The Artist's Shadow

Chapter 6

Jaftha sidestepped the three snails walking infront of him and shook his head. There was really no need for people to walk so slow in school corridors because really what was the aim. He frowned as he read his timetable, if he was younger and could get away with it he would definitely throw a tantrum. There was nothing wrong with English for him,he liked the literature class and it was one of his best classes but the teacher giving the class, was what put him off.

Mrs Jessica Cooper, had been teaching at the school for 10 years, she was one of the nicest teachers the school had,she was chilled and would most of the time let you get away with minor misdeeds, but only if you were not Jaftha Acosta. Jaftha did not know where her hatred for him stemmed from, if it was because of his father or because he was always beating her son in the art competitions but since the day he had stepped foot on the school she targeted him.

He looked around him, the corridor was mostly empty with a couple of students waiting for the last minute to get to class. He had heard Mrs Cooper was back earlier that morning which had immediately soured his mood. Freezing in the middle of the corridor,he watched as she walked out of the classroom and moved to the class across hers scolding the students standing outside. He rolled his eyes at he saw them laughing with her and quickly moved into the classroom. Patting himself on the back for having come to class early when the school started,he had chosen an excellent seat. The last seat in the middle row,meant that he wouldn't be the focus of attention if she sat down or even if she stood up. He could only hope that she would not move down the rows.
By the time the second bell rang throughout the school,all the students were already sitting down,Jaftha watched as she stepped through the door and took of his bucket hat before she could confiscate it as she had previously.
"Goodmorning,ladies and gentlemen. I hope you have had a great holiday and a great few days back to school. I had a bit of last minute plans to follow through so we are far behind. Let me just quickly to the attendance than we can start with the first lesson." Jaftha mentally bashed his head against the table, couldn't she just see that all the chairs were full. He shook his head smiling slightly when he saw her tense at the first name on the list, she probably hated having him in class just as much as he hated it. She cleared her throat and looked up fake smile on her face which looked more like a grimace.
"Jaftha Acosta?" She called and he raised his hand.
"Present." He called back out and watched her tick down his name. She looked back up giving him a smile so fake it seemed deranged in his opinion.
"Oh,deary, terrible what is happening with your father. I wasn't expecting you to be here." She said and Jaftha forced himself not to tense up. He had prepared himself that if anyone would be taking advantage of the situation to ridicule him it would be her. So he shook his head giving her a fake smile back.
"You know me,Mam. Nothing can take away my focus when it comes to my education. But thank you for worrying,Mrs Cooper." He answered and watched her glare at him before putting on a fake smile when the rest of the class looked back at her. She cleared her throat again before reading the rest of the list. Jaftha smiled.

Jaftha gave Miss Kassidy a smile as he moved to take a seat in the class already taking out the keys in his pocket. He looked at the board and smiled at the theme for the month. Freedom, oh how ironic he thought. 
When the rest of the class finally made it inside,Miss Kassidy shut the door and moved to the front of the classroom.
"Goodafternoon,guys. For this month we will start with the theme,Freedom. Can anyone tell me what this means?" She asked and a few hands raised up. She pointed to a girl in the back and nodded for her to speak.
"It means to be... uhm...free." she said causing a few students to laugh a little,Miss Kassidy smiled and nodded.
"Someone else?" She asked and pointed to a boy this time.
"It means no more school and homework. " he said and Jaftha smiled as the class laughed again.
"Yes,Jimmy it means no more school homework just as it means to be free. For everyone in this room, when they think of the word freedom, something different springs up. So for you homework this weekend,yes Jimmy,homework will be to think what does freedom mean to me and Monday we will start with the painting. You all know how this is going to go so for the rest of the class we will be brainstorming ideas on a piece of paper and if you are not sure of the idea come to me and we'll work through it. " She said giving the girl infront the papers to hand out. Jaftha watched the girl hesitate infront  of him before gesturing to the paper.
"You want?" She asked and Jaftha shook his head.
"No, thank you." She nodded and continued handing out papers,he caught Miss Kassidy's eye and gestured to the door behind her desk and she nodded. He stood up and grabbed his bag moving to the door. Unlocking the door he looked at Miss Kassidy who was talking to one of the students that had come up to her. No one was looking at him or even bothered because everyone knew he worked in the room. The room had been dubbed Jaftha's Art Room when he got it three years ago. He closed the door and moved further into the room.