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

Chapter 5 - Meet & Greet

"Do you want to go to the band room first?" Mum asked as we walked into the school for meet and greet after two weeks of school went by.

"Sure," I agreed, and we walked towards the band room.

I saw Mr. Irwin as I walked in and ran to him, "hi Mr. Irwin! This is my mum, Shaylee Jensen."

"Ashton Fletcher Irwin.. How's life been treating you? I see that you're a band director now," Mum walked towards Mr. Irwin. She knew him?

"Shaylee.. I haven't seen you since that night-" Mr. Irwin began, but mum cut him off.

"Don't talk about it, please," Mum told him.

"Sorry," he looked down, "but I wanted to let you know that even after only two weeks, I can tell that Rylie is very good at music."

"Yeah.. She's always been," Mum looked at Mr. Irwin and smiled.

"Look.. I'm really sorry about-"

"Ashton, stop talking about that. It was terrible for me. I don't want to talk about it. Can we just talk about Rylie? And her classes?"

"Yeah, sorry. But she has shown me how well she can play clarinet, trumpet, saxophone, and the piano. I haven't heard the others, but after what I've seen, I don't need any more proof that she loves music and is talented. I bet she's already told you that she has a solo in Silent Night."

"She has told me that. And why are you guys singing a Christmas song when it's not even close to Christmas?"

"I have no idea. But some Christmas songs are great year-round. We're just singing Silent Night right now. It'll probably be in the concert because it's coming along really well."

By now, I was just standing there and thinking about my mum knowing Mr. Irwin. I could hear mum and Mr. Irwin talking, but I was too busy thinking to hear what they were saying. Mum soon waved her hand in front of my face.

"What?" I looked at her.

"We're going to go talk to your other teachers," Mum told me. I nodded.

"Okay," I began to walk out.

"It was nice to see you.. Ashton Fletcher," Mum smirked playfully at Mr. Irwin before walking out of the doors.

"What was that about!? Do you know him? And what were you guys talking about?" I asked her a few questions while we walked across the school to get to my other teachers' rooms.

"I do know him. He's an old friend. We were talking about how good you are at music, because, well, music has been basically in your blood ever since you were born," mum told me.

"Oh," I looked at my hands as we walked into my Chemistry classroom.

*Ashton's POV*

Her mum was Shaylee.. I couldn't believe I hadn't figured out that already. Shaylee was with someone else now? I guess I should move on.. But Rylie said she doesn't know her dad, and he doesn't know her? Maybe it was a drunken mistake, and Shaylee hardly knows Rylie's dad? I needed to stop overthinking. I began talking to my other students' parents and put the thoughts about Shaylee aside, which was very hard to do.

*Shaylee's POV*

Does Ashton know he's Rylie's father? I hope not. I don't want to tell him quite yet. I can't tell him. I don't think I could handle that. I couldn't stop thinking about that as I talked to Mrs. Martin, Rylie's Honor's English teacher.

"Mrs. Jensen," Mrs. Martin waved her hand in front of my face, trying to get my attention. (A/N: she called her Mrs. Jensen just so she wouldn't get Shaylee mixed up with Rylie)

"I'm so sorry. I've really been out of it lately. Go on," I told her.

"Rylie is doing her homework, finishing the assignments in time, and everything else is perfectly fine," Mrs. Martin complimented. We went through all of her teachers and finally left. The ride home was very long.

"Mum.. Are you okay?" Rylie asked. I nodded rapidly, "I'm fine."

"You've seemed..." She searched for the right word, "different. Ever since we talked to Mr. Irwin."

"No. No! Definitely not," I told her.

"Are you sure? Because you've seemed tense and in a trance," she pointed out.

"Don't worry about it, Rylie Anne. I'm okay."

"What is with your relationship with Mr. Irwin?" She kept on asking questions.

"Rylie, I'm done answering questions," I told her.

"What if I want to ask questions?"

"Just stop, please, Rylie. You don't understand."

I began to think. If Ashton was home and not in the band anymore, the other boys would most likely be home too..

When we arrived home, I couldn't help but think about how Rylie's dad was her teacher, and he was even her favorite teacher.

"Mum, you should maybe get to bed," Rylie pointed to my bedroom down the small hallway.

"Ry, I'm fine, I promise!" I exclaimed.

"What are you thinking of?"

"Stuff."

"What kind of stuff?"

"If you don't need to know about.."

"Does it have anything to do with Mr. Irwin? Please don't tell me you had that kind of a relationship with him!"

"Well.."

"Mum! You dated Mr. Irwin!?"

"At one point.. Only for a few months, though."

"How many months?"

"About ten. Until he cheated on me.."

"Oh. That's what you were talking about 'that night'."

"Yeah. I haven't seen him since."

"This is just awkward knowing that my mum dated my favorite teacher.." She walked into her room, and I could hear her playing her oboe.

"Ry! I'm going to an old friend's house for a little bit. Do you mind staying here alone?"

"I do it all the time.." She replied, "it's not Mr. Irwin's, right?"

"No.."

"Good. See you later.."

"Okay. I'll be back in a bit," I told her, slamming the front door.

I drove off and could only think about that night with Ashton. Does he remember, and does he know that Rylie is his? I just need someone to talk to. I arrived at my old friend's house and knocked on the front door after getting out of my car.

"Cal?"