Here’s to Never Growing Up (teacherxstudent)

Chapter 8

“I understand you all have an extremely important assignment to complete and, unfortunately, I can’t do anything about the due date. I will, however, give you full class time for you to work on it and I will help you out as much as I can. So, please help me help you and bring your work up to me so we can go over it together once I call out your names.” the substitute teacher announced as I did my best to avoid his gaze.

“What if we are so confident of our work and don’t need any help?” Mouse-ears joked as everybody laughed – especially his brainless minions.

“You have until I reach the alphabet letter ‘K’ to produce something I can look at, Doug.” the older man joked back, speaking so familiarly to his former students.

Is the school running out of funds to hire actual substitute teachers? Out of all the faculty members in this building, they had to pick this jerk to fill in for the newly-fired teacher? Heck, I’d rather have the blonde, ill-tempered, nun-raised hag who so loves to impose her old-fashioned religious values on us. I’m starting to regret having ever gotten Buckteeth fired. I just hope they find a new teacher soon.

“Roth, Emily.” he read out. I gulped and some cooed as I walked up to Mr. Cohen, tightening my grip on the laptop in my hands.

As everyone else before me had done, I sat on the chair beside him, placing my computer on the desk before us. However, I dragged my chair back, keeping as much distance between the two of us as possible. Noticing this, Mr. Cohen sighed, leaning onto the desk while scrolling onto my screen. My eyes wandered around in awkwardness, stopping on my classmates sitting on the front row and travelling to the serious expression on the man’s stubbled face. I leaned my head in curiosity. The last time I’d seen him without a clear, shaven face was when he and his prior girlfriend broke up.

He had his reading glasses on, just as he used to back then. They accentuate his strong jawline and give him a sense of maturity as his eyes gleam with passion – his passion to teach. Somehow this vision drew me back to the warm moments I once shared with him.

Frightened by the oh-so familiar feeling breaking into my chest, shook my head and looked back at the computer. He began typing something in red font. He was actually giving me suggestions to improve. Why does he so stubbornly continue to help me despite the way I treat him? And after what happened? I wondered. I guess his passion to teach is that strong.

As he reached the last page, a frown formed on his face as he sighed. “I know you can do much better than this, Emily. This might not be your favorite subject,” he guessed correctly, “but please try a bit harder. I know that this is not even a bit close to your usual writing.” He would know as he once was my English teacher.

I nodded vacantly as I got up from the seat, taking my laptop with his notes and suggestions back to my seat. Feeling completely lost with despair, I found myself looking over his comments. I made changes according to his suggestions but, somehow, I still knew that this was a total crap. I sank my head on the wooden desk as everybody laughed when he called the junky mouse up.

At the ringing of the bell, Mr. Cohen dismissed everyone as he called on me again before I could go through with my escape plan. Those who were still in the room snickered, thinking something was going on between the two of us. I guess the rumors have already started.

He sat on the edge of a desk and I stood silently, waiting for him to finish speaking so I could leave.

“Emily, why don’t you come over a couple of days after school so we can work a bit together on this project? I know that you have the potential to write better than anyone else in this class, yet I didn’t see that potential today.” he offered.

I smirked, “Sure, as if I’d be stupid enough to fall for another one of your lures once again.”

“Emily,” he said in a quiet, gentle voice, almost sounding credible to my ears, “I’m offering this as a teacher who just wants to help a student out. Nothing else.”

I looked at him in doubt. “How can I trust you?”

“It doesn’t seem like you’ve got any other choice, do you? At this rate, you’ll have a maximum of a ‘C’ in this project, and I know just how happy your mom would be to see that grade in your report card.”

I gulped. He’s right. My frown then quickly turned to a troubled expression and I had no other choice but to accept his offer, planning to meet him in this classroom after school.

I set my things down as I entered the English room, noticing that most eyes were on me. There is no doubt now that the rumor has been spread. The snobby boy grinned from ear to ear as his eyes followed me to the back of the room. I could feel my face burning and I just wished I was an ostrich.

Seeming unaware of the tension in his classroom, the teacher began detailing the symbols in Madam Bovary. Knowing all the answers to his questions, but wanting to keep all eyes off me, I remained silent.

“This can be compared with the Scarlet Letter.” he added. He then looked curiously at us, wondering if what he had said made sense to us. “I don’t really know the study plan of this school yet. Did you guys have to read that book in class? I’m not even going to ask if you read it.” he joked.

“Yes. In 10th grade.” Snobby-boy quickly replied. I could almost feel the grin on his face from the back of his head as he continued speaking. “Mr. Cohen thoroughly explained the a******y in Hester’s forbidden relationship with Dimmesdale… Right, Emily?”

I froze.

He suddenly turned around to face me and so did everyone else, including Mr. D. Silence filled the air until the conceited girls in the front seats began giggling and whispering to each other. My eyes wandered around, wide, unsure of what to do or say. I understood his intentions, but I had no clue how to react to them. Gus smirked at me before adding, “Maybe he should’ve taught us Lolita as well.”

He did not just say that.

As much as I felt like punching him right then and there, I looked down and pressed my lips together, restraining myself. Those who were smart enough to understand the joke cooed and laughed, siding with him for, what was probably, the first time in their lives.

My eyes slowly drifted towards Mr. D, in fear, who had already been staring at me. With all these clues, there’s no way he didn’t get it by now.

“If you believe in those rumors, then you’ve got to be really stupid.” Jackie spoke up, protecting me. “The dumbest things are spread through this school, it’s almost impossible to believe in them.” She looked at me and smiled. I was too stupefied and filled with guilt to do anything in response.

“Says the dumb girl who believes that her boyfriend actually loves her.” The i***t sniggered. “Do you even know who Hawthorne or Nabokov are?” She fell silent, pondering on the foreign name. “Thought so.” The girls laughed with him. It’s not like he was anything close to being funny, they just laugh at anything just to insult Jackie. Who knows why. My guess is that they are nothing but jealous of her.

“Besides, Emily,” Gus kept going at it, “what did it take to repay Prince Charming for slaying the dragon? A kiss? Or maybe…”

Everyone’s eyes widened and they burst out laughing once again. Jackie stood, dragging her chair back and glared at Gus. I looked at Mr. D, wondering why he wasn’t doing anything to stop them, even though he is usually so protective.

“That’s enough.” he finally said, noticing my helpless stare. He frowned at the brat and glanced at me once more before returning to analyze the novel. He tried to engage the class as much as possible so that they couldn’t discuss the rumors anymore.

I clenched my fists and grit my teeth, ready to throw myself at the momma’s boy. Perfect comebacks kept popping up in my mind and I condemned my brain for being too slow. I will kill that i***t for having slipped in front of the whole class. It slipped?! What kind of lame excuse was that? I could almost feel the coal burning in my head. If our past is discovered, he will certainly be fired, but what would happen to me? Suspension? No, I’d be expelled for sure. And expulsion from this expensive school would certainly lead to my death at home.

“Emily.” The thick voice put an end to my cumulating thoughts.

I looked up upon hearing my name, widening my eyes as I had no clue of what was going on. “Do you know the answer?” Mr. D said impatiently. He frowned as I shook my head. What’s with this sudden mood swing? Where’s the man who jokes with everyone, including his boss? He’s probably going to call on me after class as he did last time. But then, what do I do? Should I tell him the truth? No… it’s way too bad, he’d hate me for sure. I can’t tell him the truth. This is it. My life seemed perfectly fine until that jerk came back. If the truth comes out, I will certainly lose all the respect my only father figure has for me.

Despite my assumptions, he didn’t call on me and I left the room with ease, glaring at the spoiled brat on my way out. If someone sees me after school with Cohen, it’ll only worsen the situation. Maybe I just shouldn’t go. The further away I stay from him, the better.

But there was no escaping him. Cohen nearly dragged me into the classroom as soon as the bell rang. I sat beside him skeptically, worrying that he would try to do something to me while we were alone. Contrary to my thoughts however, we both sat quietly as he read over my report, his long fingers mashing away the backspace button.

Why is he even doing this?

“Here, instead of just concluding on the results try to summarize the steps a bit more.” He reduced the distance I set between us, pointing at the screen.

“But then won’t I be repeating myself too much?” I countered, not feeling like writing anymore.

“Don’t be lazy and just write.” he tried joking to alleviate the tension in the room. But it didn’t work. He then cleared his voice. “Do the same for these three diagrams at home and I’ll review the whole thing again with you next time.” he said, readying himself to leave after an hour and a half had passed. Where could be hurrying to? Perhaps to whoever’s messages he was laughing at the computer?

“Next time…” I murmured, grasping his attention as I dwelled in my thoughts, remembering the incident from English class. “There won’t be a next time.” He looked back at me, wide-eyed. “Thank you for this,” I murmured, “but there are already too many suspicions going round and even the other teachers are starting to hear the rumors.” I said, referring to Mr. D.

“Rumors?” the clueless jerk repeated stupidly.

I sighed, losing my patience. “Rumors about you and me that started thanks to your little slip.”

“There is no use in worrying about that. For now, you have your grades to worry about.” he replied naïvely.

I grit my teeth. “How am I not supposed to worry about it if it’s all that I hear? In the corridors, the cafeteria, and even during classes, there is always someone who has some new stupid joke about us.”

“Just ignore them. Do you really care that much about what they think of you?”

I froze at his words. I wish I didn’t, but of course I do. People’s eyes judge you wherever and whenever. I can’t help it but fear them. I couldn’t even tell my friends about the truth. I guess I’m still too ashamed of myself for falling for someone like him. There is no way they’re not going to find out now with the rumors. My eyes teared up.

“Em? What’s wrong?” he leaned down and reached in to place a hand on my cheek, but I pushed him away.

My eyes widened, realizing my mistake. “I did something really stupid.” I thought out loud. I should have told them the truth that day at Alex’s. s**t.

“What?”

“It’s nothing.” I grabbed my things and left as he tried drawing closer once again.