going to be your teacher’s assistant.” “Really now? I was never informed of me getting a teaching assistant. In fact I didn’t even know I needed one.” “Well it is a surprise for me too. I was just called up two days ago and given your information. They said you could use the help.” She let out a sigh and finally nodded. “Alright then, we are going to the office and we are going to figure out what is happening.” Getting inside she saw several students making big eyes at each other. She remembered how high school was, she tried to forget sometimes though. In the office she saw Principal Freeman in his office. “Oh Amanda, I see you have met Mr. Locke.” “Sir,” she said. “I wasn’t even aware that I was getting a TA. When were you planning on telling me?” “I sent out a notice to you.” “If you did I never received it. – Look you of all people know of how much of a control freak I am. Not that having a TA is a bad thing, but I just work differently than most teachers.” “Well then maybe that is why we assigned him to you. See other teachers aren’t able to connect with students the way you do. That is why he was assigned to you, So suck it up.” “Yes sir. Um, Mr. Locke follow me please.” Leaving the office she felt a sense of frustration and that was when they made it to her room. She taught literature at the school, and she had been surprised with how illiterate students were. She had thought that with these students they would be smart, but they used their lingo and never used punctuation. “So where are you from,” she asked. “Africa,” he said. “I am from Togo. But my family and I came to the state when I was a young boy.” She nodded. “Well welcome to Buffalo, New York. This is where I grew up and plan to stay. This high school is Williamsville North and the land of the Spartans. My objective in this classroom is to teach them what they need to know and try to have fun with it. This week I am going to assign a project to them to teach them about journalism. They are going to have their own newspaper and they get to decide what they would like to report about what is happening in the world.” “Sounds like fun. – So Miss. Smith are you married? I don’t see a ring on your finger.” “No, I am not married. – And this is something you need to know. I don’t like talking about my personal life. Especially not at work, this is not a place for any conversations like that. “Have you always been that way? Or is it just being next to someone so handsome that makes you say otherwise?” She looked down and she felt uncomfortable as he kept his eyes on her. The arrogance he had about himself was disturbing and she did not appreciate it. “I have always been like this.” He nodded and she went to her desk. Getting out a few papers she was going to have her first class get their new assignment. She felt as his eyes stayed on her and she was beginning to feel sick. She did not want him around watching her. There was nothing so interesting about herself. “You know that you are very attractive right? Not many women with red hair are pretty.” “This here is a work zone. We do not gossip and we do not make inappropriate conversation. We are here to teach and to set example and we do not flirt. When you are in this room I am the boss and whatever I say is law. Do not try to hit on me. I am not into guys like