A Normal Life
***
Chapter Two: Classes
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The classroom was filled with the chatter of students trying to get in a few last minutes of joy before the teacher arrived and their enthusiasm was sucked from their souls.
Michael was leaning forward, deep in conversation with head cheerleader Renet Tilley. "So, Ren, you got a date for Homecoming?"
Renet giggled and continued curling a lock of pale blonde hair around her little finger. "Well, not ye-"
SLAM!
The entire class jumped and faced forward. Standing behind the desk was a tall, dark man glowering at them. After thoroughly intimidating every student, he turned towards the board.
After a minute of screeching chalk-on-blackboard sounds, 'Li-Liang Drago' and 'World History' were written for the entire class to see.
Mike gulped. Why, oh why did he have to have Mr. "Dragonlord" Drago's class for thing in the morning?
***
Raphael and Kali slipped into their English class just as the bell rang. Miss O'Neil arched an eyebrow at them but said nothing.
"All right. Welcome to Senior English and Literature. This is going to be an exciting year!" Miss O'Neil continued even though half her class already had their heads on their desks. "The reading list for the course is being handed out. Please have a copy of the text before we are scheduled to start reading it."
Kali took two copies, one for herself, and one for Raph, who was one of the first to fall asleep, and passed them along.
***
Donatello high-fived "Mondo" as his friend walked past him to the back of his room. Don, of course, had taken a seat right up front. He immediately looked around for the teacher, but he didn't seem to be here yet. Oh well, it was a new teacher, so Don supposed he should cut him some slack. They never did find out why the old teacher retired at such a young age. Some said that he lost a finger or something, Don figured it might have to do with the prank Mikey hinted at last year.
Just as Don was about to pull up a game on his palm pilot, a gruff looking man walked in. He wore tattered jeans and a ripped t-shirt, completing the look with beard stubble and an out of style hair cut.
Don bit his lip to keep from laughing when someone behind him whispered, "Doesn't he know there's a dress code?"
The teacher slammed down his planner on the desk and looked at the class. "Class is Shop, instructor's Casey Jones. Any questions?"
Don looked down at his schedule. "It says here your first initial is A...."
"Don't talk back to the teacher, kid. Now, your first project this year, will be..."
***
"So, how do you like it here so far?"
Leonardo and Mei Pieh were walking casually down the school's empty hallways. Leo'd made very sure she knew exactly where all her classes were, and the shortest route between them, plus any other place she might need to know of.
Mei Pieh stopped by a row of lockers. "I like it here very much. You have a..." She looked down, trying to find the word in English, "very pretty school."
Leo couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, it is," he replied, without taking his eyes off her.
"Shouldn't you two be in class?"
Leo narrowed his eyes and looked over Mei Pieh's shoulder to glare at the man standing behind her. Vice Principal Saki Oroku was a cruel man with a dark disposition. None of the students liked him, except for the troublemakers, ironically enough.
"I was giving our new student a tour of the campus," Leonardo replied, unflinching.
Mei Pieh turned around nervously. She gave a small smile, which was not returned. It only caused Saki's frown to deepen.
"Miss Chi." Saki looked back at Leo. "I was not aware flirtation was part of the tour."
Both students turned a bright shade of pink, neither able to counter the remark.
"Mr. Oroku!"
Leonardo sighed in relief as he spotted their Principal, Yoshi Hamato, walking towards them. Yoshi was a gentle man, well loved by his students. He was firm, yet compassionate. Leo failed to see why he allowed a man like Saki Oroku to be on his staff.
Yoshi walked right up to Saki, not even coming to his chin, and frowned at him. Not a word was spoken, but an unheard conversation passed between them before Saki turned and stalked back towards his office
Yoshi turned towards the students and smiled. "I am Principal Yoshi Hamato, and I welcome you to our school, Miss Chi."
Mei Pieh smiled and bowed slightly in return. "Thank you Principal Hamato, I am feeling very welcomed."
"Good. I hope you enjoy your stay at our school, and in our country."
"I am sure I will."
***
Donatello set his lunch tray down and sat on the bench that encircled an old evergreen just at the edge of the student eating area. He and his friends had eaten there ever since the first day of school. Mostly it was just Don, Leo, Mike, and Raph, but sometimes other friends spent lunch with them, only to migrate the next day. Kali had become a semi-permanent part of the group since she and Raph started dating last year, but she had quite a few lunch meetings for the clubs she was in.
"Hey, Raph!" Don waved as Raph headed over from the parking lot carrying a couple take-out bags. "Why don't you just eat school lunches?" Don asked as Raph sat back against the tree.
"I ain't standing in that line for that crap."
Don grinned. "But you'll drive all the way to the burger place and pay twice as much for grease-filled quickly served crap?"
"Of course."
Don shook his head. "So, does that other bag mean Kali's joining us today, or are you finally gonna bulk up and go for a higher weight class in wrestling?"
"Kali's comin', said she had Drama, like Mike, but it shouldn't take too long." He took a bite of his burger. "I'm staying right where I am on the wrestling team. Gotta keep Leo in his place."
Don was relieved when Kali and Mike showed up, now he wouldn't have to listen to any of Raph's ranting. Well, at least he wouldn't have to suffer alone. "So, what's up, thespians?"
"'Taming of the Shrew'," Mike replied. "That's this year's play. Tryouts are all next week."
"You'll be a shoe-in for the lead, Kali," Raph grinned, only to receive a punch in the arm. Then he laughed out loud.
Mike chuckled as well. "Hey, guys, d'ya get a load of the new shop teacher? Talk about a Space Case!"
Don and Raph nodded in response, but Kali looked curious. "I don't have him until last period, what's he like?"
"Well, he's- Wait, you're talking shop?" Don looked at her strangely. "Why?"
Kali sat of straight. "Because I want to!" She lowered her voice, adding, "And because I've taken everything else."
"Hmm, fair enough," Don replied. "He's a little... off."
Raph snorted. "There's an understatement. That's like saying Vice Principal Oroku is a little evil. The guy's certifiable!"
Mike grinned. "You think he's cool, don't you?"
"Hell yeah!"
"Okay, so he's not so bad," Don relented. "But the new science teacher, Baxter Stockman-"
"That guy's creepy!" Mike interrupted. "All beady-eyed. He's got mad scientist written all over him"
Kali giggled. "I wouldn't be surprised if he was building a monster out of spare parts in his office."
"Or some tripped out killer robots." Don sighed. "I miss Professor Honeycutt."
"Yeah, that was unfortunate," a voice behind them said.
Mike grinned. "Hey, Leo! And Mei Pieh, hi again!"
Mei Pieh waved shyly. "Hello again."
Leo blinked. "You've met already?"
"Yeah, before school," Don informed him. "She was looking for the office. Nice to see you again, Mei Pieh, you enjoying yourself so far?"
"Very much so. Leonardo has shown me many wonderful things around your school."
Raph smirked. "He show you under the bleachers yet?" Kali backhanded him across the arm but it didn't wipe the smirk off his face.
Leo's face flushed and Mei Pieh innocently asked, "Under the bleachers?"
Leo regained control and locked Raphael with an icy stare. "There's nothing under there but trash."
Raph frowned and returned the glare. Mei Pieh could feel the aggressive energy passing between them. She leaned over and asked Mike, "Do they do this often?"
"Only when they're within twenty feet of each other." He moved over to give her room to sit as he pulled a sandwich out of his bag.
***