An hour after the last bell rang, I saved my work and shut my laptop with a satisfying click, gathering my bag and keys, giving my empty classroom one final look before deciding it was late enough to leave for the day.
The halls were deserted now, quiet except for the few remaining teachers and janitorial staff, my footsteps echoing loudly as I headed down the hall toward freedom. I took a shortcut through the cavernous gym where state championship pennants hung along the walls, as well as handmade posters sporting the names and numbers of senior athletes.
As a first year English teacher, I could only pick out the newest names from this year's classes, but some of them were already memorable.
I was almost to the locker rooms, intending to leave through the door at the back of the girls locker room when a sound made me pause.
Clapping?
Head tilted, I listened carefully. If someone was still in here I would have to escort them out. Students were not allowed on the premises if they weren't participating in an after school activity. And there were none scheduled today.
Cautiously, I took another step closer as the sound picked up speed, followed by... someone moaned.
"God dammit," I muttered, fighting a wave of embarrassment as I tried to decide if it would be more awkward for me to interrupt the couple or wait until they reappeared from their tryst. It only took a minute to decide I couldn't wait around forever for them to finish. That would be almost voyeuristic and definitely far more inappropriate. Besides, I had to guarantee they left the school grounds. They could finish their business anywhere else except here.
Bracing myself with a deep breath, trying to find that sense of authority I usually only felt in my classroom, I took a single step toward the boys locker room, faltering only slightly as I heard what I knew to be a girl now, moan louder this time.
"You're the adult. Tell them to get dressed and get out. That's all you have to do. Don't even look at them."
Despite my pep talk, my steps slowed and I realized I was holding my breath until I jumped when the door shut with a bang behind me.
Hoping the noise would startle the pair into jumping apart and dressing, I was more than disappointed when I could still hear the rhythmic sounds coming from deeper within.
It only took a couple more steps for me to be able to see the pair, and despite my pep talk just seconds before, I stood, staring as I took in the scene, my bag falling from my limp arms in a loud clatter, spilling detritus across the locker room floor.
A petite girl, was on all fours on the bench, the skirt of her cheerleading uniform shoved up around her hips, a large hand gripping her blonde ponytail. One glance at the shirtless male thrusting behind the girl, gym shorts around his knees and I had an id for the couple, both of which were students of mine, seniors, albeit in different periods.
"Chris, Maci, get out of here." My voice came out in a croak but it was loud enough to make the girl shriek, hands flying behind her to cover herself. Her frantic movements made Chris let go of her as she shoved her skirt into place, scooped up her bag, and bolted out the door.
Chris made no move to cover himself as he turned and gave me the same smirk I received every time he entered my third period class. "Enjoy the show?"
I kept my eyes firmly on the wall of lockers behind him, a blush heating my cheeks as I snapped, "Get dressed and get out. You of all people should know the rules!"
Popular, charming, one of the star football players, the rules hardly applied to him and it showed in the indolent way I feel him staring at me, how I could feel him watch as I taught every day, doing my best to keep his antics to a minimum. But he was the type that grew bored easily, entertaining himself whichever way appealed to him. Judging by today's stunt, this was his latest in his long line of antics.
"Did you enjoy the show?" he drawled, lazily stretching his arms, the movement just barely visible in my peripheral vision. "If you kept quiet for another, oh, five minutes, it would've been a spectacular ending."
"Get. Dressed." I snapped, remembering just in time to not look at him. "Or my next call is to the principal. After hearing about a stunt like this, you'll be benched the rest of the season."
There. That should get his attention. Sports were the only aspect of the day I'd ever seen him focus seriously on. Not even the endless parade of girls he walked down the halls kept his attention for long.
