I glanced up at the clock in the teacher's' lounge. It was a quarter until 2:00 p.m. I groaned, looking back down at my phone again. It was pretty obvious my last tutoring kid was not going to show up, again. That was so frustrating. It was easy money and I liked the kids I was tutoring this summer. However I was ready to get back in my own classroom (which was currently out of commission having just been waxed), with my own students and all my own things. This was my third year teaching and I was fully prepared for my new crop of 5th graders.
What I was not prepared for, however, was the new Principal, essentially my new boss. Like stated previously this was going to be my third year teaching and my first two were under the elderly woman Principal who hired me. She micromanaged a lot, but was sweet and I liked her for the most part. Our new Principal was supposedly nothing like her. He moved down from the Assistant Principal position at the Catholic High School my school was a feeder to. Apparently none of the students liked him because he was a total asshole. A total asshole that I was supposed to meet in fifteen minutes.
I decided it was better to be prompt and try to give a good first impression. I shut the lights off in the lounge and headed up the central hallway towards the front offices. My flip-flops made a loud clicking noise in the almost spooky empty school. Flip flops were probably not the most professional thing to wear upon meeting your new boss. Neither was a football team tshirt and black yoga pants from Old Navy that did nothing but accentuate my bubble butt.
But he's the one that had emailed all the teachers, asking us to meet him at some point during the summer, our time off. I lived across the river literally in another state. I wasn't going to make a special trip to work when I was already tutoring there twice a week. He said it would be an informal meeting and that's what he was getting. He was lucky I put mascara on this morning. I swept my long blonde ponytail that faded into pink and purple over my shoulder. I just knew he was going to say something about my summer hair. Why was I being so defensive? I hadn't even laid eyes on the guy and I was ready to argue with him. Arguing wasn't normally in my personality. Strange.
I walked up towards his office and saw the shiny new gold nameplate on the door: JOHANNES BURNS. It took everything in me not to roll my eyes. I should be the last person to make fun of someone's name, but really? I took a deep breath and tapped on the door. There was a noise of movement inside and a bit of shuffling. Finally the door opened.
In the doorway stood a man literally looking down at me. Now I understand I'm a short woman, barely 5'2" with shoes on. But the man in front of me had to be a good fourteen to sixteen inches taller than me. His eyes were dark, and not just because they were in fact a chocolate brown but because he just looked so intense. His short black hair was delicately peppered with gray, as was the very short, well kept beard he was sporting. He was built like a former athlete. Maybe baseball or possibly football. He height was more evident when he opened the door wider to let me in. "Come in, Ms. Walker," he said and for a moment I felt like a small, misbehaving child who had been sent down to the Principal's office.
I stepped inside and let him make the guest move so I could figure out where to sit. He sat down at his table and I sat across from him, wringing my hands in my lap. I glanced around the office. It was so different than the previous Principal. This one had installed a TV, put up Star Wars paraphernalia everywhere and on his desk were pictures of three little brunette children and a pretty, slender brunette woman. He seemed to be checking something on his phone but then put it down and smiled at me. I felt a strange rush of anxiety as I tried to smile back at him, wringing my hands tighter.
"Alright, Ms. Walker. What do I need to know about you? Let's see..." He started looking at his phone again.
"Wait...is this your real name?"
I sighed. Most people would be offended by this type of question, but not me. I was more than used to it right now.
"Yep, totally me. Alitta Sunshine Walker, but everyone calls me 'Litty'. My parents are sort of free spirits." This time when I smiled it was genuine. But my smile quickly turned dark when the man in front me muttered, "Yeah. Sort of...something."
This did offend me. Yes, my name was a little kooky but my parents are artists. They're creative by nature and my name means sunshine and happiness to them. How dare Johannes Burns, whose name sounded like the love child between Mr. Smithers and his decrepit boss off the Simpsons, make fun of MY name.
As if reading my mind he spoke up, "Well, Litty, you can call me Jack. Tell me about this school. How's it been so far for you? What would you like to see change?"
I started off slow, almost quiet. I don't like to rock the boat. I love my coworkers dearly but I'm more of a flying solo kind of educator. Taking after my parents I might have a little too much creativity in my blood and tend to be a bit louder, a bit messier than my coworkers. But that's what came spilling out of me. I told him all about my first year, how it was so magical. I told him about my second year, the challenges it brought. I started to tear up talking about one of my students from last year, a boy with Dyslexia who was brave enough to read a Petition at Mass because of my encouragement.
When I finished I was the one that was smiling now. But all he did was nod and went into a spiel about how he was a very blunt, straightforward kind of person who would rather offend with the truth than sugar coat to make someone feel better and that I shouldn't take it personally when he says things like that to me. I was silent, unsure how to even respond.
When he finished his speech he shook my hand and told me he looked forward to working with me. "I like your positive outlook and the energy you put off. You really are a ray of Sunshine," he said as he walked me to the door and wished me a good day. "Oh, and Ms. Walker? Your hair."
Here it comes, I thought. He's gonna tell you to get rid of it.
"It's the perfect length," he said as he shut the door.
What the hell? The perfect length? The perfect length for what? I was fully prepared for him to make a snide comment about the pink and purple, but the length? I was still thinking about that as I pulled up in front of my house and headed inside. Even though I knew he was working I texted my boyfriend, Luke.
'Met the new Principal today. It was interesting.'
My phone buzzed and I checked to see if it was Luke, but it was a messenger notification from a group chat of some of the teachers I worked worth.
'Um, so whos met Jack yet? Talk about GORGEOUS!!'
'Ur not lying! How are we supposed to concentrate w/ him walking around all the time!?'
'I sure hope I get called to the Principal's office! ;)'
I laughed and rolled my eyes. Good lord. Working with predominantly woman, sometimes catty at that, could be downright hilarious. I tried to imagine my meeting less than an hour ago. Was he attractive? I was so intimidated and nearly offended by him that I guess I didn't see it. The messenger went off again, but I didn't open it. I'd had enough Jack Burns for one day.
The last month of summer flew by and before I knew it we were back at the school, meeting whole group for our first day of Inservices. There was a lot of chatter and banter from everyone not seeing each other over the summer months. I smiled and said hello, but chose a seat and got my things ready for the meeting. I brushed my newly highlighted hair (pink and purple now faded almost completely out) over my shoulder when I got a strong, lovely smell of men's cologne.
"Ms. Walker, your hair..."
Goosebumps broke out all over my arms. I felt the Principal leaning over me, almost whispering in my ear when he spoke. I felt his breath on my neck. I instantly thought to the summer when he made the strangest comment about the length of my hair. I prepared myself for it, almost half expecting him to touch it.
"...I like the color change. It really fits you, Sunshine."
I shivered at the way he said Sunshine. Had he forgotten that I went by Litty? I definitely didn't go by Sunshine, except maybe to my Mom when she sang the old folk song to me. I didn't look up as he walked away, prepared to address the group to quiet us down. I saw some of my coworkers snickering and giggling as they watched him. I myself scowled. How could they be attracted to this guy? Sure, he did have a great body, er, he filled out his dress clothes well. He smelled amazing. And his smile was really sexy, especially the way his forehead wrinkled when he laugh. Um, whoa there, Litty! This is your brand new boss AND he's a total WEIRDO, I thought to myself as he jumped into welcoming all of us. I let myself get lost in the hustle and bustle and excitement of a brand new school year.
The school year started off without a hitch. I could tell after the first day I was going to adore this class. The first week consisted of the usual, going over rules and procedures. The kids seemed to be catching on quickly and they were just as adoring to me as I was to them. I wondered where the silver lining was to this seemingly magnificent school year.
It didn't take me long to figure it out. It came in the form of a 6 foot 5 inch man whom I couldn't decide if I admired or hated. He had to give the absolute most boring announcements at the beginning of the day I'd ever heard, but he always sent the teachers a really sweet daily inspiration email. He always seemed to be busy during lunch time and avoided lunch duty, but left handwritten thank you notes in our mailboxes when we covered. He was blunt and to the point, so all our meetings were a short as he could possibly make them, filled with sarcasm and God damn it, that cocky smile.
Whenever he saw me he smiled and made a comment pertaining to something that interested me. He asked me if I was excited for Thursday night football, which my team was playing in. He commented when I started wearing the new necklace Luke got me to school. He complimented my ability to joke around with my students and relate to them on their level. I felt appreciated.
I found myself going out of my way to go down the central hallway to maybe catch catch a glimpse of him in his office. I found myself laughing a little louder if he was in earshot. I found myself picking out dresses that accented my small waist and stereotypical hourglass figure and eyeshadow that would make my blue eyes outshine any Disney Princess. Did I have a crush on my boss? No way. He was at least ten years older than me. He was married with kids at the school. I had a boyfriend and most importantly he was my BOSS. And besides all rational thoughts aside, he'd never look at me that way.
Or so I thought. About a month into the school year my boyfriend, Luke, got summoned for jury duty. Any normal person would've been pissed but not Luke. He was stoked to get out of work. On the third day he texted me in the morning, saying the guy plead out and he was free the rest of the day. He said he'd love to bring me lunch and to meet my students, something his work schedule didn't normally allow. I was so excited!
We ate together in my classroom and waited for my kids to get back from recess. I stood in the hall outside the door, having him stand just inside so he could surprise them. I thought I heard something so I looked down the hall to see if they were coming. They weren't, but Jack was. He saw me standing there and a strange, almost wolfish smile crossed his face. I instinctively gulped but wasn't necessarily sure why. I felt my heart race as he made his way toward me.
"You're always in your room during your lunch, aren't you? Don't you want to go outside? Maybe enjoy a little sunshine. I know I'd like to enjoy a little sunshine..."
My eyes widened as he came towards me. He seemed to be extending his hand. Was he going to...?
"Litty, wh-?" Luke said as he stepped into the door frame.
