Page 69 of Substitute for Love

Huh. Am I thinking like a real teacher right now?

She shook off the thought. Substitute teaching was only a side gig. Something that had really challenged her. Given her an opportunity to grow. Meet new people.

Laughter brought her glance over to Gabe, who was fully engrossed with helping a pair of students with the scene.

Gosh, he’s cute. No, he’s leaving. You rejected him. It’s over. Duh, Avery.

Then she remembered—thanks to the deprecating voice—Marshall was coming tomorrow.Apparently Marshall had changed and missed her. Probably missed the way she did pretty much everything for him. Avery didn’t miss how he always put her down and never appreciated her. But she wanted Marshall to change. She saw so much potential in him, and she wanted to help him.

Was that love, though? Maybe she didn’t even know what love was.

“Alright, time’s up!” she said, making her way up to stage right.

Gabe stood and switched from silly kid mode to teacher mode. “Who will our firstRomeo and Juliet be?”

“How about this couple right here?” Avery pointed at Sarah and Jake on the front row, both of them like deer in headlights.

The other students mocked them with a collective, “Ooh!”

“Okay fine,” Jake responded. “But only if Miss Williams and Mr. Manwaring take a turn after us.”

Panicked, Avery shook her head at Gabe, who put his hands on his hips and smirked.

“Sub-sti-tutes! Sub-sti-tutes! Sub-sti-tutes!” The students chanted loudly.

Gabe yelled, “Deal!”

Everybody cheered.

Avery’s mouth dropped, frustration building at him making the deal without asking her. “What are you doing?” she mouthed.

He shrugged, though he didn’t look bothered by the whole thing. Maybe he wanted to be her Romeo. Or maybe she was reading too much into it. Gabe was trying to please the students.

Okay, then that’s what they would do. If it got the students to learn the drama and the literature of Shakespeare, why not? Her annoyance started to melt away.Act professional, Avery.

Jake and Sarah took to the stage, each holding their books up to their faces.

“For reference,” Avery explained, “Sarah is from drama class and Jake is from lit class. The point is for us to learn from each other, so we’ll work on a bit of the scene and discuss. Go ahead.”

Jake cleared his throat.

ROMEO/JAKE (in a flat voice) : What lady’s that which doth enrich the hand

Of yonder knight?

SERVINGMAN/SARAH (in a dramatic, deep voice): I know not, sir.

The students giggled.

ROMEO/JAKE (in a flat voice) : O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!

It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night ….

For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.

Gabe, standing stage left, clapped as he approached the two students. “Good effort there, Jake. But could you try it again, only this time, act like you at least, you know, think Juliet is totally cute?”

The students giggled and Jake’s cheeks flushed.

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