More Than a Teacher - Ashton Irwin

20

Thursday and Friday commenced, just average and boring days of no sleep, school and Ashton and I acting like we don't know each other further than the classroom.

On the Wednesday afternoon after school, I sat down with Ash on the couch and explained exactly what happened with Mr Parker and I earlier that day. Calum took interest in the story so he ended up sitting down and listening as well.

I've never had so much attention and interest in what I've had to say, ever. I must say it felt good.

"I lent over to the girl next to me to ask for a pen and that's when he snapped, telling me I'm in highschool and that I should have a pen by now. All I said back to him was that he keeps taking them off me." I explained, getting agitated just thinking about it.

"He just yells at me and causes a scene in front of
everyone."

"Yeah, I don't like that. It's not nice at all." Ash says with a small frown on his face as he listened to the actual story.

"Mhm and it makes me feel like shit. It's so uncomfortable." I sank further into the couch and ran a hand through my hair.

"He brought up my parents telling me mummy and daddy should get me a laptop and that he wants to bring them in for a chat and that's when I lost it. I stood up and told him not to talk about my parents, which I may have swore a few times. He told me to get outside and pointed to the door like I'm some dog and he threatened to call the year coordinator then once we're outside he tells me my behaviour is pathetic and he's reporting me, so I go to walk away but his fucking hand wraps around my wrist and pulls me back. He tells me to pull my head in or do my teachers a favor and drop out, I seriously wanted to smash his face in and then he tells me to get out of his face like—"

"Hey, hey. Take a breath." Ash rubbed my shoulder and down my arm and just that warm touch was enough to calm me.

"It's just so unnecessary and unfair," I sighed, feeling a little degraded by what had happened. "I've never done anything to him yet he just treats me like this."

"It's not ok. I read the teacher notices and what Mr Parker had reported and now hearing your side, it makes a lot more sense. The guy's a cunt." Calum leant forward, evidently quite frustrated with the situation.

Later on, Calum and Ashton and myself wrote emails to the principal about the false report made by Mr Parker. I was not going to just accept this when it was totally wrong.

Over Thursday and Friday, all that I heard was that he was being pulled in for an interview with the principal and not much more was said. I believe Ashton and Calum knew more and just weren't telling me the outcome because the school simply wasn't going to do anything about it.

I had classes with Parker both days after and he didn't even acknowledge me once. I believe that was due to the fact he knew that it was me who wrote in to the principal about the untrue report he gave me.

During those two days I hung out with Elle, Michael and Luke and they were oblivious about me staying with Mr Irwin.

I'm still refraining from telling Elle about everything.  Whenever she asks about how my home life's going, I just lie and say everything is fine. The only person that knows about everything now is Ashton. I do feel like I'm drifting a little from Elle and it pains me but I need to work on myself, a lot. I don't want to hurt anyone so I just kind of distance myself.

Now currently being Saturday, Ash has pulled me out of bed to sit with him and Calum on the balcony to eat breakfast. The sun is shining on this winter morning, beautiful to sit outside and watch the waves roll in from the perfect view of the apartment.