The Teacher's Pet Ch. 01

My morning classes were uneventful. This wasn't to say they were boring. It was because there were no problems with the students, and I felt like they were absorbing everything I was teaching them. I would find out if this was true later in the week, since I planned to spring a pop-quiz on them.

I was beginning to think that the alarm clock incident would be the most excitement of my day - especially when I spent most of lunch and the following period having a conversation with the tenth-grade science teacher, Linda Polinski. She was nice enough, but it didn't seem I had anything in common with her. It took until the bell rang to signal the end of fifth period until I could finally tear myself away from her hundredth story about bird watching.

After a quick stop at my office, I rushed to my AP English class. How much of a hypocrite would I have been if I violated my own rule and arrived late?

When I got to the doorway, I caught my breath - thankful for making it on time. My relief, however, changed to anger when I peered into the room. Standing by Polly's desk were the four students who had been taunting her for years. They were blocking my view of her, but I was sure she was upset - especially after hearing the words one of the girls uttered.

"Aw, does Polly-wolly want her binky-winky?"

This was said loud enough to elicit laughter from almost everyone in the room.

Rage welled up inside of me as I clenched my hand into a fist. This poor girl had suffered enough humiliation, and it was high-time I gave these bullies what they deserved!

I stormed toward them as the bell rang, slamming my bag on my desk. This made them jump and step back from Polly. I then launched into a tirade.

"Leave her alone! This is the third time I have seen you harassing her, and it ends now!"

Several of them tried to give me some kind of excuse, including one who said they were just joking with her.

"Oh, so this is a joke?" I glanced at Polly, and saw she was using a hand to dry her tears. "Do you see her laughing? Do you?"

I scowled at the offending students and crossed my arms.

"Let's see if you think this is funny. The four of you have one hour of detention tomorrow after school in this classroom. And believe me, you won't be doing any laughing then!"

The scared expressions on their faces were priceless, and I couldn't help but smirk at them.

"Now get to your seats... everyone!"

They scampered to their desks, as did some others who had gathered around to witness the scene.

I managed to pull myself together and instruct the class, while I stood in front of the oak desk. They seemed extra attentive, no doubt due in part to my outburst.

The other thing holding their interest - well, at least the interest of the boys - was the combination of my stockings and the short skirt I wore. In fact, halfway through the period I sat down on the edge of my desk and crossed my legs - dangling a shoe from my foot. This made quite a few male eyes go wide, and mouths drop open.

It was difficult to keep myself from giggling, but I continued my little leg show until the bell sounded. At that point, I hopped down from the desk while the students began exiting. Polly remained in her seat, as did Tanya.

Once it was just the three of us in the room, I walked toward Polly and put a hand on her shoulder. I noticed her eyes beginning to well up again, and she averted my gaze.

"Polly," I said as I rubbed her shoulder, "I can't believe they treat you like that."

"Yeah, it stinks!" Tanya rolled her eyes. "And those rejects are supposed to be high school seniors, not first graders!"

I shook my head and let out a sigh. "Now Tanya, there's no need for name calling. Although, you do have a point. They aren't being very mature."

She folded her arms. "I just wish they'd go back to kindergarten, where they belong!"

"Well, I'm hoping I can help." I looked down at the sad girl. "Isn't that right?"

While continuing to stare at the floor, she shrugged.

"What are you going to do, Miss Nolan?" Tanya asked. "Give them three months of detention?"

"No," I said with a chuckle. "Didn't she tell you about this Saturday?"

She looked at Polly and then at me. "Um, no. What's happening on Saturday?"

"I offered to pick her up and take her shopping. I think with a few changes to her hair and wardrobe, she'll look better. But more importantly, she'll feel better about herself, and have more confidence."

"That sounds like a great idea!" She nudged her friend. "You should definitely go, Pol."

"I, I don't know." Polly sighed. "Maybe."

"Oh, come on. Miss Nolan's trying to help. Plus, I've been telling you for years that you need to have a different style."

"Yeah, but I, I still have to think about it."

Tanya rolled her eyes. "Whatever. It's like you want those jerks to keep picking on you."

Polly scowled at her friend. "No, I don't! I just..." She let out a deep breath and shrugged again.

I tapped her shoulder. "You don't think it will change the situation, right?"

She gave me a slight nod.

"Well, I happen to believe it will. But it's your decision. Just let me know by Friday."

Tanya grabbed her belongings and stood up. "She'll go with you. Don't worry, I'll convince her." She looked at her friend. "Come on, Pol. We gotta get to our next class."

"I'm coming." She gathered up her books and her bag, and then rose from her seat. "See you tomorrow, Miss Nolan."

"Bye girls," I said as they walked to the doorway. "I'll see you tomorrow."

I went to my office and stayed there until the school day ended. Most of that time was spent sitting at my desk, wondering what else I could do to stop those mean students from tormenting Polly. I wasn't sure if she would agree to come with me on Saturday, and I didn't know whether detention would deter those kids in any way.

When I walked out of the building - with no additional ideas for how to help the timid girl - I fumbled with my umbrella before getting it open. I had gotten so caught up in this whole Polly thing, I didn't even realize it was pouring.

At least I didn't get soaked, like some students I saw running toward the bus. I laughed when I recognized a couple of them as the bullies from sixth period. Perhaps they were starting to get a little of their just due.

My evening consisted of some reading, television, and curriculum planning. With all of that, um, 'excitement', it was a miracle I didn't doze off early. However, there was something that kept playing in my mind.

During my AP class, it wasn't just the boys who were ogling my legs. Similar to last Friday, I swore I caught Polly staring at me in the exact same way. When I was putting on that leg display, I glanced at her quite a few times. Before she looked away, I was certain she was gazing at me with lust in her eyes. In fact, I thought I spied her wiping drool from her mouth while I dangled my shoe.

It could have been my mind playing tricks on me. My overactive imagination had fooled me a number of times. But I'd seen that look from a woman before. When I started my junior year in college, my roommate had the exact same expression on her face while she watched me studying - and it wasn't because she liked my outfit!

I wanted to find out if my suspicion was correct, so I planned to continue wearing skimpy outfits with fashionable stockings throughout the week. I could surely gauge Polly's reaction to the displays I would put on.

If this didn't confirm anything, Saturday's outing should - as long as she could be persuaded to come with me.

* * *

Friday, January 16

The drive to school took me longer than usual. An accident involving a tanker truck and three other vehicles stopped traffic completely, and my car barely moved for twenty minutes.

Rather than stew over the fact I might be late, I used this time to review my lesson plan - and how I might 'seal the deal' with Polly. In spite of my best efforts all week, I hadn't received anything more than a possible maybe from her regarding tomorrow.

In my optimism, I had made an appointment at the salon for both of us, which I was loathe to cancel. More importantly, I didn't want her to pass up this chance to upgrade her image into one that would put an end to her days of being the subject of ridicule.

My car screeched into the parking space, and I noticed there was only a minute until the homeroom period began. As I almost ran toward my office, I passed a couple of female teachers in the hallway. They gave me a strange look, which I assumed was because I was in a rush and appeared somewhat disheveled.

Once I caught my breath, I took care of an administrative task and made my way to the break room. I barely finished placing my lunch in the refrigerator when I was swarmed by three male teachers - two of whom I talked to every morning, and a third one I had seen around but hadn't yet spoken with.

For the next ten minutes, we had a nice friendly conversation. In fact, they were practically fawning over me. It didn't occur to me why this was the case until I overheard a comment that Linda made to another teacher, Harriet Adams. They were sitting at a table about ten feet away, and the remark occurred moments before the bell rang.

"I can't believe they let her dress like that. This is a school for God's sake, not a whorehouse."

This was clearly aimed at me. It made my eyes go wide, and I glanced down.

The shirt I wore did show off my bosom but didn't display too much of it. I couldn't even see the lacy bra underneath. My skirt was only a bit shorter than the one I wore yesterday. The stockings went well with the ensemble, and the tops were covered by the skirt. Although they had three-inch heels, my maroon pumps weren't too outrageous. At least I didn't think so.

I was about to turn toward them to say something, but the ill-timed bell sent them scurrying out of the room. The men I had been chatting with also excused themselves.

For the next half hour, I sat in stunned silence. Did they really think I dressed like a slut? Was it just Linda and Harriet, or did other women feel the same way? Was my wardrobe the reason those two teachers gave me the odd expression earlier? Was that why the guys were so sweet to me?

All this time, I had believed my clothing choices were smart. They were the perfect balance of flattering, fashionable, and sexy - without crossing the line. They enhanced my beauty and brought out my best features: my blue eyes, wavy red hair, ample breasts, and long shapely legs. They didn't make me look like a prostitute. Did they?

After I let my paranoia play itself out, I came to the conclusion Linda and Harriet were jealous. Neither the principal nor vice-principal had said a word to me about what I wore. For certain, they would have admonished me if they felt I dressed inappropriately. I had seen them on my way to the break room, and they simply smiled at me. They didn't seem to have a problem with my attire.

Those frumpy old maids only wished they could pull off this look. When they were my age, they were no doubt overweight - and clueless about what was in style. Twenty years later, they were even more out of shape and more out of touch with fashion trends. Why was I letting their uninformed opinions bother me?

For a short time, I felt so silly for worrying that I let out a chuckle. That's when it hit me. With Barb on injury leave, Linda and Harriet were now the two teachers with the most seniority at this school. Both had been here for more than fifteen years. If they had an issue with some newbie and took it to the school board...

Shit! That wouldn't be good. I realized I needed to talk to them. I had to make sure this didn't escalate and become something bigger. At the same time, I wanted to let them know how I felt. Taking a jab at me behind my back wasn't professional. In fact, it was rude.

However, I started wondering if it was only my outfit they weren't fond of. Maybe they didn't like me!

Stop it, Amber!

My gaze shifted around the room. Did I say those words out loud? None of the four people in the room were looking at me like I was insane, so I must have said it internally. Thank God!

I took several deep breaths, and told myself it was going to be okay. Linda was almost always in the break room during fifth period. I would be able to speak with her then. Regarding Harriet, I could catch up with her before the end of the day.

Having eased my mind, I grabbed my phone to check emails. I noticed the time and decided to head back to my office. As I stood up, I spied the young pretty teacher sitting a few tables away. She was talking in a soft voice to someone on her cell phone, but she smiled toward me with a certain glint in her eyes. Was she checking me out too? I shook my head and proceeded toward the door. I needed to stop letting my imagination get the best of me!

During my morning classes, the boys were more attentive than ever. I guess my outfit was more provocative than I thought. Of course, I continued my habit of standing in front of my desk, resting my backside on it, and crossing one ankle over the other - while slipping my foot in and out of my shoe. I'm sure it helped keep their focus on me.

It didn't even seem to faze them that many had received poor grades on the quiz sheets I handed out at the beginning of each period. Well, the girls weren't happy about it. I don't think the boys noticed their scores.

I ate lunch with the usual cast of soon-to-be-middle-aged married men. They had loosened up after their initial trepidation about talking to a beautiful woman, and it turned out they were super-nice, with great senses of humor. It was wonderful to be able to be myself and joke around with a group of guys, without worrying about hidden agendas.

When the bell rang, the co-workers at my table got up to leave. I looked around the room and spotted Linda. After wishing the guys a great weekend, I walked over to where she was sitting. She was alone, so this was my chance to clear the air with her.

At first, I made it seem like I wanted to know how she was doing. But I soon informed her I wasn't happy with her little dig at my clothing choices. She went pale, making it obvious she had no idea I heard the comment. I decided to go on the offensive.

The next ten minutes were quite uncomfortable for her, as she first backtracked and then apologized. The apology included the caveat "if I offended you", which meant she wasn't taking back what she said. I pressed the issue, and she conceded she did think my outfit was a bit too revealing for a schoolteacher - but she also wished she had the body to wear something similar.

By the time our conversation ended, we were back on amicable terms. I felt better about the situation, since I didn't want to be on her bad side. That could have spelled disaster for my future teaching chances at not only this school, but the entire district. I still had to talk to Harriet later; however, I was confident I would settle things with her in the same way.

Upon entering my AP English classroom a short while later, the voices I had heard from a distance went quiet. I scanned the room, but I couldn't determine where they had come from. This had happened the previous day, and I suspected the students who I had given detention to were hurling insults at Polly. To give the notion further credence, I thought I had heard someone say "dork" and another say "teacher's pet".

Since I didn't have definitive proof, I shot a death glare in the direction of those mean kids. I then looked toward Polly, who appeared rather dejected. I now had very little doubt she was being harassed again.

With the period about to begin, it was best to put this matter off until after class. I hoped Polly would confess to me the bullies were giving her a hard time. Yesterday, she claimed she misplaced a book - which was why she was upset.

Unfortunately, I didn't have her friend Tanya there the previous day to tell me the truth. But she was back in school now, having recovered from the stomach bug. She would let me know what had really happened before I stepped into the room.

Handing out the graded papers from Wednesday's quiz was an enjoyable experience for me. While both Polly and Tanya did well, the four brutes all failed - two of them miserably. I smirked at their shocked expressions. It almost made me laugh to think if they studied the material with the same enthusiasm they used to torment Polly, they would have passed with flying colors.

I settled into my typical teaching position, leaning my butt on the front of the large desk. As I instructed the students, I engaged in my daily leg show. The usual male suspects stared at this display throughout the entire class - and so did Polly.

She may have thought she was being discreet. Her focus always shifted to my face when I looked in her direction. However, I knew she was ogling my legs. I could see it out of the corner of my eye. In fact, she seemed particularly enraptured whenever I used a stocking foot to play with my shoe.

The bell rang to signal the end of the period, and the students began exiting. I strolled toward Polly's desk, hopeful I wouldn't be shopping alone tomorrow. I also wanted to find out if she had been teased earlier.

"Hey girls," I said as I stopped in front of Polly and Tanya. "I was just wondering what happened before I got here today. I could swear I heard some insults being thrown in your direction."

They glanced at each other, but neither said a word. I lowered my eyebrows and folded my arms.

"Come on now." I stared right into Tanya's eyes. "Polly was catching flak again, wasn't she?"

"Um, well..." She gave a nervous look toward her friend and let out a heavy sigh. "Okay, yeah, those jerks were calling her names." She placed her hand on Polly's arm. "I'm sorry, but I had to tell her."

Polly shook her head. "Thanks a lot. Some friend you are."

Tanya was about to respond, but I raised my hand to silence her.

"Don't be upset with her," I said while rubbing Polly's shoulder. "The only reason I'm asking about it is because I'm trying to help. You know that, don't you?"

"I guess," she said with a shrug.

"It's true. And if you come with me tomorrow, I'll prove it to you."

"I, uh, it's just—"

"She'll go!" Tanya smiled and nodded furiously.

"Shut up!" Polly smacked her friend's arm and looked at me. "I, I'm kind of busy tomorrow."

Tanya kicked her friend's leg. "No, she's not! In fact, her parents will be gone all day, so she'll just be sitting around doing nothing."

"Cut it out!" Polly kicked her back. "I've got lots of stuff to do."

I clamped my hands down on a shoulder of each girl. "Stop fighting!" I sighed and removed my hands from them. "You don't have to do this if you don't want to, Polly. I'll understand."

She peered up at me, and then glanced at her friend. Tanya gave her a pleading look, but didn't say anything.

"Okay, Miss Nolan. I'll, I'll go with you."

"Atta girl!" Tanya patted Polly's back and flashed me a wide grin.

Polly still appeared to be hesitant, and she was staring at the floor. I put a finger under her chin and forced her to look at my face.

"Are you sure about this?"

She slowly nodded. "Yes, I, I'm sure."

I returned the nod with a smile. "Great! Let me get your address." I retrieved my phone from my purse, and entered her information. "Perfect! I'll be at your place around noon. Then we'll go to the salon, followed by the outlet center."

"That sounds awesome!" Tanya nudged her friend and shifted her gaze toward me. "It's so cool that you're helping her."

"Thanks, Tanya. You know, you can help too. Why don't you come along?"

"I wish I could," she said with a sigh. "But my cousin's birthday party is tomorrow afternoon. I kinda hafta show up to that."