The Teacher

Chapter Two: Who is he?

The class went by slowly. Even though it was still early morning I was already tired from school. I have to sit in front of the guy I saw in front of the office. He kept kicking my chair as if we were in first grade again. I was ready to jump up and punch the shit out of him but I knew that would not be the best idea on the first day. When class is finally done I pack up my books and papers. It is only the first day. I do not understand why he has us doing work already. Mr. Alvarez teaches algebra which I always hated. I never could understand it completely. In the past my math teachers gave up on me once they realized there was no use trying to teach me. I would sit in their classes and use all of my notebooks to draw in. I used to draw almost everyday. I was getting really good at it too. I wanted to sell my art one day. My mom was always there to boost my ego about it which pushed me to draw more for her. But, after the accident I quit drawing. I do not remember the last time I drew anything. "Mr. Quinten, do you mind staying back a little bit so I can talk to you?" His voice sounds aggravated and by the way he is standing I think he is. Was he trying to get my attention before and I just did not hear him? I do not know. I don't really care either. "Yes sir." I see him stiffen a little when I call him that. I noticed it earlier too when I walked into class but I didn't think anything of it. I just thought he was pissed that I was late on the first day. After the last student leaves I walk up to his desk with my bag in hand. I don't want to be late to my next class. "Mr. Quinten, why were you late to my class? It was on the first day at that. If you are going to be lazy like this then get out of my class. I do not accept laziness. There is no reasonable reason for you to be late on the first damn day!" I was not expecting that. But if he wants to play that game then lets play. "Yes sir. Sorry sir. I had to wake up my step mother because she overslept. Also, if you want to talk about laziness then lets talk. You sat in your chair at your desk during the whole class. I might have missed the part where you actually gave a damn about us but from the looks of it... It never happened. So if you want me to give a damn then I think you should start giving a damn too. Now, excuse me but I need to get to my next class." He looks taken aback by everything I said. I definitely left him breathless. When I walk out of class I am looking down at my class schedule so I do not see him standing there. "Hey, fag. Did you bang the teacher already?" I look up and see the kid from the office. "What do you want?" Why today? My day is bad enough. He rushes towards me and pushes me into the lockers and has his hand around my neck making it harder to breathe. "Did you fuck him, fag? Huh? Get out of my school fag. You are nothing but a worthless piece of shit. Fucking fagot." He spat it like it left a bad taste in his mouth. I hated him. I don't even know him. Why is he doing this? "Mr. Jones let him go now." I look over at the open door and see Mr. Alvarez standing there. The Jones kid lets go of me and backs up with his hands up in the air as if he is saying he is innocent. "I was just getting to know the new kid, Mr. Alvarez. Nothing else." Mr. Alvarez looks like he wants to kill him. "To the office now. Both of you." What? I didn't do shit! "I didn't do anything!" I yell at him. He rolls his eyes at my comment. "Your head is bleeding. So I think in my professional opinion that I should give a damn and make sure you do not have a concussion, Mr. Quinten." He smirks and I look down. I guess he has a point. Is my head really bleeding? I go to touch the back of my head where it had hit the lockers and realize it is indeed bleeding. I follow Mr. Alvarez and Mr. Jones to the office. 

"Mrs. Jackson, can you call the principal to the office please? Mr. Jones has hurt someone. Again." I look at him. Mr. Alvarez seems so calm about this. "Also, do you mind checking on Mr. Quentin's head please?  It is bleeding." She looks over at me and I can see the sympathy in her eyes. I guess she deals with this a lot. "Sure. Ezekiel why don't you come sit over in this chair please so I can look at your head?" I nod and before I can sit a middle aged woman walks in. She is wearing a light pink dress with black heels. She has light brown hair and is about average height. "Ms. Parker, Mr. Jones has hurt yet another kid." She looks over at the Jones kid and smiles. "Wonderful. I will call his parents to have him be picked up since he is now expelled from this school." Mr. Jones' face goes pale white and his jaw drops. What did he think would happen? "Ms. Parker! Please do not do this! I can't go home. Please do not make me go home. I promise I will sit through all of the detentions you want me to. I won't fight with anyone else. I will do all of my school work on time. Just please don't make me go home!" he begs. It looks like he is about to cry. "Fine. If you get in trouble like this again then I will expel you. Do you understand Carter Jones?" Ms. Parker says sternly. Carter nods and thanks her graciously for letting him stay. "Mr. Jones, why don't you go to your next class and just tell your teacher that I apologize for keeping you late in my class. Understood?" Carter nods. "Yes sir." As soon as he walks out of the front office all eyes turn towards me. "Mr. Quinten what is your next class?" Hell if I remember. I got pushed into the lockers before I could figure it out. I shrug and give him the paper with my class schedule. I feel Mrs. Jackson starting to clean up the blood on the back of my head and it stings. But, she is very gentle with it which I am grateful for. 

By the time I leave the office it is time for lunch. Mr. Alvarez had told my teachers what had happened and that I wouldn't be attending my morning classes. After Mrs. Jackson finished cleaning the back of my head I had to go explain to Ms. Parker what had happened. She said she could call my parents to come pick me up if I was not feeling well enough to go to my classes but I denied the offer. When I got to the lunch room the cafeteria was packed. Since I skipped my morning classes I didn't really make any friends. I don't think I would have anyway. That was never my strong suit. I find a seat at the end of a table. Only half of the table is filled up so there is no one around me to try to talk to me. I had brought my own lunch because I doubt the school food is any good. "Mr. Quinten, do you mind if I join you?" I look up and see Mr. Alvarez standing in front of me. I nod and move my food closer to me so he can have room. "Thank you. How is your head?" He seems honestly worried about me. "It is fine. It stopped bleeding and there is just a scab now. I do not mean to be rude, but why are you sitting over here and not with the other teachers?" He chuckles at my question. His smile is so pretty. "Well, the rest of the teachers on duty are women and I do not want to sit and listen to gossip or any of that type of stuff. Do you know what I mean?" I guess that makes sense. "Yes sir. Why did you get the school food, sir?" I see him stiffen each time I call him sir. Does he have a problem with being called sir? I know some men do not like it because it makes them feel old but I am doing it out of respect. I hope he knows that. "You sure do ask a lot of questions, Mr. Quinten." I nod and eat a bite of my sandwich. "How are things at home going, Mr. Quinten?" I shrug. "You do not have to call me that every time. You can call me Zeke. Things at home are fine. Nothing special." He nods. He looks like he is contemplating something. "Zeke, I knew your parents. Your mother was a tutor of mine." What? I'm sure he sees just how confused I am. "I struggled with math in middle school and so your mother who was out of high school by that time and already had you, became my tutor." I never heard any of this before but then again why would I? "Oh, okay then." He sighs before continuing. "I had met you a few times when you were younger. You were obsessed with me. You would always hold on to my leg and things like that. I was upset when Y'all moved to Maine. I am sorry to hear about your mother though." I nod. This day cannot get any worse. "Thanks." He nods. "How is your dad  doing? I haven't seen him around." I run my hand through my hair. I don't want to talk about this anymore. "He left a few months ago. I haven't seen him since so I live with my step mom. Which is why I was late to your class. Why does that Carter kid get into so much trouble?" I know I rambled. I am not sure if he understood a word I just said but it doesn't matter. "He has always been like that. He can be a nice kid when he wants to be. I'm sure y'all would get along if it didn't start that way." "I doubt it. He doesn't seem to care for who I am." He doesn't respond to my comment. We eat in silence for about ten minutes. "I am sorry if I made you uncomfortable earlier by talking about your family life. That certainly was not my intention. I just wanted to make sure you were okay." I nod. He is very nice. "Thanks and don't worry about it. It's fine. I need to get to my next class. It was nice talking with you sir. Have a good day."