Not Joel and not the three best friends who I wish were more than voices from the great cyber beyond.
When my phone chimes again, I ignore it, especially when I glance at the clock and see that there’s only five minutes left before the bell rings. I barely hold in my grimace at how fucking loud that bell will be. I’m already dreading it.
“Does anyone have any questions?”
Chad pipes up from the back, “Are there really going to be essay questions on the test?” He grumbles, “I hate the essay questions.”
I can’t help but giggle. He might hate the essay questions, but it’s only because he wants to rush through it. When he slows down and lets himself think through his answers, they’re some of the best in the class.
I nod slowly, my voice placating. “There will be.” I shrug, but I’m not apologetic at all, “What would English class be without essays?”
He grumbles something I don’t quite catch making me shake my head in admonishment. If he thinks a little pouting is going to change his fate, then he’s got a rude awakening coming.
“Sorry?” I grin at him, showing him I’m not sorry at all. “Remember the key to the essay portions are to read the text more than once and then take a moment to let it sink in. Don’t rush through it.” I cut my eyes at him, and he has the wherewithal to look a little sheepish. “Remember to make a cohesive thesis statement, outlying what you’re going to expand on to prove your assertion in response to whatever the question is asking.”
We go over a few more tips and tricks around the essay section of the test. I want them to succeed. I want them to pass my class. I want them to love reading.
It’s always been such a big escape for me, and I want my students to all find a love of reading in my class. It’s more than a respect for the written word I try and teach them. My hope for each of them is that they find a place to escape—a whole world that they can get lost in over and over again.
That’s what reading is for me, and I hope it can be the same for them.
When the bell rings, I jump slightly, my head starting to pound with more voracity even though it had settled down as I was intent on my students. I groan, hoping I can get through the rest of the day.
I check my phone again between classes, feeling that pull, the need to find out what else Cy said to me.
CYCLOPS: If you’d let me, I’d give you the whole fucking world on a platter, little mermaid. We all would. You just need to let us prove it to you. Which is why you’re meeting us Friday night. 7pm. Map Room.
Well. Huh.
That’s an interesting development. Is it a date? Is it just, finally, meeting up with these friends?
I should be afraid. I should be nervous. I’m not.
Excitement fills me and I can’t wait to meet them. I wonder if they’re going to be everything I imagine them to be. Joel’s voice rings through my head talking about checking me off his bucket list and I cringe.
I can meet these guys, finally put some faces to the voices, but it’s not going to be anything more than that. It can’t; for so many reasons.
Let’s not even mention there are three of them. I almost cackle as the warning bell rings and students start to fly into my room and take their seats. It’s just me finally meeting friends.
It couldn’t ever be anything more than that.