“Morning,” you heard someone say. You knew that voice anywhere. You’d been at Abbott for a few months and by now you knew which teachers knew what, did what, who was with who, who should be with who, and more.
“Morning Melissa,” you yelled from your classroom. She stopped and peaked her head in.
“Hey did you get my text?” she asked, walking up to your desk.
You had begun to fall for this red haired woman from South Philly. Was she older than you? Yeah. But that didn’t change anything. And you knew that she was giving you the eyes. Or so you thought.
“I did and I actually was wondering um…,” you began. She looked at you, a smile neither here nor there as she stood in front of you. It was now or never. Your anxiety had built up to this moment and now was the time to do it.
“Listen my guy for supplies is out right now so I can’t…,”
“Oh, no, it’s not that. I was just wondering…Would you be interested in going out tonight?” you finally said.
“Oh yeah sure, that could be fun. I can’t stay out too late but yeah! And I’m banned from Coco’s,” she said. “Don’t ask.”
“Wait really? About going out not- not Coco’s,” you asked, surprised it went as well as it did.
“Well, yeah. I mean Barbra and I go out after work all the time. I don’t mind being friends outside of school. Unless you’re Janine. Or Ava. Or- you know what don’t tell anyone I said that,” she said. She paused, waiting for a reaction. “That was a joke,” she said with a smile.
“Oh,” you said, a small laugh while you tried to comprehend what she had just said.
“Actually it’s not, don’t tell Janine I said that-,”
“Wait-,” you said. “No I…I meant as like…on a…like…um,” you stuttered. Your cheeks flushed and your eyes immediately looked down at your coffee mug. It took her a second to catch on. It wasn’t something even remotely in her mind.
“Oh…shit. Um….,” Melissa said, taking a step back. “Oh I- Um…I’m flattered,” she began.
“Oh my god…that is so- you know what we don’t- just pretend this never…,” you responded. You couldn’t decide if you should stand up or stay seated or crawl under the desk.
“I’m so…sorry,” she said, her hands trying to figure out what to do. “I…did not mean to give you the impression…I have a boyfriend, we’re…um…,” she tried to explain herself.
God did you want to cry. Sure she was much older than you but you didn’t care. She had a personality that you couldn’t resist. A humanness that you loved. And you’d been secretly falling for her for a while.
“Y/n, it’s an honest mistake-,”
“I…we don’t have to talk about it,” you said cutting her off.
“I’m so sorry I-,”
“Oh look! LOOK! It’s Barbra, heyyyy Barbra,” you said, trying to change the subject.
“Good morning Y/n,” she said. “How are you?” she asked, entering the room.
You gave a laugh, trying to be normal.
“Oh, everything is great…greaaat. It’s great,” you said quickly.
“Are…you sure?” Barbra asked, looking at Melissa who’s face had turned as red as her hair.
“Look Y/n I-,”
“Sorry you two I actually really need to get to some planning but I will see you at lunch,” you said, pulling out a binder and ushering them out of your room. You knew Melissa would tell Barbra. You just didn’t want to be there when she did it.
“Oh, okay,” Barbra said, Melissa beginning to leave with her.
“I really am sorry for the confusion,” Melissa said. “If I weren’t with-,”
“GREAT THANKS,” you yelled turning back to your desk, hoping she wouldn’t finish that sentence.
“Alright, see you later,” she said, her and Barbra leaving.
-
“What in the world was that?” Barbra asked as the two got further down the hallway.
“I…did it again,” Melissa said, stopping at her door.
“Oh no, not again. That’s the third new person this year,” Barbra said.
“I don’t mean to I…,”
“I know. You should walk around with a sign that says ‘taken’,” Barbra laughed.
“I’m flattered,” Melissa smiled.
“I would be too. But unfortunately,” Barbra said.
“Unfortunately….,” Melissa responded. And just as if the universe was listening, Melissa’s phone chimed with a text from Gary.
“It’s Gare,” she said aloud. “You know he think’s it’s kinda funny,” she laughed.
Barbra smiled. “It is once you get past the awkwardness.”
“I hope that’s fast. I actually really do like Y/n.”
“Me too,” Barbra said. She squeezed Melissa’s arm before entering her own classroom and Melissa left for hers.
“Greaaat job,” you said alone, wishing you could bury yourself in a hole. “Juust- great.”
