Chapter 3: Jelly Bean Vs. Little Pea

Wrong...

Wrong...

Check...

Wrong...

Check...

Ria's pen flew over the test papers, checking each item with memorized precision.

Her mechanical movements only stopped when she heard a small, timid voice calling her name.

"Uh... Teacher Stella?"

Ria looked up from the papers she was checking. Only her music students call her Teacher Stella.

Her full name was Stellaria.

Stellaria Walters.

And her students either call her Ms. Walters or Teacher Stella.

Only her family and friends calls her Ria. No one in the school calls her in that name, not even her co-workers.

Ria stared at the person standing in front of her. There was only one student on campus who owns a beautiful face like that.

"Uhmmm. I'm sorry for disturbing you but… do you have time?"

Of course, Ria knew her. Sasha Ovechkin, from Class 12-A. The Campus Muse.

The girl was famous for looking like a living barbie doll, and she was standing awkwardly across from her desk, an uneasy expression on her delicate face.

"Of course..." Ria lowered her pen on the desk as she locked her fingers together, giving the student her undivided attention. "So, what can I do for you, Sasha?" She smiled, an encouraging one, seeing that one of her students has approached her on her own, anxiety written all over her face, which was a clue that tells her that something was up. "Is something wrong?"

Sasha lowered her head. "Well..." Her fingers clutched at the hem of her sweater. "It's my father." She stuttered.

"Your father?" Ria tilted her head to the left as she went into deep thought. She knew Sasha's father, he was a good man. "Did something happen?"

Sasha laughed as she frantically shook her head. "No, it's nothing serious, really! He just called me--- 5 minutes ago--- and said that he wouldn't be able to make it, that's all."

"Ah." Ria nodded, understanding dawning on her face. She has met Sasha's father a couple times before, and he was a kind and soft spoken man— very opposite to his large, bear-like physique and overly-serious, scarred face. He was a former soldier, now working for a security company, and he loved his daughter very much that he didn't miss a single PTA meeting or school family event that involved him supporting his daughter's school life.

That fact aside, later that day, a Parent-Teacher Association Meeting about the upcoming school festival next month will be happening, and Mr. Ovechkin is a part of the PTA officers, so it was clear that his presence was necessary.

Ria shifted on her seat. "Did he tell you the reason he couldn't come?"

Sasha's eyebrows met together, her hand rubbing the side of her neck while her lips held an awkward cringe. "He's in Moscow." She stuttered. "He missed his flight back, that's why he couldn't make it."

"Oh I see…" Ria nodded, her mind working as she stared away in thought. After hearing the situation from Sasha, her mind was clear. She literally thought something serious had happened, but apparently she was mistaken. "Well, that's okay… I'll inform the others of your father's absence-"

"Oh. You don't have to do that, Ms. Walters." Sasha shook her head as she stopped her from speaking. "My uncle is in town, so he's coming over to cover father's absence."

"Ah." Well that was smooth. Ria thought, blinking.

On the other hand, Sasha's cheeks was turning embarrassingly red, as she has realized that she has somewhat embarrassed her own teacher, that she shifted uncomfortably on her feet.

"Yeah…"

Meanwhile, Ria cleared her throat.

She thought, well, this is new. She really didn't know Mr. Ovechkin had a brother.

The two of them had a pleasant talk--- once--- and the subject of his family popped up after they got side tracked talking about Sasha's excellent performance in her piano lessons. He told her that he didn't have a brother, or any living relative--- which was weird.

"Your uncle huh…" She said, scratching her temple, while Sasha rocked herself back and forth on her feet.

"Yep." She answered, nodding as she popped the P in her response.

"Oh wow…" Ria laughed awkwardly.

Sheesh.

"My apologies, I really didn't know you had an uncle." She said.

"Well, that's okay." Sasha brushed off her apology, smiling. "It's nothing you should be sorry about, really."

"Okay." Ria then asked, wiggling her eyebrows, "So, how old is this uncle of yours?"

Sasha giggled at that. Ria's playful expression got her relaxing, the tension in her face was gone and was replaced by the sweet, happy-go-lucky girl that Ria knew she always was--- which was a change Ria wanted to achieve by her joke.

"He's 32. And technically, I don't have an uncle," Sasha said, "but Uncle Alyosha is my Godfather, so we're not related by blood, he's my father's sworn brother, so he's practically family."

"I see..." Ria nodded in understanding. "Well, I guess that's fine too, having your godfather attend is better than having no one at all."

"Thank you Ms. Walters!" She beamed, her former worries now gone, replaced by relief.

"You're welcome. Now..." Ria made a shooing motion from her hand. "Go. I still have work to do. I'll see your uncle at the meeting."

"Okay," Sasha giggled, "Thank you again, Ms. Walters. You're the best!"

"Stop flattering me kid." Ria rolled her eyes, "Now go, before I change my mind."

"I will." Sasha said her goodbyes and left the faculty with high spirits.

Ria shook her head, smiling to herself as she looked down on her previous work. She was satisfied with how her conversation ended with Sasha. Out of all her music students, Sasha was the one she was closest to. The girl had the talent for music.

There was still 40 minutes left before the PTA meeting, so she should start checking again. Ria continued on with the test papers she set aside, but was stopped when she heard the sound of rollers sliding on the tiled floors of the faculty room, and then something bumping at her side.

"I have a feeling," said a voice beside her, making Ria groan, painfully. Here we go again....

"I feel like this uncle of hers is a total eye candy."

Ria gave her co-worker and cubicle neighbor a bored side stare. "Leave me alone, Celine, I'm working."

"So, we have the same thoughts." Celine gave her a wolfish grin. "I'm right, I know it. I can feel it in my bones," she squealed, the excitement and enthusiasm dripping from her voice.

"I was just trying to cheer up the girl," Ria said, putting a check on the paper and changed it into an X when she realized the answer was wrong. "She looked like she was going to have a meltdown." She said.

"No, she wasn't." Celine interjected and scoffed. "You're exaggerating."

She was right.

Ria exaggerated the meltdown thingy, and Sasha wasn't having it, since she was just worried because her father made an effort to be an effective PTA officer, and she didn't want his perfect reputation to be ruined by a single absence.

But better that, than get bombarded with Celine's non-stop feeling-slash-guesses. She has been like that ever since she started Tarot reading. Now, all she talks about is destiny and fate and all that mojo.

"Anyway, how's the little pea?" Celine changed the topic, sliding closer to her side, her hand gently rubbing Ria's stomach. She was the first person who guessed she was pregnant, and so far, the news of her pregnancy were disregarded as ridiculous rumours for now.

Ria smiled, rubbing her stomach as well. "My little jelly bean is fine." She said.

The bump was slightly noticeable, but she can still wear her skinny jeans and pencil skirts.

Celine looked at her. "Still having a hard time in the mornings?"

Ria shook her head. "No. The doctor gave me something to help with the morning sickness, so I'm fine."

"That's good," Celine nodded, "I was worried your morning sickness would turn for the worse, so hearing that it's not making you heave your guts out is an improvement."

"Yeah." Remembering how she had a hard time going through with her morning sickness, made her smile. "It's an improvement indeed."

After the check-up, Ria didn't imagine herself enjoying shopping for baby clothes, but she did, and she had a great time picking new outfits she thinks would look great on the little jelly bean inside her stomach. In fact, she was so immersed in her excitement that she didn't remember she was practically panicking before she went to the Obgyne clinic that day.

The doctor gave Ria some advice about what's going to happen in her first 3 months of pregnancy, and wrote a prescription that will aid with her morning sickness. When they were able to set an appointment for the doctor to monitor her pregnancy, she was then given a maternity journal.

"Here. This will help." The doctor said, handing the journal to her. "I wrote my number on the back, so don't hesitate to call me."

Ria thanked her, and went shopping after that. She needed to purchase everything a pregnant woman has in her list of necessities, like for example, a dozen maternity dresses, some leggings, and books about pregnancy. Whatever she thinks she needs. It was funny how anxious she was before the check-up, and now she's fully accepted her situation and is doing something about it. The fear was there, and the pregnancy was something she wasn't ready to face, but life is full of surprises, which she can't control. She can only control how she'd react to her situation.

Ria snapped back from her thoughts when she heard the school bell ringing.

"Oops. Gotta go," Celine excused herself, "still have a blind date to catch up to."

Ria laughed, "Good luck with that… I hope that's the last one."

Celine cringed, "Ugh. Don't remind me." Her mother has been forcing her to blind dates left and right, and it's frustrating her to the point of madness. "Kiss my little pea goodbye for me please!" Celine shouted as she went for the door, running as she left.

Ria shook her head. "Unbelievable... It's my baby, my jelly bean, not your little pea." She said, then pouted. The two of them will have to discuss the issue of her baby's nickname tomorrow; Ria thought as she cleared her desk.

She hasn't finished checking the test papers, but she'll do them at home instead. There's still half an hour left for her to prepare for the meeting, so she needs to focus on the agenda at hand. Plus, she's the one who's going to preside over the meeting, that means she has to be there before the first parent arrives.

Ria stood up and her vision suddenly went dizzy, she held herself at the edge of the desk, trying not to fall. It would've been dangerous if she fell, good thing she held on the desk for support. She noticed she's been busy checking test papers and planning for the upcoming school festival lately, that she overworked herself to the point of dizziness this week. She needs to rest, but that can only happen after the PTA meeting's conclusion. That's the only way for her to rest with a clear mind.

To be continued...