Thank you for the continued encouragement to keep sharing my writing. It's done a lot for my confidence the last few months. This story is meant to be corny in a sweet way, inspired by the song 'Get Ready' by the Temptations.
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The broom swished across the room slowly, Tony's head bobbing to a rhythm that was only muted tones in the quiet room. With his headphones so loud, he couldn't hear the soft whirl of Ms. Gonzalez's computer, or the tap of her kitten heels moving down the hallway on the far side of the door.
Approaching her desk, Tony's face scrunched in curiosity as he noticed a small container in the centre, just above her notebook, an envelope with his name attached to the top of it. Resting the broom handle in the crook of his shoulder, Tony reached down and opened the envelope, removing the monographed stationary within. A wide grin split his face as he read.
Dear Mr. Lasavic,
Thank you so much for all that you do for the staff and the students.
- Ms G
Reaching for the container, Tony groaned in appreciation as he popped the top off and grabbed a cookie. Rosa Gonzalez had made him cookies four times in the two years she'd been at Heritage Heights Public School. Lots of the teachers thanked him for his work, but no one aside from Rosa gave him gifts. Biting into the chocolate chip cookie, he sighed in pleasure as he chewed, savouring its sweetness.
"Wow, you're really enjoying those cookies, aren't you?" Rosa teased as she entered her seventh-grade classroom, amused by the sounds escaping her colleague. When no answer came, she stepped closer, the heavy beat of his music leaking into the air. Grinning, Rosa moved to the other side of her desk, taking her seat to organize the printouts she'd just grabbed from the photocopier. She giggled quietly to herself as she glanced up at the man enjoying her cookies so thoroughly, he'd closed his eyes.
She watched in amusement as his eyes opened and then widened, his body moving unsuccessfully as he attempted to grab the broom he'd knocked in his surprise, without dropping the cookies. Righting himself, setting the cookies down, Tony pulled his headphones to his neck jerkily. "H-hey," he blurted, his cheeks heating as she laughed, her hazel eyes twinkling.
"Hey yourself Mr. Lasavic," she told him cheerily, stapling her handouts together.
"How many times I gotta tell you to call me Tony? And thanks for these," he murmured, slipping the lid back over the cookies, "I'll wash it and bring it back," he offered.
Rosa beamed at him, his blush deepening, "thank you, that's very sweet of you, and at least a few more times Mr. Lasavic."
Scratching the back of his head nervously, Tony frowned, "I wish ya would, I'd really like to call you Rosa," he muttered, "Ms. Gonzalez is a mouthful."
Slapping the stapler with the heel of her palm, Rosa tilt her face up to his, her lips beautiful and red against her tan skin and perfect white teeth, "oh, you can just call me Rosa, if you want," she offered.
"See, I don't like that, if I'm callin' ya Rosa, then I'm gonna assume we're friends and my friends call me Tony," he explained, grinning toothily as she laughed.
"Oh, we're absolutely friends, this isn't my first time around the block. Mr. Carter might think he's in charge just cause his office says 'Principal' on the door, but I know who really gets things done around this place," she teased, straightening her handouts, tapping them against her desk.
Rolling his eyes, Tony scoffed, "just 'cause I do everything you ask me to, doesn't mean I do the same favours for everyone else."
"Oh, guess I'm special then," Rosa joked, "I'm sure that has nothing to do with my bribery," she guessed sarcastically, gesturing at the cookies as she stacked her handouts into the bin system behind her desk.
Tony inhaled sharply, forcing his face to relax into a lazy smile, doing his best not to project his feelings. "Yeah, you could say that" he admitted bashfully.
Rosa was incredibly special to him. He always found himself putting off his to do list in order to fulfill any request she made. Hanging her cellphone pocket wall? Poaching her an extra desk from another wing? Saving every toilet paper roll in the school for one of her art projects? Helping her carry paper from the supply closet on the other side of the school on nights no one else was around? She asked, and she received. The cookies were great, but his help had everything to do with who she was and very little to do with the sugar.
Rosa was the type of teacher he loved, the ones that acknowledged him and his work, were considerate, and had the kids tidy up the room before they left for the day to make his life a little easier.
It was also her dedication. The woman was always here after hours, working on new inventive lessons for her students. He loved watching her light up as she told him what she was working on. He would have thought her an angel if she weren't downright scary when disciplining, but if anything, it kinda turned him on, he liked a woman with expectations and the backbone to enforce them.
That was the problem though, she wasn't just a teacher in his eyes, she was also the most attractive woman he'd ever spoken to. With delicately arched brows, soft features, and knockout curves, her body was his every wet dream. He wanted nothing more than to run his hands over her hips, up her waist and over her perfect handful tits. He'd give his left nut just to taste her caramel skin on his tongue, to bury his face in all that beautiful soft brown hair as he crushed her body against his.
Laughing, Rosa winked at him, "I'm glad my plan's working. Serious question: How many batches of cookies will it take to get you to set up the auditorium risers early for me on Thursday?" she asked, wagging her brows at him conspiratorially.
Tony smiled, deciding to finally do something about his feelings, "I think it'll cost ya dinner," he told her, his heart pounding, pleased he'd finally man'd up the nerve to ask her out.
Her mouth twisting into a small smirk, Rosa nodded, "alright, dinner, Thursday, you got it," she promised, reaching for her purse and her winter coat, relieved to finally be done for the day. "Have a good night, Tony," she called over her shoulder as she left the room, locking the handle for him on the way out.
Tony's lips curled into a smug smile the minute he was alone. He couldn't believe it. He had a date with Rosa. Placing his headphones back on his ears, his grin widened as his head bobbed to the music, it'd actually been a bit of a shit day, but between Rosa's cookies and asking her out successfully, it was turning into a good night.
TUESDAY
Leaning back in her chair, Rosa tugged on the elastic holding her ponytail, letting her hair tumble around her shoulders. Threading her fingers through the strands at her temples, she closed her eyes and sighed heavily.
"That good a day, eh?" Tony asked sardonically, glancing at Rosa as he entered her classroom to change out her hand sanitizer.
"Hhphm," Rosa acknowledged, opening her eyes as she folded her arms on her desk, leaning heavily on her forearms, "just Tyler."
"That kid's a prick, what'd he do today?" Tony asked, tossing the empty soap bag into the trash as he approached her desk.
"Sexually harassed Serena," Rosa replied dryly.
"Did he touch her?" Tony questioned, genuinely interested as to whether the little snot had finally been suspended.
"No, just made comments about her body that made her, me, and the rest of the class uncomfortable. Sent him to the office, he got off with a warning, was back before the bell rang," Rosa rolled her eyes, resting her cheek on her fist, propping herself up.
"That's such bullshit," Tony commented, hands on his hips, a furrow in his brow.
Shrugging, Rosa eyed the boy's desk, "not much we can do about it. Progressive Discipline is policy, as long as he's non-violent there's not really any punishment. I've had conversations with him about respecting women but he doesn't listen and he's got his heart set on Serena. I feel awful for her. I told her to ask her mother to complain so that something is finally done. I wish I could do more but if Mr. Carter isn't on board there's not much I can do other than try to keep him as far away from her during class as possible."
Tony nodded his understanding, "when we were kids, shit was handled on the playground, if somebody'd just pop that little fucker in the face, he'd learn to keep those thoughts in his head real quick."
"That's not very politically correct of you Mr Las -, sorry, Tony," Rosa teased, a smile spreading over her mouth.
Grinning, content she was finally dropping formality, Tony nodded, "that's why I'm a custodian, how you have the patience for this shit is beyond me," he commiserated, gesturing around the room.
Rosa's laughter filled the air, "don't lie, you love the kids just as much I do, I've seen your office door, it's covered in crafts from the primary wing."
Tony scoffed, "yeah, the little ones are cute, the ones you teach though," he scrunched up his face in distaste, "nasty attitudes."
Rosa turned her attention to her computer on the corner of her desk, navigating to her email, "they're just going through puberty, trying to find themselves, they try on different personalities the same way they change their clothes. You get used to it. I personally love this age; they really question the world and start thinking for themselves, well, with a little encouragement. The attitude is a pain sometimes but the payoff when you see a lightbulb go off behind their eyes? A thousand percent worth it."
"I'm not sure Tyler has a lightbulb," he joked.
"As much of a dick as he can be, Tyler is still someone's kid Tony, don't put him in a box yet, he might surprise us. All kids can grow with the right support and encouragement," Rosa lectured as her mauve nails tapped the keyboard of her laptop, her eyes glued to the screen.
Tony smiled lazily as he watched her work, a small crease between her brows as she read another email. He was smitten with this woman alright, he almost wished he'd had a teacher that optimistic about him when he'd been in school. "I'll take your word for it, I'll be back in an hour to sweep after I finish Wilson's room, if I don't see ya, have a good night eh?"
"Oh, wait a sec," Rosa called, glancing up from her screen, "you okay with enchiladas? Do you like spice?"
