𝐀𝐤𝐡𝐞𝐭

𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒕𝒘𝒐

I handed in the test completely blank. I returned to my desk and saw the teacher give it a quick look and sigh, putting it above the others. I don't understand why he cares so much about my grades, I'm the one that'll fail, not him. When everyone finished, he told us that he would give us the last hour free, since the previous one was technically a substitute hour. Some of my classmates sat next to their friends to talk, but I was too tired to get up from the chair. I rested my head on the desk and before I could fall asleep I saw Aaron and Mark coming towards me with their chairs.

They sat next to my desk, Mark in front of me and Aaron next to him. I didn't move a single muscle and didn't even bother to lift my head up to look at them.
«Isaac, you seriously didn't write anything?» Mark asked me in disbelief, and with that same idiotic smile. I don't think he's totally normal knowing that he's always so happy and smiling, I never saw him genuinely upset about anything.
«Will you ever learn to mind your own business?»
«Oh, what's wrong with you? Why are you so irritable today?» That was my last straw, I didn't want to talk with them for the rest of the day, I've heard enough. I let my head fall to rest on top of my arms, so I could hide from them and pretend they're not there. This made Aaron stand up and signed at Mark to do the same.

«We get it, it's a bad day. We'll leave you alone for a while.»
I nodded as best as I could, at least he understood. They returned to their respective seats and I accidentally exchanged looks with Mr. Bryant, but he looked away almost immediately, returning to what he was doing. He looked like a creep when he did that, and I couldn't understand why he kept watching me everytime.

☥

The hour passed faster than usual, probably because I was about to fall asleep and had a lot going on in my head. I noticed Aaron and Mark approaching me as I packed my backpack. «Zack, are you coming with us?» I let out an annoyed sigh, I couldn't believe they already forgot.
«I can't, don't you remember? Mr. Bryant wanted to talk to me.» «Oh, right. Then we'll go, we'll wait for you outside school.» I nodded and they left the classroom. I advanced towards the desk, anxious. The teacher didn't seem to notice me, so I had to sign to him that I was here. 

He still didn't look at me, he was writing something in his diary, I couldn't help but notice that it was very old, I could tell from the page where he wasn't writing that he used it often, because the pages were almost finished, yet the diary still looked huge. «Don't worry, I saw you.»
I nod and put my hands behind my back. I can already imagine what he will tell me. "Isaac, you suck! You have an F in both terms, you will definitely fail!" Or something like that, a speech I've heard too many times lately.

He placed the pen on the desk and closed the diary, then looked up at me. I furrowed my eyebrows when I noted that he wasn't looking directly into my eyes, but a bit more to the left, maybe he disliked close eye contact. He still gave me a weird look, and I was getting more stressed by the second.
«So...Isaac Mallory... I think you know about your academic performance by now. Even though I've talked to my colleagues, they told me that even though you seem distracted and never do your homework, you're doing pretty well.  Instead in my subject... Well... You're a lost case.  Do you know that you could fail?»

I mentally praised myself for guessing what he would say, and then I nodded again. 
«Oh, right, I also wanted to tell you that I know sign language, so you can talk to me with it if you like.»
I was surprised, all this time I could've talked with him in sign language but instead I had to force myself to speak? I felt betrayed.
«Anyway, don't you feel the least bit worried about your grades?»
I hesitated before answering. In the past few days I've never really cared about it, but I didn't know if I should tell that to a teacher.

«More or less...»
I sign, I didn't know what kind of answer this was, in fact the teacher looked at me almost confused. 
«Listen, I only want the best for my students, including you. Although this year I must say that you haven't performed very well, so I offer to tutor you. And it's not a request.»
I couldn't believe it, I definitely wasn't expecting this. I wasn't even sure if it was something legal.
«I asked the principal for permission, since your case is particular. See you today at 4pm.»

With that said he got up and took his briefcase, gave me a forced smile and left the classroom. I remained still, shocked, then I went to the back of the classroom to get my backpack and leave the classroom. I quickly exited the school, but I didn't see Aaron and Mark. I wasn't stunned, they already did this kind of thing before, I was forced to go home alone.

When I unlocked the door and went in there was not a sound to be heard, my mother was working at this time, and she'll only be back here for a few minutes before she returns to work somewhere else. I went into my room and closed the door even if I was home alone, it was a habit. I threw my backpack across the floor and flopped onto the bed, the idea that in a few hours I'll have to go to the house of the teacher I hated the most annoyed me, I was planning on going to the park to try out some new tricks on the skateboard.

I sat upright in bed after realizing something: The teacher didn't send me his address! Better this way, at least I'll have an excuse to not go. I leaned back on the bed, but suddenly I heard the sound of a notification going off from my phone. I turned it on and saw that an email had arrived. I opened it and my face darkened when I read that it was from Mr. Bryant... With his address. He also added that if I didn't show up, he'll talk to my mother and they will take serious action. Obviously I didn't want to cause any more problems to my mother, since she had to take care of so many things. So I had no choice, I had to go there.

☥

It was nearly 4pm and I was late.
It's one of my biggest problems, I'm never on time, I always get distracted and I end up forgetting where I have to be. I thanked whoever was up there because his house was not too far from mine, it's a fifteen minute walk, so if I run I'll get there faster. As soon as I arrived at his door I caught my breath, then I knocked. Almost immediately the teacher opened the door, and I had to say that it was weird to see him dressed in casual clothes, at school he always dresses formally.

«You're late.»
He told me as he let me in and closed the door behind me. I turned to him to apologize, and he didn't look that angry.
«I know, I'm sorry.»
«This time it doesn't matter. Follow me.» He led me into a small room, seeing the large desk I figured that it was his study.
«Wait here for a moment, I forgot something.»
I nodded. The way he spoke... he sounded almost like he was about to panic and his eyes were looking back and forth between me and something I couldn't see, making me question if I was the one going crazy. He went out of the room and I heard him whisper, I slowly inched closer to the hallway to hear what he was saying and with who he was talking. Maybe he didn't live alone like we all thought.

I took the opportunity to take a look at the room to find something that would give me a hint. I immediately noticed that he was passionate about ancient Egypt, there were statues of cats and symbols of an eye and a strange looking cross.
He must have been really obsessed with it, he even had a board with different images of people with animal heads, I knew they were Egyptian Gods because it was the only thing I studied last year.

This made my stomach drop and I almost gasped, my eyes darted through the different pictures and followed the red thread to see how I'm involved in all of this, but I was too scared that he might do something bad to me so I stepped back and reached for the door. Unfortunately, the teacher entered the room and closed the door, raising his hands and giving me a reassuring look, but nothing changed in the way I felt towards him. I prepared in case he made any sudden move.

«Isaac, before we begin, we need to talk.»