Till Eternity (teacherxstudent)

Chapter 2: Return

It is the beginning of April, the school year just barely started, and I am already the pariah of previous years. There goes my unrealistic dream of starting over. As I look down from my reclusion up on the rooftop, I see everyone laughing, chatting, and finding joyful salvation from the boredom of school in each other. I really don't see the problem they have with books. Books are loyal, truthful, and don't talk about you behind your back. Way better than people. They save you from this painful reality and take you through endless adventures.

Once the bell pierced my ears, I carefully store the book into my bag and headed to science class. I immediately dressed the lab gown and safety goggles, resuming the experiment we started the week before. Others came in shortly after and did the same. They struggled in the first steps, panicking over what to do. I on the other hand was almost done. All I needed was to finish recording the final data and write the report. Unwillingly overhearing their whining, I hesitated over whether to help them as I knew exactly how to solve their problems. But I did nothing, knowing that if I did so much as take a step closer, their faces would contort with disgust. All I’d do is distract them and waste the limited time they have to finish their labs. I sighed and forced myself to focus on my own experiment.

Our science teacher was recently fired and, ever since, we have been alternating between substitute teachers. I was wondering who would be filling in today when the principal walked knocked at the door. She stepped in with an expression different from the usual. When you don’t do much talking and all you can do is observe others, you get this ability to read people, their expressions and body languages. These speak much more truths than the words that spit out of people’s mouths. And that is how I knew, from the principal’s expression, that something was different.

She cleared her throat, signaling her presence to those who had yet noticed her large figure before the door. The room fell silent.

“Today you will be meeting your new permanent teacher.” she announced, knowing how sick we were of jumping from one teacher to the next. “I have filled him in on your curriculum so that he will be able to accompany you throughout the rest of the school year. Some of you might recognize him, and you will be pleased to know that he was very much adored by our previous students.”

The principal then faced the doorway and shifted herself to make way for this mystery person to reveal himself. Calmly, and with his hands in his pockets, a young man strode into the room with an air of conceit and vanity, knowing exactly the reaction that would welcome him into the room.

As if in script, a wave of delighted squeals rang through the classroom as all the girls melted at the sight of the Adonis before us.

My eyes widened, and the glass beaker I forgot I had been holding slipped from my trembling fingers. The echo of its clash worked as a magnet, pulling everyone’s eyes towards me. My sight was filled with their piercing gazes. My eyes fell upon the ground and I noticed I was standing as an island surrounded by a sea of shards.

“S-sorry!” I said, flustered and unable to look anyone in their eyes. I knelt down and started picking up the mess I made.

“Jeez, not with your hands.” The newcomer sneaked up towards me. “It’s my first day back and an accident has already happened.” he murmured amusingly.

He grabbed a small broom and began sweeping the floor. As he crouched beside me and his face was concealed from everyone else’s view, he smirked and whispered, “Long time no see… Deb.” He winked and I shuffled as quickly and as far away from him as I could. Anyone watching would have described me as a maniacal beast startled by the sight of Beauty itself. However, he is the only one who could testify for the reason behind my upheaval. For I could not believe my eyes that before me was the man who kissed me three years ago – Mr. Jones.

Meanwhile, the principal left without thinking twice of my ‘accident’. He left the task of cleaning to Mr. Jones, who was soon dragged away by a group of girls volunteering to tell him all about our experiment. I grunted, for a great deal of my results was shattered along with the fallen beaker. I would have to start over. Realizing this himself, Mr. Jones walked over.

“Do you want help with that?” he frightened me while my back was turned.

I gave him a cold stare, “No. I can do this myself.” His eyes widened and then saddened at my crude response. How did he expect me to treat him after what he did?

Before walking away, his eyes fell upon my notebook. The data table with only a few blank rows had been crossed out by my frustration. He lingered at it for a bit before saying, “You know, with the rest of the data, I am sure you could just estimate the results for those final few. I wouldn’t penalize you for it.”

“That’s cheating, and just immoral.” I said and he gulped, taking the comment as a personal insult directed at him. With that, he reluctantly walked away.

Though he is the last person I wanted to see, I could not help it but observe him throughout the class time. The way he acts so easygoing… I wonder if he even remembers what he did back then.

It was not long before the other students started telling him rumors about me either. The first ones were the same group of girls that swarmed around fluttering their lashes. Perhaps they were jealous that he interrupted their flirting to come to speak to me. Although I don’t know why they would ever feel threatened. After all, they are everything I am not – pretty, confident, charismatic, and lively, tosay the least.

“I wouldn’t dare getting too close to Deborah.” one began.

“She’s scary…” said another.

“Some say that if you look straight into her eyes, you’ll be cursed for life.” They laughed at their own nonsense.

I lowered my head, wishing I could just disappear.

A deep voice then interrupted their superstitious nonsense. “Well, I think whoever started such rumors is the worst.” he said, pretending he did not know that those speaking were the culprits he just insulted.

I looked up, wide eyed.

“I am sure Deborah can be quite an amazing person if only you get to know her.” I faltered at his praise. Why is he defending me?

Everyone’s reaction was the same as mine. Silence whirred through the air before the crowd around the new teacher began choking and stuttering excuses in attempt to make the Adonis like them.

Soon enough, the bell rang and my classmates ran out of the room to enjoy the 5 minutes they had before the next class. Before I knew it, I was all alone in the room with the man I most wanted to avoid. With my eyes fixed on the floor, I followed the tiles until I noticed his feet wagging as he sat at the corner of a desk. My eyes slowly climbed up his ageless body and I realized that he had been staring at me.

Grasping hold of my eyes, his softened into an entrancing gaze, and he began to speak, “Listen, Deborah, about what I did back then… I--”

I didn’t let him finish. I couldn’t. I quickly grabbed my bag and left the room, tumbling over my feet and as fast as I could…

So he does remember...