks speaking up.
"Mmm, this graphic novel was as important to its style of literature as any book you can think of." Ms. Burgess says.
"What's it about?" Farkle asks.
"It's about a world that's become so tough that Batman fights superman.You will tell me why he does that." Ms. Burgess says.
"You're gonna start by teaching us a comic book, miss motorcycle?" Lucas says.
"Babe don't ruin this for me" I tell him.
"Yeah, and you're gonna start by not calling me miss anything. You can call me Harper." She says.
"Harper?" Farkle asks.
"Yes?" She responds.
"I just wanted to see if it would work." He says.
"Farkle?" She asks.
"You know my name, Harper?" He smirks.
"I know all of your names. Mr. Matthews told me all about you." She says.
"When is this due, please?" Riley asks.
"Hi, Riley." She smiles.
"Hi." Riley says smiling.
"How do you like having him here?" Harper asks.
"It's terrible."
"It's wonderful.My father gave me my love of books." "He did?"
"He's why I became a teacher. It's why he named me Harper." She says making a lightbulb go off.
"Oh it's because..." I start.
"Ari?" She asks.
"Yes" I say smiling.
"Keep it to yourself for now. You'll figure it out."
"Okay"
"Why are you so smart?" Lucas says smiling at me making me blush.
"I don't know" I say shyly smiling back.
"Lucas?" Harper asks
"Yeah" he says turning back to her.
"Riley, stop me right now." Maya says speaking up.
"From what?" Riley asks.
"I can't like a teacher, I'm Maya."
"It's a good day, Maya. School got better and now nothing bad is ever going to happen again." Riley says and then the principal walks in.
"So, I'm passing by your classroom on this, your first day, and I can't help noticing that somebody has a comic book... that everybody has a comic book." He says looking around.
"They're graphic novels." Farkle speaks up.
"Pipe down, Farkle." Principal Yancy says.
"I think Harper's trying to teach us something important." Farkle says.
"Oh, Harper is? Hm? Well, she's not. It isn't literature, it's comic books. Which are against school policy, miss Burgess. And so is calling miss Burgess by her first name. You will gather these up, and you will teach something important. To kill a mockingbird? Are you familiar with this?" Principal Yancy says.
"I know this book." She says making me smile.
"Then teach it, miss Burgess." Principal Yancy says before walking out.
"So... The dark knight returns. Read it tonight, and tomorrow we will learn something important." Harper says before everyone starts cheering. "Ah, stop it. You're not supposed to like a teacher. You're Maya." She says walking up to Maya's desk.
"Oh, no, what are you doing to me?" She says before she stands up and we continue to cheer until the bell rings and we leave class.

———that night———
"I love Literature class now" I say to Lucas as we sit in my room reading our comics.
"I'm glad baby. You've read this haven't you?" He asks.
"Maybe...yes," I say, "you have to haven't you? You just didn't realize before."
"Yea it's really good." I say before we fall into a comfortable silence reading our comics, before we know it we finish them. And we decide to watch a movie.
"Spider-Man?" I ask with puppy eyes.
"Okay only cause you look really cute and I can't say no" he says before kissing me. We pull apart and I go to put the movie.
"I love you bub" I say once we're cuddled up and the movie starts.
"I love you too cutie" he says before we turn to the movie.

Lucas POV:
I wake up cuddled up with Ari and I look at her realizing how lucky. I sit there for a bit before I shake her awake gently.
"Baby we have school" I murmur into her ear.
"Uh Okay" she says before she gets up. We quickly get dressed before we leave. The day goes by pretty well until Literature.
"Can good change?" Harper asks.
"Good is good." Riley answers.
"Can evil change?" She asks.
"It seems like just when we think we've seen the worst that there can be," I start.
"somebody comes up with something." Ari finishes.
"Why do you suppose that is?" Harper asks.
"Because it's evil that fascinates us." Maya answers.
"But doesn't good have to win in the end?" I ask.
"Does it?" She asks in response.
"So I'm passing by your classroom on this, your second day, and I see no mockingbird. But I still see comic books." Principal Yancy says walking in.
"Yes, we're studying the nature of good and evil" Harper answers.
"I don't care. Class dismissed." He says.
"Excuse me?" Harper says.
"Study hall, all of you! Except Farkle. You... Go sit in a garbage can."
"Yay!" Farkle says sarcastically.
"Leave now." The principal says but nobody moves.
"Go." Harper says and I quickly grab Ari's hand as we walk out.
"I'm gonna hate this class again aren't I?" She asks me.
"I don't know baby I don't know" I say.