𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐏𝐞𝐭 (𝟏𝟖+)

Formidophobia

BACKSTORY

**

"Now the subject of phobias may be disturbing to anyone that has this shown, arachnophobia, very common. It's the fear of spiders and if you have it you may feel more tense seeing photos of these creatures." Mr Crane speaks as he shows pictures of spiders up on the projector. My face turns disgusted.

"There's also a phobia named Trypophobia-" I flinch, my heart racing faster. I hate seeing holes, they make me feel unsettled. "Fear of holes, the main cause of this phobia is because people seek danger from it, this links with the eyes of spiders, snake bites and other reasons that I wont be discussing further." Professor clears his throat while running his fingers through his messy hair.

"This is a very weird phobia that isn't very common for most people at all I'm guessing, will anyone try guessing this one?" A scarecrow pops up as I raise my hand, "Formidophobia." I say with a casual look, I can see a small smirk forming across sir's face.

"Yes, how can you explain why people might find this disturbing?" He squints his eyes while
linking his hands together. "Because of their sinister faces, how they look like humans but something about them is different, inhumane. It may be because of how they hung like corpses." I answer with a shrug.

"That is correct, thank you. Alexandra." He nods, looking at me with those great blue eyes that pierce through you like darts.

I continue jotting down sentences of what he's speaking in my book, underlining more certain words that are important than the others. "Could everyone right a paragraph that talks about how phobias are formed and even talk about your own fears."

While the whole class goes silent and starts writing the notes, Mr Crane comes up towards me. "Could you see me after class, I'll be in my office." He speaks while pressing his veiny hand against my desk. "O-okay." I smile awkwardly, rolling up my skirt from the uniform.

-

We all hear the bell ring, I sit up while grabbing my bag, placing the book onto the pile. I correct my hair and quickly walk to Mr Cranes office, knocking first as he looks up with a little smile. "Come in." He speaks in his low voice as usual.

"What do you need me for, sir?" I look around nervously, I'm not the best at speaking to teachers, especially the ones that are handsome like him.

"I've noticed that your not suppose to be in my class today, you've had a free period. Why's that?" He licks his bottom lip, crossing his Mascular hands while leaning back on his chair. "I just like your classes, they're fun to discuss about." I say slowly making sure I don't stutter on any of my words. "Ah- that's good to hear, not a lot of my students like studying about psychology." He looks down then back at me. "But you do, yes?" He tilts his head, I could tell that he was interested.

"Yes, yes I do. I always found it quite frankly interesting learning about the mind and it's behaviours." His smile grows larger. "That makes the two of us. Now now! Don't be wasting your break talking to me and go spend it with your friends." I get up from my seat before closing the door with a soft wave.

So little did he know I had no friends whatsoever, but he didn't need to know that. I instead ate my lunch in the toilets while on my phone. "Alexandra!" Lily speaks while banging on the toilets like she always does, I just ignore her when she does so I don't get into any trouble. "I'm not leaving till you come out!" She shouts while laughing with her friends. "Come out you fucking bitch!" Lily screams louder and louder, I cover my ears. My hands shaking from how scared I am.

"Please stop!" I answer back, "Open the fuckin' door and I will!" I do as I'm told, I open the door with a scared look on my face, trying to cover myself with my arms. "Bad choice, Alexa." She steps towards me and pulls my hair harshly making me scream in pain. Her free hand punches my face making me black out. I fall down onto the ground, her friends begin kicking me as I cry and cry till no tears are left to spend.

-

I feel myself getting picked up, I whimper, my eyes still closed. "P-please don't." I arch my eyebrows and see that it's my brother, Jack. He puts my bag around his back and begins walking. "Fucking hell, who did this to you?" His voice is full of worry. My breath hitches as I try talking. "Lily.." I look up at him weakly as he carries me to the meds office. A few teachers in the corridors notice my bruised face and messy hair but because of how weak and dizzy I feel, I can't change that.

Jack knocks on the door, walking inside with me in his arms. I feel bad that he needed to carry me around the whole school. "Oh- what happened here?" The nurse says with an upsetting tone. "It was Lily again-" I get cut off by my brother shouting, "This happened more than once?!" I nod, running my fingers through my hair, closing my eyes because I'm so exhausted. "My God, we need to have a talk with those girls." Jack nods eagerly, his eyes fuming with anger. As I get put on little bed. I rest my eyes till' I hear the little television that stands in front of the stool. The news reporters speak. "Here in Gotham we are alerted with serious dangers of the water tanks changing with a different liquid or gas as it's called. Please everyone stay safe and don't go near this gas." I frown but ignore the news, it's probably nothing. The screen glitches and throws an image of a scarecrow.

I point at the screen, clearly disgusted and disturbed by the images. Jack turns the device off. "I'm going to wrap this around your leg." The nurse says while wrapping a bandage around my leg. I silently whimper, feeling her cold fingers against my bare skin since the tights got ripped from Lily's kicking and scratching. I place my hand on-top of my head, feeling the warmth of my forehead increase. "Here you go, honey." She hands me a cold compress, I smile in-return.

"How are you feeling?" Jack asks me while raising an eyebrow. I feel all kinds of emotions right now, angry because of that stupid cunt and her friends ripping out my hair but I also want to burst into tears and break all of these fucking windows while screaming my lungs out. "I feel weak." I groan, "Do you think that she could have a free period to rest?" I take a small glance at the teacher. My head feels like it's pounding.

"Yes of course, if anyone asks just show them this." She takes our a small card from her desk that I've seen students use that where in the nurses office. She signs it and gives me it with a friendly face.

"Thank you ma'am." I nod, "Do you think you stay here alone? I need to get to class and meet up with Chris." I look at him with an annoyed look but shrug it off. "Guess so, I won't die." I snicker, the nurse also speaks. "I also need to help out another student. I trust you to stay here alone, okay? You can take a few laps outside to help you have some fresh air." I slowly get up with Jack's help. "Okay, thank you." I look at them both, before Jack walks out he gives me my back and a reassuring pat on my back.