The Timber Effect

by Jacklyn Reynolds

"Football scholarship," said Ashley.

  "My parents are paying for me," said Gina.

  "I'm paying for half of the tuition myself and my parents left me enough money in a trust fund that's paying for the other half," said Timber. "It should be enough for the degree I want."

  "That fat blob? Going to college?" Diana came walking up with her small group of girls in designer clothes and handbags. "Did she get in by winning an eating contest?"

  "No," said Timber calmly, "but isn't that how your dad got in? I'm surprised that the man can fit through a doorway."

  "At least my dad has money," said Diana proudly.

  "Yeah, by stealing other people's money," said Kendra.

  "Go home where you belong," snapped Diana.

  "I was born here, usted prostituta racista ignorante!" retorted Kendra.

  "Speak English," said Diana.

  "She called you an ignorant, racist prostitute," said Gina without looking up from her book. "You'd know that if you bothered to learn Spanish."

  "Shut up, you ugly little n-"

  Timber spit in her face before she could finish her word. Diana looked furious. Her friends stepped forward as she wiped the spit off her face with disgust. Gina slammed her book and jumped to her feet. Timber and her friends took a step forward too, knowing full well they had the upper hand. Diana sized up the competition and seemed to realize that her group of three stood no chance against five girls with one of them being on the football team. It didn't affect her confidence, though.

  "You know one day you're going to realize that its good looks that get you places," said Diana. She flicked her blonde hair behind her shoulder. "No man wants a smart ethnic girl. They want a beautiful white girl who knows how to give them what they want."

  "So you're dumb and you're a racist whore!" said Xianna. "Congratulations. You earn the skank award!" Timber, Ashley, Kendra, and Gina folded in half laughing. Diana and her friends huffed off and Timber patted Xianna on the back.

  Then, the bell rang saying that it was time to start going to class. Timber said goodbye to the girls and set off towards the gym on the far end of campus. There wouldn't be any real activities going on for another week so Timber skipped the locker rooms and went straight to the old gym. She sat at the top of the creaky wood bleachers near the large purple letters that read: HOME OF THE TIMBERWOLVES and waited for everyone to settle down. Timber looked around feeling a little bittersweet as she realized this was the last year she would sit in this gym for physical education class and rallies. She sighed to herself as she was joined by two of her school friends. For the next few minutes, they discussed which activities they were planning on participating in that year.

  Once everything was calm and quiet in the gymnasium, the head of the gym department explained (mostly to the sophomores) that since they were not freshmen, they could choose which activities they would like to take part in every six weeks. He handed out thick blue cards and everyone passed them around. Timber took a look at the choices and felt somewhat disappointed that weights had been removed from the list as it was by far the easiest option. Then she remembered that they were adding new equipment and it would probably be available next semester. She checked track and softball. Timber and her friends had made a senior bucket list and the first thing on that list was to do one thing during gym that they were horrible at, but do it with pride. For Timber, it was softball.

  After gym class was over and the cards had been handed back, Timber walked across campus to room 108. When she entered the room, the first thing she noticed was how home like it felt. She looked around feeling very proud of Henry. Instead of tacky posters on the wall, there were framed black and white pictures from history above the whiteboard. The curtains Timber had hung were opened so she could see out into the main quad area. The bookshelf was still exactly how Emily had arranged it and Henry had even added a lamp to match the curtains. The one thing that stood out to Timber more than what her eyes saw, was the comforting scent of lavender that filled the classroom.

  Timber looked around for Henry. She saw him standing behind his desk looking awake and nervous and she flashed him an encouraging smile. He returned it immediately and nodded his head towards the screen that he had pulled down. She looked at the projection on the screen and saw that Henry had made a seating chart. By the looks of it, it had been hastily revised. Xianna had been put right beside Timber, though it looked like that was not the original plan judging by the smear marks underneath her name and Whitney's.

  Timber grinned and took her seat. When Xianna came in, she flashed Henry a flirty smile, making him look a little awkward. Timber cleared her throat and pointed to the seat next to her. Xianna sat down and Timber saw Henry breathe an exhale of relief. Then she understood why he had put the two of them together. Timber was the only one who could keep Xianna in check and Henry must have noticed that earlier that morning. When the class was seated and quiet, Henry began to speak.

  "Good morning everyone, my name is Mr. Santelli. I'm your new government and economics teacher." He took a breath. "Before we begin I would like to make it clear what I expect from every one of you. I expect you to be on time for my class unless you have a valid reason for tardiness. Going to the bathroom, kissing your boyfriend or girlfriend or getting a book out of your locker are not valid reasons. If you are injured and need crutches, I will accept truancy but I will need to see a doctor's note."

  There was a sarcastic groan from one boy in the back followed by a room full of laughter.

  "I'm sorry to say," Henry said as he looked at the seating chart, "James, that I was a teenager once myself. I know every excuse under the sun because I invented some of them. Now as for homework, no one should have any excuse for not completing it. I know that many of your other teachers will have you buckling down to prepare you for your high school exit exams at the end of this year. Boring you half to death every night will not be of any help. So I'll be boring you at a slower pace throughout the week. Every week you will have one chapter to read followed by a maximum of eight questions. You will be given your homework on Monday; I expect it handed in on Friday."

  There was a verbal wave of gratitude that moved throughout the classroom. Timber winked at him and raised her hand.

  "Yes?"

  "Mr. Santelli, what will we be covering this year?" asked Timber sweetly and Henry smiled sarcastically at her.

  "We'll do an in-depth study of principles of U.S. government, basic documents of the U.S., business and industry in the U.S., American party system, and taxation and finance. These are standard lessons throughout the country, but I feel that these are the most important topics that you will learn in my class. You are all almost adults and are soon going to be old enough to vote. Come November, I will also be teaching you how to register and how to fill out your voting ballots. It's the perk of being in my class. The state doesn't require it." Henry looked around the room. "I am sure many of you have been told what your political party is from a young age. However, you are old enough to think for yourselves and pick the party that fits your own personal beliefs."

  "Which party are you, Mr. Santelli?" asked a girl from the back.

  "Amy?" asked Henry. At her nod, he continued. "My own personal beliefs are my opinion. Whether you agree with me or not is up to you. I belong to the Conservative Right Wing party. There are more branches of Democrats and Republicans but that's another lesson. I believe in the American Flag and what it stands for and I believe that our Constitutional rights should not be infringed upon. This country was founded upon freedom, and more people are choosing to take away rights." Timber could hear the passion in his voice and she smiled a little. Henry took a deep breath before continuing. "That's enough for now on politics. There's going to be a lot of time to debate when we get there."

  Timber listened to him in awe. He shared her beliefs and that was something that made her very happy for reasons she didn't understand.

  "Now, here's a list of the things that you will need to
have for this class by the end of the week. If you already have them, don't worry about it. I don't want you to waste money on duplicates."

  Henry handed out a sheet of paper to everyone and Timber took a look at it. On the list were construction paper, markers, crayons, and scissors, as well as the standard list items such as a separate one-inch three-ring binder. Timber was confused for a moment then she smiled. She enjoyed making crafts. Xianna, who lacked both a filter and tact, blurted out, "This looks more like an elementary school list." Timber gave her a dirty look but Henry laughed.

  "I know that," said Henry. "I also realize that some of you think that you're too old for things like coloring and crafts. Let me ask you something. Would you rather take a step back into early childhood when life was simple, or would you rather I have you write four-page essays on every subject we cover?" There was a murmur in the room. All agreed that they would rather color than write essays.

  The bell rang and most of the students left, but Timber hung back to talk to Henry. She went up to his desk where he was getting papers ready for the next lesson.

  "You did a great job today," said Timber encouragingly. "If you're trying to get on the roster for the most popular teacher award you're doing a fantastic job."

  "That's not what I'm aiming for," said Henry, though he grinned. "I want to teach you things you need to learn for your future, but I want to urge you to keep a hold of your childhood. Too many adults forget what it's like to be a kid."

  "I like that idea," said Timber. "So I noticed that you made a quick adjustment to the seating chart."

  "Your friend Xianna - she's - umm"

  "A hormone crazed teenager with no filter on her mouth, I know," said Timber. "She's not shy about what she's thinking but if you ever need her, she's right there no matter what."

  "I'm glad she's your friend," said Henry. "But I wouldn't say no to you putting her on a leash." Timber laughed.

  "Sometimes I wish I could. Just," Timber lowered her voice, "go easy on her if she seems louder than usual. Her volume increases when she's under a lot of stress. Don't let her know I told you, but she's got it rough at home. If you hear frantic banging on my front door in the middle of the night, no one is trying to break in. It's Xianna running away again."

  "I'll remember that," said Henry.

  "I have to go across campus now. Oh, I'm usually here for an hour after school anyway. I like to do my homework in the quad unless it's cold or raining, and then I'm usually in the library. Today, though, I think I'm going to be putting my locker together. Do you want to walk home together?"

  "Don't you think that would be a little inappropriate?" asked Henry.

  "No," said Timber. "Yes, you're my teacher, but you're also my neighbor and I would like to think that we're friends."

  "I guess it wouldn't hurt," said Henry.

  "So, we'll walk to school together and home together?"

  "I don't see any harm in that," said Henry slowly.

  Timber heard the bell. "I have to run. I'll see you in the courtyard after school."

  After school was over for the day and she finished decorating her locker, Henry walked Timber home but she found she was not quite ready to say goodbye so she shyly invited him inside for a glass of tea. Henry was hesitant at first, but after a short moment, he followed Timber inside. Timber dropped her bag at the foot of the stairs and went to the kitchen and grabbed a pitcher of tea. She put it on an old silver serving tray with two glasses and brought it to the front room. She set the tray a flat-top trunk that served as a coffee table and sat down beside him. He was rolling up his sleeves for more comfort.

  "How was your first day of teaching?" asked Timber as she poured him a glass.

  "Repetitive," said Henry. He took his glass and took a sip. "I can't get enough of this tea. Anyway, I'm sure your day was very much the same."

  "Yeah, the first day is a bit dull," said Timber. "It's all rules, expectations, things we're going to cover in class, that sort of thing. At least it's a half-day. You know, I'm glad that you're here at this school." Henry choked a little but recovered quickly. Seeing his reaction, she added hastily, "I just mean that you love what you teach. I could hear it in your voice when you spoke. I don't hear that from the other teachers."

  "I have a fascination with the subject," said Henry making Timber smile. He stretched and slouched down on the couch a little. He put his arms over his head and rested them on the back of the couch. "I thought about becoming a historian but I wouldn't be able to reach out as far. You know I confess I didn't take you as the artsy type. I took you for someone who would do a foreign language."

  "I have no need for it," said Timber. "My friend Kendra Black is bilingual. She's fluent in English and Spanish. Xianna, Ashley, Gina and I are all fluent in Spanish because of it. Kendra taught us since the fourth grade. Gina is the genius of the group. She's not only fluent in English and Spanish but Mandarin Chinese as well. Ashley is fluent in boy because she has four older brothers and she's the only girl on the football team. Xianna and I are both skilled in telepathy; at least with each other. We have silent conversations all the time. Emily and I are also fluent in French and so is Aunt Grace. I took art because it’s fun and I need it for college."

  "It sounds like you have a very tight group of friends," said Henry. He gulped down half of his tea. "So, your aunt was raised in Louisiana? It explains why her accent is so thick. You and Emily have slight accents too. What's she doing out here?"

  "She went to college at UC Davis," said Timber topping off Henry's glass. "That's where she met Uncle Chad. Aunt Grace was late to her theology class and she wasn't paying attention to where she was going and she literally ran into him, making him drop his coffee. She forgot about class and started talking to my uncle. After they graduated, they moved here."

  "So she stayed in California for your uncle?"

  "Yep," said Timber happily. "When I moved in with them and they needed a bigger house. They were renting a small apartment on Ness Avenue to save to buy a house in full with no mortgage. They bought this and Aunt Grace brought the south to Fort Bragg so she wouldn't be homesick."

  "I like the way she decorated," said Henry. "It reminds me of an old southern farmhouse."

  "Me too. Uncle Chad doesn't care for it too much. He's from California but he loves my aunt too much to complain," said Timber. Then she put her tea down and looked at her knees. "Henry, can I ask your advice about something?"

  "Of course," he replied.

  "There's a guy that I think I may kind of like, but I'm not sure if I should tell him because I don't think he'd like me back." Henry's face was incomprehensible as he looked at Timber. She curled her toes and ran her fingers through the ends of her hair as she felt herself go red in the face.

  "You're asking me for relationship advice? I'm not sure I'm the right person to talk to. Why not talk to your aunt?"

  "She would go nuts," said Timber timidly. "This guy is a bit older than me but he's a really good guy. He's also the first guy I've really liked in that way."

  Henry gawked at her with a momentary flicker of hope, but it was quickly replaced with despondency. Then his face became expressionless and Timber could see him mentally regaining his composure.

  "You know how to put me on the spot! Umm... My advice is to try to take things slow at first. Spend time with him and see if you notice any signs that he may have feelings for you. If so, take a chance and tell him. That's my advice."

  "Okay. Well, we've been friends for a little while, and I see him a lot. Should I tell him the next time I see him?"

  "I think so," said Henry. "If you think it would be worth it."

  Timber sat for a moment, thinking. How would he react if she told him what he did to her? Would he hate her? How would he see her if she did tell him? She made up her mind to follow his advice. Timber got up and carried the tray with empty cups and a half-full pitcher of tea into the kitchen and set the tray on the white tile countertop. She came back into the room
and looked at Henry, who was bent over tying his shoelace.

  "Henry?" He looked up at Timber and she blushed and stared determinedly at the floor a few feet in front of her. She couldn't say it while looking at him directly. "I think I may kind of like you."

  Henry didn't say a word. He sat, unmoving on the cream-colored couch with the bright golden sunlight shining through the window behind him giving the illusion that he was glowing. Timber waited for some sort of reaction from him but all she got from him was a blank stare and silence for more than two minutes. When he finally spoke, his tone was disbelieving.

  "What?"

  "I like you," she said shyly. "I think. I don't know yet, but I feel differently about you than I do about other people."

  "Timber -"

  "You don't have to like me back" she started speaking quickly as she raised her palms towards him and looked at him with sudden panic on her face, "and I don't want things to change between us. I just - I thought you should know how I feel. This is turning into a mess. I don't know what I'm doing. I'm sorry. Can we - can we still be friends?"

  "Yes, we can," said Henry with a small smile that reached his eyes. Timber beamed back and realized at that moment how handsome he was when he smiled.

  Timber and Henry had formed a steady routine over the first few weeks of school. Every morning at seven-thirty, they would leave their own house and walk to the high school together side by side. They would talk, laugh, and goof around with each other until they stepped on the campus. They would say good-bye and then Henry would go to his classroom and Timber would go to the main quad to hang out with her friends. During second period, Timber would sit through his class and treat him like every other teacher, though if she was honest with herself, she couldn't see him like every other teacher because of the overwhelming feelings she had for him.

  Timber found Henry alluring, and inscrutable. The feelings he made her feel were confusing to her. It felt like the first couple of seconds on a rollercoaster as the cart climbs up the lift hill. Leaning back as her pumping heart is making a scene and she's building up the strength to scream and she's wondering if she can't turn around now if she can't press the stop button and slide back down if she could at least stay in this spot for a little while longer... Timber was euphoric, giddy, nervous, exhausted and confused every time Henry got close to her. When Henry would accidentally brush up against her, she felt a jittery feeling in her stomach like a swarm of butterflies trying to escape, her palms would sweat and a flutter of electricity ran through her body.