My dads best friend my teacher

Mr. Mendes

"You piece of shit, you should just go ahead and die." Zoe and her friends kick me a few times. "Go near my boyfriend again and next time your ass beating will be much worse." My name is Storm. I am a junior in high school and I deal with a lot of bullying but my parents don't know except for the senior English teacher who is also the teacher of the music club. Mr. Mendes, not only is he my music club teacher he's also a family friend, neighbor and my dad's best friend despite the age gap. My parents moved from Canada to Texas while mom was pregnant with me. Shawn moved down here for a change of scenery, that's what I was told at least. I get up from my spot on the restroom floor, I make sure my cut up arms are covered. That's one thing Mr. Mendes doesn't know is that I'm a cutter. I leave the restroom soar. "Storm?" Mr. Mendes holds a stack of papers in his right arm and a drink in his left hand. "Are you ok?" I told Mr. Mendes not to worry about me and not to tell my parents about the bullying. Since he doesn't tell my parents he tries to protect me as much as he can from the Zoe and her crew. "I'm fine." Jackson my abusive boyfriend that Shawn hates but, my parents love walks up to me wrapping an arm around my waist. Jackson is part of the football and is very popular. "Hey baby I was looking all over for you." I look back at Mr. Mendes disappointed face. He doesn't know Jackson hurts me, for some reason he just doesn't like Jackson. "Sorry." Is all I say. He doesn't care that Zoe beats and tease me, Jackson only cares about himself and his image. "What we're you and Mr. Hot stuff talking about?" I look down at the ground rubbing my arm. "He was wondering if I was ok is all." Jackson's grip on my waist tightens. "I know Zoe had a little chat with you today, what were you doing with Brett?" I wince at the pain. "He needed help on his homework assignment. He came to me for help." I cry when his grip tightens more to the point it was unbearable, he lets go and rubs my side. "Have fun at your stupid club." I walk inside keeping my head down as Mr. Mendes walks in. "What I have in my hand are your duets. Choose a partner and pick a song in the stack." I watch everyone choose their partner, of course I'm alone as always. Mr. Mendes sits next to me handing me a sheet. "Need a partner?" I nod blushing. When he's close I get fireworks, when I'm with Jackson I feel nothing. "This song I wrote myself, it needs a female singer and your voice is perfect for it." He hands me the paper, I read the lyrics and I blush. The words in this duet is about a couple who seem to have gotten into an argument and can't seem to understand each other. "He gets up and goes back to the front grabbing his guitar and tuning it. "Are you going to sing for us Mr. Mendes?" One of the girls flirt. "Yes with my partner." My stomach flutter at the word partner I wish I was his partner. "Storm and I will go first." He plays the melody on his guitar. "Mr. Mendes I barely know the song." He smiles. "Just follow my lead." He begins to sing and the girls are memorized.

Don't cry, or do whatever makes you feel comfortable
I'm tired, too
There's nothin' left to say, let's call a truce
'Cause I don't really wanna go to bed like this
I'm so sorry
That we're still stuck in the middle
I'm so sorry
'Cause in the moment I
I don't know what it's like to be you
I don't know what it's like but I'm dying to
If I could put myself in your shoes
Then I know what it's like to be you

I look at the lyrics and take a deep breath slightly blushing at the first line.

Can I kiss you or not?
'Cause I'm not really sure right now of what you want
Are you still mad at me? I'm hopin' not
'Cause maybe we could go to the movies
I know that always cheers us up, hey

Then we harmonize throughout the song.

I'm so sorry
Though we're still stuck in the middle
Yeah, I'm so sorry
'Cause in the moment I
I don't know what it's like to be you
I don't know what it's like but I'm dying to
If I could put myself in your shoes
Then I know what it's like to be you
Tell me what's inside of your head
No matter what you say I won't love you less
And I'd be lying if I said that I do
I don't know what it's like to be you
I don't know what it's like to be you
I get worried
I might lose you a little
Every time we
Every time we argue and get caught up in the moment
I don't know what it's like to be you
I don't know what it's like but I'm dying to
If I could put myself in your shoes
Then I know what it's like to be you
So tell me what's inside of your head
No matter what you say I won't love you less
And I'd be lying if I said that I do
I don't know what it's like to be you
I don't know what it's like to be you
I don't know what it's like

I had no idea how close we were to each other until after the song. Our faces are inches from each other. "Uhm..." he steps back clearing his throat. "Who's next?"