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[Opponent: Doc X]
l| Principal |l Excuse me, Mr. Glenn, but could I please have a word with you for one second?
l| Patrick |l Uh... Yeah. Okay, class, everybody just talk amongst each other, I'll be right back in a sec.
I scratched my neck hesitantly before heading towards Mrs. Shelley, our school principal. She was a kind lady and one I had became instantly fond with since the moment I met her. She's nice, sarcastic, funny, any way you want to put it really... Ever since I became teacher at this school, we'd really connected.
I headed out of the class with her and she just stared at me blankly. Pretty much in the fashion as "what the hell did you just do?!". Honestly, I had no idea, but I knew it was coming to me.
l| Principal |l I just got a phone call from some wrestling organization.
l| Patrick |l Oh they phoned in? That frickin' kicks ass man! What they say? I got my first match?
l| Principal |l Yeah, against some guy named Doc X... But now come on, Pat. What do you think you're doing entering in wrestling. It's very dangerous you know. And what would happen if you got injured. You'd be losing a lot of money and wasting the school's time, you do know that right?
l| Patrick |l Yeah yeah, yatta yatta yatta. Just think of the money! I'll be rich! Filthy friggin' rich! And hell, if I do get injured, it won't affect me one single bit! But yeah, pretty much. I'll think about it...
I said, rolling my eyes and peering off down the hall, trying to hide the smirk on my face. I know what you're thinking. For a twenty-eight year old male, I'm pretty immature. Well, I guess you could say that. But pretty much it's an act I put on to entertain. I do it all the time in front of my English class.
l| Principal |l Well, I just don't want to see anything bad happen to you.
l| Patrick |l Don't worry about it. I got everything covered and I'm in tip-top shape. I'll still be teaching here. The shows are on Sundays, so I'm alright.
l| Principal |l How do you expect to do that? You have to fly from city to city. You're making it seem a lot more easier than it already is.
l| Patrick |l That's part of my charm! Anyways, I'll talk to you about it after school. I have to teach these kids more on The Merchant Of Venice by William Shakespeare.
l| Principal |l You do that.
l| Patrick |l And in the meantime, you check up on that new teacher. A few of the girls I know are saying he has a nice ass or something.
l| Prinipal |l PATRICK!
l| Patrick |l What?! Alright, I'm just playin', but really, I think I could get a phone number for you if you up my salary.
l| Principal |l Don't push it. I've already done enough for you today...
l| Patrick |l Whatever you say...
I gave her a quick smile before turning back into the room and pushing myself to the front of the class, watching above everybody talking to their classmates. I grabbed my favourite padded stool and centered it at the front of the class where I took a seat and awaited for the students to notice. It wasn't a while before the class calmed down, in fact it was only a matter of seconds before they all turned back towards the front of the class.
l| Patrick |l Alright, now that I have your full undivided attention. What were your thoughts on the film?
A few hands stuck up in the crowd, but I picked on a particular person. Noel Abram, always the comedic one I could never seem to figure out. Though his personality was a lot like mine, this kid was a daredevil, even only at the age of fifteen and sitting in a grade ten English class.
l| Noel |l I liked the nudity!
Of course, the select few laughed, even I had a gingle for myself. I just sat there in amazement, eyeing him down as I scratched the brim of my jaw.
l| Patrick |l Of course Noel, that is one of the best parts of the film now isn't it? I mean, disregarding the fact that Shylock almost cut Antonio's chest out with a knife, that was the greatest part where you could just barely see the woman's right nipple off in the corner of the view. Good eye Noel, way to stay focused.
l| Noel |l You know I always am!
I decided to get up and start a pace around the class, trying to keep everyone's eyes on myself.
l| Patrick |l Now don't be afraid to put up your hand, but who did not understand a damn word that was said in that film?
Half the hands manage to shoot up instantly as a smile crossed my face. I didn't have high expectations of them, they haven't been introduced to the Shakespearian language yet, and I'm sure it will take some time.
l| Patrick |l Now Donovan, why didn't you understand any of it? You couldn't tell by the sound of their voices or facial expressions or tones or anything like that? Now come on, can't you tell me you understood at least a small portion of that?
l| Donovan |l No...
l| Patrick |l Here, let me feed you something... Actually here, everybody get up, rise out of your chairs...
The class seemed a little hesitant, but my hand gestures quickly got them out of their seats and standing still behind their desks. I began my pace once again, staring at the ground as thoughts circulated through my head.
l| Patrick |l Now to the person next to you, I want you to engage in a conversation. However, the catch is that not a single word can be said. I don't care if you mime it or mumble it, do what you gotta' do in order to get your point across. Now you might be wondering why I'd get you into this? The truth is I just want to see you guys look like idiots for about five minutes. Nah, just kidding. I'm trying to prove Donovan's theory wrong. So, go ahead, have at it!
Just as the partners seemed to turn together, the class bell rang as I shook my head in a mild disgust.
l| Patrick |l Saved by the bell... Have a good evening, ladies and gentleman.
I watched as the class gathered up their binders and book bags and headed out of the classroom in a heap of conversation. Obviously glad school was over, they continued out into the hallways as my class grew more silent by the second. I peered out the main windows, looking at the dead trees and broken scenery in which the winter cold had demolished, and caught a glimpse of one of my students. He was usually the quiet student in the class with a great view on his future.
l| Patrick |l Johnny, what can I help you with?
l| Johnny |l You wrestle don't you?
l| Patrick |l Huh?
l| Johnny |l You wrestle. I saw you last night on wrestling.
l| Patrick |l What makes you think that it wasn't just a stranger that happened to look like me?
l| Johnny |l I'm confident.
l| Patrick |l Confident enough to put your life on the line?
l| Johnny |l No....
l| Patrick |l Why not?
l| Johnny |l It could be coincidental. Plus, I wouldn't do that for something so small and unimportant.
l| Patrick |l That is a flaw. If you want to survive out in the real world, you're going to need to work on your confidence. It's one of the most greatest characteristics a man could get. I know, women look for it all the time.
I smiled, adding in a bit of sarcasm. It was nice to see a fellow student smile as well, just standing there with his duffel bag slouched over his right shoulder. He finally took a seat on one of the desks, trying to figure a few things out for himself.
l| Johnny |l I guess that's one of my flaws then.
I smiled, as I began to walk back to my small office space in the corner of the room, turning my back to him. I heard a few hesitant footsteps behind me as I began to run scenarios through my head of what he was going through.
l| Johnny |l I guess I've been marked "PG" then...
I quickly stopped to the remark. The second he said the two simple letters, I knew he'd gotten the best of me. I turned around with my dimples piercing my cheeks uncontrollably. Johnny just stood there with a cocky grin on his face.
l| Johnny |l However improvisation is a great characteristic as well.
I just stood there, knowing he was about to continue on.
l| Johnny |l Nice talkin' to ya' Glenn. Thanks a lot.
l| Patrick |l No problem kid, have a good evening.
l| Johnny |l You too...
He took one stare at the door before heading towards it, confidently. I rubbed my hands together, giving my hands a slight massage as I took a seat by my computer. I turned in towards the desktop and pulled the keyboard towards me as I awaited for the computer to reload its screen.
l| ??? |l You have an interesting method of teaching your students the important aspects on life, Mr. Glenn.
I turned towards the sound of the voice. There, standing just a few inches in front of the doorway was an amazing aspect on life itself. I smiled, looking her body from head to toe, pleased with what I saw.
l| Patrick |l You new here?
l| ??? |l Only my second year teaching, but yes, I'm new to this school. I did substituting for my first year.
l| Patrick |l Great fun wasn't it?
l| ??? |l It was a lot of fun. However, money is an issue, I just couldn't find enough of it.
l| Patrick |l That was the deal with me too. I'm sorry, what was your name again?
I acted a questionable look on my face, pretending as if I had heard it already.
l| ??? |l Oh, I'm sorry! My name's Sasha, Sasha Carissa.
I extended my hand out to her, offering her a hand shake.
l| Patrick |l Patrick Glenn, nice to meet you.
Walking over towards me, I got up out of my chair and listened to the clicking of her heels as she strutted over, extending her hand out as well and delivering a soft hand shake.
l| Sasha |l So you're a wrestler, huh?
l| Patrick |l You heard that part, eh? Actually yes, professionally. Catch me on Sunday nights, nine PM eastern.
I said sarcastically, putting on a quick show...
l| Patrick |l 'You a wrestling fan?
l| Sasha |l Every now and then... I used to watch it with my father when I was young.
l| Patrick |l Didn't we all? I just remember watching Hulk Hogan and Andre The Giant go at it in a body slam match...
I was real young then, haven't even grown in an adult tooth yet. Each week I would wait, and each day I'd ask my father, "Is wrestling on today?", and the majority of the time I'd wind up holding my head down in shame. It was from then on, I wanted to become a professional wrestler, but as time grew on, the dream faded until a good friend of mine had reintroduced me back into the wrestling world where I was given a part-time job as ring crew for a local federation. Soon enough, I was in the ring and my name was quickly spreading across the province.
l| Sasha |l You're a big name with the staff, I've heard quite a few conversations already with your named being popped up. I figured I had to find out myself about this guy.
l| Patrick |l I'm a big name on staff?
l| Sasha |l You eat a lot of compliments don't you?
l| Patrick |l Nice, half of the girls never seem to realize I walk them straight into complimenting me. But you're something else...
l| Sasha |l What can you expect? I'm a Drama teacher. Always thinking on the beat.
l| Patrick |l You seem a bit tense. You alright? You seem a bit flustered, nervous?
l| Sasha |l Me? No... Alright fine. But can you blame me?
l| Patrick |l Not one bit, I get nervous when talking to myself in the mirror as well.
I smiled, cracking to my own joke as her muscles seemed to relax a little bit and the redness of her face seemed to dim down to a more peachy colour. Her breathing seemed to settle down a bit, being more smooth and longer exhales and inhales.
l| Sasha |l Well, since I've made a complete idiot of myself, I guess I should go...
l| Patrick |l I understand. Talk to you tomorrow?
l| Sasha |l Yeah... I'd like that...
l| Patrick |l Alright, see you later...
A pursuasive smile to end a perfect conversation.
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