Hello Again, Sir {s/t - complete}

What About Now?: 4.

I left the staff room and Ted thinking about children. My work colleague had put the thought in my head. It was true. I did want children. I sighed heavily as I turned down the corridor. Maybe if I just go and get some lunch everything will be okay. The day was nearly half way through already. Maybe I could just sneak home after college and sleep. I’d go out for a meal with the department tomorrow.

“Ouch,” someone hissed.

I looked down to see a young girl with red hair and far too many freckles stare back at me. Her pale green eyes looked watery, like she was about to cry. Did I really just step on her foot that badly?

“I’m sorry.” I apologised. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I guess I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

“Sarah?” someone shouted. “Sarah! Come on, the canteen’s this—oh, Mr. Clarke.”

I looked behind the girl now; to a boy with black hair. I then noticed his shark necklace. The same necklace I saw this morning. “Hello, Thomas.”

The boy nodded, to acknowledge the fact that I had said hello. He then turned to the girl and with a soft expression looked down and smiled at her. She was far shorter than him. “Sarah? Are you okay?”

“That’s my fault.” I interjected.

“What?”

“I stepped on her foot.”

“He didn’t mean it. I wasn’t looking where I was going.” Sarah defended quickly.

“I’m sorry.” I relayed again.

“It’s fine.” Thomas said, surprising me with the soft tone of his voice. He wasn’t this polite in class today. He placed his hands on the young girl’s shoulder, who seemed to have relaxed now her foot wasn’t hurting so much. “Sarah, meet Mr. Clarke. He’s going to be your English teacher.”

The girl blinked and then smiled warmly. “Hello.”

“Are you a first year?”

“Yes. I’m in your last class of the day.”

I smiled politely at the girl. “I’ll see you then.”

“Sarah.” Thomas interrupted. “I’ll meet you in the canteen. It just around the corner, okay?”

“Why?”

“I need to speak to my lecturer about something.”

The girl sighed quietly. “Okay.”

I watched the back of the girls head as she walked off before turning to the boy. I assumed he would have had a scowl on his face but he didn’t. He looked sad. I frowned. This was a boy who didn’t like to talk to the teacher. Who didn’t like to be in class. What changed?

“Thomas?”

“I’m sorry for how I acted earlier, Mr. Clarke. It was a bad morning.”

“I understand.” I didn’t. I didn’t know what was wrong. But sometimes there was just some things that teenagers had going on with no-one knowing. Hanna had to call me Mr. Clarke now. Maybe she’d find that difficult. None of the teachers would understand that though.

“Sarah, my sister, she’s new here.” Thomas said. “It’s her first day.”

“Is she enjoying it?”

“Yes.”

“Are you enjoying it?”

The boy smirked. “Your class is alright if that’s what you mean. But I don’t enjoy college. I wanted to leave.”