Sara Gawde

Lena struggled to keep her eyes open infront of the black board. The sight of floating numbers seemed to make her eye lids heavier each time she forced them open. Finally, letting out a sigh, she gave in to the desk, letting her head rest on the cold book. She breathed in the cold inky aroma as her eyes fell on the snowy sight outside.

It was a battle between the snow and the janitor, who would claim the parking lot first. She knew the man’s army green jumper, beanie, snow boots and insulated pants were no where close to the armor he needed. But this was Aonzo, a Canadian refugee who had swum lengths of the Atlantic ocean to plant his roots in America. He didn’t take shit from anyone. Most would think of him as self centred or cold, unless they were close friends or family. Not everyone was granted Mr. Aonzo’s friendship, and Lena felt lucky to be one of the few.

Her attention turned back to the board, and the figure standing between- Mrs. Noel aka Karen of the Willigham school. The smallest inconvenience would lead to the summoning of her husband, the principal. Their relationship had been going downhill since the moment Mr Noel hired her. The divorce was going to be an obvious, dramatic occurrence. She got out a brand new pack of sticky notes, peeling one off quietly…”Pass it to Jane,” she whispered to the boy sitting next to her.

Without looking up from his math book, he passed the note to the girl sitting behind him, who repeated the action. Finally, the note reached the last bench. A blonde, curly haired girl opened it, a smile on her face as she read it quietly: I’d be glad when this parasite leaves Mr Noel. He deserves so much better then a blood sucking mite, maybe someone like Ms. Stevie. Must be a nightmare being married to a nasty gold digger.

Lena watched with a grim smile as her friend got out her own set of sticky notes…I know right? Imagine what its like to have her as your teacher? She couldn’t help but let out a chuckle at Jane’s response.

The girls, being too busy exchanging insults about their teacher, didn’t notice her approaching at all.

Lena was writing her fifth note, while Jane was busy reading an upside down history book when Mrs Noel was taking rounds, eyeing her giggling student. She waited patiently as the note reached the last bench of the column, where instead of Jane getting it, it was in her own hand. “Ahem.” Instantly, the class turned towards her.

Mrs Noel looked at Lena through her triangular glasses, reading the note in her hand out loud. “To think she graduated high school, I can bet her son in 5th grade has better grammar then her.” A loud silence followed as the class turned to the author of the wonderful note. A few of them chuckled. “Well, Miss Bells, the only person who wont be graduating high school this year…is you.”