My Dad is My Teacher // a.f.i

Chapter 3 - "I don't want to talk about it."

Later that day, while in Creative Writing, I was getting distracted while thinking about my dad since Ski and I kept talking about it earlier. I couldn't stop wondering about who it was. Did I know him? Was he halfway across the world at the moment? Was he dead? I had no idea, but I was distracted trying to figure it out.

My teacher came over to me many times during that period, asking me what was wrong. I couldn't explain it to her. Ski kept looking over at my paper to see that nothing had been added to it for a while.

"Are you alright, Ry?" Ski was worried about me, "what's keeping you from writing?"

"I'm thinking about my dad. I just want to know who he is," I shook my head, looking down at my few-worded paper.

"Maybe ask your mum when you go home? Don't get so distracted thinking about it. That makes me think of my real parents then, when we talk about it."

"Sorry," I apologized and began to write a little bit more even though I didn't really like the paper I was writing at the time.

It got to the point where I couldn't even focus when I was in gymnastics. I tried to do a back handspring, and I wasn't concentrating enough, so I fell. My coach asked me to sit out for a while and recuperate. I sat by one of the walls in the large room and rubbed my back.

"Are you alright now?" Coach Lisa came over to me and asked. I nodded slightly. I thought I was ready to get up and participate more.

I walked over to Ski who was at the bars. She did her tricks and landed perfectly. I tried to do a routine that I had done only a year ago. I had worked super hard on it, and I knew that I would be able to do it then.

I lunged myself forward to the bars and spun around, going through my routine. It went pretty well until when I landed; I went into a surprise split. I wasn't expecting that to happen. It worked out, though. Everyone clapped.

After that, we did cheerleading stunts, just for practice on trust, and I was the flyer. I did my toe touch in the air and fell into the other girls' arms. I was held up in a full, and I pushed forward into a front flip, landing in front of the girls, then I continued on to do a few things out of my floor routine.

I was then a front, and Ski was the flyer. She lunged forward to try to go into a front flip, yet she didn't push down enough. I ran to try to catch her, and she fell on top of me.

"I'm so sorry, Ry," she apologized, getting up.

"It's fine," I got up, "you aren't that heavy. It's just the way you were falling."

"Thanks, though," she reached her hand out to help me get up. I smiled at her, and I grabbed her hand and stood up.

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After school was over, I got on the bus with by backpack and all of my instruments. I was dropped off near my apartment as usual, so I walked there.

When I got to the apartment, I walked inside and greeted my mum before walking into my room and putting away my instruments.

"Hey Rylie, how was school?" Mum asked, and I smiled at her, excited to tell her all about Mr. Irwin.

"The new band and chorus director is amazing," I spouted, "he seemed to be really impressed with me playing the clarinet, which is what I played today. He also seemed to really like my singing voice. I was so glad. I really want him to think highly of me."

"That's great. Is he really nice?" She wondered, and I nodded, "definitely."

"So you aren't going to come home and complain anymore about how the band and chorus director knows nothing about music?"

"Hopefully not. But that was with Mr. Logan, and he got confused a lot. Mr. Irwin is a lot younger than Mr. Logan is, so he shouldn't get confused as often."

"Good. I was getting tired of hearing you coming home and correcting the mistakes Mr. Logan had made that day," Mum rolled her eyes.

"Mum, I don't want people to be wrong and teaching the other kids wrong things. That wouldn't be good."

"Okay, Ry. I understand. Now, will you help me with dinner a little bit so we can get it in the oven?"

"Sure," I smiled and began to help my mum. I had forgotten to ask her about my dad, but I thought I could do that while we were eating.

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As we sat down to eat supper, I slowly brought up the idea of my dad. Mum stopped me for a minute so we could pray, but I continued asking about my dad.

"Rylie Anne, will you please not ask about your dad anymore? I've told you many times that I don't want to talk about it," Mum told me, avoiding the questions and continuing to eat.

"I'm sorry, Mum," I apologized, eating my dinner in complete silence until I

When I was finished with my supper, I washed my plate and utensils off, then walked back to my room and texted Ski. She wanted to know if I had found out any more about my dad.

"Mum told me she didn't want to talk about it:(" I texted Ski.

"I'm sorry, then. I'll talk to you at school tomorrow, k?"

"Okay"

I still didn't understand why Mum would never tell me about Dad.