Sunshine (Student/Teacher Romance) 18+

50

Abel

"Mr. C..." Jacob in the front row, right in front of my desk finally gets my attention with his deep tone.

I look up at my class and realize I'd been zoned the fuck out for who knows how long. I probably look insane.

I barely could get dressed this morning, let alone sleep through the night.

I didn't. I didn't even shut my eyes once since Ari didn't come home last night after work. I even drove around town hoping I'd possibly catch her walking or maybe just sitting on the sidewalk avoiding home, for who knows why.

It's not like her to do that, but I can never be too sure. But it's even less like her to not give me a single signal. She wouldn't just leave me hanging like this.

I don't think.

I'd driven around for hours and finally told myself to head back home in case she did come back and just didn't say anything.

Worst part about this is the fact that I can't even do anything about it. I'm just her teacher.

I can't call the police, I can't show up at her job looking for her, and I can't just report it to the school based off one absence.

"Are you okay?" Another lone voice asks me from the middle of the room.

"Yeah, no...I'm just not feeling that great, guys. I apologize." I clear my throat and push myself back from my desk, looking down at my legs like I've never seen them before. Like I don't even belong in my body anymore. Like my clothes aren't mine, like my skin isn't mine. Like this class isn't mine. This job.

They all stare at me the same way as I rise from my seat. Like I'm someone they don't know, and not like the man who's been assigned to teach them the past seven months I have been.

"Let's, um...let's take out our literature books and turn to page one fifty-four. Chapter eight." I let my shoulders fall when the sounds of zippers and pages turning begins.

I can't do this.

Pretend everything's fine when I had to mark her absent today with no clue of where she is and if she's okay.

And tomorrow? Do I just do it again, and not say a fucking word until it's been weeks, and I can finally bring it up to my boss. By then I may have already been taken care of. I may not even be here anymore, and then what?

Everything's so fucked.

I instruct the class to read to themselves an insane amount of pages and return to my seat, knowing the majority of them won't even get past the first paragraph before the room is in a complete uproar, and I honestly don't give a damn.

As far as I see it, I could be fired at any moment, and until I know Ari's okay, she's my priority.

A text rolls in, and for the first time ever I'm disappointed to see my sisters name come up on the screen.

Hailey: Anything?

Me: Nothing. What should I do?

Me: What can I do?

Hailey: I'll put in a police report.

Me: How? What are you going to say?

Hailey: That I'm a concerned friend of the family and need a wellness check.

Hailey: Look, don't worry about it. I'll figure it out. I know the laws.