《S(uper)H(ero)A(cademy)》 Job Wanted in 2020 THE SF CHRONICLE July 15, 1963 BREAKING NEWS: The Power Sanctions Approved In a very narrow vote, the controversial set of laws known as The Power Sanctions has been officially approved by Congress. Spurred on by the aftermath of WWIII, the set of laws were introduced early last year in hopes of restricting public usage of powers from enhanced humans to encourage ¡°a more ¡®harmonious¡¯ lifestyle¡±, says Senator Williams (ML). Though unknown in origin, enhanced citizens (ECs) have lived amongst society for decades, first being officially documented in the 1920s. However, their recent surge in population and power levels has made them a political target. The legislation has been met with surprising backlash from both enhanced and regular citizens with enhanced citizens calling the laws ¡°restrictive¡± and regular citizens claiming they¡¯re ¡°non-transparent.¡± Illinois¡¯ Governor Kayla Thomas states the laws are a ¡°clear division of power.¡± ¡°The problem is that it creates a wall with no door to the other side,¡± she says. ¡°How will this divide affect our society in 40 or 50 years? There¡¯s no telling what this could mean for our future.¡± The Power Sanctions go into effect on January 7th, 1964.
Present Day ¡°You need a job,¡± Alex Jameson¡¯s mother, Erica, exclaimed. This was not said with malice. In truth, Alex knew her mother was quite proud of her. Erica would say she was bright, confident, and focused. And Alex would want to agree with her most days. She completed her goals of getting into the university she wanted, graduating near the top of her class, getting her master¡¯s degree and traveling every summer. Truly, when asked, she could claim she was quite accomplished. Unfortunately, no one who¡¯s seen her work experience has agreed. Alex couldn¡¯t even claim that she was being too picky or narrow with her search. She looked high and low for a teaching position at a school, but none have picked her due to two facts: 1) she was under qualified for most private schools and 2) too qualified for public schools. They¡¯ve heard all the excuses for the past year about budget cuts and parent expectations to the point where Erica and Alex¡¯s optimism has officially waned. The mounting reality of bills and menial jobs didn¡¯t help bring back the enthusiasm. Therefore, while well intended, Alex could not appreciate the sentiment. ¡°I know, Mom,¡± she agreed, half of it coming out as a sigh. ¡°I know you know but it needs to be said! What is this madness?¡± Erica questioned as if asking the universe itself. ¡°You know there¡¯s been a shortage of money for teachers for a long time. If I could afford to take a lower paying job, I would,¡± Alex said, hating the pronounced lines under her mother¡¯s eyes. They made her look too old. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have to get a lower paying job! Any school would be lucky to have you!¡± her mother declared, starting to pace through the kitchen. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°A major asset!¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°A true gem at their school. They would be grateful to have someone with your experience and here they are sending these emails like they made the right decision. How dare they¡ª¡± ¡°Mom, please,¡± Alex grabbed her mother¡¯s wrist and gently steered her to the seat across from her at the dining table. ¡°Can you just breathe with me right now? I don¡¯t want to be reminded of the email right now.¡± Her mother¡¯s eyes softened, and Alex swallowed the humiliation she felt because of it. It felt too close to pity. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± her mother said. ¡°I just want the perfect job for you. One where you can be comfortable and happy. It hurts me to know you have to sell yourself short like this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just the way it is right now,¡± Alex said with a weak smile. It was a metaphorical stab to the heart, but it was true nonetheless. It was the way it was right now; she just wondered sometimes why it had to be.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to reach back out to the school in Abu Dhabi?¡± Erica asked. ¡°Do you want tea?¡± Alex got up quickly to go to the cabinets. ¡°Alex,¡± her mother warned as Alex pulled the box of tea to her chest. Alex let her nail run over the label in thought. This was her favorite tea, the only thing that calmed her at three in the morning when she was desperately looking at the school in the UAE that would give her almost everything she wanted from a job. There was just one glaring problem. ¡°I don¡¯t want to teach overseas,¡± Alex said turning to her mother. ¡°I did it off and on for years. At this point, I want to be a literature teacher right here at home. It¡¯s not fair that I always have to leave¡­¡± Alex trailed off, fiddling with the box in her hand. ¡°I know, honey, but it¡¯s not like you have to stop applying to jobs here. It¡¯ll get your mind off of just waiting.¡± ¡°No,¡± Alex declared, putting the box on the counter and opening it. ¡°I don¡¯t want a distraction from this. I¡¯ve worked too hard for too long. My first real, postgraduate job is going to be what I want.¡± Alex¡¯s mother didn¡¯t say anything as she made her tea, so she was surprised by the smile on the woman¡¯s face. ¡°You do anything you put your mind to,¡± her mother commented. ¡°It¡¯s not always easy to remember but it is a fact.¡± ¡°You taught me how to,¡± Alex replied. Her mother laughed loudly at that. ¡°Thank goodness that¡¯s what you got from me. I was afraid you would get my loud mouth,¡± her mother told her, making Alex giggle. They conversed calmly over Alex¡¯s laptop, watching the news unfold like they did when Alex was in high school. Even though Alex was invested in the conversation, in the back of her mind, Alex prayed for some good news with every sip. Despite her conviction with her mom, it wasn¡¯t getting easier denying a more practical option. It was starting to seem crazy. So, with every blink, she hoped and hoped like a kid wishing on a star. She felt ridiculous. Until she heard a tell-tell ping from her email. Alex let out a groan and paused the Steven Nolan clip she waited all day to watch. She moved her mouse to hover over the tab but hesitated to click on it. ¡°It¡¯s still going to be there no matter how long you wait,¡± her mother pointed out. Alex bit back a grimace and turned to her. ¡°Give me a moment?¡± she asked. Her mother nodded, and Alex ignored her reluctance as she walked out of the kitchen. Alex waited until she was sure her mom was gone before lowering the volume on the video clip and watching the rest of it. She didn¡¯t need to get excited about junk mail or another rejection email. Still, she could feel the surge of hope bubbling in the pit of her stomach against her will. She didn¡¯t know if she could take another no. She already had two from the morning, which was better than the gaping silence but still hurtful. Eventually, the clip ended, and she prepped her brain for another night of tears she would later deny as she opened her email. It was indeed an email from another school, one she had written off months ago. Maybe they wanted to be polite in their rejections, she thought bitterly. I guess I¡¯ll watch a romantic comedy this time. Tonight¡¯s pity dinner will be cookies and cream ice cream with pinot grigio. God, I really was hoping to eat freaking Chunky Monkey this week. Stupid job promises¡­her thoughts stopped in her tracks after the fourth line. She blinked twice, refreshed the page, and checked the date. She went out of the email to see if the earlier rejection letters were still there. She searched the school name to make sure it was still standing. After seventeen minutes of checking and rechecking and the rest of her antics, she finally screamed. ¡°OH MY GOD!¡± Her mother ran in panicked, but Alex could barely do anything. She could only grab her mother''s arm and point at her laptop screen obsessively. ¡°They¡­I¡­¡± Clearly, Alex was speechless. But it was okay because her mother could read just fine and actually announce the news. ¡°You got the job!¡± ¡°I got the job!¡± Alex screamed. They both wrapped their arms around each other and started jumping up and down. ¡°I got the job! I got the job!¡± They chanted as they spun around. ¡°Wait from who?¡± Erica asked. ¡°Damien Academy!¡± Alex shouted. Her mother¡¯s jaw dropped. Damien Academy was a prestigious boarding school located right outside the city. It was so obscure that most didn¡¯t even hear about it. Hell, Alex didn¡¯t even know about it before her job hunt. That didn¡¯t stop it from being ranked amongst the best schools in the country. Or from getting the million-dollar donations from anonymous alumni. It also didn¡¯t stop them from paying Alex twice what she would¡¯ve gotten from any other school (with benefits!). ¡°The good one,¡± Erica cheered before pausing. ¡°Wait a minute. I thought you said they rejected you.¡± ¡°I mean I thought they did. They never called me back!¡± Alex said with an excited grin. ¡°Ugh, they just wanted to keep you in suspense, but I knew you would get the job you wanted!¡± her mom said. ¡°Mom, you suggested I go overseas like five minutes ago.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with a backup plan,¡± her mom waved off. ¡°Which reminds me,¡± Her mom rushed over to the refrigerator and opened the freezer. ¡°I can finally give you this.¡± Alex gasped as her mom handed her a pint of Chunky Monkey ice cream. ¡°When did you get this?¡± ¡°Two days ago.¡± Alex felt her heart soften, holding the ice cream to her chest with a sappy smile. ¡°You had a feeling I would get a job.¡± ¡°I would take that credit¡­unfortunately, it¡¯s been on my grocery list for far too long,¡± her mom revealed. ¡°I bought a pint every month to be supportive and optimistic, but this is the eighth pint and I think I gave the neighbor¡¯s kid a cavity with all the other ones I had to get rid of. Honey, you have really bad taste in ice cream.¡± Alex gapped at her mom as she set the ice cream on the counter. ¡°I¡­should get offended. But today¡¯s news is too good so, I will say nothing but thank you,¡± Alex announced with a grin. They broke into laughter until another beep happened but this time it was from her mother¡¯s phone. Her mother looked at the screen and her grin automatically dropped, and she sucked her teeth. ¡°Just great,¡± her mother said. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°A speedster decided to hop on my car and dent the hood, but the insurance is only covering half,¡± her mom explained as she sat down heavily in front of Alex¡¯s laptop. Not that Alex could blame her. Speedsters are humans that could move at least 80 miles an hour and usually didn¡¯t like the title of hero or villain. Honestly, it was a miracle the car wasn¡¯t totaled. ¡°Let me call them,¡± her mom said. ¡°If it makes you feel better, they¡¯re making the insurance state-regulated next January,¡± Alex reminded her. ¡°Then you better tell the dudes in spandex to stay away from my car for the next five months because the next one that so much as chips the paint, oh, they''re gonna hear from me,¡± her mother fumed as she aggressively logged into her insurance account. ¡°Oh mom,¡± she said, kissing her mother¡¯s forehead. ¡°Spandex is so eighties. Now they wear Chanel.¡± ¡°Not before giving me my refund,¡± her mom muttered. Job Orientation Power Sanctions Appendix: Common Types of Heroes
Alex walked out of her favorite caf¨¦, Entermezzo Caf¨¦, confidently with breakfast and coffee in hand. She felt like a kid on their first day of school: giddy with all their new supplies and clothes with waves of nervousness filtering in. She was heading to Damien Academy for the first time for her first day of orientation and she was (not) ready for this. Most found it odd when she told them that she never visited the school, but she decided to be understanding. This wasn¡¯t a normal public school, charter school, or even private school. Of course, their security would be higher. Who knew what heiress or celebrity''s child went there? Yet, whenever someone mentioned the oddity or all the benefits Alex got, she became nervous. It felt too good to be true. What would warrant them to pay a teacher so much? What would they expect from her? Could she meet their expectations? Would she even agree with them? If she didn¡¯t, would she have to quit or, worse, get fired before truly starting? She couldn¡¯t ignore the questions that rested comfortably in the bags under her eyes that she tried to cover with concealer. Alex sipped her tea and took a calming breath. This wasn¡¯t the time to question anything. She already had the job and was a good teacher. Why question it now? Plus, she had to be there in 30 minutes. She would know the answers to her questions by the end of the day. ¡°Please, please, be a good day,¡± she murmured to herself as she waited for the crosswalk light to change. The only warning she received was a slight tremor before the world turned upside down. Literally. Alex felt most of the air leave her lungs as she was propelled into the air. Whatever was left raced out as she screamed, falling faster and faster as the sky moved farther away. So much for growing old, she thought sure that she was going to die. Luckily, during the longest seconds of her life, she felt herself being caught and arms wrap tightly around her. She clamped her eyes closed until the world stopped moving around her. ¡°Ma¡¯am, are you okay?¡± the man holding her asked. Her eyes shot open. Ma¡¯am? She was wearing a lavender blazer, a white blouse, and russet ? cut pants with kitten heels! Modest, yes, but ma¡¯am?! She did not look old. She looked business casual and appropriate, damn it! She turned out to correct him but quickly saw why he used the title. While clearly taller than her, he was young and when she thought back to his words, they did have a Southern drawl. Most Terraforms were from the south. So, he wasn¡¯t making a comment; he was just being polite. ¡°I-I¡¯m fine,¡± she stuttered, slightly embarrassed by her quick assumption. And by how tightly he was still holding her. ¡°Can you put me down now?¡± ¡°Are you sure you can stand?¡± he asked in concern. She gave him a wan smile. ¡°I¡¯d like to find out,¡± she told him. He nodded reluctantly before putting her down. She tried to catch her breath, but her legs felt wobbly, despite only being airborne for a few moments. She stumbled down to the ground as gracefully as she could. ¡°I told you,¡± the Terraform said and she waved him off quickly. ¡°Just get a medic, please,¡± she requested, trying not to sound too irritated with the condescending undertone in his voice. Luckily, a medic was already racing out of a nearby pharmacy. The healthcare industry found out years ago it was much easier to make quick stop pharmacies built to handle emergencies than constantly traveling back and forth between the hospitals and the destruction. The Terraform stayed close until the medic knelt by Alex''s side before, he left to fix whatever emergency brought him downtown in the first place. The medic checked her legs, torso, neck, and back for any minor damage, in which she had nothing but a bruise from how tight the hero held her. The medic ran into the pharmacy to give her water, peanut butter crackers, and a bottle of ibuprofen for the pain. ¡°What made me fly up anyway?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Terraform landing,¡± the medic informed her before rolling their eyes. ¡°He¡¯s new. Would you like to file a complaint?¡± Alex grimaced at the thought of paperwork. ¡°No,¡± she answered. ¡°It could be worse. At least, he caught me.¡± She heaved herself off the ground, wiping off her clothes. She checked her phone for the time and groaned. She was now going to be late. ¡°I can give a written form if you had a prior engagement,¡± the medic said mercifully. Alex nodded, hoping the head of her future department would still be there. Alex ran the rest of the way there. It was only a few streets over, but she was almost out of breath by the time she reached the bench, spotting a woman in a black blazer with the letters DA sitting on a bench in front of it. She looked just like her employee picture: curly hair, glasses, and brown skin. The head of the English Department looked up from her tablet before Alex could say a word. ¡°I heard about the incident a few streets over,¡± she said. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­fine,¡± Alex said, caught by surprise for the second time that day. ¡°How did you know I was there?¡± ¡°Some of our teachers live in that area. They say 15th street is the quickest way here. 15th street was in the news just now,¡± the department head explained with ease. She smiled at Alex and put her hand out. ¡°I¡¯m Adeline Omari.¡± ¡°Alex Jameson,¡± Alex introduced. ¡°I have to admit I didn¡¯t expect for you to know about the incident so soon. I figured I would have to explain it.¡± Adeline laughed at the skepticism on Alex¡¯s face. ¡°I used to work in media,¡± Adeline told her, showing Alex her tablet screen. It showed a newspaper article and Alex saw tabs for more. ¡°Old habits die hard or not at all. It was easy to put two and two together. There was an incident nearby and you, someone who was punctual to all three interviews, were late.¡± ¡°Well, when you put it like that¡­¡± Alex trailed off with a nervous laugh. ¡°The first rule of journalism is not knowing the truth but rather being really good at convincing other people something is true,¡± Adeline told her with a wink. She stood up from the bench when a black car rolled up in front of them. ¡°Shall we?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Alex agreed, stepping into the car behind Adeline.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. They sat in silence at the start of the drive. Alex watched the landscape turn from the city to trees, resisting the urge to tap her fingers on her bag. She didn¡¯t want to appear nervous. Although, she wasn¡¯t sure being silent was good either. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re alright?¡± Adeline asked her suddenly. ¡°You seem distant.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m fine. It was nothing but a minor shock,¡± Alex reassured her. In truth, the incident didn¡¯t really cross Alex¡¯s mind. Everyone knew superheroes existed. Since cities tended to have more people and higher crime rates, more usually resided there which meant more incidents like that. Heroes running in to save the day was no less common than seeing a car accident. While her brush with danger was a lot closer than she wanted, it was over, and she was in one piece. She couldn¡¯t really ask for more. ¡°I was more worried about being late,¡± Alex revealed. Adeline chuckled at the statement. ¡°You must really be eager to teach,¡± Adeline commented. Alex bit back the statement, "yes, of course. You made me wait five months before I could say yes. What took you so long???" She simply nodded. ¡°I guess now would be a good time to explain the position and school a little more,¡± Adeline said before straightening herself. ¡°As you know, Damian Academy is known for our prestige. However, we truly pride ourselves on two things: quality and privacy. Many children of prominent world leaders attend our school along with local but bright attendees. It is our job to give them the best education possible, not only to justify our price but to ensure their future. ¡°Due to who attends our school, privacy is a requirement. While we can control it on the staff end, the students are a whole other challenge. Fortunately, we have one of the best computer engineers in the world working in our IT department to make sure our students are protected from themselves. However, we do encourage the teachers to be aware of new trends and apps so they can spot inappropriate use in the classroom. This should be easy for you since you¡¯re so young,¡± Adeline said, sparing a smile. She learned towards Alex, whispering dramatically, ¡°Just help the history department. They¡¯re hopeless.¡± Adeline laughed as she rested her head against the seat. ¡°And the philosophy department, oh my goodness. You should¡¯ve seen them when Twitter first came out.¡± Alex couldn¡¯t help but laugh, already imagining it. The conversation, or rather explanation, continued this way until the car pulled to a stop at the fanciest school Alex had ever seen. Her jaw dropped but she quickly caught herself. Unfortunately, the tinkling laugh from Adeline reminded Alex how perceptive the woman was. ¡°Not what you expected?¡± Adeline said before stepping out of the car. Alex quickly followed; the campus more vibrant without the tint of the car window. ¡°Not at all,¡± Alex said absentmindedly as she looked around. When picturing Damian Academy, Alex thought of ivy on brick buildings, clean desks, and state of the art computer labs. She thought of the library being named after a donor that died fifty years ago and students relaxing under oak trees nearby. She thought of vegetarians discussing their meals next to a marble statue of the founder by the dorms. With all the money, history, and reputation, she figured the boarding school would be an Ivy League wet dream. She couldn¡¯t have been more wrong if she tried. While there were the occasional brick and marble buildings, most of the campus resembled Silicon Valley, all glass, curves, and colors. They flowed seamlessly with one another with blues, greens, pinks, yellows, and any other color the architect could sneak in. ¡°How many students attend this school?¡± Alex asked. ¡°We fluctuate, quite violently actually,¡± Adeline told her. ¡°Some years we only have 500. Other years we easily reach our max of 1,500.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Alex asked, alarmed by the various retention rate. ¡°Well, our students are usually generational. Some are smaller than others but the past couple of decades have been steady," Adeline explained. "We are currently going between 1,000 students for the regular school year and 200 during our specialty summer courses. I promise you¡¯ll have plenty of students to teach.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­a relief, honestly,¡± Alex said. Adeline smiled before sitting down on the ground and crossing her feet. She patted the patch of grass next to her and Alex sat down slowly. ¡°I know you¡¯re nervous, Alex,¡± Adeline told her. ¡°You¡¯re a new teacher. This is your first full-time job after college, and you want to make a good impression. But it¡¯s okay to relax. As department chair, I want you to feel welcomed here. If we didn¡¯t want you or were waiting for you to make a mistake, you wouldn¡¯t be here. I promise.¡± Adeline gave her a reassuring smile and Alex slowly recuperated it. ¡°Now, we¡¯re rolling in the grass until you lighten up,¡± Adeline announced before laying down. ¡°What?¡± Alex asked but Adeline was already rolling. She whooped as she flung herself across the green lawn. ¡°Come on, Alex!¡± Adeline urged. Alex looked at her skeptically and Adeline gave her a deadpanned look, grass in her hair. ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m joking?¡± And Alex couldn¡¯t help the laughter that bubbled out of her at the sight and how her day had progressed. First, she¡¯d been thrown in the air, taken James Bond style to a secretive school, and now her boss was urging her roll around in what looks like Google¡¯s personal playground. She couldn¡¯t help it: she indulged herself. Turns out there is something exhilarating about the world going upside down and right side up so quickly. The lines blurred and for a few moments at a time she could only hear the wind and her heartbeat. Simplicity at its finest...at least until she felt her another bruise forming on her back. She groaned when she came to a stop and waved her arm like a white flag. ¡°Alright, I feel better,¡± she admitted. Letting her arm fall across her chest with her eyes closed. A shadow fell over her face and she peaked. Adeline was beaming down on her, making Alex jump at the sudden closeness. ¡°Good,¡± Adeline commented. She held her hand out and Alex took it. Alex was surprised by the strength and ease of Adeline¡¯s grip with the department head being smaller than her. Adeline¡¯s smile dropped a bit when she looked at Alex¡¯s blazer. Alex looked down and held back a groan when she spotted grass stains. ¡°How about we send this to the campus cleaners while we go for a tour of the school?¡± Adeline suggested. ¡°The campus has its own cleaning service? Like actual professionals instead of a dorm laundry mat?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Of course,¡± Adeline said. ¡°Too many kids washed their Balenciaga in normal machines, and we got too many complaints from parents.¡± Alex couldn¡¯t believe Adeline said the sentence with a straight face. ¡°And after the tour,¡± Adeline continued. ¡°We can start the paperwork. That¡¯s when you should really be nervous.¡± Alex found that to be true an hour later when she and Adeline went to the top of the glass building in the center of the campus, the Spire (also nicknamed the Eye). ¡°You can see everything from up here,¡± Adeline told her as they stepped off the elevator. Alex marveled at the space. Huge glass panels acted as doors to the offices with small seating areas tucked close to the red staircase. The staircase itself ran through the staggering office like an inverted ribbon that extended as a red band on the carpet leading to the next set of stairs. Alex walked over the glass panels randomly placed on the floor, making her stomach drop when she looked down. She wondered what the building looked with people bustling in and out of it instead of a few milling around here and there. ¡°Here we are,¡± Adeline announced when they reached a blue themed office. Alex sat down in the velvet chair in front of Adeline¡¯s desk, her feet screaming in relief. The campus was beautiful but huge and Alex¡¯s shoes reached their limit between the third dorm and the chemistry building. ¡°Jasmine tea?¡± Adeline offered. Alex nodded. Adeline had been great company all day with her constant, bubbling laugh and candid descriptions. Still, Alex also couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that Adeline was watching her every move. She couldn¡¯t tell what Adeline was judging her on. As pleasant as she was, Adeline was hard to read. Nothing was expected, even her office. Alex figured it would either be pretty plain with a couple eclectic items or bright with a lot of personality. Instead, everything was a cool lapis color from the chairs to the carpet to even the desk. The only decorations were the occasional pictures and a random gold frame on the wall with a piece of glass in it. It gave the room a soothing atmosphere. ¡°Here you go.¡± Adeline placed a tray in front of Alex with a teapot and two cups along with a jar of sugar, honey, and steamed milk. Alex raised her eyebrow for a moment. Nothing was half-assed at this school. Adeline walked over to the shelf by the door to get two stacks of paper and clicked a button that turned the glass door from clear to opaque. ¡°Just for future reference,¡± Adeline said as she sat down. ¡°All the offices do that, so you don¡¯t have students peering in during midterms to see their grade.¡± Alex laughed but it faded at Adeline¡¯s straight face. ¡°Oh, they do that,¡± Alex said. ¡°Every year,¡± Adeline informed her while pouring the tea. ¡°Okay.¡± Alex clasped her hands together and decided to reserve her laughter until the end of the day. Adeline smiled as she placed Alex¡¯s tea in front of her. ¡°Alright, first stack.¡± Adeline slid the smaller of the two stacks in between them. ¡°This is your full contract. It includes all the details on your salary, your job description, holidays, etc. You were emailed a condensed version of the contract, but I want to go into more detail about your probation period. ¡°You will have a probationary period of two months, starting on the first day of school and ending in late November. You will have observations and feedback at the end of each month and will be required to turn in your lesson plans to me during the first month. The second month you will undergo a final observation before we inform you of whether or not you have passed probation. We have different workshops during the summer that you are welcomed but not required to attend. However, I will encourage you to attend as it will help familiarize you with your co-workers and the school. ¡°The car that picked you up today will pick you up for the rest of the probation period and it is non-negotiable. The reason for doing this is 1) ease for the teacher and 2) to give you an opportunity to understand the background of our students. Most are used to a certain lifestyle and anything less is unacceptable to them. While I understand your background varies from theirs and is totally acceptable, we¡¯d rather the students not use something as simple as your car to ridicule you. We¡¯d also encourage you to move closer to the school for ease of access, but this is not a stipulation that will affect your contract. ¡°Your benefits are partly in effect during probation and fully go into effect afterward. If you have any health issues, please visit our school hospital before seeing your local doctor. This way we can be informed much quicker and you have guaranteed use of your insurance. You are not allowed to have visitors or take days off during the probation period. Should you violate this, you will receive a warning. After three warnings, you will be let go. This also applies to any minor infractions as instructed in the work manual. Any major compromise of security will result in automatic termination. This also applies to any major infractions indicated in the work manual¡ªany questions so far?¡± ¡°I-uh¡ªno. No,¡± Alex stuttered, trying to wrap her mind around all the information. Adeline squinted her eyes before breaking out into another bright laugh. The knot in Alex¡¯s stomach loosened a bit. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s scary but I¡¯m required to tell you the quirks,¡± Adeline told her. ¡°You have a week to go over the contract before signing. If you have any questions about it or the work manual, you can email me at any time and I will respond. This does include 3 a.m. when I should be asleep but decided to binge another Spanish soap opera.¡± Alex chuckled a bit, but it died as Adeline slid the contract to the side and pushed the second stack¡ªwhich was three times as thick¡ªin between them. ¡°Shall we go over the work manual?¡± Sign on the Dotted Line Sunny & Cloudy: A Lifestyle Blog Is the Dream Job Worth It? And 23 Other Questions You Ask Yourself When Job Hunting On the outside looking in, San Francisco is a dream city. It boasts the lowest unemployment rates in the country, voted the best place to start a new business, and has a booming market in Enhanced Positions. Recently San Francisco has had a surge in the population of 6%, which is excellent for the overall businesses established. Yet, for those looking for new opportunities, their options are much scarcer when they realize the issue is underemployment. 23% report that their job is part-time or contractual. Another 15% claim they don¡¯t receive proper compensation in comparison to their debt (student loans, mortgage, etc.). Even worse, 65% report that they were forced to sacrifice pursuing their dream job to make a living. For those who feel stuck in a field you don¡¯t like, want to switch out of, can¡¯t take for another day, you are not alone. Here are the answers to the 23 questions you probably already asked yourself. 1) What is your dream? This seems like an easy question to ask, but it¡¯s actually the one where most get stumped. You know what you don¡¯t want, but do you know what you do want? What kind of job makes you happy? What type of company do you want to work for? What exactly do you expect from that job? Essentially, ask yourself, what do you want?
¡°It¡¯s weird,¡± Alex declared, ¡°I mean, look at this thing!¡± Alex picked up the work manual and let it drop. The bang rang in her ears and made her friend, Liane, wince over video chat. Alex was glad her mom wasn¡¯t there to hear it or complain about Alex being dramatic. ¡°It¡¯s a freaking monster.¡± ¡°I mean...is it really a surprise that private school kids are a hassle?¡± Liane asked. ¡°It¡¯s not, but I highly doubt Gideon Hill Prep has a work manual like this,¡± Alex said. She thumbed through the first few pages, the tiny words blurring together. ¡°How do I even know broke a rule in this thing?¡± ¡°One,¡± Liane said. ¡°Oh, come on. That doesn¡¯t count. That¡¯s a legit question,¡± Alex exclaimed. ¡°Did you ask it for legitimate reasons?¡± Liane interrogated. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Your fingers twitched, which means you¡¯re lying. One.¡± Alex groaned before leaning back on her couch. ¡°But keep going. This is getting interesting.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not interesting. It¡¯s overbearing,¡± Alex grumbled. ¡°I mean, are these realistic expectations? I feel like I¡¯m one signature away from joining a cult.¡± ¡°Two.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Two.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°Keep going.¡± ¡°I just wanted information about admin and work schedules and if I get free lunch but no. Now, I have to wonder if I should buy Ronaldo Lauren and an MCN satchel,¡± Alex ranted. ¡°I mean, move closer to the school? That¡¯s ridiculous! You haven¡¯t even paid me yet! You¡¯re going to reassure you want me for me before slapping me in the face with ¡®oh, by the way, you can¡¯t look broke.¡¯ What the fuck was that?¡± ¡°And three.¡± Liane sighed, rubbing her neck as though she had a cramp in it. ¡°My turn.¡± ¡°That question was rhetorical at best¡ª¡± ¡°No. You know the rules. Stop trying to twist them every time.¡± Alex sat back again with a pout. Yeah, she knew the rules. Since Alex had a terrible habit of ranting for hours on end when she felt anxious--with Liane on usually the receiving end--they made a rule. Alex could ask three questions in her rant, rhetorical or not, before Liane stepped in and gave her two cents, which meant fixing the problem. Or point out Alex¡¯s biggest fears. It usually fell into the latter category. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s look at this realistically,¡± Liane said. ¡°You knew with the salary and benefits of that quality, the school''s expectations would be high.¡± ¡°Yes, but¡ª¡± ¡°Not that high,¡± Liane finished. ¡°I know. Breathe.¡± Alex stared at her stubbornly until Liane lifted her finger as she was about to press the end call button. She reluctantly took a deep breath. ¡°Anyway, have you looked through the whole manual yet?¡± she asked. Alex gave her a pointed look. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°I barely got through the first few pages without feeling the need to take notes,¡± Alex said sarcastically. ¡°Then, take them,¡± Liane shrugged. ¡°You can get through the Odyssey and Moby Dick but not a manual?¡± ¡°The manual is boring.¡± ¡°Your choice in literature is boring.¡± ¡°This is not supposed to be an attack on my character.¡± ¡°No, this is supposed to be an attack on your fear,¡± Liane stated bluntly. Alex winced before picking up her glass of wine. ¡°Are you afraid it¡¯s not a legit job?¡± ¡°No,¡± Alex huffed, running her finger along the glass¡¯ rim. ¡°It¡¯s¡­I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s an odd school, but I don¡¯t get the vibe that it¡¯s a scam.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s that you feel like you have to pretend to be rich the whole time? Did the department chair give you that impression?¡± ¡°A bit, but it sounded more like a ¡®do it till retention is over¡¯ thing,¡± Alex relented. ¡°It¡¯s still annoying.¡± ¡°Alright. Then, like the guru¡ª¡° ¡°Oh, god, not the guru,¡± Alex groaned, already rolling her eyes at the thought of the stupid reality/lifestyle show, Make It Work with Dr. Zion. It gave good advice, but it made Liane cry every single episode; Alex put a 2-episode cap whenever they were together. ¡°Like the guru says,¡± Liane insisted, ¡°Let¡¯s dig deeper. What¡¯s your real fear, Lex? What¡¯s the heart of your fear?¡± ¡°If you keep talking like that, I¡¯m not going to answer,¡± Alex warned. Liane closed her mouth and looked at Alex expectantly. ¡°I fear¡­no, I know I¡¯m missing something. I just can¡¯t figure it out. It¡¯s nothing obvious or outlandish. I just have this feeling¡­¡± Alex trailed off. ¡°And you¡¯re worried it¡¯ll backfire on you,¡± Liane observed. ¡°I¡¯m worried that it will be more than I can handle,¡± Alex corrected. ¡°What will it look like if I get fired from this top school in a matter of months? Who would hire me then?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a responsible person, Alex,¡± Liane said. ¡°If you can teach in different countries with different laws than you can do this. And as far as looking the part, you already kind of do. Between you and your mini shopping sprees at Russell¡¯s, you can get a ¡®high-end¡¯ wardrobe in your budget. You do now, anyway.¡± ¡°I think I look practical,¡± Alex defended. ¡°Tell that to your lavender coat,¡± Liane laughed. ¡°And relax. I¡¯m not making fun of you.¡± Alex made a face at Liane before taking a sip of her wine, humming in appreciation. She needed to stock up on this stuff. ¡°The contract is only a year,¡± Liane continued. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, you don¡¯t have to stay. Hell, treat the probation like it¡¯s for them. See how you like the kids and the admin stuff before going all the way through. It¡¯s a tryout for everybody!¡± ¡°¡­and if I fail?¡± ¡°You can come stay with me for a month.¡± Alex opened her mouth to protest, but Liane beat her to the punch. ¡°Just for vacation! You can sit, relax, get your head together, and figure it out.¡± ¡°Huh, a month-long vacation already? I might quit now,¡± Alex teased. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re buying your plane ticket, so you might want to make it to your first paycheck.¡± ¡°How¡¯s the heat?¡± Alex asked, changing the subject. Liane fanned herself dramatically. ¡°It¡¯s my mortal enemy, but the view is the love of my life,¡± Liane lamented before flipping her camera so Alex could see out the window to the skyscrapers of Dubai. ¡°It misses you.¡± ¡°I miss you, too.¡± Around 10 pm, after her mom got back from visiting her friends, Alex did what she hadn¡¯t done in a long time: she took out her highlighters and poured a second glass of wine. By 2 am, she was brewing coffee because why the fuck not? What did she have to wake up for? According to her email, nothing. She poured over each line of the work manual, writing notes in the corner in red, highlighting unclear terms, and fine print she had to double-check with Adeline. In green pen, she ranted in the margins. Slowly but surely, the numbers on her computer ticked by until she looked up and it was 4 am. She was two-thirds of the way done, and her eyes were exhausted. She contemplated her notes. There were small things she was concerned about: event requirements at the school, the parent-teacher conference structures, days off, etc., but were all things she could live with. Yet, apprehension stayed. She was missing something big, but what could it be? She closed the manual and took out the contract. Again, there were only a few marks on it here and there, things she planned to discuss with Adeline, but nothing she seriously wanted to change. (Except for workshops during the holidays. She was not missing New Year¡¯s over that). She tapped her fingers before letting out a long sigh that turned into a yawn. Fuck it, she thought, turning to the first page. She grabbed the black pen that had been waiting on the far corner of the table all night and scribbled her signature on five different sheets. She recapped the pen and tossed it away from her, laying back down on the couch with her eyes closed. A weight lifted off of Alex¡¯s shoulders, and she had a feeling her curiosity would be awarded very soon. ¡°I signed the contract,¡± Alex informed her mom a week later. ¡°Sent it a couple of days ago so, mark your calendar. I will finally be out of your hair in about two months.¡± ¡°Aw, man,¡± her mom said. ¡°Just around the time of the finale of Puzzle Maker. The prosecutor finally built the case against Harry.¡± Alex laughed as she wrapped an arm around her mom¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I can come over for that,¡± Alex told her. ¡°I won¡¯t move too far, and I won¡¯t be around to bother you about food or laundry.¡± Her mother threw her head back and laughed dramatically. ¡°I give it a week,¡± she declared. ¡°Hey,¡± Alex frowned. ¡°I¡¯m good at that stuff.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s not the part that¡¯s going to get you,¡± her mom said. ¡°It¡¯s going to be the dishes.¡± Before Alex could refute (lie) about that statement, the doorbell rang. Alex got up immediately. ¡°You¡¯re expecting someone?¡± her mom asked skeptically. ¡°No, no,¡± Alex told her. ¡°The books for my class are being delivered today. Adeline told me they were updating the materials this year, and I asked if I could have them shipped here to start lesson planning. I was sure she would say no because of the privacy policy, but she said it was fine.¡± Alex opened the door and picked up the plain cardboard box with more ease than she anticipated. She raised her eyebrows as she moved it to the kitchen table. She knew there were only a few books for the semester, but they should have a little more weight to them. She used a key to open the box and quickly understood why Adeline wasn¡¯t worried about a privacy violation. ¡°So, what are they reading?¡± her mom asked, joining her. ¡°Shakespeare? Emily Dickinson?¡± ¡°Comic books¡­¡± Alex trailed off, picking up the first book. It was an 80¡¯s Batman comic, the first one in the shallow stack of books. If it can be considered that. Alex didn¡¯t. ¡°Comic books?!¡± Lesson Planning Najama Meets the Galaxy Vol. 4 Issue #47 Page One Panel one: Close up of Najama flipping a card over in her hand. It depicts a lady with a sword surrounded by stars. She¡¯s in a brown hut under low light. Najama [box]: My father told me to be wary of this card. Panel two: Close up of Najama¡¯s face. There¡¯s sweat above her brow, and her eyes look troubled. Panel three: The card from panel one is placed next to four other cards at the end of a row. The row of cards depicts the loss of the sun and a woman gaining a sword. Najama [box]: He said they mean you will gain strength¡­ Panel four: Close up of Najama¡¯s hand, touching a sapphire pendant around her neck. Najama [box]: ¡­but lose something far more precious. Panel five: Wide shot of Najama on the floor looking startled. A door slams open behind her with a dark figure in the doorway. Panel six: A close up of Ronan¡ªa scowling, tall black woman with a curly afro¡ªis revealed as the figure in the doorway. Ronan [bubble]: "Naja, we don¡¯t have time for this." Panel seven: Show a high shot Najama on the floor, looking over her shoulder. Ronan¡¯s shadow cast over her. Her eyes are fierce, and her cards are a disorganized pile in front of her. A couple of cards are out of the row faced up, the disappearing sun, the sword held by a queen. Najama [bubble]: "The stars will make time one way or another."
¡°Oh, you got the books,¡± Adeline said excitedly. ¡°Yes, I was surprised to see the¡­schedule,¡± Alex said. Said schedule had come in the mail a day later, listing the classes Alex would be teaching. She had one freshman class that was general literature, covering topics about Shakespeare, Edgar Allen Poe, and Emily Dickinson. She also had three senior classes, all with the fanciful title Literature 420: Exploration of the Graphic Novel and Epic Tales. Or in laymen¡¯s term, comic books. ¡°Oh, right! I forgot they added the Dark Knight Returns this year,¡± Adeline exclaimed before leaning in. ¡°We¡¯d been begging for that one for years. Try teaching Watchmen. It¡¯s a nightmare for both sides.¡± Adeline laughed as she walked to her office while Alex forced a smile. ¡°I imagine,¡± Alex said politely. ¡°I didn¡¯t know the class had a specific concentration on graphic novels.¡± Alex almost tripped over Adeline when the department head stopped short.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Adeline asked with genuine confusion. ¡°What do¡­I mean¡­¡± Alex motioned generally, but Adeline was unfazed. Alex¡¯s words faltered. She didn¡¯t really have to spell it out, did she? It was obvious! These are high school kids reading about comic books for their literature class! Adeline¡¯s mouth made an ¡°o¡± after a moment. ¡°I see what¡¯s going on,¡± Adeline said. Alex¡¯s shoulders relaxed as Adeline waved her over to a bench in the courtyard. Alex sat down next to her, ready to talk it out. ¡°You¡¯re a Marvel fan, aren¡¯t you?¡± The silence between them was deafening. Alex could do nothing but blink at Adeline for a solid thirty seconds. Then a smile crept over Adeline¡¯s face before she burst out into laughter. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Adeline giggled. ¡°I could not resist. Your face is priceless.¡± Alex didn¡¯t know how to respond, so she settled for saying nothing. Adeline took a deep breath, a couple of leftover snickers spilling out before she spoke again. ¡°I understand why you¡¯re confused,¡± Adeline admitted. ¡°You thought that you would be giving your knowledge of classic literature and probably find it inappropriate to teach them these types of texts. You think it¡¯s lazy, right?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Alex said bluntly, having learned over the past few weeks, it was better to be straightforward with Adeline on her feelings than be polite. Adeline would just coax them out of her anyway. Or make her roll on the grass again, and her bruise just started to heal. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m giving them leisure time.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s the best part; you¡¯re not,¡± Adeline assured her. ¡°With older texts, you can get excellent information and incredible lessons. However, the problem we¡¯ve come across in recent years is that the students are too young to appreciate them. Of course, we¡¯ve had traditional literature classes where they learn the material and analyze it with a few that really getting something out of it. ¡°However, over the years, the enthusiasm¡­wasn¡¯t there, to put it nicely. And we want our students to enjoy what they¡¯re learning so, we thought ''why not give them a medium they already know and enjoy?'' Why not teach them how to analyze what they¡¯re already consuming, really get them to think about what they want from the text they read. The response was a complete 180. I know it¡¯s not something you¡¯re used to, but I think it¡¯ll be good to get out of the ivory tower and put those skills to work in a different setting. Sometimes, it¡¯s best when both sides are learning something new, you know?¡± ¡°I¡­don¡¯t, honestly,¡± Alex admitted. ¡°I know. It¡¯s weird at first,¡± Adeline took Alex¡¯s hands. ¡°but try giving this a chance. I really think you¡¯ll enjoy it.¡± Alex tossed the comic book aside, rubbing for her temples to fight her incoming headache. It was the third comic she read that day and, while she could objectively understand the appeal, she could not for the life of her think of a way she could teach them for more than a couple of lessons. She looked at the Alan Moore comic and scoffed before she pulled the laptop in front of her. She pulled up a lesson plan template she created months ago in anticipation of her first job. She remembered being excited about the first time she would sit and create a lesson for her future students, her first real class. She was so enamored with the thought, agonizing over the format, thinking of what unit she would teach first, how old her kids would be, and how she could change their life with her knowledge. She glared at the books by her side in resentment. She could¡¯ve dealt with teaching a lot of things she didn¡¯t want to read, like Twilight for pop culture lesson or forcing herself through Joseph Conrad for unreliable narrators but this? Alex took a deep breath, closing her eyes. She had to remember that this was not about her personal preferences. This was about her students. If they¡¯re engaged, the class is going to be great, no matter the material. Isn¡¯t that the real point of literature? She didn¡¯t like all the stories she studied, but her teachers taught her the value of them or at least to respect the lessons in them when they disagreed on the quality of the story. She can do this. Alex took a deep breath and rolled her shoulders back. She grabbed the Alan Moore comic with determination along with the textbook about comics that she didn¡¯t know existed a few days ago. She opened both to the beginning and got out her highlighter. ¡°Let¡¯s do this,¡± she murmured to herself and dived right in. Lesson Number One Lesson Plan 1 By Alex Jameson
Date 8/27/XX Time 10:15-11:30
Grade 12 # of Students 20
Lesson Unit 1, Lesson 1 (draft 1) Classroom Building I, Room 13
Time Activity Details Materials
5 mins Warmer Teacher & Class introduction. Board
15 mins Present Time and framework of comics. Students will explore how comics frame stories and use time through paneling and flashbacks. Read and discuss. Textbook page 5. Moreno pages 36-41.
15 mins Apply Have students pair up and discuss how the chapter¡¯s framework affects the reader. Possible discussion questions: ¡¤ What would be the difference if Moreno decided to put the story in chronological order vs. flashbacks? ¡¤ Do the characters affect the time or does time affect the characters? ¡¤ What was Moreno¡¯s aim for his time frames? ¡¤ Why did Moreno choose bad font and font size? Textbook page 5. Moreno page 36-41. Patience.
15 mins Activate Put students into groups to change the timeframes. One does it chronological. One backwards. One zigzag and one random. I mean would it really matter? It doesn¡¯t make sense now and the shit is mostly chronological. Have them discuss for 10 mins before discussing as a class. Ask which format they liked best and why. This will be fun, right? It could be fun.
10 mins Skills I don¡¯t know. A puzzle game? Can I hope they¡¯re super talkative, so I don¡¯t have to do this part? What skills are they learning? A story is weird out of order. If I wanted to show that, I could¡¯ve had them read George Luis-Borges. That would¡¯ve been a challenge. And worthy of a senior class but whatever! Whatever!
10 mins Consolidation/ Bookwork Have them read the chapter three times. Put the story in actual order on a worksheet. Reading time but then they¡¯ll read the whole comic and I still need it for lessons 2-6. Exactly why we go with prose over graphics.
5 mins Closer Read. Write. Do something. Fuck this shit.
Alex walked down 15th street, wishing that another Terraform would crash land and send her to the hospital before work. It was a morbid thought that she was too exhausted to fight it with optimism. Today was the first day of classes at Damien Academy, which meant today was the Doomsday her lesson plans were waiting for, at least for her senior classes. The freshmen were much easier. They had an actual textbook that had lessons about context and Edger Allen Poe in their first two weeks. Planning for them was a breeze, but their class was in the middle of the day, which meant the rest of her time was spent talking about Batman. Yay. Alex held back a sigh as she got in line at Entermezzo, ordering jasmine tea and a blueberry muffin when it was her turn. She needed something that would soothe and reward her for what will inevitably be a disaster. Alex stepped outside and walked to the black car the school provided for her. She stepped inside and let the silence surround her. Questions and doubts swirled in her brain like a bad cocktail. She wished she could be more optimistic and make a somewhat cohesive lesson plan, but it was just too late. She already submitted it to Adeline, who said it was pretty good in her email this morning. After staying up till 3 am working on it, she didn¡¯t have the energy to analyze what ¡°pretty good¡± meant in Adeline language; she just took it for what it was. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Alex swallowed the nervous lump in her throat as the car drove through the school gates. She watched it weave up the stony driveway before stopping. She grabbed the door handle tightly, the chatter of the students creeping into the car from the other side of the window. Some stared at the car curiously while others ran around it without a care. They were just kids. They were sent here to get an education, whether they wanted to be there or not. Make them make the most of it, Alex told herself. You can make them care. You will. She steeled herself for the peering eyes before opening the car door. Stepping onto the campus felt like an energy jolt. There was so much going on, and everything was so bright. People talked and moved without the usual layer of dread or reluctance Alex had gotten used to with schools. There wasn¡¯t a note of desperation in the conversations in the hallway or teachers sighing at the thought of their next class. Most seemed genuinely happy or excited to be there. It was a great pick-me-up to Alex¡¯s overall mood. At least, until she reached her classroom. Then, her mood reverted to its nervous state in an instant. Her class filed in with the usual and expected babble as Alex set her stuff on her desk. She placed the new textbooks on the right, her notes beside them, spare supplies on the far left, and her lesson plan was in the middle for much (much) needed reference. She felt the kids looking at her curiously but ignored them in favor of setting up the blackboard, which doubled as an interactive whiteboard. Or it would as soon as she figured out how to change it. She knew she should¡¯ve gone to the technology workshop two weeks ago, but no. She just had to watch a full season of a French soap opera all day. She checked her watch and saw it was 30 seconds until class started. She gave herself a tiny, mental pep talk before turning around. Alex knew she would never say it out loud, but her students looked good. By that, she meant that all her students looked like they were fresh off a photoshoot or had heavily researched the word ¡°aesthetic¡± before attending her class. She expected typical teenagers¡ªsome put together, some not quite there yet, and most being in between. Her worst-dressed student was the one in that sat awkwardly in the back corner, hunched over with Versace glasses and a lack of confidence. Another surprise: the kids that didn¡¯t seem to care about the class weren¡¯t sitting in the back. They were in the front row, leaving the academic ones on the outskirts. ¡°Good morning,¡± she greeted with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m Ms. Jameson. I¡¯m your teacher for the semester, specifically for Literature 420: Exploration of the Graphic Novel and Epic Tales¡ª ¡± A hand shot up from the front row. ¡°Yes? Oh, please say your name, so I know who you are.¡± ¡°Taylor,¡± the girl said, crossing her lime green jogger-clad legs. ¡°My question is, are you in the habit of stating the obvious? If so, you should know it can lead to the habit of wasting class time.¡± Alex was taken aback by the audacity and had to catch herself before she could react, ignoring the few teeters around the room. Alex cleared her throat to get the class¡¯ attention, thinking quickly on her feet when she noticed a student scrambling in the back. ¡°I say this to introduce myself and give everyone a chance to see if they¡¯re in the right class." Alex made up the excuse quickly as she spotted a student get up and try to leave the room subtly. ¡°Excuse me, sir,¡± Alex called, causing him to freeze by the door. ¡°Um¡­yes?¡± he asked hesitantly. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± she asked. ¡°Kyle,¡± he answered, his cheeks becoming a bit pink. ¡°I don¡¯t have your class till one. Sorry.¡± She smiled kindly at him. ¡°Then, I will see you at one,¡± she told him. ¡°Have a good class.¡± Kyle nodded quickly before hurrying out. Alex turned back to Taylor, who had a small pout on her face from being one-upped. ¡°Does that answer your question?¡± Alex added, almost cheeky. Taylor smiled sarcastically. ¡°Sure,¡± she replied. ¡°Good,¡± Alex said, relieved by the recovery and gaining a bit of confidence with it. ¡°As I was saying, while I am new to this school, I¡¯m not new to teaching. I¡¯ve taught domestically and abroad for the last five years. I¡¯ve studied literature from around the world, and am I excited to share as much knowledge as I can. I also look forward to learning about all of you. But before we do that, I¡¯m going to pass out your textbook.¡± Alex grabbed a stack of new textbooks and started to pass them out. ¡°Put your name in the front,¡± Alex instructed. ¡°If you do not receive a textbook today, you will receive one next class. You can ask to share with one of your peers today¡ª¡± Alex jumped at the sound of her door banging open, dropping the books. She almost slipped but managed to catch herself on one of the students¡¯ desks. Laughter broke out around her while the student who¡¯s desk she clutched, looked at her with concern. She gave him a small smile before turning her attention to the disturbance. A boy with shades strode in confidently to the empty seat in the second row. He dropped his bag loudly before plopping down in the desk. Alex looked from the opened door to him to the clock and back to him. He was seven minutes late. The school had a grace period of five minutes in the first week, but with the way he entered, she highly doubted he cared. Murmuring broke out as Alex picked up the books before closing the classroom door. She made her way over to the student¡¯s desk, standing over him. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± she asked. ¡°Excuse me?¡± the student asked indignantly, looking up from his phone. He looked at her for a moment before saying, ¡°Ah, you¡¯re new.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re late,¡± she followed up. ¡°Do you have an excuse?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± he said. ¡°Didn¡¯t want to be here, but the cable in my room is broken, so why not go to class?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate your tardiness,¡± Alex replied, refusing to acknowledge his blatant disrespect. She couldn¡¯t stoop to his level. ¡°The next time you¡¯re late, I¡¯ll need a valid excuse, or you cannot come in.¡± ¡°Oh, is that a threat or a promise?¡± he said with a smirk. ¡°It¡¯s your grade,¡± Alex snapped. ¡°And take your shades off in my classroom. It, like you at this moment, is rude.¡± ¡°Sure, it is,¡± he said with an infuriating smirk. ¡°But you don¡¯t know me yet. It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll catch on.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± she replied incredulously. The kid chuckled before taking off his glasses. ¡°My name is Lance,¡± he introduced. ¡°I¡¯m kind of a big deal.¡± Alex rechecked the time. Thirteen minutes and she already had her first problem student. Wonderful.
¡°How was class?¡± Adeline asked when Alex retreated to the Spire for lunch. They were serving organic chicken sandwiches and Caesar salad for lunch in the lobby with free coffee and juice. It was a nice surprise and would definitely pair well with the blueberry muffin she desperately needed at that moment. ¡°It was okay,¡± Alex said, her smile a bit strained. She wasn¡¯t really lying. She was able to teach her class, reach all the objectives and keep order (for the most part) but she couldn¡¯t ignore the painfully bored expression of her students. Nor get them to talk as much as she hoped. It was hard on both sides, and she wasn¡¯t sure who was watched the clock more. She also couldn¡¯t ignore how many times they pulled out their phone when they thought she wasn¡¯t looking or how often she pretended she didn¡¯t. ¡°Okay, okay. Do not worry,¡± Adeline said. ¡°The first class is usually the hardest. You got it out the way, so now you know what to look for. I¡¯m sure you did fine.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Alex said. Adeline smiled and was about to head to her office when Alex remembered another concern. ¡°Adeline, wait,¡± she called. ¡°I need to talk to you about one of my students. His name is Lance and¡­¡± Alex trailed off when Adeline¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°Oh no,¡± Adeline said. ¡°What?¡± Alex asked, a seed of worry growing in her stomach. Adeline sighed before motioning for Alex to follow her. She led her to a table nearby. ¡°I was hoping Lance wouldn¡¯t be in your class,¡± Adeline told her. ¡°He¡¯s not supposed to be, but I¡¯m sure someone found a loophole in the system.¡± Adeline sighed once more before facing Alex. ¡°Yes, he is a problem student. He¡¯s been one since freshman year.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Well, he¡¯s the type to let his family name feed his ego. Not to mention, his father doesn¡¯t discourage it,¡± Adeline explained. ¡°So, he¡¯s top of the food chain, huh?¡± Alex said. Adeline nodded in agreement. ¡°Since he doesn¡¯t harm anyone and gets good grades, there¡¯s little that can be done other than a class warning, unfortunately,¡± Adeline said. ¡°I doubt you can change his attitude.¡± ¡°He made it sound like I couldn¡¯t do anything to him at all,¡± Alex told her. ¡°Can I? I mean, there¡¯s no donation conflict or anything like that, right?¡± ¡°Oh, no, not at all. Actions can be taken,¡± Adeline reassured her. ¡°And you have every right to do so within the school policy.¡± ¡°Has no one disciplined him before?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adeline confessed with a sigh. ¡°Whether out of respect for his father or fear of losing their job, many teachers let Lance take advantage of the classroom. No matter how much I¡¯ve insisted otherwise, it¡¯s been unavoidable. I haven''t figured out why.¡± Adeline took her hand and stared her down. ¡°If there¡¯s a problem with Lance at all, please come directly to me. I will handle it, and I am so sorry. I was hoping this wouldn¡¯t be something you would have to deal with it.¡± Alex started feeling concerned¡ªwhat could this kid do? ¡ªbefore remembering that he was just a spoiled brat. She would be damned if a brat stopped her from doing her job. Alex gripped Adeline¡¯s hand with confidence. ¡°It¡¯s no problem,¡± Alex told her. ¡°I can handle him. He¡¯s rude, but I won¡¯t let it get to me. I can¡¯t kick him out just because he¡¯s a smart mouth.¡± ¡°True,¡± Adeline said. ¡°Otherwise, half the student body would be suspended. I mean, have you met these kids? The complex.¡± Adeline grimaced exaggeratedly, making Alex laugh and hope she was right about the first class being the worst.