Page 53 of The Teacher

Yeah, that one.

I had to memorize the same speech when I was their age in this very classroom we are sitting in, so I’m sure these boys can too. Sandy, though, was not so convinced when I ran her past the idea. She told me she didn’t think they were up to it already. They weren’t prepared. Nonsense, I said. If I could do it at their age, then any boy can. Just you wait and see.

Teaching these boys has allowed Sandy and me to get even closer. We haven’t been on another date since the day we went surfing and that kiss. I don’t think she’s ready for another date so soon, but she’s definitely lowered her barriers around me. She’s slowly letting me through her walls. I can see every day that she’s actually realizing I’m not that stupid boy from eight years ago, that I’ve come back to New Water as a new man. A man who won’t cheat on her like I did back then. A man who can keep his promise to stay with her. I know I just have to give her more time to heal. I know I screwed up her heart badly when I fucked up eight years ago. I know these wounds to the soul take time to heal and I’ve got to let her do that on her own, whilst I show up every Monday to prove I’m not the same man I was eight years ago.

She actually laughs at my jokes now and touches me on the arm when she likes what I’m saying. We’re not awkward around each other anymore. I see her watching me when she thinks I’m not looking. I can see she admires the way I deal with the boys, how I talk to them and teach them. I know she really likes that.

I’ve just got to give her more time.

And, just to prove her wrong, the boys individually step up in front of us in the classroom and perform the Romeo balcony speech. It’s amazing watching them. Sure, they each stumble over some of the words. They’re no West End Shakespearean actors. But both of them manage to get through the entire speech. Completely memorized.

I’m pretty goddamn proud.

Sandy is gobsmacked. She never knew they had it in them to do this. I did, though. I watch her as each boy speaks the speech. She’s so overjoyed at what the boys are accomplishing. I’m glad to have given her this.

We congratulate the two boys with a round of enthusiastic applause from both of us. They beam at us, happy to make us proud. A few weeks ago, you couldn’t put James and Tom in the same classroom without fear of them punching each other up, but now they’re actually friends and are reciting actual Shakespeare.

Not too bad for a guy who’s not a qualified teacher.

And then, applause over, I hand over the online video game store vouches I promised them and told them to get out of here.

Tom and James leave the classroom, excited to have the vouchers to spend. I close the door behind them, and then jokingly ask for a kiss from Sandy. She’s sitting on one of her students’ tables in the middle of the room.

I don’t think she’s happy.

“Come on,” I say. “Just another kiss?”

“No.”

“Well, can’t say I didn’t try,” I reply. “Pretty good about their speeches, hey?”

I do a little celebratory dance on the spot. Yeah, it’s goofy, but I’m trying to amuse Sandy.

But she’s not amused. She doesn’t laugh at my silly dance. Instead, she’s staring at me, her eyes narrowed suspiciously. Her voice is low and accusatory. “Skipper, tell me one thing.”

“What?”

“Tell me, did you promise Tom and James you’d give them video game vouchers if they memorized that speech?”

I shrug. “Yeah. Why not?”

Ah, I thought she’d be pissed off about that.

Sandy shakes her head. “You can’t bribe kids, Skipper. Especially not with vouchers.”

“Why not?”

“Because we’re teachers,” she splutters out in disbelief. “We can’t just do that.”

I smile and shrug. “I’m not a teacher though,” I reply. “I can bribe them with whatever I like.”

Sandy shakes her head again and starts to laugh. She can’t hold it in. “You’re such an idiot, Skipper.”

“That bribe got them to do it, didn’t it? It got them to memorize Shakespeare.”

Even Sandy can’t find fault with my logic. She sighs in exasperation. “Yeah, it did,” she admits.

“So,” I flirt, strolling towards her. “I count that as a win.”