Intertwined

Part 2: Goodwin vs. Sharpe

It wasn't necessarily the worst start to the new school year.

There had been worse ones.

But it ceased to amaze Max that not only one kid caused problems for him on the first day, but two brothers as well.

Max had been teaching for long enough to know that older kids have their own ways of dealing with their shit. Sometimes a swear comes out.

And though it doesn't phase him and he can look past it.

Being called a cunt the first day was not what he necessarily wanted to hear.

And then to be blatantly disrespected and threatened by two boys in one day over things he never meant to muddle into—makes him feel worse about showing up to work this morning.

Then there was another issue entirely.

The woman these two boys call Mum.

Yes.

Helen Sharpe was going to be another problem altogether, he supposed.

All night he couldn't focus on anything.

The thought of her and those dark brown challenging eyes, slim curvaceous frame and poignant attitude followed him from his consciousness to his dreams.

The pouty lips parting.

The soul searching eyes of hers.

They bore into his dreamscape and were immovable.

"Luna, you hardly finished your breakfast sweetie." He says as she sits at his desk early this morning.

It was easier feeding her at school than it was in his own home half the time.

In fact.

Being away from their four bedroom home was much easier than anything.

At one point that home was his pride and joy. It was the hopeful glimpse into the future he always dreamt of.

But these days- it was just a sad reflection and reminder of what was never going to be.

"Are you not feeling well?" He asks as he crouches beside the desk and rests his chin on his crossed arms. The girl is not one for communicating—with anyone really and this has only begun to bother Max recently.

Before he just chalked it up to being a baby and not learning how to speak. Then she proven she could around the age of two.

But in the past two years she went from happy chatterbox—to submissively quiet and near mute in nature.

And it certainly isn't for his lack of trying.

He's taken her to specialists and had enrolled her in several different programs that encourage speech therapy.

Yet nothing seems to help her.

Nothing pulls her from her silence and calm state.

"Lu...can you talk to me, Baby Girl? Tell me anything?" He gently pushes her hair behind her ear and she just smiles softly at him, but remains silent. "Huh...okay. I'll leave ya alone."

It isn't easy for him.

Trying to raise his shy mute little girl by himself. He tries so hard to be positive and do everything he can to show her he's trying to make her happy- and yet with each silent day between them, he only ever feels like a failure.

"Good morning! How are we today?" Lauren pops in and strides to the front of the classroom to deliver Max an envelope. "New school year activities list. You still gonna coach?"