A story by Neriah
Mrs. Pathy had just started teaching at her new school. She missed her old one and was downright terrified to find out how the students at this new school would behave. There was only one way to find out.
She wore her best blouse and her favorite jeans. She pinned her hair back with a pink butterfly-shaped hair clip that looked perfect against her blonde hair. But none of that mattered the moment she stepped into the classroom. Everything went bizarre.
Students were talking loudly to their friends, and within minutes, Mrs. Pathy had to separate a few of them.
Great. Now they’ll think I’m too strict, Mrs. Pathy thought.
She took a breath and began her lesson on the human brain. Everything was going fine—until she suddenly started feeling woozy. Mrs. Pathy gripped the edge of her desk. Then she heard voices. Lots of voices.
At first, she thought they were coming from the hallway. But then she realized they belonged to the people around her. Most importantly, they belonged to her students. And they were sooo loud! Mrs. Pathy quickly turned away from the board, expecting to catch half the class talking. Instead, every student was completely silent. Their mouths were zipped shut. Mrs. Pathy stared at them.
“Ahem.” She cleared her throat. “Please read through your notes and complete the pages I gave you.”
The students quietly got to work, while Mrs. Pathy sat behind her desk. At least now, she could listen more carefully. Almost immediately, the voices returned.
I swear, if she gives us more homework, I’m gonna drop out.
Oh my God. I can’t believe no one heard me fart.
Ooooh, Jason keeps staring at me. I bet he’s going to ask me out.
Ugh, this school sucks… but the teacher is pretty.
Mrs. Pathy felt her cheeks turn pink. What was wrong with these students? The thoughts kept coming.
Grace is so lame! I’m gonna unfriend her on every social media platform.
What the heck is this playlist? Where are the good songs?
Would anyone notice if I fell asleep?
OMG! I need to ask Samie for her notes…
I haven’t posted anything in a while…
Mrs. Pathy rubbed her temples. Then, beneath all the noisy thoughts, she heard something different. A quiet voice. So soft that if she hadn’t been paying attention, she would have missed it entirely. But Mrs. Pathy was listening.
Entry one. This new teacher is nice. I like her. I wish she knew my name, but just like everyone else in this class, she doesn’t. Soon she’ll realize how lame I am, as I don’t have any friends… Oh well. At least I have myself.
The voice was small and gentle, almost strangely sweet. Mrs. Pathy slowly looked around the classroom, trying to figure out whose thoughts she had heard. Then her eyes landed on a girl sitting alone at the back. Her clothes were pale and simple, making it easy for her to blend into the background. Long black hair fell around her face, hiding most of her features. The girl looked up. Their eyes met. Then she smiled. It was a small, knowing smile. Mrs. Pathy almost forgot that she was staring.
RING!
The bell startled her so badly that she nearly jumped out of her chair. Students quickly gathered their things and rushed toward the door. Mrs. Pathy watched the girl from the back row stand to leave.
“Wait!”
The girl stopped.
Mrs. Pathy immediately felt embarrassed. She really didn’t know the girl’s name.
“Um… could you stay for a moment?” Mrs. Pathy asked. “I was hoping I could talk to you.”
The words came out so quickly that she barely realized she had said them aloud.
“Uh… sure.”
The girl nodded, her face turning bright red with embarrassment.
“My name is Iki Tele,” she said quietly. “I’m a transfer student. I heard you were new too.”
She hesitated.
Then she added, “You’re really pretty!”
Iki immediately looked down, too embarrassed to meet Mrs. Pathy’s eyes.
“Why, thank you,” Mrs. Pathy said with a warm smile. “You’re quite gorgeous yourself.”
Iki looked up in surprise.
“And I think you’re quite wonderful,” Mrs. Pathy continued. “Thank you for making me feel welcome today. I was starting to worry that I wouldn’t be able to make a good connection with any of my students.”
Iki’s face brightened. She smiled and thanked Mrs. Pathy for talking with her before heading out of the classroom. Mrs. Pathy stood at the doorway and watched Iki walk down the hallway. A few students suddenly approached her. Iki looked startled when they began talking to her. Then one of them asked if she wanted to hang out. Her expression changed instantly. A smile spread across her face. Mrs. Pathy smiled too. Maybe Iki wasn’t as invisible as she thought. And maybe Mrs. Pathy’s first day at her new school hadn’t gone so badly after all.
All in a day’s work for a teacher.
