23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Telke

I head upstairs to the staff room after I wave goodbye to the floatball team and send everyone home. The practice session is finally over, not that I don't like that.

We are humming along and will be—

I halt before I bump into someone else from the other side of the corner. It won't be fun if they have horns or spikes. And it won't be good if they are smaller beings and I slam on them with my sweaty arms after the training session.

That is a student with an armful of books in his hand. He nods to me as he struggles to balance the books in his arms.

I ask, "Are you good?"

"Yes, Mr. Stek."

Except he doesn't seem to be doing it well.

"Let me help you. You're heading to the parking lot, right?" I pick up all the books for him, which is okay for me, but not for him.

"Oh, thank you. Yes, my father should be there to pick me up."

"No problem at all." I'm always happy to help others.

Except... Maybe I wish I'm better at relationships with others and there'll be someone who can help me.

It doesn't take long before we're at the parking lot and the student is happy with his father. I tip my head before I head back to the teaching building.

I've never met that parent, not that I'd wish to. As a teaching staff who isn't a class teacher, I don't need to have meetings with parents unless it is necessary. I'm never good at that anyway. Somehow, I think I'm a bit too crazy for the parents to think I'm good for their kids.

Or as some beings describe, I'm not good at refining my choice of words so that I can look more formal than I currently am.

I shrug as I get into the lift, enjoying the air-conditioning and my alone time in the lift. I'm still sweaty and I doubt anyone will want to be in a lift with me.

Most if not all students are out of the school, and the corridors are empty. I rest my hands on my waist as I go down the path. The sky is orange as evening slowly creeps up. I like this time of the day.

Or maybe I love for the workday to be over so that I can be doing my own thing again.

It is peaceful here. I can leave the school now, but I don't mind taking my time and enjoying the scene outside. It is amazing to have these windows as walls of the building.

I turn into the staff room which is also peaceful—

"What?" It's Winnie's voice. I hurry over to our seats even though she may not want to see me. What happened?

Winnie, Jackel, and a few others are in front of the whiteboard, which is at the end of the staff room. What's so scary over there?

Usually, those are just notices and the master schedule for the school. Is there something new?

When I arrive there, Winnie sneers and turns around. I jump to the side right before we'll crash into each other.

She halts and looks up at me. "Oh, you're here."

"Yeah..." I think it is only reasonable for me to be here at this time of the day... right?

She scowls at me and points at the whiteboard. "Look at that."

"What's that?"

I stand on my tip-toe to look over a few others who are also looking at the board. It said...

"Huh? A floatball match?"

Winnie nods. "Yeah... The principal sent an email."

I didn't see that, maybe it was sent late in the day when I was busy with lessons and training. "Okay...? I mean, I like floatball, but why are we having a match almost out of nowhere."

Jackel says, "It said, to help build everyone as a team. Well, I guess it's also to warm up the tournament season. It will be the fifth consecutive championship if we also get it this year, right? Or is this the sixth? I forgot."

I say, "This will be fifth. But... Well, it's not what I expected."

Jackel points at the chart that shows the team. "Here, look at this. We drew lots a while ago. You were with the team at that time."

I run my finger down the list as I take in the names. "So..."

Jackel winks at me. "This is how it is now."

So... Somehow, Winnie and I and a few others are on the same team. And with the smirk on Jackel's face, I suspect he has something to do with that, but I can't be certain.

"Winnie..." I turn around to...

She has already left, probably hating the floatball match. Maybe she thinks that I have something to do with it. Except I didn't. I hope everyone will be as excited about floatball as me, but I'd never make everyone do floatball just because I like it and the school is pretty good at it.

The principal has the dumbest idea ever.

I stand on my tip-toe, trying to see whether Winnie is still in her seat, but the partition is too high, or she is too short for me to see from here.

I go over there, right when a shadow comes and...

Even though I halt, they still bump into me. "Whoa!" I hold their shoulder, only to find that's Winnie hurrying to leave with her backpack, getting ready to poof out of the staff room until tomorrow.

I let go of her at once, putting my hands behind me.

Wait... The corridor is narrow. She and I can barely walk side by side. And... Unless I stick to the wall...

Where do I put my arms so I'm not taking up space and looking like I'm blocking her path?

I don't want to leave my sweat on the wall either.

She stares at me for another moment as her lips quiver as if she wants to say something.

Um... I turn to stand to the side to get out of her way. She snorts a laugh.

I ask, "What's that about?"

"It looks like you don't know how to stand. Your arms look confused."

"Well, I don't want to look like I was blocking your path." I want to ask her more, but inside the staff room, I should keep non-work-related talk to the minimum. I don't think I'm expected to fuck a co-worker, either.

She shakes her head. "It's okay. I know you're just walking by."

"So... Are you heading home?"

She nods and hurries to the door. "Yes."

I guess it means I shouldn't follow her. Maybe tomorrow will be better. She may need time alone and there hasn't been any since last night.

I sit on my chair again and take a sip of my water. I wish she wasn't still mad at me or something.

My phone buzzes, so I check it.

Oh... Father is calling for everyone to go home for dinner. I guess... I guess it's not bad timing when I can't be with Winnie this evening, but...

I do miss them. I think they visited me when I was in the hospital, but I was asleep most of the time, or inside the treatment room so I didn't end up seeing my parents. I should meet them for sure.

I stare at the blank screen of the turned-off computer. Now I remember Winnie's cat. How dare the cat mistake me as a toy?

But he is pretty cute with a chubby orange face.

But that's not very helpful when it comes to trying to know what's happening with Winnie. But maybe I should figure out what to bring to the family gathering.