After losing her bra, an oblivious Maria reports to the principal’s office

Jacqueline was one of the last still in the aisle. Vargas had already started back toward her desk as Jacqueline stalked after her and closed the distance. Two fingers found the clasp between her shoulder blades, while her other hand tapped Professor Vargas on the left shoulder. Vargas turned to glance that way, quickly realizing the nature of the classic prank - Oh har har, very funny - but in the same second Jacqueline had hooked a finger around the front of her bra and drew it off her arms. Vargas looked back to the right just in time to see her scurry away when Trevor’s backpack caught her square in the side, scattering the comment she’d been about to make about Jacqueline’s childish behavior.

“Watch it, Trevor!”

“Sorry, miss.”

The shove dissipated the feeling of her bra’s abscondence, covering the theft with a fresh new sensation. She remained at her desk, disrobed and topless, but felt only she had been bumped. Jordan came past Jacqueline and Trevor with his phone already up.

> Flash<

Maria blinked, throwing up a hand against the sudden strobe. “Thanks for the lesson, Miss Vargas. Same time next week.” He was out the door before she had formulated a sentence. She settled her shoulders and thought, not for the first time that hour, that they were a bit of an odd bunch. And pretty clumsy too. Harmless, though. A shouldertap, a bump, and a photograph. Fine. Hardly worth mentioning. She wanted to report the lesson had gone well though, so began making her way to the principal’s office.

Mr. Nelson’s office was rather small, crowded, but also warmer in its personal touches and embellishments than her classroom — not to mention not as chilly. Principal Thomas Nelson was a heavyset, jovial man, with a moustache like a walrus, and seemingly just as ponderous. He’d risen halfway from his chair when she entered, and quickly sank down again. Maria sat. She talked, explaining how her first lesson had gone. Her students were early, attentive, and took notes, much better than Calloway had made them sound. She could feel the air on her skin. Maybe it’s not quite as warm in here as I thought. The window’s closed, a drafty crack perhaps. Regardless, she was here to report, not complain. Nelson listened with his fingers folded together, nodding at the right places, a wide kindly smile on his face.