Selenes POV
Monday
I woke up this morning with the sun beaming through my room window letting me know it’s time for my first day of work as a counselor at the high school I used to work for when I was an English teacher.
I left after my senior class graduated in 2019 to get my psychology degree and now it’s 2024 and I want to improve the mental health of the next generation going into the world. It has to start somewhere.
I get out of bed and go to bed the bathroom. I turn the shower on to let it warm up and I pick out my clothes. A black pencil shirt and white button up with black heels will do. I get in the shower and think about going back to that school where I got my first break as a teacher and I loved it. The students loved me, maybe because I was 23 at the time so I could relate to them, but they still respected me. So now coming back at 28, I’m excited to help them in another way.
I get out the shower, put on lotion and my clothes. I look in the mirror and brush my long brown hair to get the tangles out and let it fall straight down. I put on my glasses that bring attention to my light brown eyes that people say have a hint of yellow in them that make them lighter in the sun and head out to the towns coffee shop, Roscoe’s.
I get in and it’s a little bit of a line since there’s only one employee working the coffee machine and register. “Ugh I don’t want to be late.” I groan. I turn around to walk out but see a woman walking in and she is gorgeous.
“Roscoe, sono qui! Just tell me where you need me.” She yells to the guy scrambling with people order. She must be the other employee.
“Grazie Jordyn. Just man the register please.” He says switching places when she gets on an apron.
They work amazing together, getting orders in and out like clockwork. “Next customer.” She calls and I’m up. She looks up and gives me the basic customer service smile. “What can I get for you today?” She asks.
I get lost in her smooth but raspy voice and her hazel eyes with green tint. Her short curly hair frames her face and she’s taller than me so I look up noticing how sharp her jaw line is and plump pink lips. “Ma’am?” She breaks my trance by waving her hand in my face.
“Oh I’m sorry. Just…tired.” I chuckle nervously guiding my hand through my hair. “Just bacon and egg croissant and black coffee.” I say giving my order.
She nods putting the order in the system. I give her my card to pay and our finger tips touch and a softly sends through me. I quickly pull away. She hands it back and I carefully grab it to not touch again. “He will have your order down there.” She said pointing to the pick up area. I nod and walk away flustered by the interaction. I feel eyes on me as I reach the pick up area and subtly look at the woman she quickly looks away when our eyes meet. She looks familiar but I can’t think of where.
I grab my order and I go to walk out when I’m stopped by her voice. “Have a nice day Selene.” She yells with a smile. I blush at the way my name sounds out of her mouth.
“You as well.” Her apron didn’t have her name so I couldn’t say it but I’m sure it’s beautiful like her. I walk out to my 2022 Honda accord and head to the school.
I make it inside and I let my eyes glance around the familiar building and I make my way to the principal’s office. I knock and here a strong ‘come in.’ “Ah Selene, it’s so nice to see you again.” Principal Mason said. He was the principal here when I first started and he was more then happy to let me come in as the counselor.
He gestures to the seat infront of his desk and I sit down. “It’s nice to be here again.” I say enthusiastic.
“I’m glad. Well we’re going to have a staff meeting so everyone knows you’re here. You’ll be the counselor for students and staff. We go through stuff too as I’m sure you know.” He says and I nod in agreement. He continues. “So your office as you know will be down the hall from the gym. It’s soundproof so don’t worry about the noise. It’s just the biggest office we have that’s further from administration. That way they don’t feel so intimidated by coming in, ya know.” He says and again I nod. “Well good. I’ll see you in the conference room when everyone gets here.” We stand and shake hands. “Again, it’s so good to have you here. You’re going to do great.” He says and I smile proudly.
I leave and walk towards my office to check it out and plan on my head what I want to do with it to make it not so dark and depressing. Soon 7:30 hits and all staff are here getting ready for 8:30 when schools starts. Principal mason called my office phone telling me to meet in the conference now.
I walk in and met with familiar and unfamiliar faces. One face that gets my attention is the woman from the coffee shop in an all black sweatsuit with a hoodie talking to Mrs. Cantraz ,the Spanish teacher from when I was working here. “Hey.” I say interrupting whatever they’re talking about.
She turns around to see me and she smiles brightly but it returns to confusion. “Well hello. I honestly thought I’d never see you again. What are you doing here?” She asks.
My eyes widen. “Me? You were just at the coffee shop not even an hour ago. What are you doing here?” I say.
She laughs and god do I want to hear it again. “I was only helping out Roscoe since someone was running late. I work here as the gym coach.” She says pulling the whistle from her hoodie and places it in her mouth but doesn’t blow it.
“Well, I’m the new counselor for the school.” I say and her eyes go to happiness.
“That’s great. When I went here the counselor sucked. Hopefully you’ll do better.” She says touching my arm subtly with hers.
“You went here? As a student?” I ask and she nods. She goes to tell me her name but principal asks me to introduce myself to everyone. I do so and go to shake everyone’s hand and learn their names. It comes to the woman and she comes with a smirk.
“You’re Ms. Kaci.” She says as a statement rather then a question and I nod. She nods and shakes me hand. “Jordyn Marino. I was in your senior English class.”
My eyes go wide at the realization and I freeze from shaking her hand. I take her in and I now know why she looked familiar but also different. Her eyes are the same but everything else is different. “Wow. You look,” I search for the word “different.”
She smirks. “Thanks. You look as beautiful as before. It’s nice to see you again, Selene.” She says in a way that sent a jolt through my body and walks away.
“Well, that went great.” Mason says breaking me from my trance. It’s the second time today I’ve been lost in her. “Have a great first day.” He says and leaves.
I leave after him and head to my office but when I get to my door I can see inside the big windows to the gym. It hasn’t changed at all with the black bleachers and blue and white court but what’s changed is the person in charge of it. Jordyns setting up marker cones and placing basketballs at each station. She was the varsity team captain and mvp her junior and senior year.
She looks up m, I guess feeling watched, and she sees me. She looks proud of my staring by sending a smirk my way and then waves. I wave like an idiot so it’s not awkward that I was just watching her. She goes back to doing what she’s doing and I force myself from continuing watching her and actually go into my office.
3:30 pm
I just got done with meeting with a student who’s parents requested for them to have counseling. It was just introduction and getting to know each other and seeing if they are comfortable. He seemed happy to finally be acknowledged, which is sad he had to come to me rather then his own parents but I’m glad I can be an outlet.
I finish packing up and head out my office to lock up. When I finish locking my door I see that the light to the weight room of the gym is still on. Wonder what’s she still doing here. Gym ends at 2 due to the seniors being the last class of the day and they get out at 2 before the other grades.
I walk down to the weight room and peek in. I don’t see anyone so go to turn the light off but I hear the clang of weights being put back. “Hey no need to turn them off. I’m here.” I hear her voice coming closer. When she comes in sight I choke on air. She’s wearing workout shorts, with just her sports bra that showcase her 6 pack glistening in sweat and her short curly hair is sticking and drenched down her head and to her face from the sweat. Damn. “Oh, Selene.” I love how she says my name it’s like she’s teasing that she’s able to say it and not by my last name when I was her teacher. She leans against the door with her arms crossed that just pump out her biceps. “I didn’t know anyone else would be here.” She says.
“Yeah I was making my plan for tomorrow to discuss with more students who potentially want counseling.” I say trying my best to not look down and just at her beautiful hazel eyes.
She nods. “Ah of course. So I guess we can be walk out buddies.” I eye her confused. “I stay after school a lot to workout. Free gym membership basically.” She jokes and we laugh. “So since you stay after school to work we can meet up to walk out to our cars together.” She offers. I nod and she goes to gather her duffel bag and yeti water bottle.
“How long have you been the coach?” I ask as we walk towards the exit and she hold the door open for me.
“Since last year. After graduation I got my degree in sports medicine and applied here. I enjoy it honestly. I get to stay fit and get to actually help the kids with their physical health unlike our old coach.” She jokes about the old teacher who was a old guy who’s stomach covered basically his whole legs. He was a creep too.
“Thats great Jordyn. I’m proud of you.” I say genuinely.
She looks at me and smiled shyly. “Well thank you Ms. Kaci.” She says.
I eye her curiosly. “Ms. Kaci? I thought we were on first name bases now?” I ask when we get to our cars, we somehow ended up parking right next to each other. She has an all black 2024 Camaro, it’s nice it definitely fits her.
She scratches the back of her neck. “Sorry. It was a reflex. You always told us how proud of us you were when we did something worthy of praise.” She said nervously.
“Which was almost everything. You guys deserved praise.” I say honestly.
She smiles bright. Her smile is amazing. She took her braces off. “See you later, Selene.” She says and throws her bag in her trunk and then stands by her driver side door.
I turn and get in my car guessing she’s waiting for me to drive away before she leaves. “See you tomorrow Jordyn.” I say and drive off. I see her pulling out right when I turn out of the school.
I make it to my apartment that I share with my bestfriend, Zarina. “Rin you in?” I call out while putting my stuff down on the counter. She doesn’t respond so I accept she’s not in. She barely home due to her becoming lead surgeon in the hospital she works in. We met in our junior year of medical school. We were roommates and barely said more than two words every day to each other but when I was dating my boyfriend at the time and when I was on the phone with him after finding out he cheated on me, she took my phone immediately and cussed him out saying he was shrimp dick and should’ve been aborted because being swallowed would be too much for a piece of shit like him. After that we became best of friends, clubbing, studying, and living together once again.
I take a shower to wash the day off. It was a really good day and I hope the days continue to be like this but of course it’s only my first day. I finish showering and wrap myself in my robe because I hate sleeping in clothes it’s uncomfortable. I get in bed and lay my head and I try closing my eyes but all I see is images of Jordyn. She looks so much different then when she did in school. I’ll see if I can find the yearbook tomorrow before school. I close my eyes and finally drift off to sleep.
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