A Rift Between Us

Chapter 10 - Ms Camdyn's Request

Mr Dodge's fingers drummed against his chin, trying to recover his train of thought. His messy hair waved around as he stood. He grabbed the whiteboard marker, raising it in the air.

"Did anybody else remember any more themes from '1984' while I was gone?"

His hand hovered near the whiteboard, awaiting a response. Silence persisted. He capped the marker and lowered his arm, exhaling as he slid his hand from his forehead to his chin, then rolled the dirty Blue Tack along the edge of his desk.

"You people have an English exam in a month. You guys need to focus. I'm tired of repeating myself every single time about the same issue."

He grasped his mug and took a swift mouthful, hoping to regain his composure. His face puckered as he spat the cold coffee back inside. It splattered in circles, bubbles forming on the surface.

"Ewww, Sir!"

A tsunami of voices crashed into him. Shocked by what they had witnessed, the students soon burst into conversation, gossiping about what they had just seen. Mr Dodge raised his hand, attempting to quiet everyone down. Multiple bangs echoed through his desk as he tightened his fist for maximum impact. The noise around the room decreased.

"Listen! Someone must have remembered something about George Orwell's '1984' besides Keiko."

Two knocks on the classroom door diverted everyone's attention. They all turned, including Alfie. The door opened, revealing a slender woman in a pink short-sleeved dress with a decorative flap of fabric hanging from the side.

"Oh crap it's Ms Camdyn!" cautioned one student.

The class fell silent in an instant. Students lowered their heads, pretending to read and write in their English books. Keiko's eyes scanned everyone's faces, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion. Ms Camdyn surveyed the room, leaving a stern expression in her wake. Her eyes landed on Mr Dodge. She beckoned him over with her index finger, then walked back outside. He shook his head in disbelief, having just been called by the office earlier. His feet dragged forward at a snail's pace until he eventually reached her.

She shut the door, prompting everyone to peek through the windows. A shared curiosity spread among them as they strained to catch the muffled conversation.

"As you know, the school is short-staffed and exams are fast approaching. We need you to cover for some of the science teachers while they're away."

Mr Dodge rested a hand on top of his head, the other clamping on his hips as he rotated in front of her.

"Cover the science teachers? I can hardly handle my English classes, the students aren't up to speed an-"

Ms Camdyn raised one of her palms dismissively.

"I understand it's a significant request, but currently, you're the only person we can turn to."

Mr Dodge tugged at his unkempt hair, furthering its disordered appearance.

"You've piled so much extra work on me these past few weeks. My blood pressure is through the roof! I have a life outside of this job!"

Mr Dodge was met with vacant eyes as Ms Camdyn watched him lose his cool.

"Can't we bring in any supply teachers? I'm literally at my wits end. I'm barely getting any sleep at night."

"It's not a possibility at the moment. I'll keep you updated about when you'll be covering."

This is madness. I can't do all of this by myself, she knows this. Everyone does. When all these kids fail, I won't be the one to blame.