Decades Of Love [Complete]

4 - 2015, February

"Edwards! Focus in class please!" The teacher snaps causing Dae to open her eyes and look at the front sleepily from her folded arms.

"What was the question?" Dae asks.

"What is the most common psychological issue troops experience when they return home after deployment?"

"Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD for short, in comorbidity, most commonly, with depression."

"I said issue."

"Well, they're the main issues so deal with it."

"Dae Edwards, may I remind you who is the teacher in this room?"

"May I remind you, sir, my parents are military? One is suffering with depression and PTSD, drinks himself into a hole and all I can do is watch between his deployments."

"And the other?"

"Didn't make it back." Dae just whispers but the message is clear as her voice cracks. Dustin watches helplessly before picking up his things and moving to the spare seat beside Dae. Carefully he wraps an arm around her shoulder in support. Recognising the touch, Dae turns and buries her head into his school jumper clad chest as she cries quietly still. A few minutes later after, the class moves swiftly onto a different subject, Dae moves her head out of his chest but stays in his embrace causing Dustin to smile slightly as he takes notes.

"Master Field, can you please-"

"I'm sorry, sir, but I can't. My dad was in the same unit as her mum and tried to save her. But right now I cannot let go of her," Dustin interrupts politely. The teacher sighs before continuing the lesson, Dustin taking notes for both of them.

~~~~~

"In the future, if anything like this happens, in any class, again you have the head's permission to exit class. Sorry that this did happen," the teacher explains quietly as the classroom empties.

Dae takes her head off of Dustin's chest to look at the teacher with shocked wide red eyes. "What?" She asks quietly, her voice cracking with dryness. Dustin offers Dae a water bottle which she takes automatically and drinks about half of the contents.

"Says he knows from experience about what it feels like so he's letting you two off the hook a bit."

"Oh, okay," Dustin says still slightly taken back.

"If you don't mind me asking, Dae, why did you snap?" The teacher asks softly, remaining crouched opposite the pair still sat at their desk.

"Dad is deployed at the moment, grandparents are staying with me. When dad is home this time of year he is drinking himself to oblivion as it is near mum's anniversary. The stress of it all gets to me," Dae explains.

~~~~~

"Thank you for doing that," Dae says as she weaves through the school crowd with Dustin.

"It's okay. None of the others wanted to help, or knew how, so I did. You just needed a shoulder to cry on. I've had to do it with my mum before," Dustin replies. He glances around to spot stares of other students, then he looks ahead to Dae's locker where Faye and Hazel are stood waiting with smirks and knowing looks.

"You still didn't have to stand up for me in class though."

"I was justifying my reason for helping you in class." Dustin looks across at Dae and smiles causing her to smile back lightly.

"You still didn't have to."

"My dad had your mum's back while she had his on the front line. We might as well look out for each other here."

"We weren't expecting you, Field," Faye states.

"Yeah, where has this honour come from?" Hazel asks.

"Psychological issues in troops after deployment was covered in lesson. Teacher picked on Dae as she was asleep, to be honest, so was I. Then her parents were mentioned and I helped her out," Dustin explains.

"I am standing right here and I do have a mouth," Dae says looking around the trio she is stood with.

"Why is your jumper wet?" Faye asks ignoring Dae.

"What did I just explain?" Dustin says giving Faye and Hazel a blank look.

"Oh, never mind." Faye turns to Dae wrapping her in a hug, her arms going around Dae's waist and head resting just above her chest. "We all have those days chick, keep your chin up and keep smiling. Don't let them get you down."

"See you guys around, okay?" Dustin says before walking off towards his next lesson.

"So you and Edwards then?" Archie asks, slinging an arm around Dustin's shoulder.

"Yeah, what's the deal?" Barnett asks from the other side of Dustin.

"You two are as bad as Faye and Hazel," Dustin states.

"You wound us with your words. But seriously what is the deal between you two?"

"We're just friends."

"So she's single?"

"I don't know."

"So she's available?"

"Maybe."

"So I can ask her out?"

"No."

"No?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Dude, you're the one who left the note in Dae's locker," Archie says breaking the glare Dustin was aiming at Barnett.

"What?" Barnett and Dustin say at the same time.

"Hazel tells me almost everything. Her and Faye reckon you put that note in Dae's locker," Archie says staring at Dustin, his hands gripping Dustin's shoulders. "She wouldn't tell me anything about their sleepover after that as it was sworn to secrecy. Everything we say to each other here is sworn to secrecy too."

"Later," Dustin replies pushing Archie's grip off him and walks away from the pair.

Archie holds his hand out as he watches Dustin and Barnett slaps the offered hand. "He totally wrote that note. I want to know what he does next."

~~~~~

Dae sighs in relief as she opens her locker. She goes to pick up her coat when she spots something on it. Carefully Dae picks up the small crepe paper parcel to spot a note on the underside.

Personally, I think this will suit you. Wear it as often as you can with a smile. I hope you like this.

Curiosity gets the better of Dae and she opens the navy blue paper to find a set of military themed thread and leather bracelets that always caught her eye. She was never brave enough to buy them for herself. She gasps in shock as she passes the five bracelets through her fingers. Dae folds up the packaging and places the items in her blazer pocket, feeling them burn a hole there.

Dae pulls her coat on and shuts her locker, slinging her bag onto her back. As she walks away from the building Dustin falls into step with her. "You don't mind, do you?" Dustin asks cautiously.

"You walking with me has never been a problem. Where have you got to go today?" Dae replies.

"Meeting my granddad at my grandma's grave before we go shopping."

Dae nods absent-mindedly, still thinking about the gift.