Parker's Story Ch. 01: Parker's First Day

I can't do it. I can't. Oh god, this was such a bad idea. Parker stood in the small staff parking lot and leaned against her car, shivering. The sun hadn't yet risen and there was a surprisingly stiff breeze winding its way between the buildings. Ruwake High School loomed over her and she dug around in her purse, grabbing her pack of smokes and her lighter. She'd been trying to quit for two years but failed every day, and today was no different. Except it was—she was starting her first job as an official, licensed teacher. If there was ever a reason to smoke, that was it.

She'd graduated three months earlier and the day she got that diploma in the mail, she'd known the last four years had been a terrible idea. Parker had never even wanted to be a teacher but having only a fine arts degree wasn't cutting it anymore, and teaching art was the only other idea she had. Raising shaking fingers to her lips, she inhaled the smoke and relished the familiar burning in her throat.

"I can do this. I can." She stared around the parking lot. The other staff members would be arriving soon, and not long after the buses and student cars would start rolling in. Parker didn't want them to see her for the first time while she was sweating profusely and breaking the no-smoking rule. She dropped the cigarette and smashed it with the toe of her sneaker, glad that art teachers had more lax rules about wardrobe. She probably wouldn't have been able to make it through her first day confined to heels and dress pants. While she'd been doing her student teaching in college, she'd been mistaken for a student dozens of times, even with her visitor badge.

Parker had been inside Ruwake High three times: the first time to meet with the principal for her interview, the second time to attend a teacher's meeting a few weeks before the end of summer break, and the third time to decorate her classroom. There were two art rooms connected by a private hallway and she was teaching in the upper-level one, where the introductory art classes were held. The other art room had the kiln and throwing wheels, while hers had only tables.

She went into her new room for the fourth time, clicking the lights on as she went. The sky was starting to lighten and butterflies came to life inside her stomach: the school buses would be rolling in soon and she'd actually have to start teaching. By herself. With actual students. Parker straightened her cardigan nervously and leaned against the railing that overlooked the student desks.

"I'm ready for this. It'll be fine. They won't hate you, you'll be fine." She continued mumbling to herself and straightening the papers on her desk until the sun rose above the bushes on her right, where a line of floor-to-ceiling windows showed the front entrance to the school. There was a squeaking sound and she looked over to see the first school buses rolling to a stop, students spilling out and quickly filling up the courtyard. "I'm ready."

Fifteen minutes later a bell rang so loudly that Parker jumped a little in her seat, immediately embarrassing her. The courtyard outside began to slowly drain of students and she turned her chair around toward the door to her classroom. When the first student came in—a nervous freshman, by the look of her—Parker smiled nervously.

"Hello, you're the first one to arrive. Go ahead and pick a seat wherever." The girl nodded, keeping her head down, and slid into the closest seat. More freshmen trickled in and when the second bell rang, her room was three-quarters of the way full. Parker let them all chat for a few minutes while she collected herself. Her nerves had grown with every seat filled, until she was itching for another cigarette. Knowing she couldn't put it off any longer she rose and went to the railing, looking down at her students. I'm the teacher. I can do this. She swallowed and cleared her throat loudly, waiting for all eyes to fall on her.

"Alright guys, settle down. I know it's the first day back from vacation and there's a lot to talk about, but it can wait. You all probably know that I'm new here so let me be the first to introduce myself. I'm Parker Burrows. You can call me Burrows or Ms. Burrows, whichever you're more comfortable with. I graduated in May from the University of Oregon with a bachelor's in fine arts and another in secondary education. Over the summer I got this job, I did a little bit of traveling, and I adopted a dog named Cerberus.

"Now it's your turn. I know nobody likes introductions but let's be honest, everyone likes talking about themselves—f" there was a chuckle from the class and Parker relaxed a little "—and I'd definitely like to get to know you guys a little better. Starting with you and going clockwise, tell us your name and something you did over the summer." She pointed to the girl who'd shown up first. As the students one by one introduced themselves, Parker loosened up and realized she could do this. Public speaking wasn't one of her strong points, and people had found it odd that she'd been studying to be a teacher, but she'd stuck with it.

Maybe I really can do this, she thought to herself as the last student finished. Parker clapped her hands together once and nodded. "Alright, great. Now that we know each other a little better, let's get started."

***

The last class ended at 3:20 and as soon as the final student walked out, Parker breathed a sigh of relief. She'd done it. Her first day was behind her and she'd made it through alive. Collapsing down on her desk, she smiled. Though her classes had mostly just been introductions and she'd spent her lunch break hiding in her classroom, she was feeling optimistic. Smiling, she grabbed her purse and waited for the last school bus to pull away from the curb before turning all of the lights off and going out into the hallway.

As soon as she was in the parking lot she lit a cigarette, fingers less shaky than they'd been that morning. She knew she wasn't out of the wood yet and the actual teaching hadn't even started, but she didn't care. Walking to her car, Parker thought that maybe—just maybe—the last four years in college hadn't been a complete waste of time.

"Breaking the law on your first day?" Parker froze, the damning cigarette between her lips. Please god, don't be the principal, was her first thought before she remembered she was a teacher, not a student caught in the act. Scolding herself, she turned around with her head raised high.

Whoever he was, he definitely wasn't the principal. He was wearing an apron covered in multicolored splotches, as were the top half of his jeans, for one thing. Underneath the green apron was a loose gray t-shirt. His shaggy brown hair brushed his shoulders and rebellious strands fell in front of his eyes. The look on his face wasn't annoyance or disdain, it was amusement.

"You're not the principal," Parker blurted. The man smirked.

"Of course not." He plucked the cigarette from between her lips with nimble fingers and took a long drag while she stared. "You don't remember me, do you?"

"Remember you? Um . . ." She raked her eyes up and down his form. "You're obviously the other art teacher, but I don't think we've met."

"We did. Teacher's meeting, back row, you tripped over my shoe."

"I wouldn't call tripping over you meeting you, but whatever. Give me back my cigarette." He took another pull, studying her.

"I can't. It's against the rules." Parker rolled her eyes and fished her pack and lighter out of her purse. She put the cigarette in her mouth and was about to light it when it disappeared from between her lips, like the first.

"What the hell!" The other teacher raised his free hand, her second unlit cigarette dangling from his fingertips. She reached for it but he was too fast and she grabbed nothing but air. "I'm glad to see the teachers are just as mature as the students here. It's great." Parker turned away and started marching toward her car again, her happy first-day-behind-her feelings gone. Footsteps behind her indicated that he was following her but she ignored him.

"Alright, alright. Calm down. Here." He sped up and handed her unlit cigarette, still smirking. "I'm Grayson by the way."

"Good for you." She took her cigarette and unlocked her car, throwing her purse into the passenger's seat before getting in. Grayson closed her door for her and she went back to ignoring him, throwing the car in reverse and speeding away. In her rear view mirror she could see Grayson waving to her.