TEACHER TEACHER! [re-uploaded due technical issues with first upload]

Chapter 19- The Perfectionist

WARNING: EMOTIONAL CONTENT.
Includes anti-sem*tism, islam*phobia, pressure.

Do you ever wish you could see into the mind of a person?

See what's really going on behind their facade?

I do sometimes.

I don't think you can really know a person until you've lived their life.
Thought their thoughts.
Seen through their eyes.

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

5:00 AM appeared on the alarm clock screen.
A hand slapped down on it, silencing its screams.
After a series of incomprehensible mutterings, a head popped out from under the duvet.

Rowan grimaced when he felt the dry bits of drool in the corner of his mouth crack the more he moved his lips.
He swiped his hand across his mouth to get rid of it.

Rowan's father was usually already up at this time.
He worked as a Rabbi in the local Synagogue.
His schedule was almost always busy, but his entire week was fully booked up with three different weddings that he needed to officiate.
Rowan was used to waking up early, thanks to copying his father's routine as a child.

The events of the day before had taken a toll on him though.
Who knew hiding from riled up teenagers was so tiring?

A knock on the door made Rowan sit up. After announcing he was decent, a tall woman entered the room.
She wasn't exceptionally tall, but wasn't exactly short for her age's average size either.
She was thin, and like Rowan, looked like she could snap in half if the wind was particularly strong.
Her eyes were an electric blue, standing out against her curly dark brown hair.

"Ah, good, you're up", she said.
"Did you recite the modeh ani?"

The modeh ani is a prayer that Jewish people say every day when they wake up. He didn't pray as often as he was supposed to, but he had gotten used to reciting the modeh ani, since it was something his parents taught him to do from a very young age.
Rowan wasn't a very devout Jew.
He wasn't too bothered about the rules behind Judaism, but found the core principles important.
His father wasn't exactly thrilled with Rowan's decision, but he knew that Rowan was a good kid, and that he'd turn to God whenever he needed Him.

Rowan shook his head.
"Not yet, Mum."

His mother nodded.
"Ok, I'll leave you to it.
Just wanted to say good morning, sweetheart."

Rowan's mother was well-liked in the community.
Rowan's parents had moved to Moorside during a time of deep religious tension between Jewish people and the new Muslim residents that had moved in.
His parents were subjected to a lot of anti-sem*tism.
The tensions died down, but new residents brought about a whole new wave of islam*phobia—one the Sterlings' were not going to accept.

Rowan's mother looked out for the new Muslim families, and in return, they shared their food and culture with the Sterlings. What followed was a strengthened community that looked out for each other, regardless of their differences.

Rowan always felt fortunate to live in a more tolerant neighbourhood.
Out of the group, Rowan's neighbourhood was definitely the most accepting of diversity.