The Jerk Of A Science Teacher

Paper Airplanes

"Thank god," I said as I climbed out of the car. We had finally escaped Grandma's. I had arranged a time to meet with Mark. I had no clue what he wanted to talk about. Mom had noticed something was wrong when I sat back down at the table. I didn't tell her, instead, I just started eating. I didn't speak to Riley and Mark the rest of the holiday, except a text wishing them 'Happy New Year.'

I dragged my suitcase out of the boot of the car, wishing I hadn't packed that much.

"How long have you got until you meet him?" My mom asked.

"A couple hours, I'm going to freshen up and unpack." She nodded before turning to enter the living room.

"Oh, Scarlett."

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for trying, I know you don't like your cousins much." That's an understatement. I nodded quickly at her before going upstairs for a quick shower before I had to hear whatever was troubling Mark. I mean it had to be bad, he would have phoned if it was good news, wouldn't he?

~~~~~

I took a deep breath as I knocked on his door. A few minutes later Mark stood at the doorway. I looked closely at him. He was wearing a normal black t-shirt and jeans, except his messy hair, everything seemed perfectly normal. He had no bags under his eyes and he was smiling. That's when I realised he was talking to me.

"Sorry, what?" He chuckled before repeating what he had just said.

"I said, would you like to come in?" I gave a small smile before nodding, and walking past him into the hallway.

"How are you?" He asked. It was awkward. It was just like our first tutoring sessions, where we didn't want to say the wrong thing.

"I'm okay. I would be better if you just cut to what you asked me for." He looked shocked, but at this point, I was just anxious to what was wrong. We had gone through a lot for a couple that had only been together for a few months.

"Do you want to sit down?" I nodded. We went through to his kitchen. "Hot chocolate?"

"Sure." He was stalling. Was he breaking up with me? He usually cuts straight to the point, he never stalls. He must be really nervous about telling me. I noticed an envelope with my name on it.

"Is that for me?" I asked, going to take it from the counter.

"No!" Mark suddenly shouted, grabbing it just before I could.

"What's wrong? It has my name on it, why can't I open it?"

"Because this is what I wanted to talk to you about." He set down my mug and sat beside me. I spun around so I could face him. Behind him on the wall was the map that I had given him for Christmas. He had filled some in, but most of the map was left empty.

"Scarlett?"

"Yeah."

"Would you ever want to travel one day?"

"Yeah, I'd love to one day. There are lots of places I'd love to go."

"Like?"

"Japan, Norway, Australia, to name a few." he began to look more nervous by the minute.

"Mark, why are you asking me that?"

"Erm well..." I raised an eyebrow at him.

"You can tell me anything you know that right?" He gulped.

"I know, it's just." He gave me a gentle kiss on the lips. "Don't kill me."

I looked up at him, his blue eyes, staring straight into mine. It was as if he was trying to know what I was thinking. He took a deep breath,

"I'm going to quit my job." I looked at him with shock. Did I hear him right?

"I'm sorry, please repeat."

"I'm going to quit my job, Scarlett. I'll still be your teacher for the rest of the year, which is only a few months. But I want to do this before I get old."

"And what is that?"

"Travelling?" I was shocked. I knew he loved to travel, which is why I got him a map, but him travelling to travel I wasn't sure.

"What about us Mark? Long distant couples rarely work." Was I being selfish? I knew this was his passion but I didn't want him to forget about me. I didn't want to just be another student he taught science.

"That's why... Just open the envelope, Scarlett." Slowly, I opened the envelope, pulling out a rectangular piece of paper. It was a plane ticket. Well, kind of. It looked like one, but instead of the destination Mark had written, 'to wherever.'

"What's this?"

"This is what I want to talk to you about. Will you travel the world with me?" Travel the world? I didn't know that's what he was planning. What about my life here? Riley? My mom? What would my mom say about this? When he saw I wasn't ecstatic about the idea his smile began to fall.

"I'm sorry." Were the two words I whispered before quickly leaving.

~~~~~~

"Are you even paying attention?" Riley asked, waving a hand in front of my face. I stopped looking at Mark, while he was doing everything he could to avoid making eye contact.

"I'm sorry what?"

"I was asking how Mark and you were?" Perfect timing.

"We're...We're okay. I guess." I unconvincingly said. Riley raised an eyebrow at me. "Okay, we're not. But it's totally my fault."

"How?"

"He asked me to travel the world with him after I graduated and I said no."

"Why the hell did you say no?"

"Because I'm scared Riley! Travel with him for a year? It sounds great but, I barely know him."

"Don't give me that excuse Scarlett. Is it because of me?"

"No. It's just quitting his job is a big step for him, just for me."

"He's not doing it just for you, he wants to travel, but he wants you by his side while he does. He wants you sitting next to him on the aeroplane as he lands in a new country. Doesn't that sound good?"

"It does, but I need to know what he was thinking when he thought of it, and why he wants me there."

"Only one way to find out." I knew she meant to ask Mark himself but I was too chicken to do that so I decided to do the next best thing. Ask Sam.