Fourth meeting, and check out your classroom

The fourth and final orientation meeting holds no surprises, going much as the others. The girls are attentive, although many of them cast glances at you and the other male teachers, particularly Coach Watts.

When the meeting ends and the students file out you exchange a few words with other teachers before leaving the library. It occurs to you to visit your classroom and familiarise yourself with it before classes begin. With that thought you head downstairs and find it at the far end of the corridor.

It's about what you expected; high lab benches, a desk and a lecture podium, some blackboards and whiteboards. The windows open onto the front lawn of the school and provide a pleasantly distracting view. You open a few drawers of the desk and find a typical agglomeration of stationary supplies and file folders.

When the door opens you look up, and are very surprised to see Valerie Cummins, the girl you helped the Dean paddle, standing in the doorway looking embarrassed and contrite.

"May I come in Mr. Carter?" she asks shyly. "I really need to talk to you."