Lessons Learned

I yawned. Was school always so boring? I promised myself that when I became an actual teacher, I'd make my students have fun and want to go to school.

The bell rang, and one class exited the room as another entered.

Nothing much happened, same as the last classes; I was introduced, stared at like some new kind of toy, and then Mr. Mark Bachman got down to business and started instructing.

There was something interesting in this class though...or should I say someone. Moments after I was introduced, the gaze of one boy met my own and he seemed to not stop looking at me all class long.

He thought he was being sneaky of course, just glancing at me out of the corner of his eye between the notebook he pretended to write in and the board.

While I must admit, I always loved it when I caught someone staring at me, (e honest, it's flattering) I was slightly unnerved that it was a male student.

I am straight. I have a girlfriend who actually is another teaching assistant, and while I care for her very much, we've been having....differences of opinions on everything some things.

That's besides the point, what I was trying to say, is that I am pro-love I guess. I think that love is love, no matter which form it comes in, but I've never considered myself to be one of those people.

I sighed as I realized all the kids had left and it was lunch time already.

"So," I said to Mark, "tell me about the students in this class." I said, just to make conversation, and started listening as I kept thinking, but one name seemed to resonate within me. "Wait, what'd you say about uh...Parker, was it?" I asked.

"Well, he's kind of the class clown. He knows just how to make everyone laugh, but....he never seems to be truly happy himself." He said, and I tilted my head sideways slightly as I sipped at my Gatorade and bit into my apple. Stereotype proved.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah," Mark continued, "That could be explained from his home life though...." He cut himself off, and recognizing it as a touchy subject, I let it drop, but couldn't get the boy out of my mind. Somehow, I just knew that he was the one who was staring at me earlier today. It was just some kind of gut instinct.

Just as Mark was about to continue onto a new topic, my girlfriend, Hallie walked in.

"Hey, Vias." She cooed at me and sat beside me.

"Hello Hallie." I said, and introduced her. "Mark, this is Hallie, my girlfriend. She's got an internship under Mrs. Rosa Tyler." I explained, and Mark nodded, smiling as he continued eating.

"It's nice to meet you." He said once he swallowed the bit of salad he was eating as I just kind of zoned out as my girlfriend started talking about one thing or another.

My thoughts were still on Parker.