A Rift Between Us

Chapter 33 - A Mother's Disapproval

Alfie's hand waved in the air, gesturing a 'no' while shaking his head simultaneously. Aggnus looked at him with a dubious glare as she slowly brought the phone to her ear.

"Hello?"

Her eyes flitted around the room, her attention riveted on the voice. Alfie's gaze was fixed on her, eager to hear what was being discussed.

"Really?...My Alfie?...I see..."

His fingers drummed a nervous rhythm against his legs, his body jolting up and down in quick succession. He averted his eyes, seeking relief from his unease.

"I understand...I'll definitely speak to him about this....oh does he?...Hmm okay...no problem, thanks for letting me know. Bye-bye."

She pulled the phone away from her ear, ending the call with a tap of her thumb. Her eyes locked onto Alfie, shame evident on his face as he ducked his head.

"What's all this I'm hearing about poor behaviour from Mr Dodge?"

Her brows dipped, the corners of her mouth rigid as her phone swung casually in her hand.

"Mum I swear, I'm trying to focus at school but this new girl somehow keeps getting me in trouble."

Aggnus flicked her wrist, catching her phone as it spun. She relaxed her grip, allowing it to slide slowly down her palm. Alfie's discomfort grew, his hands becoming clammy in the process. The salty odour betrayed his concern. She continued to stare at him, her silence deafening.

"Alfie Olson. I raised you better than this. You should be more than capable of ignoring distractions or reporting an issue if there is one."

"But mum..."

A painful tightness gripped his chest, forcing him to clear his throat repeatedly.

"I've tried this with Mr Dodge many times, but he's under so much stress that he doesn't even listen."

Aggnus pinched her thumb on the bottom of her phone screen, balancing it with her middle finger. She swung it back and forth, her glare intense as she focused on Alfie, who remained seated by his desk. Her fingers clenched into a fist.

"Then you should wait for him to calm down before explaining the problem."

She reeaaally doesn't understand how unstable Mr Dodge can become.

"Okay...I'll try and do that next time."

"Good. He also told me that you owe him an hour's detention. That's honestly disappointing." Her hands rested on her hips as she put all her weight on one leg, letting the other bend and relax. "Alfie, you never get detentions. I don't want to hear this kind of stuff again. Do you understand?"

Alfie nodded, his head hanging low as she walked out of the room, clearly upset by the call. He let go of the notebook, a blank stare overtaking him. His throat burned from repeated coughing, rubbing his his neck to soothe the irritation. A tickle crawled up his oesophagus like an army of ants, followed by a sharp cough and sneeze.

Argh damn! That's painful...

He squeezed his eyes shut, battling the residual effects of the strange expulsion. His phone buzzed, a new notification. He pulled it out, his vision blurry. With a few blinks, he focused on the screen, revealing a message from an unknown number.