Enjoying a Day Off

[Tamara Sulik]

Technically, it was her day off. Technically, she should be in her room, taking a warm and long bath and then pamper herself. Or maybe go out in town and enjoy an overly priced cup of coffee. Or even just watch whatever silly program was on the TV at the time. She was not supposed to work. Yet, they asked if she could. Exceptionally, she agreed. She didn't like saying yes because then they figured they could keep asking her every time they felt like it. To avoid that, she left her phone in her room. And then she left the room.

She was still in the school. And they couldn’t blame her, it was her day off. Teachers had break over summer, at least it was how she saw it. They didn't have to teach anyone. She had to stay here and watch all the students who did not go home for summer, which basically was everyone. She wanted to enjoy summer too. She had hoped to go for a week or two back to Serbia, stay with her parents in their inn, be with her kid. Instead, she was stuck watch other people’s kids. She intended to savour a few hours of her day off.

She went to the teacher’s lounge because it was about the only place she could go and not risk for a student to show up. Plus they had a coffee machine. She poured herself a cup of the darkest blend they had. She liked the bitter taste of it. She let out a deep sigh once she sank into a seat. Peace at last.

TAG: Carmelita Volpez

[Carmelita Volpez]

Carmelita was elated to have been transfered to Bellefonte. True, she missed Acton Vale dearly and hoped the rebuilding was going well, but she did have high spirits for this Academy as well. However, she did not account for how annoying it would be to transfer all her teaching supplies over and set up her new ciriculum for the students here. It was stricter at Bellefonte than it had been at Acton Vale, and Bellefonte was well known for its academics. So Carmelita had to make sure her lessons matched up well with all that.

She had spent a few hours in the school going over everything before finally deciding to call it a day. But first she wanted some coffee, so she headed for the teacher's lounge. Thank god it was summer, otherwise this would all be even harder for her. Especially with kids running around. Not that she had anything against them, but still.

With a soft sigh, Carmelita pushed her way into the lounge... And realized she was not alone. She blinked at the other woman. "Oh! Hello there!" She greeted, smiling. She hadn't seen this woman before. "I thought I was the only person left her." She commented with a giggle before heading for the coffee machine

[Tamara Sulik]

Tamara couldn’t understand how people liked all those coffee-like beverages they offered. It was not a coffee when it looked like a cold smoothie with chocolate and whipped cream. This looked more like something that makes your hips go wide and your veins clog, if your heart doesn’t give out on all the sugar there was in there. She could understand that someone put milk or sugar in it. At most, she could get vanilla or chocolate for a different flavour. But she still preferred it black. She wanted to taste the coffee after all. Why else would you have one?

She turned her head from her cup when the door opened. At first, she seriously feared it would be someone from her department looking for her because something turned up and they needed an extra hand. Luckily, it was not the case. She looked at the woman. She didn't recall her, which meant she definitely was not from her department. She could relax. There was no reason to prevent the other staff to come in here to relax without students around. This lounge was here precisely for that.

“No, but feel free to say you are alone. Some people in this school doesn’t seem to get the meaning of ‘day off’,” she replied. This forced a sigh off her chest. She resided at the school so of course they’d call her first. She would show up faster than one who had to drive all the way here. Didn't make it any pleasant for her though.

Pushing the thought aside, she looked at the other woman. “I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Tamara. I’m a dorm monitor here.”

[Carmelita Volpez]

The other woman seemed a little surprised to see Carmelita I ritually, but she relaxed after she got a good look at her. Maybe she was afraid Carmelita was someone else? "Afraid I was coming in here to get you?" She asked, teasing slightly with a small smile as she poured herself some coffee and added what she wanted to it. She wanted to keep alert today, so she didn't add as much cream or sugar as usual- barely any really. She lived sweetness, but the bitter taste would wake her brain up faster.

Since the woman seemed friendly, Carmelita decided to walk over to her table. "Mind if I sit?" She asked politely. She wouldn't sit just yet, to see if the woman really was friendly or only appeared. At the mention of some not getting the idea of a 'day off,' Carmelita smirked. "I hear you there. I would much rather be at home settling in the rest of my things, but I need to get organized here. Seems my work isn't done even in the summer."

At the introduction, Carmelita smiled and offered her hand to shake. "I don't believe we have. I'm Carmelita. I'm the new Physics teacher that transfered in from Acton Vale." She introduce herself. "It's a pleasure to meet you,Tamara."

[Tamara Sulik]

Tamara shrugged at the woman’s question. “They already asked me to help out earlier when a little incident occurred in the girls’ dorms. I told them this was just for this one time but I wouldn’t be surprised if they called me again,” she answered. As she said before, it was her day off. She had no obligation to work. They couldn’t blame her or anything. She was able to handle things on her own when she was working, why couldn’t they? Summer was not all that pleasant to Tamara. Without class, the students had way too much free time on their hands.

“Sure, go ahead,” she told her as she asked to sit with her. It would be strange to stay on both sides of the lounge, ignoring each other. She wouldn’t mind if the other woman came in with work to do or anything like that, as there would be a reason to remain silent in her corner, but not that would just be awkward. She came here to avoid students, not everyone.

“Oh, you’ve just arrived?” In a way, Tam thought she picked a good time for that. She would have time to settle down before getting really into work. She grabbed the woman’s hand and shook it. “Same,” she replied once she introduced herself as Carmelita. She nodded at the mention of her job. As a teacher, she figured they wouldn’t meet often, at least not for work. “How are you settling in?”

[Carmelita Volpez]

Carmelita blinked before raising an eyebrow. "Well that seems a little unfair. You should enjoy your summer too." She said. Then she smirked slightly. "I mean, I could help a little if you need any. I don't have much else to do but sort through my papers." She mused with a small exhausted sigh, sipping her coffee to jolt her awake.

"Thank you." She said gratefully as she took the seat across from the woman. At Tam's surprise, Carmelita nodded. "Yes, I'm still very new here. I just managed to move in about a week ago, and got to unpack for a few days." She said with a soft laugh at the memory. "My cats were very grumpy into tailor at the sudden change in scenery." She remarked with a smirk before taking another sip.

"I've been relatively fine settling in. I admit, this school is much grander than anything I could've imagined though!" She confessed with a grin. "But it seems very nice. I think it wouldn't take me too long to settle in. I had to move from my home in Mexico to get to Acton Vale. I'm basically just doing it again." She mused with a shrug. "Luckily I don't have to learn a completely different language this time." She joked

[Tamara Sulik]

Tamara couldn’t help the dry laugh to come out even though she tried to keep in inside. Enjoying her summer? “There are always students around the school, meaning we always have to stay and watch out for them. I don’t think I’ve taken vacations, more than a weekend that is, since I came here.” Or even before, for that matter, but she didn’t say that. Anyway, where would she go? Home in Serbia would be nice, of course, but she knew the only reason why she wouldn’t go totally crazy for staying there more than a day or two would be her son. She kept telling herself he would come here one day. That will be great.

When she offered to help, Tam gave her a brief smile. That was nice, but totally unnecessary and so she shook her head at the other woman. “It’s fine. We have a system that’s running perfectly. It’s just that sometimes there are accidents and since I live at the school, I’m easier to reach than one living in town,” she explained to her. Papers. Tamara had a bit of those too but luckily not as much as the teachers or trainers here. She was glad because if her English was good when spoken, she didn’t even have an Eastern European accent, writing was another matter.

She had another soft chuckle as she talked of her cats. She couldn’t help thinking about another cat that without being hers had made her kind of his. Maybe it was in her head, or just the fact Humphries stayed in her dorm and she was the first he met here. Must be that. “Are you residing at the school or you got a place in town?”

Tam nodded slightly as she listened to Carmelita. “I know. It kind of gave me that impression too when I started working here.” She didn’t ask where she studied and didn’t tell what school she went to either. She could at the very least assure her this wouldn’t be too long before she had her bearings around here but she kept going and something else caught her attention. “I know what you mean. I already spoke a bit of English so that helped but it took me some time before I got rid of my accent.”