Have We Met? by Camille Baker

Author:Camille Baker [Baker, Camille]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Lgbtq+, General, Women
ISBN: 9781542029858
Google: --cLzgEACAAJ
Amazon: B08MZRR2SQ
Publisher: Amazon Publishing
Published: 2021-07-01T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY

“Don’t let them think they can get over on you. If they perceive you as weak, we’re done for.”

I nod at the teacher’s aide, Ms. Powers. She’s a bit on edge after I confessed my lack of previous subbing experience. I reported to school an hour early to meet with her and discuss the lesson plans she emailed over the weekend. The good news is, I still understand second-grade academics. For many subjects, they’re building on foundational concepts they’ve been working with all year. Bad news: these kids need to stay occupied at all times. Otherwise, we lose control of the classroom. Ms. Powers already accepted an offer to return next year as a fourth-grade teacher, having recently passed her certification test. This, too, qualifies as good news because she is more than willing to take the lead with class.

By the time we finish updating the responsibility chart and setting up for our first activity, it’s time to gather our lot from the cafeteria. Usually, Ms. Powers explains to me, only one of us will go and pick them up. The other stays behind to finish prepping the room. Today she’ll show me the best route to go, and tomorrow I’ll do it on my own. She leads me through the halls of the old school building, toward my doom. The kids keep the excitement of seeing a new face at bay on the walk back to the classroom and even through the first activity. But if I used a line graph to plot the relationship between time and the number of random questions directed my way, it would show an exponential increase.

“Ms. Evans, do you have a dog?”

“Ms. Evans, are you married? My dad is getting married, but my mom says I don’t have to go if I don’t want to. But I’m going because my dad will be happy, and I get to bring the ring to him.”

“No dogs,” I direct to the girl with beaded braids. “Weddings are fun sometimes,” I tell the future ring bearer. “I’m not married.”

The latter child, whose name definitely starts with an R, goes back to hiding behind his book. He tends to speak in spurts. We’re doing station work, and I’m checking on the two children in the story-time area. They flip through books and interrogate me.

“Do you have a bae?” the girl asks.

“‘Bae’?” I try not to laugh.

“Yeah, like a boyfriend. Or a girlfriend. My sister’s bae is a girl.”

“I don’t have a bae,” I say. “What’s the book you have about?”

“Trucks. Do you like anyone?”

Failed attempt at refocusing. Corinne zero, child one. I mean to tell her no and try again to discuss the book, but I look into her little squishy face, and I cannot lie to this child. “Yes,” I admit. “I like a guy.”

“Did you tell him?”

“In so many words, yes.”

She puckers her lips. “Did he say he likes you back?”

“No.”

“Were you sad?”

I hesitate. Was I? At the time, I was more confused than anything. I finished up my hair, got something to eat, and then went to sleep early.

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