Back to School

4/4/2013 12:12 AM

It had been years since I had walked through the halls of the old high school. Looking around it looked like nothing had changed since I went to school there. It had been 14 years since I left the doors. I did not know what I wanted to be when I left the school. It was not until I took a course that required me to do a placement at a school that I knew that I wanted to be a teacher. After college I started teaching at a school in L.A., this is where I met and married Sam about 2 years later.
It was not too long after we were married that we found out that the reason Sam was always tired and sick was from. The words rang out loud like someone hitting a big bell over and over again. "Stage 4" brain cancer, this hit me like a ton of bricks. The cancer was in a spot that could not be operated on. We made the next 6 months the best we could.
It was on November 11, 2010 that we said our final goodbyes. I leaned in to kiss him for the last time.
He was very weak but he managed to whisper to me "I love you, always have and always will".
"I love you too" I whispered back and that was it he was gone.
I did not know what to do with myself. For the last 2 and years Sam was there for me. When I was upset and something made me mad he was there with open arms to make me feel better.
Now he was gone, I did not want to go to work but I forced myself to go. The principal of the school I worked at suggested that I transfer to another school. While I was looking I noticed that my old high school was looking for a history teacher. I did do a minor in History in college. I took a chance and applied. When I was told I had the job I called my mom and dad to ask if I could stay with them until I could find my own place. My parents were more than happy to their little girl home again.
It was not the first time I had come home since going off to college. I gave my notice at my apartment building and left the next week to the new job and hopefully new life back home. Now standing in the hall of my old school my felt a sort of warmth come over me.
Out of the corner of my eye I thought that I saw someone I knew. How could this be? The teachers that taught here when I was a student had to be retired by now. I shook the image from my brain. I found my way to the office and when I walked in I noticed that there was already a teacher in what I assumed was the principal's office. The woman was screaming at the principal something about Glee club and Schuester. She was saying that they did not deserve time at the school's football game that was the Cheerio's spot not some want-a-be singing group.
The principal noticed me at that moment "Can I help you?" he asked me.
"Yes I'm the new history teacher. Lisa Sturm. I was wondering what paperwork I needed to fill out before I start teaching." I said.
"Oh yes, I'm Mr. Figgins. You just need to sign your contract. I trust you have read it already and there is nothing that you wanted to add or take away from it" he asked.
It looked like he was going to say something else but the other woman in the room spoke up "I'm Sue Sylvester, I'm the coach to the world champ high school cheerleader team the Cheerio's. You might have heard about us at your last school."
"No I do not think so, but I remember the Cheerio's from when I went to school here" I informed her.
I signed the paperwork and was about to ask where my room was when Figgins spoke up,
"Sue would you please take Mrs. Sturm to her classroom. It is right beside the choir room. You could inform Schuester about your new issues with him and the Glee club yourself". Sue did not look like she liked this idea but she just stormed out of the room.
I had to almost run to keep up with her. She kept going on about this Schuester person and Glee club. At that moment the object of her rant came around the corner. It was the same person that I had thought I knew from somewhere. The name that I had been hearing finally hit me. Schuester, Will Schuester. I had gone to school with this man. He was still very good looking. He was the reason I joined Glee club back in high school but I was too shy to even take the duet that the choir instructor when he offered because Will was the other person was sing with me.
Sue screamed aloud "Schuester, I need to talk to you. Do you think that Glee club should be on the field of a football game? That is Cheerio's area not some want-a-be singing group. You will pay for this" she seemed to mean this.
"Hi Sue, yes I think that every part of school life should be at the football games and that includes Glee club."
That is when he noticed me. "Hi I'm Will Schuester, I'm the Spanish teacher and Glee instructor" he said to me.
Before I could respond Sue was talking again "I do not have time for you now. I have to walk Mrs. Sturm to her classroom next to the Glee room".
"Well I'm on my way to the Glee room, so I could take you the rest of the way, so that Sue does not have to go out of her way".
He had just finished offering to take me the rest of the way when Sue said "Good I'm too busy to take more time out of my life to walk her, the rest of the way. I have to come up with some kind of routine to that song you want the kids to sing". With that she stormed off again in the other direction.
"Thank-you, I'm Lisa Sturm" I informed him. He was still looking at me like he was trying to figure out where he knew me from. I decided to let him know.
"We went to high school together. I was in Glee with you. I sat in the back row. I had glasses and wore my hair up all the time in pigtails. I was very shy in fact too shy to even sing a duet with you one time".
"Lisa yes I remember you now. You wore the big black glasses. You do look the same minus the glasses and pigtails". I turned slightly pink when she said this. "So what do you teach?" he asked.
"History here I was an English teacher at my old school. I took history as a minor in college so I thought it was about time I put that to work." I smiled as I said that.
"I took Spanish as my minor and now I'm teaching it along with teaching Glee" he seemed really proud of that. We chatted more as we walked before I knew it we were at the classroom. "Now do you think you remember where the staff room is?" he asked.
"I think I remember it was right beside the gym was it not?" I said.
"Yes it was and still is." He said "If you get lost though just ask one of the kids they know where it is too" he smiled and walked off and I went into my classroom.
The first thing I did was I took out my history book and started going over the course in my head. During the class I found out that they were not as far as the teacher's notes said they were. I found out where they were and then went from there. By lunch time I was ready for the time off. None of the classes were where the prior teacher said they were.
I did not get lost going to the teacher's lounge at all; it was right where it was when I was a kid. Will was sitting at a table by himself.
I walked up to him and asked "Anyone sitting here?"
He looked up and said "Hi there again, sure have a seat".
It was not even 2 minutes later that another woman stomped over to him screaming at him. "Why did you not call last night? I sat by the phone all-night long and you did not call."
"I got home late last night from Glee practice, I'm sorry" he said.
"Glee club, I cannot stand it anymore! I come after Glee club, I cannot take it any more Will. I'm done, we are through, goodbye for good" she said and stormed off again.
"I'm sorry about that. I guess I knew it was coming soon. She was starting to act like my ex-wife" he seemed ashamed about having an ex-wife."
"I'm sorry. I know how it is to go through a loss. I lost my husband about almost a year ago now" I said.
"I'm sorry. I did not know" Will said.
"That is okay, it has taken a long time but I can talk about it now without breaking out crying" I informed him.
"Okay. Do you mind if I ask why he is not around anymore?" he asked.
"Sure. He passed away from "Stage 4" brain cancer. We found out about 6 months before he passed. It was in a spot where they could not operate on" I said trying my best not to cry. This would be the first time I have talked about Sam with someone other than family since he passed.
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