i'd walk through fire for you

(put the girls first so that they can all interact as they’re heading to the teacher’s lounge!)

River had arrived at the school that morning with Sasha, as she had most mornings every year before, and she’d gone to her locker to put her things away so they could meet with the others and head to the teacher’s lounge. “I’m already ready for classes to be over today,” she said, making a face at Sasha as they walked to the others, “And the day hasn’t even begun yet.” She offered an amused look to Sasha, somebody River considered as practically a sister. She’d spent more days and nights at Sasha’s home than she ever had her own, Sasha’s parents having practically raised her except when her parents came around, throwing bitch fits. Shaking her head with the thought, she approached the others. “We all ready to go?” Certain they were, since they seemed to just be chatting, she turned to lead the way.

Amara put most of the candy she’d brought to school in her locker, leaving only a mixed bag of candy in her backpack, and she’d joined with the other girls, making a slight face when River and Sasha finally joined them. “Yes, please,” she quickly said, not missing a beat before adding, “I’m in desperate need of my morning sugar rush.” She looked to the others, hoping they were all on board, but she knew they’d all dealt with their morning rituals of visiting their lockers and putting what they need inside. Leaning against her locker, she perked up when River didn’t even wait for answers, and she quickly moved to follow, eager to get her hands on the typical morning donuts the teachers stashed in the teacher’s lounge.

Elaine offered an amused look to her friends, rolling her eyes playfully. “Everybody seems so eager to get going, might as well join the crew,” she joked lightly, looking to Ruby and Maura, arching a brow before she pushed away from her own locker to follow. “Hopefully things will be pretty simple today, since it’s the first day back.” And, after the way her mother had treated her father on the phone this morning, Elaine craved an easy day, one without drama and issues, because she knew once she got home, that’s all she’d have to occupy her there. Her mother always put her on edge, though; it was nothing new. Sighing with the thought, she lifted her head, focusing ahead to try to get her mind off it.

Michael grinned as he leaned against the counter where everything was held in the teacher’s lounge, waiting on his coffee to brew as he listened to his friends. He, Calum, Ashton, and Luke had all gotten their dream jobs here, each relishing in the opportunity to teach and encourage the students they would be teaching. “Nervous, lads?” he asked a little teasingly, leaning to fix his coffee up once it had finished brewing, lifting it to his lips to take a sip, only looking back to his friends once he was satisfied with the taste. “You look like you might piss yourself, Luke.” He smirked teasingly, playfully, to his friend, though he honestly had no clue if Luke actually looked like that - Luke was just an easier target, in Michael’s opinion. He watched the others for a moment, eventually arching a brow. “Think any of us stand a chance of surviving the day?”

Calum scoffed jokingly in response to Michael’s teasing, rolling his eyes. For a moment, he debated on not even entertaining Michael, aware it would just serve to encourage Michael more, but he decided he might as well bite. “I’m not. More excited than anything,” he said with amusement, lifting his shoulders in a shrug as he watched his friends, his eyes searching theirs and their expressions for any telltale signs of nervousness on them. “You know, I think if you have to ask if anybody else is nervous, it must mean you’re the one who’s nervous.” He smirked to Michael, decided that shooting back would serve for nice entertainment. “Validation and whatnot.” Seeing that Michael was done with the coffee, he moved to make himself a cup and hummed in thought. “No way. These high schoolers are gonna murder us by the end of the day and put it up on YouTube.”

Louis walked into the teacher’s lounge with Harry, shaking his head slightly as he overheard the tail-end of what Calum said, offering an amused look. “Don’t be a coward, mate,” he teased lightly as he joined the others with Harry. He hadn’t known the four for too long, but he’d known Harry for years - and, either way, he felt comfortable enough with all of them, each of them, to be able to make an entrance with a joke, and he grinned with the thought as he watched them. “You lads look like you’re two seconds from shaking in your shoes.” They didn’t - but a part of him was almost certain that, if they got teased about it, maybe they might start doing so. It amused him regardless, and he was sure they could all use a little amusement this early in the day. “What are you lads each teaching, anyway?”

Sasha readjusted her bag over her shoulder as she listened contently to River, a smile tugging at her lips as she saw the face River pulled. "Oh, come on." Sasha laughed. "Be positive!" Sasha bumped River with her hip jokingly, knowing that with River, she could be herself without judgement, the two practically like sisters at this point rather than best friends. Wrapping an arm around River's shoulders, Sasha tugged her unsuspecting victim to her side. "Besides, the day is gonna start with a coffee, that's the best headstart we can get." Sasha pointed out with a grin, before greeting the others. "Good morning, ladies." Sasha said in a sing-song voice, happy to be reunited with her closest girls. "Ready for a brand new day?" She sent an amused look to River then.

Ruby leaned against the lockers, watching Amara with amusement. "Jesus, Amara." She laughed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "How are you not diabetic?" She teased, poking Amara's side teasingly. When River and Sasha caught up to them, Ruby lifted herself from the lockers, flipping her hair over her shoulders. "If I don't get my caffeine soon, I'll kill a freshman." She grinned. "And if Amara doesn't get sugar soon, she's gonna do it for me. C'mon, let's go." And following River's lead, Ruby caught up to her with a smile. "Hey, I usually walk home with you and Sasha, but I'm gonna stay behind for track running today, so don't wait behind. I've heard we have a few new teachers, so this semester is gonna be fun." Ruby grinned.

Maura looked up from her phone with a grin, amused by her friends. "Hopefully no one," Maura looked to Ruby then. "Sasses a teacher so much they feel the need to resign." Maura grinned. "But you know what? I think today's gonna be a good day." Maura smiled, wrapping an arm around Amara and Elaine respectively. "I feel it in my bones!" She giggled, squeezing around her friends. "And! My schedule is looking pretty solid too, so who knows? This year might be the best one yet." Maura smiled, pulling away from her friends before looking back down at her phone, putting it on silent for the day ahead, having been warned by her mother that she had to take this semester seriously otherwise there would be trouble.

Luke took a sip of his coffee, grateful for the warmth it provided and the energy boost that he was so sure he was going to need, because today was his first day of teaching. Luke was still unsure of how he managed to get his dream job, but he wasn't one to tempt fate and decided to enjoy it all as it came, because he'd worked damn hard to get to this point. "Shut the fuck up, Mikey." Luke laughed, leaning against the counter. "You look about the same mate, you sure you aren't going to run down the hall crying?" Luke jabbed in return, taking another sip of his coffee. "I think we'll survive, just... barely." Luke grinned then. "I think the one who has a decent chance of getting out of here alive is Ashton." Hearing Louis' question though, Luke grinned. "History, obviously."

Ashton had taken a doughnut from one of the boxes that lay open on the table, and he had to admit to himself, a jam doughnut was just what was needed to start a new teaching job, on the first day of the new semester. "Aw, thank you, Luke!" Ashton grinned then, ignoring Michael's teasing completely. "I'm pretty hyped, I have to admit." Ashton shrugged, taking a bite of his doughnut, taking the moment to listen to the banter between his friend group, almost choking with Calum's words. "On YouTube is not where I wanted my death to go, but hey, I'll accept it." Ashton grinned. "Make me one mate, will you please?" He asked Calum. "Honestly, we've worked hard to get here lads, so we might as well love every moment, make it count, all of that inspirational stuff." Ashton finished his doughnut in another large mouthful. "I'm excited to see what the students are like. I'm teaching Art, you know, the coolest of the subjects. What about you lot?"

Harry closed the door behind himself and Louis as he listened to the conversation, a dimpled grin forming on his features. "Oh, come on, you lot," Harry laughed. "Don't be so dramatic, a little faith and all that. High schoolers aren't that bad." And Harry knew that was a complete and utter lie, but hey, he'd do anything to tease his friends. "The students might shock you and be completely angelic." Going to make a coffee, Harry listened to the rest of the conversation with a grin, stirring in a spoonful of sugar to give himself an extra boost. Taking a sip, Harry let out a noise of satisfaction before joining his friends again.

River made a face at Sasha’s words, amused and she shook her head. “Never ready for a brand new day,” she said easily, snorting quietly, “I just hope it ends quickly.” But, at the very least, they basically ruled the school at this point, which made things pretty easy for them overall. Hearing Ruby’s words, though, she blinked, looking over, and offered a small smile, nodding slightly in understanding. “That’s okay. Good luck with track and everything.” She wanted to encourage her friends, after all, and she didn’t want to hold any of them back. But, she blinked when she heard Maura. “Oh?” she asked, looking over “What classes do you have, then?”

Amara grinned as she heard Sasha speak and she looked over. “Caramel coffee?” she asked, craving the sweet flavor, craving the sugar in general. She really couldn’t help it. And, hearing Ruby, she made a playful face over at her friend. “I would never kill a freshman! I’ll just leave that to River.” She grinned playfully, but hummed as she looked ahead, looking forward to seeing how the day played out, hopeful that it would go well. Looking ahead, she couldn’t help but skip ahead a bit, grinning back at her friends. “Come on, slow pokes! Sugar awaits!”

Elaine offered an amused look as she listened to her friends and she shook her head slightly. “Alright, let’s go get the caffeine,” she said with amusement, focusing ahead as they walked, determined to try to enjoy the day, to try to look forward to the school year. She tried to keep Maura’s words in mind, tried to believe that this year would be the best one yet, but she figured they’d just have to wait and see. Either way, she grinned over at her friends. “Who would have thought you lot would be this excited about school?”

Michael snorted quietly when he heard Luke’s words and he shook his head slightly. “I’m definitely not gonna shut up you know this,” he said with amusement, smirking over at his friend before rolling his eyes. “I would never run down the hall, crying. I’m certain I’ll survive longer than any of you.” He grinned, though he could admit he really was nervous. He wanted to be a good teacher, he wanted to make sure his students enjoyed his lessons, he wanted to make sure that he taught them well. He offered an amused look at Ashton, though. “Of course you’re hyped. You might as well be a high schooler.” He grinned playfully but shook his head to Harry. “Have you seen high schoolers? Definitely not angelic.”

Calum looked over when he heard Ashton’s request, and he offered an amused look. “I guess I can do you this single favor to start the day,” he teased lightly before he nodded and went to the coffee machine to make Ashton a cup of coffee. “You’re in charge of putting sugar and whatever else you want into it, though.” In the meantime, he listened to his friends, shaking his head slightly, amused by all of them, unable to help it. His friends always provided a sense of amusement, after all, and he knew that they’d at least make the year interesting. And, at the very least, at least they all had each other, no matter how crazy this whole teaching thing ended up being.

Louis laughed as he listened to his friends and he grinned slightly. “Come on, you lot, at least put on a brave face,” he teased lightly, shaking his head. “It’ll be great you’ll see. Just gotta believe in yourself and your students.” He hoped that would make things easier for all of them. More than anything, he didn’t want to have any doubts or pessimistic thoughts when he stepped into the classroom to start teaching today. No, he wanted to start today on a positive, optimistic note, and he refused to let the others’ concerns trouble him or distract him from his goal. “We can do this. This is the path we chose, after all. Can’t start having doubts now that we’re finally here.”