Fear In Middle School

Throughout lower school, and much of middle school, I had one looming fear. This fear ate me alive. The knowledge that at one point during my school career, I would have to endure a substitute teacher completely consumed me with a fear that rocked me to my very core. I can remember physically wincing when I opened the classroom door, and saw writing on the board that explained my teacher’s absence. I wasn’t fearful of a change in teaching styles, or the possibility that the new teacher would be absolutely dreadful, instead, I was deathly afraid of roll call.
By the time third grade rolled around, I was able to predict an impending wavier in my substitute teacher’s voice, as well as a definite furrowing of their brow when it was time to call