Forced Into Insanity

Chapter 4: Motive

— Francesca —

My hand stops midway through putting the envelope away. I'm hit with memories of yesterday, flashes of me running, out of breath, Gabe panting and signalling for me to run.

Run, Run. If you die here it's over for both of you.

Fear surges through my body, causing my hands to shake. I feel incredibly uneasy. I look up only to lose focus of my surroundings. All I can hear is Gabe, tired, panicked and barely keeping himself together.

I hear him screaming. It's not real, I know it isn't but what if it was? What if he was taken away? no, Thomas already said he patched him up the next day.

..Thomas?

Thomas. How was Thomas perfectly positioned to see Gabriel?

Did he even see him?

Or was that the lie?

—~~~—

— Thomas —

I haven't moved from my seat since Gabe left. I decide that talking to someone I can actually trust might help. Luckily, they pick up.

"I didn't think you'd call. What is it? Money?" She mumbles all too quickly over the phone. Typical.
"Katherine, please."
"Fine, but rent's due in like a week so I don't r-"
"I don't want money, Kath." I realise I should hear her out instead of bringing the conversation back to me but I can't help it. I tell her what happened with Gabe and Fran. She listens intently, only stopping me to give me advice.

This is how we spend the night.

Relief washes over me, guess talking does help.

—~~~—

— ??? —

I walk in to come upon an unfortunate sight in front of me.

My office is completely trashed.

I quietly mouth a string of curses on those tenth graders I happen to teach. I pick up what I can from the floor and eventually get the place clean, well, clean as in I mostly shoved everything into one drawer. I'll sort it all later.

I make my way to the cafeteria and sit at a table.
"Francesca, was it?" She looks up and her eyes widen.
"Y-ye-yes, sir." She stutters. Her fork is frozen, partly floating, about to strike the plate of salad on the table.
"I didn't know you worked here. If I may, what do you teach, Miss Francesca?"
"Chemistry, Sir. What about you?" I simply laugh at her nervousness. Stupid. So fucking stupid.
"Biology. I only teach human biology though." I reply.
This seems to make her less on edge for whatever reason.
"Do you know Dr Thomas? He's the main chemistry teacher." She perks up. She seems so fond of Thomas.
"Heard the name, quite a few times down the hall." I admit.
"He's a legend here."
"But he's only a chemistry teacher." I point out.
"He's my boss, I can't really agree with you there." It takes me a moment to register it but I actually laugh. I don't like her but I do appreciate her witt. She smiles as if mentioning her boss is completely normal for a first meeting.
"He seems like quite a catch." I narrow my eyes when she blushes. She's been looking directly at me but this is what gets her to look away, perhaps picturing fucked up scenarios with her bo-

Ugh, ew.

She giggles and I most definitely hear the excitement in her voice. What a naive fool. It makes me question her as a teacher and as a person. Why is she so open to the idea of dating her fucking boss? Surely she knows that liking your boss is not only incredibly unprofessional but could cost her her job. Idiots. They're all idiots.

Clearly, Gabriel is the family's favourite.

"Francesca, you shouldn't be so obvious about having a crush, especially if it's your boss." I try to reason with her.

I worry for this absolute fool.

"I didn't say I had a crush on him." Her face flushes as she says this.
"Constantly praising someone is an indication that you like said person."
"You said you teach Human Biology, not psychology."
"I lied." I do actually teach something similar to psychology but only in spelling. Francesca is taken aback and her bashfulness is now subdued. The students too seem to confuse me for a psychology teacher. I've tried to sugarcoat it by politely correcting them but they seem to be having none of it.
"I teach anthropology, Francesca." She pauses as I clarify my true profession.
"I like human biology more." I only nod in response.
One of the students, at least I assume he is a student, walks by and throws an apple in my direction. It swerves terribly and almost hits Francesca but I raise my hand, blocking the thing. It hits the floor and I lower my hand, now looking at Francesca with newfound nervousness.
"Sorry, it's instinct."
"It's fine." Her voice breaks but it doesn't sound bad, it just sounds like she can't really think in the present moment. Her face returns to its original cherry tint and my face too starts to heat up but it's because I'm pretty sure I hit my leg on the table during my sudden moment of heroism. I look down and swallow, not really knowing what to say or do. I lift my head to laugh but I'm unaware we thought of the same thing until I hear the chorus of both her and I's voices trail off. She looks at me and gives me a smile which leaves me confused in all honesty.
"Damn, people really hate you." She says quite sure of herself. I lean forward and interlock my fingers under my chin. My gaze shifts to a rather intimidating one.
"Apparently, people don't like when someone is serious by nature." I start.
"People tend to say things like 'no offence' then proceed to say something offensive, almost absentmindedly, as if it were a passing joke."
"Right..I never got your name."
"Are you saying I'm boring?" I respond almost immediately.
"When you're ranting to fill time, yes." Well there's another trait I like, brashness.
"Oliver Feurn, Miss Francesca Heart." I say, annoyed.
"How'd you know my last name, Feurn?"
"That Thomas is very proud of you."
"And does it bother you?" She leans forward, copying me and I feel her legs shifting under the table.

Hell no. Get away from me, you mad woman.

I say nothing. I think nothing. I am nothing within this moment. I just scowl.

"Perhaps I have taken a liking to you, Miss Heart." I try to end this dreaded conversation but it sounds unsure. There's a hesitation, or more accurately, an anticipation in my voice that I'm almost certain she hears.
"Perhaps I have as w-"

The bell rings.

Oh right, I can't run, I still have a job.

It's so loud that I couldn't even hear what she said in response and I don't care to.

—~~~—

I want to go home. I want to end this dreaded lesson and land them all in detention. I don't even need this job. I'm pretty well off on my own. I only pretend I need to teach so Katherine doesn't see me differently. I despise the idea of materialism. Katherine and I have been together for..three...years, I think. I promised myself to break it off when I find the one for me. For now though, I'm okay with Katherine being my girlfriend even though we both know it's almost purely platonic.

Katherine doesn't hide her materialistic tendencies. She's a great person, just not my type. She's loud and a player. She believes in crimes of the heart. I don't. I'm independent, she needs validation. That type of stuff slowly chips away at your sanity but we share one thing, we both need momentary relief. I need a hug at the end of the day and she doesn't mind, afterall, she's pretty much my only friend. I've never liked Thomas, it's gotten better but I still have doubts sometimes, he knows how to push my buttons and I'm impulsive.

As you can see, not exactly soulmates.