Mr Way didn't mess around. The trip was organised and letters were sent out within the week. Made a change to the lazy fuckers who worked here.
The trip was close too; only two weeks away.
The weeks leading up were pretty uneventful. I spent my frees in the Drama classroom and half the time Mr Way was there but he usually wasn't.
When he was there, I surprisingly found it really easy to talk to him. I guess I saw him as more of a friend than a teacher. I wasn't sure if that had been his initial aim but I enjoyed his company nonetheless.
It was definitely quiet when he wasn't there. I usually spent the time scrolling through Tumblr or mindlessly browsing the web. He left the door unlocked and I liked to think that was for my benefit but I couldn't be sure.
I wasn't sure where he went and I wasn't about to go and ask him. I think it was something to do with the car crash the other week. If it was, I definitely couldn't ask him.
The day before the trip, he was in the classroom and I was grateful for his company. He hadn't been there during the frees all week.
"Mr Iero!" He greeted me loudly as I entered the room. He didn't look up from his work so he must have been telling the truth when he said I was the only student that visited him in my free time.
"Hi, Sir," He replied shyly. I always felt nervous when I first entered the room but he always had the power to put me at ease.
"What did you think of our lesson this morning, Iero?" He finally looked up, a smile playing on his lips.
I was used to his sudden changes in subject by now so I didn't have to think too long about an answer.
I jumped up and sat on the edge of the stage, taking my bag off at the same time. "Yeah, it was good."
He snorted a bit at my answer. "You don't sound very enthused."
"I am... Uh... Enthused," I couldn't help but smile a little, "I'm just um... You know what? It doesn't matter." I quickly pulled my phone out and unlocked it.
I heard his chair move. He was a big fan of his chair because it had wheels underneath it. He spent most of class rolling around on it.
"Mr Iero."
I looked up. He was sat in front of me with a quizzical look in his eyes.
As I was sat on the stage, I was a bit higher than him but he was still eye level.
"Mr Iero, what is distressing you?" He asked, placing one of his legs on the other, creating a box shape.
"I'm not distressed." I put my phone down on the stage next to me. "I'm just a little unsure about my part."
"Your character?" He raised an eyebrow.
I nodded, interested in how he would breach this.
He started slowly shaking his head, his eyes closing in the process. "There is a reason I assigned you that part, Iero."
For some reason, at that moment, my brain focussed on his way of addressing me. Why did he always feel the need to say my name at the end of nearly every sentence? I knew he was talking to me so why do it? Maybe it was some weird habit he had. But I hadn't noticed him do it when he spoke to anyone else.
"You fit the role marvellously." He pulled me out of my tangent. "He's the devil on his girlfriend's shoulder. He sways her to take a stand against her dominating father. So he is, in some ways, the angel as well. Everyone has good and bad in them, Mr Iero. From my first impression of you, I can tell that people perceive you to be more bad than good, but I know that's not true."
I was a little speechless at his answer and I wasn't sure how to reply.
He smirked at me and I swear he moved a bit closer to the stage. "Have faith in yourself," He said quietly before rolling across the room again.
I watched in silence as he parked the chair back behind his desk and stood up, stretching his arms above his head.
My eyes instantly spotted the sliver of skin showing when he raised his arms and I couldn't help but stare. It was only his lower back but I obviously had something wrong with me because I couldn't look away.
When he lowered his arms again, I looked down out of embarrassment.
He must have thought I was still having doubt about my role because he called over, "Frank, come here."
My head snapped up at the mention of my first name. It sounded alien on his tongue but warm and welcoming at the same time.
He had a stern look on his face and I couldn't help but comply, jumping down from the stage and walking over to him.
He came out from behind the desk and stood right in front of me, looking down at me with a somewhat fond expression.
"You are more than capable for this role, Frank." Hearing my name again from his lips gave me goose bumps and I had no idea why.
I suddenly felt his hand cupping my left bicep and I was going weak at the knees.
"If you want," His voice had lowered to a slight whisper for some reason, "We could have some extra one-to-one rehearsals. If you're still feeling agnostic."
I wasn't sure what that word meant but I nodded anyway. Hell, even if I wasn't feeling skeptical, I probably still would agree.
A small smile appeared on his face and after a few painfully long seconds, he let go of my arm again.
I couldn't help but miss the simple gesture and found myself wondering if teachers were even allowed to do that sort of thing.
He suddenly turned and cleared his throat. It sounded weird against the silence we had just stood in.
"I had better appraise the final procedures for the trip." He kept his back to me, gathering some paperwork.
Had I done something wrong? I watched him silently and stood back, creating more of a space between us.
"I will see you tomorrow in class, Mr Iero." He finally turned again, his bag on his shoulder.
Before I could assess his expression, he darted across the room and out the door.
I stared after him blindly. What had I done?
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I'm finding this story hard to focus on but hopefully, when I had more of a storyline, it should be easier to write.
-Beth :3
