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Coran put his hands on his hips and started bouncing on his heels excited for his first class of the day. He never thought he would become a PE teacher, in fact, he had many degrees that would say he should be anything but a PE teacher, but a man with his excited constitution and love of children being a PE teacher was the job for him.
“Ah, there they are,” he said to himself as he saw the head of one very excitable ball of energy that was Lance.
“Ahoy there, Mr. Lance!”
The child absolutely beamed with joy and waved his hand with all his energy and might.
Coran had to stop himself from snickering as Lance got reprimanded by his teacher, Mr. Shiro, for not having his hand behind his back and being silent as a line leader should be.
He put a finger to his lips as the kids silently walked past him all nodding solemnly back at him as they one by one put their own fingers against their lips. He watched as the all the kids went in not expecting any surprises when he saw a brand new and very sullen face walking by Mr. Shiro.
He exchanged glances with Mr. Shiro who shrugged at him. When all the kids were in Mr. Shiro kept the young boy behind (Who Coran had to say had the best looking tiny mullet he had ever seen and that was saying something since he lived during the 80’s).
Mr. Shiro lightly patted the boy's shoulder and said in a light tone that told Coran volumes, “Keith this is Mr. Coran. He’ll be your PE teacher when we do PE Specials class.” Mr. Shiro looked at him and Coran nodded back.
He got on one knee and said, “Hello Mr. Keith or should I go with Mrs. Keith?”
That didn’t get a laugh like it usually did. The boy stared at him and shrugged and quietly said, “Mister.”
Coran nodded his head and held out his hand. “It’s good to meet you, Mr. Keith. Like Mr. Shiro said I’m your new PE teacher. Since you’re new here let me tell you some of my rules.”
Suddenly a glint of determination entered the boy’s eyes. As if he were going to commit every rule to memory and crush being able to follow them.
“First, when you walk into my class you must put your hand own your lips like this.” He demonstrated when he had done earlier when the other kids had walked on by. “When I come into the classroom you stay as quiet as you can until I tell you hello. When I say hello in your loudest voice I want you to say hello back to me. Can you do that for me, Mr. Keith?”
Keith looked like he was actually contemplating the answer when he finally nodded his head.
“Good. Now put your finger on your lips.” Keith quickly did that.” Good, now go and sit by young Mrs. Lizzy there and we’ll get started soon okay?”
Keith nodded his head. He looked at Mr. Shiro for a second and when Mr. Shiro nodded at him he did what Coran said. He sat right next to Lizzy but he put as much space as he could between her and him.
“So,” he turned to Mr. Shiro, “Is he going to be any problem?”
Mr. Shiro shook his head. “No. As far as I can tell he’s just shy. From what Allura told me he’s not used to reading or speaking English since he lived abroad before coming here so I’d just go slow with things for him.”
Coran nodded his head. “Okay.” He clapped Mr. Shiro on the shoulder and smiled as he said, “Enjoy your free hour.”
Mr. Shiro smiled wide as he said, “I always do.”
Coran turned and entered his classroom listening as the little whisperings that had naturally started in his absence died down as he entered the classroom. He walked in with the most solemn and severe look he could muster. All the kids were used to this, he did it every time, but the look of unsure terror suddenly came across young Keith’s face.
Coran looked around them for just a second before he cracked a smile and said, “Hello, class!”
The explosion of noises as the kids yelled hello back to him always amused Coran to his core.
Young Keith looked confused and he said his hello a second later than anyone else, but Coran knew he’d eventually get it.
“Alright class today we’re going outside to first STRETCH, then we’re going to do some jumping jacks, and some running. IF you’re all good then we’re going to play,” he paused letting the excitement grow as the kids hung onto his every word, “FOURSQUARE!”
The loud screeches of happiness filled the room and his heart. He looked down to see young Lance absolutely losing his mind as he grabbed onto his best friend’s, a young stout boy named Hunk, shirt and was jumping up and down with him in excitement. Young Keith looked even more confused than he had before as he stared at everyone in uncomfortable confusion.
Coran took a breath then yelled, “ONE TWO THREE EYES ON ME!”
The class yelled back, “ONE TWO EYES ON YOU!”
Coran smiled as once again the room became silent. “Alright, now remember to go outside the backdoor in silence if not no four square. Got it?” All the kids, except Keith, nodded their heads. “Okay, let’s go.”
As quickly as young third graders can they got up and followed Coran out the door into the courtyard. Everything went well as far as the stretches, jumping jacks, and running went. Keith always seemed to process things just a second too slow, but overall once he understood what was going on he excelled at everything he did.
Since Lance always thought himself the best at everything (He was a little braggart at heart and Coran couldn’t fault him.) it wasn’t a surprise that seeing how well and good young Keith was that his competitive side started to rear its ugly head. Lance, like most kids, wasn’t a particularly mean boy but sometimes he didn’t understand that the way he said things or how his body language could come off as mean.
Coran wasn’t particularly surprised that a young Hunk came to him to tell him someone (Lance) wasn’t sharing and he wasn’t being exactly nice (Hunk was loyal to a fault and would never tell on his best friend, but he couldn’t not say anything either). What did surprise him was that young Hunk told him that Keith had simply walked away from their little foursquare game and was now sitting away from them in a defensive ball.
Coran walked over to Keith and squatted down to his level. He stared at Keith waiting to see if he would open up by himself. He didn’t.
Coran sighed then asked, “What’s wrong Mr. Keith?”
Keith hid his face in his knees and mumbled, "He talks too fast and I don't understand."
Coran at first didn’t understand who young Keith was talking about until Keith glared up at Lance.
“Oh, well.” After that inspiring speech, Keith stared back down at his knees returning to his silence.
Coran didn't know how he could connect with the boy since he only just met him. It was obvious that Lance's fast-paced personality was rubbing young Keith here wrong but Coran knew the boy to be of good heart. He was just rough around the edges.
It didn't help that he was also loud and just as fast paced as Lance.
He nodded his head then coming up with an idea he started to stroke his mustache before he leaned in towards Keith as if he was telling a secret.
"You want to know something, my boy?"
Keith didn't look directly at him. He just kind of shrugged.
"I'm just like Lance. I'm LOUD and fast and I make silly faces," he pulled a silly face then he said in a high-pitched tone, "and I do silly voices."
Keith finally giggled. Just a tiny bit.
"But just like Mr. Lance has to learn sometimes being just a bit quieter and just a bit slower isn't a bad thing."
Keith glanced up quickly before looking back at his knees. Coran looked up to see Mr. Shiro standing by the door to his classroom fondly looking at his class.
Huh. Coran could work with that.
"Y'know your teacher Mr. Shiro?"
Keith's eyes widened in curiosity. He nodded his head quickly.
"Well unlike me Mr. Shiro is not exactly slow but he's slower. He’s steadier. He’s like a MOUNTAIN!” He jumped up to let his arms spread out to the sky before once more coming back to Keith’s level. “He's also quiet, just like you, and he never backs down from a challenge. And you know what?”
Keith looked at him with so much curiosity as he shook his head.
“Sometimes I think of him as a superhero."
Keith turned to head towards Mr. Shiro and Coran could practically feel his hero worship.
"And since I like Mr. Shiro I know I'll like you just as much."
Keith turned back to him with surprised then almost distrustful eyes. "You sure?"
Coran nodded his head with his whole body and said, "Of course! You remind me of a young Mr. Shiro. I see great things in you!"
Keith looked less distrustful and more hopeful. "Really?"
"YEP!" Coran stopped stroking his mustache and said, "No go show Mr. Lance how awesome you are!"
That finally seemed to light a fire under Keith's butt. He turned to look at young Lance and Coran didn't know if he should be worried or not by his intense stare.
"Ok."
Coran nodded his head figuring he was ok for the rest of the class.
He didn't expect Keith to come back and absolutely obliterate Lance at four square. Or that Lance would push Keith who pushed back and suddenly he had a fight on his hands.
After he took the boys to the principal he couldn't help but wipe his brow and sigh. Sometimes he was just too good at his job.