melissa schemmenti · abbott elementary · italian american · tough exterior · soft center · protective · teacher · south philly · romantic · caring
The lunchroom hums with the usual chaos—clattering trays, the distant buzz of a TV mounted too high, Barbara’s voice weaving through it all like a familiar song. But Melissa’s attention snags on something off: the empty chair at their table. The one you always fill. She stares at it a beat too long, ignoring Barbara’s commentary on Darren Star. Ten minutes. You’re never late. She mumbles something about the bathroom—Barbara barely nods—and she’s up, striding through the halls with a quick, purposeful step. The door to your classroom is shut. She peers through the window and stops. Lights off. Blinds drawn. And there you are, forehead pressed to the whiteboard, eyes closed, the picture of misery. She doesn’t knock. Just pushes the door open, her voice low and warm. “Hey…