“Today we get to start reading Romeo and Juliet.” Allison said to the room full of awaiting eyes, her voice alight with excitement.

A collective groan rippled across the classroom. The students had all been dreading Shakespeare but Allison knew that by the end of the unit they’d begrudgingly admit they loved it. She took her lead from Catie who had been teaching the text for years and knew exactly how to make the students understand it enough to enjoy it without boring them to tears talking about iambic pentameter. They had the students act it out, talk about each scene and discuss what was happening. Rather than focus in on the language of the text, they had the student’s simply try to understand the story as it unfolded, acknowledging how Romeo and Juliet were basically lustful, over dramatic teenagers with overbearing parents. This made it very relatable for most of the students. By the end they’d love this unit, but it was going to be a rocky start.

Allison displayed the prologue on the screen behind her. Reciting the words without having to turn around. She loved this play so much. She could recite most of it from memory having read it, watched it, played it back in her head over and over again. She’d tell her student’s that it was ridiculous and silly as they went through it, but she didn’t really feel that way. She thought it was romantic, the idea of loving someone so deeply, so passionately that you’d kill and die for them. She realized that sounded a bit morbid which is why she didn’t admit it to anyone else, keeping it locked safely in the vaults of her mind space. She didn’t like to admit it but deep down she was a romantic. Her kindle was filled with stories of wild romance, some even getting a bit spicy. She’d been told over and over again that her own story was romantic, having married her high school sweetheart who she started dating when she was just sixteen, and living out their happily ever after in their hometown. When people learned she’d married her high school boyfriend they always made some crooning little noise and told her it was so cute. It made her want to vomit every time but she smiled sweetly and tried to remember that most people spent their whole life trying to find love, she should count herself lucky. It didn’t feel like a grand romance to her though. Brody had never fought for her and he certainly wouldn’t kill for her. He might kill her if she burned dinner one more time while getting lost in the latest story she was reading on her Ereader though.

“Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene.”

As she spoke the words proudly and loudly across her classroom, pulling the attention of even the most apathetic students, movement in her doorway caught her eye. She dared a quick glance to the opening to her left. He was standing there watching her. His thick shoulder was leaned on her doorway. One leg was looped over the other. His head was cocked sideways as he assessed her, eyes traveling between her and the room full of raptured students in front of her. A smirk spread across his lips. Why the fuck was the new replacement teacher just standing there watching her classroom? She couldn’t even remember his name. His presence distracted her enough that she stumbled on the words, forgetting the line. His eyes traveled back to her as she stopped speaking. She shot him a look that she hoped would send him running but instead his grin widened. He pushed off the doorframe, eyes locked on her as he walked into her classroom. Her blood was boiling now. What the hell was he doing? She was about to open her mouth and ask him such when he spun quickly, turning to face her class. And to her complete horror he picked up where she’d left off, finishing the prologue for her, in front of her entire class.

“A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life; whose misadventured piteous overthrows, doth with their death bury their parents’ strife. The fearful passage of their death-marked love and the continuance of their parents’ rage, which, but their children’s end, naught could remove, is now the two hours’ traffic of our stage; the which, if you with patient ears attend, what here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.”

He finished with a flourishing bow as the students clapped wildly. They were clearly highly entertained that this stranger had just stolen the show, leaving their teacher, mouth agape, completely out of control of the classroom. She didn’t even remember this guy’s name but she knew she hated him. If this was his way of making a first impression then he was not going to last here long.

She needed to recover, regain control. “Thank you Mr…” She didn’t even pretend like she remembered his name.

Her slight didn’t slap the grin from his face as she’d hoped it would. “Mr. Pasron. The new business teacher here.”

“Temporary business teacher, until Ms. Dubois returns.” She countered.

“Thank you for the introduction and for letting me crash your lesson Ms. Clarke.”

How the fuck did he know who she was? She was liking him less and less the longer he talked. She tried to think of a way to get him out of her classroom without making the students uncomfortable. Something about him made her really uneasy. It wasn’t just his arrogant attitude, or the fact that he’d just waltzed in and taken over her class, there was something about him she did not like. As if sensing her thoughts, he shot her one final smirk before turning to leave, waving at the student’s as he went. Once he was in the hallway, out of sight of everyone except her, he turned and winked at her, then he was gone.

The rest of the class went off without a hitch. The students listened respectfully while she went through the basic elements of Shakespearean literature and how they were going to go through the unit. They all groaned when she told them she’d be assigning a literary analysis essay at the end, but other than that, everyone behaved and there were no more interruptions. The bell rang for lunch and all of the student’s filed out swiftly into the hallway. She reminded more than one of them not to run and shove as they left.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

She slid behind her desk, sinking into her chair and letting out a sigh. She was exhausted today. She’d been up late arguing with Brody, again. He had spent a ridiculous amount of money on a boys weekend at some stupid golf tournament in two weeks without discussing it with her first and she was pissed. He countered that he made the majority of the money and deserved a get away. She wasn’t mad he wanted a get away necessarily, it’s just that she couldn’t even remember the last time they’d done something fun together. He’d been spending more and more weekends away than with her and while she was grateful for the time to herself to grade, it sometimes felt like they were roommates sharing the same living space and not a married couple. She rubbed a hand across her tired eyes, then looked down at her computer screen. She was putting her presentation back to the beginning for the next class when she realized there was someone here still. She looked up shocked as she felt a presence standing at the edge of her desk.

She placed a hand on her chest. “Aidan, you scared me. I thought everyone had left for lunch.”

Aidan was a strange kid. He was socially awkward but didn’t seem to understand that. He was smart but not smart enough to be impressive, just smart enough to feel more superior than was necessary. He had already failed this class once and was retaking it, meaning he was older than the other students. Allison didn’t understand how he’d failed the first time, he was smart enough to pass easily. He talked down to the other students, viewing them as inferior. He was very into military history, a topic that he frequently tried to integrate into any conversation, much to everyone’s dismay. Some student’s humored his constant need to talk about guns, but most were sick of it. She’d brought up his obsession with violence several times, they’d called home, parents defended him tooth and nail, nothing else was done. That is until two weeks ago when he’d gotten caught watching violent pornography in the back of his math classroom. Poor old Mrs. Hall had nearly collapsed when she’d caught sight of what was on his screen. His punishment was a lack of access to technology. So now she had to read handwritten papers from him, all full of violent doodles in the margins. The administration were really on top of their game this year it seemed.

“Sorry Ms. Clarke. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Mrs. Clarke Aidan.” She reminded him for the hundredth time this year. She usually didn’t care but something about Aidan made her want to make sure he knew that she had a husband living with her at home. She had never felt that way about a student before and she wasn’t entirely sure what it was about him that made her feel that way.

“Mrs. Clarke.” He corrected himself then stood there just staring at her in silence.

“Do you need something Aidan? I’m just about to head out to lunch myself, the other teachers are waiting for me in the office.”

“Will we be talking about suicide in this unit?”

Something about the way he said it, his tone, made her very uncomfortable. She needed to get him out of here. She decided to stand, grab her lunch bag and move towards the door, ushering him out with her.

“Yes, but I will allow any student who is uncomfortable with the topic to opt out during that section. I am aware that could be very triggering for some.”

“Oh I have no interest in opting out Ms. Clarke.” As he said it he turned and walked away, leaving her standing in the doorway of her classroom. He didn’t turn and look back.

*****

Allison threw her lunch bag down on the table in front of her harder than she meant to. Everyone stopped talking and stared at her. She didn’t return their stares. She ripped her chair out and sat with a sigh. The ELA department all ate lunch together in their staff office. They had several tables put together in the center of the room and they would all gather around together to eat together each day. They had one rule - no lesson planning, it was a duty free lunch.

“Rough day there buddy?” Catie asked chewing on a carrot stick.

“That new guy, Parson, interrupted my lesson.” She said as she ripped into her own lunch, annoyance still simmering.

“Interrupted how?” Susan asked.

“I was reciting the prologue for Romeo and Juliet and he just like came in and took over!”

“Oooh he’s fucking hot and knows Shakespeare, my poor husband might be in trouble.” Catie crooned next to her. Allison looked at her incredulously but Catie just laughed at her.

“It’s not funny! How would you feel if he just came and took over your lesson?”

“First, I’d happily let him take over reciting Shakespeare for my class, then I could sit at my desk and get some grading done. Secondly, I’m sure he feels awkward, it’s his first day and he’s trying to figure out his place. I don’t think we need to remind you how over the top gung ho you were when you got here do we?”

A flush rose to Allison’s cheeks. Maybe she was overreacting. She was mad at Brody and letting that seep into other areas of her life. She should probably just keep her mouth shut except when teaching for the remainder of the day. The other teachers went on discussing their weekends and plans for the week. Allison ate silently, occasionally nodding or mumbling agreement. As they got closer to the end of lunch everyone started to file out. Catie and Allison had fifth period off so they didn’t have to teach next. They remained in their seats, enjoying a moment extra of time outside the confines of their classroom. Eventually it was just the two of them left in the office.

“What’s really bugging you?” Catie asked, finally breaking the silence between them.

“I don’t know, long day I guess. He interrupted my lesson,” she’d already forgot his name again. “And that Aidan kid freaked me out again and Brody and I had a fight yesterday. I’m just tired and need a glass of wine.”

“Did you call the counselor about Aidan? Or the parents?”

“No, but I will.”

It was a lie. She had no intention of calling anyone. What would she even say? They’d just say she was overreacting or that she just didn’t like him or was being unfair. Then nothing would be done. He hadn’t actually done anything wrong anyway. It was just a bad day that needed to come to a close.

“What’s going on with Brody?”

A surge of discomfort reared through Allison. She shouldn’t have said anything. Brody was a good husband. He was intelligent, charismatic, and hard working. She was lucky to have him. They’d been together so long she sometimes felt she took him for granted, took what they had for granted. Maybe this was a good reminder of just how lucky she was.

“Nothing. I’m just in a mood today. I’m going to go grade some papers, try to get out of here early today so I can decompress.” Allison said as she packed up her things and moved to leave.

Once she returned to her classroom she unlocked her desk and pulled out her phone.

ALLISON: I’m sorry about this weekend too. I want things to be better. I love you. Let me make it up to you this weekend.

It only took a moment before Brody’s reply flashed across her screen.

HUBBY: I love you too. You can make it up to me after my parent’s party.

Allison’s eyes flew to the ceiling, an exasperated groan leaving her lips. She’d completely forgotten about the party her in-laws were throwing this weekend.

Fuck.