AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story takes place many years ago in the past. It is rather long, but it features many characters who appear in several of my other stories. The FTA, as mentioned in the beginning of the story, stands for Future Teachers of America. As always, if large age differences and butch/femme dynamic is not your thing, please skip this story. For everyone else, I hope you enjoy reading this one!
*****
Patience...you either have it, or you don't.
Patience requires tact; a trait most people require a lifetime to develop. To endure an endless hamster wheel of sleep—eat—work—eat—sleep requires the fortitude of a saint...or a schoolteacher. And for those who persevere without provocation under such grinding boredom and blandness, the rewards can be quite gratifying.
Jude Horst learned the importance of slowing down and savoring the virtues of delayed gratification. As a consequence, she developed the ability to create her own happiness and a better life through her will alone. As the saying goes: No pain, no gain.
It was almost two months into the 2nd semester, and Miss Horst's patience was already wearing dangerously thin. She had been asked to take on a student teacher, and although the girls really seemed to like her, Miss Horst quickly began to wonder if this was a good idea. Lately, the notion of being anywhere near this young lady was beginning to scare the hell out of her.
As much as she hated to admit it, Jude Horst realized she'd developed a serious crush on her student teacher. Fortunately, her students seemed to be none the wiser. But still, she had a reputation to uphold. The gymnasium was her classroom and she liked to run a tight ship.
Miss Jude Horst is one of the most respected teachers at Kent Junior High. She is a 44 year old athletic butch woman; a veteran gym teacher who has seen it all. Compared to many of her colleagues in the building, she boasted a tall and lean figure made for long distance running.
Jude, (although people sometimes called her Jud-ee by mistake) was the daughter of an evangelical preacher who had an unusual fascination with Catholic saints. Her given name is St. Jude, but she never told anyone about it except for a few close friends. St. Jude, the patron saint of hopeless cases. In a way, she suspected that her parents had hoped for a son instead, and so named her appropriately.
She grew up in Thatcher Blake, attended Talcott High School, and graduated Summa Cum Laude from Blake College. From a young age, she knew she was different. She loved sports and the outdoors, and she always seemed to develop crushes on other girls. It's not that she disliked boys. She just wasn't interested in them.
Miss Horst also bore a striking resemblance to the actress Nancy Kulp from "The Beverly Hillbillies." The tidy short pin curl waves of her graying light brown hair made her look even more like that Jane Hathaway character on TV. Her students noticed it too, and just the other day, a few of her 8th graders began teasing her about it.
But Miss Horst never let it bother her. 7th and 8th grade girls are immature—too wrapped up in outward appearances. It simply went with the territory. Besides, she had bigger problems to worry about. Her student teacher, Kristin Bishoff, was one of them.
She remembered back in November when she received a call from Blake College. It was Monday, just a few days before the Thanksgiving holiday when Dr. Phyllis Dahlgren asked her if she could take on a student teacher for 2nd semester.
"Kristin is a lovely girl, one of our best students!" Dr. Dahlgren boasted. "...treasurer of the FTA, co-captain of the Senior Sportheads, and she gets along with just about everyone she meets!"
What in heaven's name was I thinking, Jude thought. She should've just asked her colleague, Miss Dowd, to take her instead. Of course, Miss Horst just couldn't find it in her to say no. She was the energetic type; a planner and a doer. And when Kristin arrived during that 2nd week in January, she too seemed energetic and pleasant; eager to learn how to strike the perfect balance between comrade and coach.
Jude's face became flush with embarrassment as she recalled the first day when the student teacher sashayed into the girls' PE office and introduced herself. Kristin Bishoff was absolutely gorgeous—a real knockout! The 21 year old college senior had a slender, shapely figure and scorching red hair which was swept up in a ponytail that swished hypnotically from side to side when she walked. At first she seemed shy and demure. But Jude quickly began to realize that Kristin seemed to be a Faustian game-player; a pact-maker, a soul-seller willing to "Go along to get along," as the saying goes.
By the third day, Kristin began flirting with the veteran gym teacher; smiling at her, winking, and teasing her. Miss Horst suspected shenanigans from the get-go. The girl was probably doing it in the hopes of getting a good grade and a possible reference for future employment. Kristin mentioned on a few occasions that she had a boyfriend. Besides, what would such a pretty young thing want with an old dinosaur dyke anyway?
Jude tried to reason with herself that it would never work out even if the girl was truly interested. Although her close friends and a few trusted colleagues were aware of Jude's sexual preferences, the butch gym teacher knew that homosexuality wasn't accepted in polite society. Women were expected to date men and eventually marry and start a family.
When Jude was younger, she tried to believe her attraction to other women was just a phase. Her parents repeatedly told her it was wrong—an affront to God. But somewhere deep inside she knew she was meant to be this way. She remembered after one heated argument when her father told her that one day the right boy would come along and she'd fall in love with him and live happily ever after...just as the Lord intended.
But Jude knew deep down that her father was wrong. She trusted her father's judgement, but she trusted in God's even more. As far as she was concerned, the Lord in his infinite wisdom made her this way. And the Bible plainly states that God never meant for any of his children to go without a suitable companion. She simply needed to serve him and be patient. The "right one" would come along in time.
Still, during that week or so, Kristin's behavior involved a lot more than smiles. That's what bothered Jude so much. Was Kristin really interested in her, or was she simply after an "A" from Dr. Dahlgren? What confused her the most was that Kristin was the one who seemed to be pushing for something to happen, and she couldn't figure out whether she was reading more into the girl's smiles and moves than she intended. Jude never thought she was the type to be so easily manipulated. But it was obvious that Kristin had a hold on her even if it wasn't the girl's true intentions.
Jude realized this after school two days ago. Kristin was about to leave when she asked the girl how she was coming along with her lesson plans.
"Dr. Dahlgren wants you to submit a block plan along with your lesson plans. The block plan isn't due for another week—that'll be when you begin your solo teaching. Think you'll be ready for it?"
Kristin paused at the door for a second. The otherwise radiant winsome smile on her face quickly faded. She looked a little worried.
"Jeez, Miss Horst...I started working on the block plan last night, but Roger and I got kind of sidetracked I guess."
Roger Barber is Kristin's boyfriend. He graduated from Western Illinois last year and moved to Thatcher Blake where he started teaching math over at Walker High. Jude exhaled sharply and rolled her eyes in exasperation. She really wished Kristin would stay on task. The beautiful redhead set her bag down and favored the butch gym teacher with a pleading sort of expression.
"I think I know what to do, but I'm not really sure how to write it out. Roger is no help either! He's always so busy grading papers and stuff...no time for me!"
