To Protect and Serve by Pat Adeff Page A

no embarrassment from either of them; that is, until the school secretary giggled.
                  Nancy was the first to speak.  “It’s good to see you again, Doug.  What are you doing here?”
                  “Running the bicycle safety class.  Will you be there?”
                  “I wish.  No, I’m the Drama Teacher.  The homeroom teachers will be the ones taking the students to your class.  Where are you holding it?”
     
                  “I was just about to explain that all to him, Ms. Adams.”  The principal, Victoria Newman smiled to soften her words.
                  “And you probably need to get to class.”  Doug didn’t want to see Nancy go, but he couldn’t figure out any other way to make her stay, especially when he had to speak with the principal.
                  “I do.  If you get the chance, stop by the theatre.  We’re in rehearsal for a skit that the younger students will be doing at our Halloween Carnival.”  Then she realized that Doug would be working with students all day, and probably wouldn’t have the time to stop by.
                  “If I can, I will.”  When Doug saw Nancy’s smile dim slightly, he added, “I’d really like to see you.”
                  Nancy’s smile widened again, and she almost tripped when she started walking because she wasn’t paying attention to where she was going.  I can’t believe I’m such a klutz around him!  He’s going to think I’m perpetually clumsy.   Nancy tried to maintain some form of dignity, but found it next to impossible to stop smiling at Doug.  Who, in turn, couldn’t stop smiled at her.
                  If it hadn’t been for Mrs. Newman, they probably would have stood there all day, lost in smiling at each other.
                  Fortunately, Nancy was able to make it to her class on time.
                  Unfortunately, Nancy’s advanced drama class let out late, and Doug got called away as soon as the bicycle safety class was finished.
                  They both felt an odd combination of feeling let down, yet exhilarated because they’d seen each other.
                  Later that afternoon, as Nancy unlocked her car to go home, she thought to herself, “Is this what a crush feels like at my age?”
                  Throughout the rest of that day, Doug found himself smiling for no reason.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER 8
     
                  Nancy grinned as she walked across campus to her classroom.  She took in a deep breath and felt almost giddy.
                  Nancy loved everything about autumn.  She loved the smell of the air.  The crispness that heralded the coming of colder weather.  She even enjoyed the Santa Ana winds that kicked up now and again.  This time of year always made her feel good.  Another thing that made her feel good lately was whenever she spied a black and white unit drive slowly past her house.  She liked to think that it might be that nice Officer Saunders.  Then she would squelch the thought as though it was something forbidden.
                  Nancy was really enjoying her class at the private school where she worked.  Although she was first and foremost a drama teacher, they’d found she had a natural talent for making math understandable to students who were previously having trouble, so they’d also given her a couple of math classes a week.  With only ten students in each class, it was more like tutoring than teaching.
                  She felt that she was making a big difference for these kids, watching them comprehend fractions and long division.  The look on the students’ faces when they finally understood the concept was worth all of the struggles and