Chapter 4

"Good morning, Ms. Martinez!" A few of my students shout outside as they line up outside the classroom door. They were extra happy for today's award assembly and the fun Friday activities I had planned for the last hour of class. Otherwise, I would often be greeted with a casual yawn and a sassy attitude.

"Good morning." I smile, pulling out the classroom roster as I check off each student entering the classroom. I noticed a few were gone.

"Did everyone do their homework last night?" I ask, watching them sit down in their assigned seats as they get settled. Sounds of pencil pouches and school supplies clashing fill the room. Those sounds comforted me in some way.

They respond with mainly yes, with the occasional few replying with a no. One student, in particular, handed me a crinkled-up letter from his mother.

"Thank you, Felix," I say to him. "Did you find the practice sheets I gave you to be helpful?"

"I did." He nods.

"Great! Soon enough, you'll ace next week's test." I tell him.

"It's next week?" His eyes widen.

"It is." I nod. "Don't worry, we'll be reviewing today, and you have the weekend to practice. Go ahead and pull out your worksheets."

"Yes, Ms. Martinez." He says, sprinting to his desk.

I take the student's letter, swiftly reading it to myself, breaking down the cursive writing. When I'm finished, I lock it inside my teacher's desk where all my important documents are usually in. Most of which are other letters I've received from other parents and future lesson plans. I make a mental note to myself and continue my class as normal.

"Any other questions?" I ask, standing in front of the classroom and scanning my eyes for any raised hands.

"Yes, Chelsea?"

"Will the test be hard?"

"Only if you don't study for it," I reply. "I'm sure you'll do fine. You all will. As long as you remember what we did today, you all should be getting A's. If not, you can always re-take it as many times."

"Thank god." I hear Chelsea whisper under her breath.

Mid-lesson, the phone rings, and I answer it.

"Class 305, this is Ms. Martinez speaking."

"Hello Stephanie, we have a visitor here in the front office."

"For which of my students?" I inquire, peering around my classroom, monitoring my students for any anticipated signs of an early release.

"It's for you."

"Oh. For me?" I ask, apprehensive. Usually, it's never good when I receive visitors. The last time Beth came to my work, she told me she let in a raccoon in our apartment.

"Yes, his name is Leonardo Vasquez. Do you know him?" Lorenza questions, her voice toned to a higher note.

I was tempted to tell her no and insist on calling the police on him.

"Yes. He's an old acquaintance of mine." I shut down her assumptions.

"Acquaintance, huh." I could feel her smirking on the other end of the line. Knowing her, I could already feel the tea starting to churn and boil in the teacher's lounge.

"Yes. An acquaintance. Can you please tell him so I may resume my attention to the students?"

"Of course. Please hold." She mutes her line, leaving me with the anticipation of silence. I didn't realize it at first, but while I waited, the fingertips of my nails dug into the plastic of the phone. I could only imagine what type of discussion she may be having with Leo. She could be fishing for my details about him for all I know. If it wasn't for me teaching mid-lesson, I would've gone down there and dealt with him myself.

"Ms. Martinez."

"Hi, sorry, yes?"

"I told him you were currently teaching and should be available during lunch."

"Very well."

"Bye, Ms. Martinez," she says, with a suggestive, flirtatious tone.

"Bye, Mrs. Lorenza." I hang up the phone and resume to my students. They all eye me as they usually would with calls every now and then.

"No one is going home," I tell them.

They resumed back to their activities, and I slouched back into my cushioned chair and continued our math lesson until it was time to exit the classroom.