The Teacher's Mate

Part 11

Sabaton - Christmas Truce

"Come on Audrey, smile, you won't have to come back here until next year!" Missy said excitedly at lunch.

It was the half-day before Christmas break and they only had one more class to go to: English. Audrey turned her scowl onto Missy.

"Oh come on," Missy nudged her elbow, "just think about how much time you'll have to stick your nose in all the latest engine designs!"

Audrey just shrugged and went back to balancing ledgers.

At Audrey's other side John looked over her shoulder. "Who was the dick that gave you homework?"

"It's not homework, it's the shop's ledgers." Audrey replied without looking up.

"Why are you doing those now? This is supposed to be the time we don't have to do that kind of thing." John said

"It gives her something to do." Missy replied for her. She kind of liked John, he was always nice to people and somehow had gotten past Audrey's walls.

"You know, I know a place with a potential job opening for you if you wanted to make a little extra money." John stated before shoveling more of the school's slop into his mouth.

"Ugh, how do you eat that stuff?" Missy asked, wrinkling her nose.

"Not all of us are blessed with plentiful leftovers." John winked and then downed another forkful.

"I thought you guys were wolves not hogs." Audrey teased. She still didn't look up from her numbers but John could see her eyebrow arch as she said it. He smiled.

"I'll be right back," Missy said, rising from her chair. Audrey didn't watch her friend leave, Missy had a surprise planned that would definitely make her table even more popular than it was becoming. Audrey had already slipped her the truck keys earlier, and it didn't take long for Missy to return with her prize. A frosty plastic container was set in the center of the table and Missy unveiled her masterpiece with a flourish.

"You made gingerbread!" John gasped.

"And brownies!" another boy exclaimed whose name Audrey hadn't bothered to learn.

"And chocolate chip cookies." Missy added.

All of the people at the table were reaching out to steal some of the delicious treats. Missy was in her element as she playfully slapped hands away and handed out the treats. Soon there were moans of appreciation and compliments aplenty filling the air. Missy made sure to slide some gingerbread (as well as the car keys) in front of Audrey with no regard to how many crumbs fell on the all-important ledgers she was always pouring over. Audrey stared at the cookie for a minute and then slowly began eating it. Gingerbread, as Missy knew well, was her favorite, and Missy always made the best gingerbread. Mission accomplished, thought Missy as she watched her friend carefully brush off the ledgers and close the folder, raising her head to start acknowledging the other people at the table. Maybe she would even hold a conversation that lasted more than two seconds this time.

Audrey walked straight back to her table in the corner. It was a strategic place to be. The corner was positioned to where she could watch everyone in the classroom at once and the window to her immediate left was the only one not nailed shut and was only on the second floor, if she had to jump she would survive the fall without too much injury. She was the first one in the room today. She watched Mr. Newman as he walked into the classroom, stalked was a better word, he looked pissed. Yet another beautiful man that she would never be comfortable enough to open up to, how frustrating.

He looked up at her and his eyes softened. He took a deep breath and visibly brought his anger to heel, what had him so pissed off? Audrey's curiosity spiked but she tamped it down, Missy would probably know and inform her later. Speak of the devil....

Missy walked in the center of a group of giggling featherheads but when she saw Audrey she quickly extricated herself from the group and sat down in front of the window on Audrey's left. To Audrey's utter dismay, several of the featherheads sat across from them intent on finishing their conversation with Missy.

"I heard that Mr. Newman was called to the principle's office," a blond giggled.

A new girl with bright purple hair plopped herself into the seat right next to Audrey, "And I heard someone got caught with Braden in the bathrooms." she said, as Missy snickered. The blond went crimson. What was with all these people sitting at her tables today? She could understand at lunch, Missy's cooking was to die for, but there were plenty of better-mannered people to sit with, Audrey thought as she sat back, not at all pleased but determined not to say anything.

The blond's mouth was still hanging open as Mr. Newman walked through the door. He walked around the class handing out the papers he had graded. His mouth was tight and he smelled of nervousness as he set Audrey's on her desk.

Audrey gave a little start as she saw the grade on the paper. An A? She was happy with it but wasn't sure it deserved it. She was no writer and normally projects like this were passing, but never an A. She watched as the man responsible for her bafflement walked to the head of the classroom. He really did have a nice ass. She quickly composed herself. It just wasn't proper. She drew a deep breath and was surprised to discover another wolf scent right next to her, so purple hair was part of the pack, and she was amused!

Missy wasn't sure what she just saw. She was sure the purple-haired new girl had seen it too. She thought her name was Jessica, she subtly looked at the heading on her paper, yep, Jessica. She watched both her friend and her teacher for a while. No way, she was right, they were looking at each other subtly. She would have never caught the glances if she hadn't been looking for them but then he made Audrey blush. Blush! Audrey never let herself get this flustered, ever. Well, unless she thought no one was looking. Missy smiled, Audrey's 'boys are trouble' speech wouldn't work when it wasn't a boy, but a man in question. She would have to confront her friend on this but not for a while yet. She wanted to see how far this would play out.

Drake addressed the class, "You guys can either watch Pirates of the Carribean, which I have set up here, or you can check out a book from the back shelf or play on your phone. Just please don't get to rambunctious because Mr. Allman is conducting a test next door." He played the movie and wonder of wonders the students actually sat fairly quietly. There were a few whispers about his being called to the office and being late for school today but that was to be expected.

He was able to finish what little he had to do in regards to teaching and even got a chunk of pack work done. He was sorting out the expenses of the pack and recording them in a spreadsheet for the Alpha pair. Audrey sat in her usual corner with a hard look on her face. Missy was chatting excitedly with Jessica. When that young she-wolf found her mate he was in for a surprise. It was good that the pack was trying to get to know Audrey before Christmas Eve when she was inducted, he smiled at her. Confusion and curiosity replaced the hard look as she tilted her head to the side. Was she feeling the pull too? No two half-bloods were the same, so who could say what she could or couldn't sense.

Audrey studied the tall man who was her teacher. He smelled... tired, and proud? Why was he proud? All of a sudden Missy's excitement drowned everything else. She brought her attention back to her friend, who had the audacity to wink at her! The purple-haired wolf, Jessica, smelled pleased as if her embarrassment at Missy catching her looking at Mr. Newman wasn't enough. Why did the man's smell get caught in her nose and draw her in? It was supremely annoying, especially when trying to take in the mood of the room just in case she had to bolt. The man was throwing off her routine.

Audrey let out a huff of relief when the bell rang and slowly gathered her things and wait for the rush that always attacked the door.

"It was nice to meet you," Jessica said as she disappeared into the throng. Audrey gave her a small smile in return. Well, if they were going to be joining the pack she had better get used to having wolves around again, they had just better not try to lord over her. Her chest tightened making it hard to breathe, they would find that she was no weak child anymore, wolf or no wolf, she was strong for a human girl and would not go down without a fight.