Sweet Seals For You, Always
KIROKAZE
we're not kids anymore.
I'd rather be in outer space 🛸
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cherry valley forever
#extradirty
taylor price
macklin celebrini has autism
todays bird
ellievsbear
@theartofmadeline
Janaina Medeiros
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d e v o n
Jules of Nature
Cosmic Funnies
Product Placement
PUT YOUR BEARD IN MY MOUTH
roma★
seen from Singapore
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@sugarandspisces-writes
come in, stay awhile ☕️📖
about me:
𐙚 just a girl who loves writing and all things pink!
about my blog:
𐙚 this is a side blog, so all interactions (likes, follows, etc.) will come from my main blog @sugarandspisces.
more info about my writing below the cut!
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Melissa Schemmenti Masterlist
Fics
Hurt/Comfort
ᥫ᭡ Damage Control
summary: You get into an argument with your parents and it brings up some tough emotions. Melissa helps you work through those feelings and thinks of a unique way to help you cope.
ᥫ᭡ Kiss It Better: Pt. I
summary: Melissa engages in a game of kickball with her students and takes a nasty tumble. With the help of her colleagues, she makes her way to you, the school nurse.
Fluff
ᥫ᭡ Party Favor
summary: Melissa invites r to her birthday dinner and her family is convinced that they are dating
ᥫ᭡ Hair Chronicles
summary: r is preparing to get her hair done and Melissa helps out
ᥫ᭡ Coffee + Crosswords
summary: It’s Friday at Abbott and you spend a slow morning in the break room with Melissa and Janine.
Headcanons
Fluff
ᥫ᭡ Dating Melissa Schemmenti Series: Pt. I, Pt. II
summary: What it would be like to be in a relationship with Melissa
ᥫ᭡ Speaking From the Heart Series: Pt. I, Pt. II
summary: How Melissa communicates to the reader using love languages
THE ORIGINAL DREAM GIRL!!!!
BEAUTY & GRACE😍😩
SHERYL LEE RALPH 📷 NAACP Image Awards (FEB 21 2025)
The eagles had to win for us to have this photo
GO BIRDS
lisa ann walter wearing white vans and not any sort of heeled shoe to avafest was not on my bingo board
🍎 ABBOTT ELEMENTARY ↪ S03E13: “SMITH PLAYGROUND"
🍎 ABBOTT ELEMENTARY ↪ S03E13: "SMITH PLAYGROUND"
SHERYL LEE RALPH as BARBARA HOWARD | Abbott Elementary → 3x12 Mother's Day
Leaving On a Jetplane
Summary: In order to become a pop sensation, you have to leave Melissa numerous times. It never gets easier. One day though, you won't have to leave her behind.
attached is my version of the song- and the songs that i mentioned that reader wrote are actually ones i wrote, so let me know if you want to hear them!
WC: ~4.9k
Music has always been such a big part of your life- you’ve been playing guitar since you were five. You started writing music at thirteen. Your songs could be about anything. And when you were twenty-one, you decided to head down to the local dive bar that you know almost always has live music. Somehow, by some grace of God, the owner of the dive bar took a liking to you. So, you’ve had a steady Thursday night gig there for a while now. The owner there is even able to connect you with a few other bars for nights that you can’t play at his bar due to other performers.
You’ve been doing it for quite some time now, and it always brings you a sense of peace. You stand up there with your guitar playing a mix of songs that you love to cover along with some pieces of your own sprinkled in. You never announce who the songs are by, and this time is no different.
You’re up on the small makeshift stage that the place has when you introduce a song that you had written during college about an old girlfriend when you spot her walking into the bar. She’s a beautiful redhead, hair curled perfectly and outfit hugging her in all the right places. She looks far too put together to be in the skanky dive bar that you’re in right now. But then again, so do you- dressed in your floral jumpsuit with the little high heeled wedges that you’re clad in. It’s far from the vibe of this bar. But you know what you like, and you stick to it. It usually helps draw in a crowd of horny bastards who will buy you drinks (that you can always get for free thanks to your sweet personality and connection with the owner) once you’re done with your set. Tonight though, you stumble through your introduction as you’re eyes follow that beautiful redhead.
“A-and this is a song about… uh, well… seeing someone from across the room and knowing that you’re going to end up with them… hopefully over a box of pizza one day,” you stutter out before strumming your ukulele a few times.
You’re able to execute the song as you usually do- with flirty intonations and sweet smiles. Those looks are usually directed towards the men that you know will buy you a drink once you’re finished your set, but tonight they’re only directed at the redhead who has now found her way to the bar and is sipping on a Miller while listening to your sweet and soft voice. You can’t help but notice the way that her foot taps along to the beat, and a smile appears on her lips once she realizes that you’re only looking at her. Her eyes stay on you for the rest of your set. When you close, singing a song about how you want to get drunk and go dancing under the stars, you can’t help but notice the way that the woman licks her lips.
You step off the stage, and you’re immediately bombarded by a few of the men who you would consider to be regular fans of yours. You aren’t interested in the free drinks that you could get off of them tonight. No- instead, you sit down at the bar and order yourself a beer, hoping that the green eyed beauty would make her way over to you.
She does, of course. She slides onto the barstool next to you with a soft smile as she sips her own beer.
The woman glances at the Yuengling you ordered before waving the bartender over. “Put her drink on my tab.”
“Oh,” you blush. “You don’t have to do that.”
“A pretty girl deserves a drink,” she tells you. “Especially after she practically sang her entire set to me.”
You blush. “You noticed?”
“How could I not?” she chuckles back. “A gorgeous girl with the voice of an angel singing to me that she already fell and wants to get some pizza and then get drunk and go dancing under the stars? Yeah, I notice. You got a name.”
“I do,” you smile back easily. “Y/N.”
“Melissa.”
The two of you spend the rest of the night at the bar chattering about, and by the end of the night you have her number.
You stand on the street corner as you wait for an Uber back to your apartment. “So, tomorrow at six? I can pick you up after work to get some pizza,” you reference the first song you stumbled through to her.
“I would love that,” Melissa tells you.
Your Uber pulls up, and you daringly kiss her cheek before climbing in. You go to shut the door, but you’re stopped at the call of your name.
“Yeah?”
“Let me know when you make it to your place safely.”
“You do the same.” Your driver pulls off, and you watch as she starts to make her trek back to her own townhouse.
Since that one night, you and Melissa have been seeing each other rather steadily. It’s been almost two years at this point, and you couldn’t be happier with the way that this relationship is progressing. The two of you are actually speaking of moving in together and starting your lives as a unit. You never thought that she would get to that level of commitment given her past, so you’re thrilled and eagerly agree when she’s the one to bring it up.
Having your income from being an aide at Abbott (of course, you’re your girlfriend’s aide) as well as Melissa’s income as the second grade teacher, and grade level leader for the school meant that instead of two separate and small apartments, you could upgrade to a nicer, bigger apartment- or a townhouse if you could find one in your budget.
You’ve been searching for places to live, and you’re fairly certain that you’ve found one that you absolutely adore. The two of you sign the forms in order to obtain ownership of the quaint little townhouse that you found in Queen Village before you head off to your own apartment with your girlfriend in tow to change into something a bit more appropriate to sing at the bar in. You sling your guitar over your own shoulder while Melissa takes your ukulele for you and sets it in its case- she carries that instrument to the bar for you.
While she mills about, you begin to set up the stage for your little set. The crowd that you attract is a steady one; most of the people that occupy the bar are your regulars, although there are always a few new faces. You sing your standard songs to show your range from broadway hits turned acoustic, all the way to the classics, and everything in between, and then finally back to your own original music.
The entire time that you sing, you feel eyes on you- what do you expect? You’re standing on the stage by yourself with just your strings and your voice as you pour your heart out onto the stage through song. But as opposed to the easy eyes that Melissa usually gives you and the smiles that your usual patrons have on their faces, there’s a woman and a man sitting in the back with rather… judgmental faces, lips quirked to one side and eyebrows furrowed as they whisper to each other while you sing. You clock them before turning back to your girlfriend and singing with the bright smile that you usually wear.
The final song that you sing is the one that you wrote in college, about how you have to make money, but you’ve never quite been the one to go out there in search of your real dreams- singing and writing music, releasing albums. Although you wrote it in a time where you were a struggling college student having a hard time even just putting dinner on the table and you’re now much better off, the lyrics resonate with you hard. You’re still trying to figure everything out in this crazy world that you’ve been thrown into. As you sing the last lyric, you look to Melissa, who nods. She silently assures you that you’re going to figure it all out together, she’s on your team now, and together you’ll be just fine. You thank everyone for coming out and to wish them a good night before heading off the stage- you’ll pack up later. Right now, you have a redhead to kiss.
And you do. She tells you how wonderful you were today, just as she does after every stint that you do, and you smile into the kiss.
“You were so good tonight, amore,” Melissa tells you softly. “Like, you’re always great, but tonight was exceptional.”
“I don't know,” you shrug as you pull away from her. “There was this couple in the back staring at me, and they didn’t seem like they were enjoying it.”
“Well, fuck them,” your girlfriend rolls her eyes. “You were phenomenal tonight.”
You give her a smile, but it isn’t one that quite reaches your eyes. Then, in your peripheral view you can see the couple that was staring at you with darker eyes than most start to make their way up to you. You straighten just slightly, and Melissa looks at you curiously. She jumps when she hears a voice directed at you.
“Y/N?” the woman taps you on the shoulder.
You turn just slightly to face her. “Yes?”
“Marina, and this is my husband Tyler,” she tells you as she sticks a hand out to shake.
It turns out that the couple was a scouting agent, and the owner of the bar had invited them to come out to listen to you. When you turn to see Scott nodding along next to them, you give him a wide eyed look.
“Kid, I knew if I told you, you’d freeze. Am I wrong?” Scott asks.
“Well, I-”
“He ain’t wrong, mi amore,” Melissa chuckles as she kisses your cheek. “You would’ve been a nervous wreck.”
“Why do you think I told you to sing more of your originals?” the owner chuckles.
“Regardless,” the man tells you. “My wife and I are record producers, and ol’ Scotty here is a friend from the past. While we were in town, he told us we should come check you out. You got talent.”
You blush a furious shade of red. “Thank you.”
“We think you got what it takes,” Marina tells you. “How would you feel about coming out to LA to produce a record with us?”
As if your eyes weren’t already wide enough, they only continue to grow, and your eyebrows creep up your forehead. “What?”
“LA,” Tyler repeats. “As in… Los Angeles.”
You end up discussing with them while they’re out visiting, in the dimly lit bar during the lull of the day. You’re set to go out to the golden state at the end of the month, although they aren’t sure how long you’ll be out there. You’ve given them multiple demos and samples of songs you’ve written… they love them all.
Marina and Tyler are willing to put a great amount of time into you and your record- they know that you have what it takes to make it big. You have a wonderful personality, your heart is on your sleeve, your lyrics are relatable, and your melodies are absolutely stunning.
And so, with all of the unexpected expenses of you moving out to LA for the unforeseen future to create your dream, your plans to move all of your things out to your new townhouse are put on hold. Melissa understands- she’s thrilled for you, really. She isn’t necessarily thrilled that she’ll be out an aide and without her girlfriend at night, but this is what has to happen for you to attain your dreams. So, she goes along with it.
You hate that you have to be away from her for an extended amount of time- and right as everything was falling into place. You had asked Melissa if she really was okay with this all, and she assured you that you should follow your dreams. You promise her that you’ll call her every night, and if it gets to a point where it’s putting too much of a strain on your relationship you’ll fly back and forget about it. Your girlfriend tells you that that is absolutely ridiculous, and that the two of you will be just fine.
All my bags are packed, I’m ready to go. I’m standin' here outside your door. I hate to wake you up to say goodbye. But the dawn is breakin’, It's early morn. The taxi's waitin’. He's blowin' his horn. Already I'm so lonesome, I could die.
The night before you leave, you have to stay at your own apartment while she stays at hers. You hate waking up alone, but you suppose you should get used to it. You won’t have her body next to you for at least the next month.
Come morning, your bags are packed and loaded into the taxi that’s taking you to the airport. You had already said goodbye to Melissa last night, but after some thought, you have the taxi take you to your girlfriend’s instead. You promise him that you’ll pay the fare that you run up while you say goodbye to your girlfriend one last time. He rolls his eyes but does oblige to your request- after all, it’s making him money.
As you pull up to her townhouse, you call her.
“Hello?” she answers groggily.
“Baby, I’m outside your door. I’m sorry I woke you so early, but… I just need to see you one last time.”
You can hear her tumble out of bed with a promise that she’ll be there quickly. Her arms are around you before you even hang up the phone.
“I thought you were supposed to be heading to the airport,” she whispers against your neck.
“The taxi’s right there,” you sigh softly. “But I was already lonely.”
“I’m sure you’re going to have a great time,” she assures you. “Marina and Tyler are going to take care of you, and I’m always just one phone call or text away.”
“It’s gonna be a lot different than seeing you all day everyday though,” you mumble.
She nods reluctantly. “But we’ll be just fine, and you’re going to get your dream.”
The taxi man blows his horn, signaling that you really should get going if you’re going to make it to the airport on time.
So kiss me and smile for me. Tell me that you’ll wait for me. Hold me like you’ll never let me go.
Cause I’m leaving on a jet plane, don’t know when I’ll be back again. Oh babe, I hate to go.
“You should really get going, mi amore,” Melissa whispers a bit tearfully.
You nod with eyes full of sadness. She kisses you one more time before pulling away and smiling at you softly.
“You’re going to be just fine,” she promises you. “And I’ll be right here- waiting for you to come home.”
“I love you,” you mumble as you pull her in one more time. She holds you like she’s never going to let you go, but then the taxi’s blowing the horn again. So, your girlfriend releases you and sends you on your way before you lose your nerve.
There’s so many times I’ve let you down- so many times I’ve played around. I tell you now, they don’t mean a thing. Every place I go, I’ll think of you. Every song I sing, I’ll sing for you. When I come back, I’ll bring your wedding ring.
It’s been about two weeks since you’ve been out in Los Angeles without Melissa by your side. And honestly? You’ve been so incredibly busy with everything happening that you’ve hardly texted her, much less actually got to call her on the phone. You’re in the recording booth early in the morning, and you don’t stop working there until you have to head down to one of the bars that Marina and Tyler were able to get you in at. By the time you’re finished your sets, it’s nearly three in the morning for your girlfriend.
After many promised but missed calls, you finally have a moment to breathe. So you dial her. She doesn’t answer. A glance at your phone tells you why- it might be noon here, but it’s 3:00 back in Philadelphia- Melissa is definitely getting ready to see her students off for the rest of the day and can’t answer. You sigh and shoot her a text.
I’m sorry I’ve been so insanely busy lately that we’ve barely gotten to talk. I’m not trying to let you down or play around- and if you say the word and let me know that you want me to come home, I will. I miss you. I love you.
She doesn’t respond until much later, telling you that she understands and that this is everything that she expected it to be.
You call her immediately, not caring that you should be warming up your voice for a night of singing and playing- you’ve been singing since seven this morning. You’ll be fine. And you can always tune up later.
“Hi mi amore,” your girlfriend’s low voice comes through. “I’m shocked you’re calling this late.”
Time change. “Shit. I’m sorry, hun. I won’t keep you.”
“No,” she protests immediately. “I miss you, so I’ll lose an hour of sleep for you.”
“So romantic,” you chuckle as you roll your eyes. “I miss you too, hun.”
“How has LA been?”
“Every place I go, I end up thinking about you in one way or another. Whether it be that I’m singing a song about you and for you, or if I’m at a bar I think you’ll like. I’ll see the kids getting out of school across the street from the studio… you’re always on my mind.”
“The kids here miss you,” Melissa sighs softly. “They keep asking when you’ll be back so I’m not as in much of a mood.”
“I can get on a flight right now,” you tell her seriously.
You can practically see her green eyes roll. “No. You’re doing what you want.”
“I did tell Marina and Tyler that if any sort of success comes out of this, the next record that I make has to be closer to Philly- that I will put it into my contract that I will be producing it from their studio in New York instead.”
Melissa just sighs softly. “That would be nice. How much longer do you think you’ll be there?”
“It should only be a couple more weeks,” you promise her. “And then I’m coming home to be with you.”
You don’t let it slip that while you’ve been here, you were able to find an absolutely stunning ring to propose to her with. It’s already packed away in your carry-on bag so you can ask her as soon as your home. If this experience taught you anything, it’s that you want to be with that redheaded beauty for the rest of your life.
You end up flying home that weekend, just to visit her- it’s been too long, and you need to see her again or you think you might die. When she picks you up at the airport, you immediately get down on one knee and propose. She says yes, and you slip that stunning ring that you found in LA on her finger. In return, when you get home, she heads into the bedroom and pulls out a ring that she had bought for you two days after you left for the west coast.
But that weekend goes by too quickly, and she’s dropping you back off at the airport before she has to head back to Abbott.
So kiss me and smile for me. Tell me that you’ll wait for me. Hold me like you’ll never let me go.
Cause I’m leaving on a jet plane, don’t know when I’ll be back again. Oh babe, I hate to go.
“I love you,” you whisper, her forehead pressed against your own at the gate.
“I love you too,” she echos your sentiment just as quietly. “I’ll be waiting here for you in two weeks when you come home for good.”
“I know you will,” you mumble as you move to rest against her shoulder. You hold her like you’ll never let her go. And you won’t. Now that she has that stunning rock on her finger, and you have your beautiful diamond, she’s stuck with you.
“At least this time we know when you’ll be coming back,” she sighs quietly, stroking your hair.
“Yeah,” you concede. “But I hate that I have to leave you again… especially after we just got engaged.”
“But you’ll be back,” she smiles softly and kisses you one last time. “Now go, before you miss your flight.”
When Melissa enters Abbott that day, Barbara is, of course, the first to notice the new shiny rock on her finger.
“Oh, Melissa, did you finally pop the question?”
“Y/N actually did,” your now fiancée tells her work wife. “As soon as she got off the plane, she came running for me and got down on one knee.”
“That’s so wonderful. Congratulations.”
“What are we congratulating Schemmenti about?” Ava comes waltzing in behind the two of them at the coffee machine. “Get out of some legal trouble?”
“No,” Melissa smirks. “Actually…” she holds up her left hand and wiggles her fingers.
The principal grabs her hand and inspects the ring. “Damn, girl. That’s one big rock.”
As the rest of the group comes filing in, they too learn of the engagement. Congratulations are sung loud and high from some, while others resort to a simple, “Congratulations to you both.”
Throughout your day out in LA, you get texts from the Abbott group that you miss so dearly congratulating the two of you. Each time you answer one, you just send back a picture of your own ring.
The two weeks that you spend apart from Melissa after getting engaged are practically torturous. But the day finally comes that you get to see her again, and you thank every star that you’re able to wrap her up in your arms and never let you go.
Now that you’re back to life in Philly, at least for the time being, you revert back to your old life. You enter the elementary school hand in hand with Melissa on Monday, and everyone is somewhat shocked to see you.
“What?” you ask as you sit down at your table, Melissa heading over to the coffee maker for the two of you. “Didn’t expect to see me back?”
“You went off to play rockstar,” Gregory tells you. “And we all know you have a hell of a talent, so yes. It’s a bit shocking to see you back.”
“Well,” you sigh. “My album won’t be released for another few months- we were just laying the tracks. So, for now, and probably for forever- because I’m not that great- I’m back to being here with you all.”
“We’re all happy that you’re back, dear,” Barbara tells you gently as she lays a hand over yours. “Now let me see that rock of yours before I explode!”
The studio has you release a single of yours before you release the entire album. You pick the upbeat song that you have written- you took notes from Taylor Swift. It may not be your favorite song on the album, most of them being soft ballads, but a pop hit will send you up the charts for your first single. And it does. Your song plays on a near loop on the radio. It gets to a point that if you and Melissa are driving and you hear it, you have to change the channel.
“Honey, don’t,” Melissa tries to bat your hand away, but you’ve already switched stations. “I like your song.”
“I heard it a billion times,” you sigh.
“But I like hearing your voice.”
“I’ll sing for you when we get home, okay? Just… not that song anymore,” you try to compromise.
“Can you sing the growing up song?” she requests softly. “The one about your dad?”
You swallow. “Yeah.”
And you do. When you get home, you grab your guitar and your ukulele and sing her the acoustic versions of your songs- not the done up ones that the studio had produced.
While you’re waiting for the rest of your album to come out, you and your fiancée find yourself deep in wedding planning. You also find that a townhouse close to the one that you almost closed on all those months ago is up for sale, and for much cheaper. You purchase it immediately, despite your worries. Melissa tells you that she has faith in you and your music, and you’ll be fine financially once your album comes out.
When your album comes out, it’s an instant success. It comes as a bit of a shock to you- it’s rare anymore that newcomers to the industry have the levels of success that you’re experiencing right now. Various morning shows reach out to you, and you find yourself having to take a leave of absence from the school in order to travel and do interviews, talk shows, and performances. You only agree to do it if you can do them all in LA first, and then in New York before you return home to Philadelphia. You ensure that you do it in as short a time as possible- you have a wedding to plan. You make that very clear to Marina and Tyler. Yours and Melissa’s students are sad to see you go, but they know that you have to do it. They’ve heard your songs on the radio- they now know the talent that their classroom aide possesses.
Now the time has come to leave you. One more time, let me kiss you. Then close your eyes, and I’ll be on my way. Dream about the days to come when I won’t have to leave alone- about the times I won’t have to say, Kiss me and smile for me. Tell me that you’ll wait for me. Hold me like you’ll never let me go.
The day that you fly out to LA once again is one that you aren’t necessarily thrilled about. You wish that you could take Melissa with you. This would all be so much easier to cope with- the fears of flying, the being thrown into the eyes of the media without much prep, the imposter syndrome- if your fiancée was there with you.
You promise her today that you’ll be fine taking an Uber to the airport instead of her waking up ridiculously early on a weekend to take you. Begrudgingly, she agrees; her kids have been running circles around her lately. She does make you promise that you’ll wake her to see you off before heading back to bed. You nod with a smile.
As you watch her sleep, for just a few seconds before you have to wake her, your heart breaks. All you want to do is stay with her. But you can’t, because you have to promote all of your music if you want to have a shot at bringing in the big bucks.
“Honey,” you shake her shoulder gently. She groans but does peel her eyes open to look at you. “I have to leave.”
She nods, eyes still half open. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” you whisper as you lean down to kiss her. “Now go back to sleep. Dream about when I won’t have to leave you here anymore, and you can come travel with me.”
“I will,” she sighs softly. “But know that I’ll always be waiting here for you to come home.”
“I know,” you respond quietly. “I don’t know when I’ll be back this time, but I already can’t wait to come back to you. I hate leaving you.”
“Just think…” your fiancée smiles at you sleepily. “We’ll be married in a few months, and then it’s just us against the world.”
“It already is us against the world,” you tell her as you stroke her cheek with your thumb.
“Yeah,” she chuckles lowly. “But then at least in interviews you can refer to me as your wife.”
“I can’t wait for that day,” you sigh dreamily. You glance at the clock. “Okay, I really have to get going. The Uber is going to be here any second.”
Melissa leans up to give you one last kiss. “I’ll be waiting for you.”
Cause I’m leaving on a jet plane, don’t know when I’ll be back again. Oh babe, I hate to go.
Cause I’m leaving on a jet plane, don’t know when I’ll be back again. Oh babe, I hate to go.
TAGS: @schemmentis @thesapphictimelady @marvel210 @itisdoctortoyousir @morgana-larkin @thesamesweetie @doesthatsuggestanythingtoyou @marvels--slut @gwennybriggs @megamultifandomtrashposts @lemz378 @http-sam @melissaschemmentisbranzino @imaginesmultifandoms @sexysapphicshopowner @lilfartbox1 @maybe-a-humanbean @imlike-so-gaydude @sapphicxrat @a-queen-and-her-throne @sunsol-22 @notinmyvocab @melanielaufeyson @dvrkhcld
the way melissa seamlessly fits into the howard family/household is straight out of fanfic
I love my mutuals. Reblog if you love your mutuals.
#i'm fine #this is fine 😭 ABBOTT ELEMENTARY (2x08 | 3x11)
how i feel when someone reblogs my stuff with a really really nice tag
Coffee + Crosswords
Pairing: Melissa Schemmenti x reader
Summary: It's Friday at Abbott and you spend a slow morning in the break room with Melissa and Janine.
Word Count: 3.3k
If you were to ask anyone at Abbott what their favorite day of the week was, they were guaranteed to say Friday. Unless you were to ask Barbara Howard. She would not hesitate to tell you that her favorite day was Sunday. Nonetheless, Friday was a day that everyone enjoyed because it meant the weekend was around the corner.
It was a day when things slowed down, and you could step away from the week's stressors and just breathe. Plus, if you were on top of things, you didn’t have to worry about grading papers or making lesson plans for a couple days. But you knew better than anyone that it didn’t always work out that way. Sometimes you still had work left to complete on the weekends no matter how productive you’d been at work.
The students also loved Fridays because learning for the week was done. The biggest task they had to accomplish was showing that they understood the material being taught. Your second graders loved the end of the week because they looked forward to taking their spelling tests. However, today was not about taking tests. The end of the first semester was approaching, and most teachers were counting down the days. It seemed like a lifetime away, and everyone was looking for a way to make the time go by faster. The strategy beloved by the kids, and their teachers if you were being honest, was to have a movie day. For you, there was something nostalgic about watching movies at school. It made you miss the days you were in your kids’ shoes.
It was around 10 o’clock, and you sat in the teacher’s lounge while your kids attended art class. Melissa was in the lounge with you since it was her free period, and you knew Janine was bound to show up at any moment since it was her break as well. You sat at the table near Melissa’s and talked about the events of your day.
You’d been teaching alongside the woman for over a year, yet you struggled to find your footing around her. One moment she seemed to enjoy your company, and the next she didn’t pay you any mind. However, she was up for discussion today, and the content of your conversation surprised you. She was following up on an issue you’d brought to her attention a few weeks back.
“Did you ever get that stuff figured out with your student?” She pulled her eyes away from the TV and focused on you.
“Oh, um, kind of.” Truthfully the answer was no, but you'd been holding onto hope.
Parent-teacher conferences recently took place, and you spoke with the parents of a student who struggled with math. Despite the effort you’d put into gathering the evidence–worksheets, quizzes, and even standardized test scores–they didn’t believe their child was struggling. Since Melissa had gone through a similar situation, you asked for advice.
Her face scrunched in confusion at your uncertainty. “What's that s'posed to mean?”
“Well, they’re still not budging, so…” You shrugged before slumping into your chair.
“So, what?” Melissa’s shoulders copied your actions, though hers were more pronounced. Her jacket rustled with the movement, the silver hardware clanking against each other. “You just gonna give up?”
Immediately, your posture straightened at the insinuation of admitting defeat. “What? No, I never said that!”
She wasn’t fond of quitters, so your reaction rubbed her the wrong way. “You coulda fooled me.”
Everything you tried had seemingly failed, and as a new teacher, that was discouraging. You’d never give up on your students though, so you had to see it through. “I’m in the process of putting a plan together.”
“Did you get in touch with the math interventionist?” That was one of her recommendations, and she wanted to know if you followed through.
“Yes, and they’re gonna work with him during the summer. You know they have an outreach program for the kids, but it depends on his parents' compliance. They're not gonna let anyone work with him if they don't see an issue.” She nodded in understanding, prompting you to continue on. “If not, they told me they'd work with him at the beginning of next year so he wouldn't slip too far behind, but I’ll believe it when I see it.” Since the district was short-staffed, the schools had to share resources. It was extremely inconvenient, but you had to make do with what you had.
She was pleased that you took her advice and that she wasn't just flapping her gums for the hell of it. “At least that’s something. It shows they're trying, you know?”
You sighed, upset at the fact that you were still at odds. “I guess, but I feel so bad. He’s having a really hard time, and he gets so frustrated with it. I’m afraid he’ll just give up. Especially since his parents aren’t on the same page.”
She agreed with the point you were making. “There's potential for that to occur, but it’s not a reflection of your teaching abilities.”
“It is though, isn’t it?” It was your responsibility to educate, so wouldn’t the blame rest on you?
“Not necessarily. We do what we can, but we aren’t always capable of filling in the gaps. Sometimes we have to recruit additional forces. It doesn’t make us failures 'cause we couldn’t do it on our own.”
You worked hard to ensure that your students were motivated to learn. If they ever lost their drive, you wouldn’t hesitate to help them regain it–even if it meant you had to spend time with them before or after school. Melissa’s words helped you realize that your setback didn’t stem from a lack of proficiency. “You’re right. It just sucks.”
“When have you known me to be wrong?” She smirked.
“Oh, whatever.” You rolled your eyes, still finding yourself laughing nonetheless.
“But seriously, it’s nothing you can’t handle. I know it’s tough, but you’re doing a wonderful job.”
You had no idea she noticed your teaching endeavors, though you should have known. She kept tabs on just about everyone and everything in your place of work. “Oh, wow. Uh, thanks.” You weren't sure what to say, not knowing if it was a compliment or simply an astute observation.
“Don’t thank me. Just keep doing what you’re doing. He’s lucky to have someone like you fighting for him.”
You smiled now, basking in the unmistakable praise. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep you posted.”
“I’m gonna make another cup of coffee. You want some?” She stood from her seat, eyeing you as she awaited your answer.
“Nah, I'm good.” You shook your head, remembering that it wasn’t even noon and you’d already indulged in a few.
You absentmindedly scrolled through your phone as she busied herself with brewing a fresh pot. There wasn’t much to look at, so you opened the newspaper before you. You flipped through the pages, skimming some of the articles, then landed on the crossword section.
You’d been into word games lately, mostly playing apps on your phone, but you'd take advantage of the physical version today. Until Janine joined you two this would occupy your time. By the time the coffee was done brewing, you’d finished most of the puzzle but found yourself stuck.
“Blank Hurts, quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles.” You read it more times than you could count before releasing a huff. It was the last answer you needed to complete the puzzle, and it was putting you through the wringer.
Melissa came to retrieve her creamer from the fridge and caught a glimpse of what you were doing. She squinted to get a closer look at the small print before pulling her glasses over her eyes. As soon as she read it, the answer was clear. She could only chuckle while watching you struggle. You were a Philly native, so to her, it was amusing that you didn’t know the players on your home team. When your huffing and puffing continued, she couldn’t bear the sound any longer.
“Jalen.” She uttered from behind you, solving your short-lived distress.
You glanced over your shoulder and met with the sight of her—arms crossed over her chest, glasses perched on the bridge of her nose, and a grin tugging at her lips.
“Huh?”
Her heeled boots thumped against the linoleum flooring as she came into your direct line of vision. It wasn’t long before she stood next to you, mere centimeters away.
When she spoke again, her manicured finger was pointed at your phone. “Jalen Hurts. That’s the answer.”
You almost couldn’t process the words she spoke. Your senses were taken over by her amber perfume, the sweet, warm undertones paired well with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. After gaining enough resolve to write, you jot letters into the spaces.
She retreated to the other side of the room before you could say anything else, but quickly returned with a surprise. She slid a steaming cup of coffee across the table, propelled by a gentle hand. “You’ve got to be the only person who doesn’t know who that is.”
You frowned, but it was impossible to argue with her. Football was the least interesting sport in your opinion. Mainly because you didn’t understand a thing that was going on. “We can’t all be connoisseurs like you.”
“It’s common knowledge, hon.”
“Okay, Vince Lombardi,” you teased, referring to the woman as one of the NFL greats. That much you knew. “Thanks for the answer–and the coffee.”
“You owe me, big time,” she joked. “I made it how I like mine. If you think it’s gross feel free to toss it.”
“Are you crazy? I’d never waste a cup of caffeine.” Especially one you made for me, you wanted to add, but didn't thanks to your better judgment.
You sipped the warm beverage as you thought about your little interaction. It took a minute or two for your brain to reset to its previous level of performance. The organ worked double time to get her out of your head, but she managed to make a lasting image.
She was a woman of details, always so well put together. The all-black outfit paired with her array of gold jewelry was a classy, yet powerful choice. Her makeup was done perfectly, and her green eyes were adorned with the sharpest winged liner you'd ever seen. Striking red hair followed suit, strands curled neatly with color-coordinated cat-eye frames resting atop her head, giving the impression of an effortless blowout. She had a certain je ne sais quoi about her that intrigued you to no end.
You glanced over your shoulder once you heard the door swinging open. Janine walked in and smiled as she saw you and Melissa. She waltzed over to the table and her skirt flowed graciously behind her with the movement.
“Hi, guys!” She greeted the two of you. “Guess who caught up on all their grading?”
You exchanged hellos and excitement for the teacher as she made her way to the fridge. When she rounded the table with her snack, she stood firmly beside you and playfully nudged your shoulder.
“Whatcha doing?” she asked as she began to eat.
“Nothing much,” you sighed, “I just finished this crossword.”
“Oh, you did the one on the paper! I always did that as a kid.” She shared, smiling at the memory. She knew you were on a crossword kick recently and that you completed multiple every day.
“There was a clue on there about football, which I know nothing about.”
“That makes both of us.” She laughed before sitting in the seat next to you. “I may know a little more than you, though. At least I know what the players look like.”
“I know what some of them look like!” And by some, you meant none, but Janine already knew that. “Melissa helped me though.” You nod your head toward the woman's direction.
Janine looked at you with a glint taking over her eye that only you could read. You knew she was making a mental note to ask about the interaction later when it was just you and her.
“Oh! Melissa.” Janine smiled as she said her name, elongating the ending. “Are you ready for game night?”
Janine had planned a bonding activity for the teachers, like she did occasionally, in hopes that it would help everyone destress from their busy schedules.
“I’m ready to kick all your butts. Again.” Melissa was undefeated in a few games and took pride in that.
“Someone’s cocky,” Janine glanced at you.
“Nuh uh,” she waved her finger around. “It’s called confidence. Maybe if youse had more of it, you’d be able to beat me.”
“Well, it’s a good thing I don’t play to win,” Janine stated with a satisfied smile. She always claimed that she was only there to have a good time, which in return received an eye roll from everyone.
“Yeah, that’s what all the losers say.” She moved her hand in a circle to emphasize the word ‘all’. She then stood up and pushed her chair underneath the table. “Now, if you'll excuse me, I gotta go find a movie for my kids to watch.”
As soon as she heard the door close, Janine turned to look at it for confirmation that Melissa was out of earshot. “So, Melissa helped you with your crossword, huh?”
“Oh my gosh, Janine.” You chuckled at her insinuation, noting the toothy smile she displayed. She had an inkling that Melissa liked you, but that was an overstatement.
“What?” She looked at you quizzically, though she knew exactly what you were trying to say.
“Yeah, so?” You shrugged nonchalantly, keeping eye contact with her. “She also gave me some more advice regarding the situation with my student.”
A look of "I told you so" crossed the woman's face. “Didn't I say it'd be a good idea to ask her? You should listen to me more often.”
“And she may or may not have made coffee for me.” You casually brought the mug to your lips, eyes closing at the pleasant taste. By some supernatural powers, she had made school coffee enjoyable.
The teacher gasped and her hand clutched your arm, startling you a bit. “Really? Oh my gosh!”
“Janine, please,” you pulled your arm from her grip. “You’re acting like a child.”
“Oh, whatever.” She rolled her eyes. “You know you love it.”
Though you tried to stave off your giddy expression, you cracked. “Must you have to read into everything?”
“Only the things that matter. Like how you're drinking out of her favorite mug.” She pointed at the cup, noting the teal and black ombré design.
“Now you're just making stuff up.”
“Are you kidding me? You cannot be this oblivious!” There was no way she was reading too deep into things.
“It's not oblivion. I'm just being logical.”
“How far has that gotten you?” A hand popped over her hip as she quirked an eyebrow toward you.
“Oh, hush.” You pouted.
During your time at Abbott, you and Janine developed a special relationship. You were a first-year teacher and Janine was in her second year, so you bonded over being new to the field. Teaching was hard for you to navigate in the very beginning. While Janine was still fairly new to teaching, she had learned a lot and grown tremendously in her first year. She was very resourceful and she shared a lot of her tips and tricks with you. Whenever you felt your insecurities getting the best of you, she would always be there to pick you up.
Because the two of you had become so close, she knew how you felt about Melissa. Janine was very attentive, and you couldn’t get anything past her. She could tell that being around Melissa made you nervous. It wasn’t because you were intimidated by her—you had gotten over that feeling within the first few months of working with her. You were drawn to her tough nature and how the energy shifted when she walked into a room. She was intelligent and had a great personality once you broke through her icy exterior.
Since the beginning of the year, all you wanted was to impress her, but every time you tried, you just embarrassed yourself. For a while, you weren’t sure why you cared so much. You didn’t know why what she thought mattered until you came to a conclusion halfway through the school year. It all mattered because you liked her. It was a strange thing to come to terms with, but you decided to let the feelings run their course. There was no harm in that, right?
“She's just in a good mood today. I’m 99% sure she sees me as the kid that teaches the same grade as her.”
“That’s not true,” Janine assured you, but she knew how Melissa could be. The woman had to warm up to you before she showed her true colors.
“It is and you know it.” You said affirmatively.
“She’ll come around.” She spoke as if she knew something you didn't.
You looked at her with doubtful eyes and you could see her facial expression change as she thought of an idea. Uh oh.
“I could put you and her on the same team tonight,” Janine said in a sing-songy voice. “Name a better way to get her to warm up to you.” She waited for you to answer, but you were heavily against this. Janine was the proud organizer of game night, which meant she was in charge of making the teams.
“I could actually think of several, much better ways.” You enlightened her. “She would eat me alive if we lost.” You were not competitive, and you knew winning was important to Melissa.
“Oh, come on, Y/N!” Janine practically whined. “It’ll be fine.”
“No.” You said firmly, standing from your chair as you noticed the time. You had to retrieve your kids from the art teacher in five minutes. Janine followed your lead and walked out of the lounge trailing behind you. You couldn’t even see her and you knew that she was sulking.
“Quit doing that.” You laughed, looking in the direction of the shorter woman. “It’s not gonna make me say 'yes'.”
“But–” She started but was cut off within seconds.
You whipped around to face her. “Remember what happened at the last game night? When you made her draw eight cards during Uno?”
Janine didn't answer though she knew exactly what you were talking about.
“Don't worry, I’ll refresh your memory. She ended up losing and didn’t speak to you for weeks. Weeks! I can't risk that.”
Janine ended up getting the victory and despite that, it was not a good night for her. “It’s fine, now.” Granted, she wasn't sure if it was, but it seemed like it.
“No. I refuse to let her give me the cold shoulder because of you.” It wasn't even about the crush at this point. You worked closely with her and wanted nothing to compromise that. Besides, she could hold a grudge like her life depended on it.
“Fine, I won’t do it.” Janine relented, though it seriously pained her. She believed wholeheartedly that she could shift the dynamic between you and Melissa.
Though she was defeated, something told you she wasn’t letting go. “Thank you,” you said before heading in the opposite direction to pick up your class.
“But let me know if you change your mind!” She added as you walked away.
That statement alone made you less confident in her ability to leave it alone. Though she meant no harm, she was hopeless. You knew she'd be fighting tooth and nail not to go against her word. Of course, she wanted to honor your wishes, but once she was set on a plan there was no going back.
Sure, Fridays were a fan favorite, but something told you this one would be the death of you.
A/N: Hello, Hello! This is just a little something to start your week off right. It's been sitting in my drafts for a while and I wanted to get it out. Also, part two of Kiss It Better is on the way! Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it.
Take some writing encouragement
Your story matters. YOU matter.
The writing road is long but worth it. We're all rooting for you. Enjoy the trip
You cannot be replaced by a machine no matter how hard they try
Your story deserves to be told, and you are the best person to tell it
You are an artist no matter what you write, or if you share it
Your inner critic is lying. Your art is fine. Ignore it and keep going
It's okay to take a break. Remember to breathe, and refill your creative well
You stories, your art, have value no matter what it is.
Someone needs to read your story.
It's okay to be scared. Write your story anyway.
Everyone gets rusty when they don't write for a while. Don't let that stop you
It's okay to have fun with your art. You're supposed to! Art is awesome that way
Reblog so everyone can hear what they need.
PERIOD MISS SHERYL!!🗣️🗣️🗣️
