My head plummets into my hands as my body is shaken by sobs. The tears flow freely and I am spewing my emotions completely out before me. Warm, supportive arms encase me and I hastily remove my hands from my face. My eyes are affronted with his blue-green orbs and I continue to peer into them. There are tiny golden specks of colour that grace both of his irises, giving off the appearance of gold nuggets drifting at the bottom of a slow, gurgling river. But then I realize what I'm doing.
Hurriedly, I pull away from him and extract his arms from me. It is then that I also comprehend that I am hyperventilating. You see, I really don't do well with human contact (unless that person has my complete and full trust) and it doesn't help my lungs that already suck at being lungs. I endeavor to calm my breathing down and note that my hands are shaking in my lap. Mr Cumberbatch is looking at me, perturbed.
"I-I-I have a v-very severe ph-phobia o-o-o-of human touch" I falter, still cascading my view upon my quivering hands. "Haphephob-bia" I speak, stuttering slightly as I focus on trying to calm my rattled nerves.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know" Looking up, I notice that he is trying to adjust himself to the situation. He is smiling, softly at me causing me to smile back, but I am still hyperventilating. I quickly reach for my bag, however it tumbles from my shaking hands and the contents erupt all over the floor. A sigh of annoyance escapes my lips and I battle to control my rapid breathing, gasping slightly.
"M-m-medication" I stutter, my right hand shakily pointing at my inhaler and box of pills. Mr Cumberbatch briskly picks them up and deposits them in my hands before putting the remainder of my possessions back into my back pack. I swiftly remove the cap from my inhaler and push the button, taking a long, deep breath inwards. A feeling of relief sets in. I sense my body relax instantly and casually lean back into the plastic chair, of which I am sat in.
"I am ever so sorry. I didn't know, but I just can't stand there whilst one of my students breaks down in front of me and not do anything at all" He speaks, rushing his words. His articulate, deep voice faltering in a few places.
"Sir, it's alright. Don't blame yourself, but don't you have a class next?" I ask, studying the now desolate classroom that we are sitting in.
"No, actually I only teach A Level classes and I don't have a class at the moment" He shakes his head, a small, smirk slightly visible on his lips. I raise one of my eyebrows at him and a low chuckle emanates from his slightly parted lips.
"What's so funny?" I tilt my head slightly, imploring him to answer my question. He chuckles again and this only piques my curiosity further. My head tilts to the other side and I knit my eyebrows together. "What is it?" I demand, my temper boiling. I hate people laughing at me and if he is it will upset me greatly, as I used to get bullied quite badly.
"Don't you have a lesson right now?" He asks, smiling directly at me. I shake my head partly in disbelief and partly in answer to his previous question. "Well... it seems that we both have a free lesson right now. So, do you want me to help you with your mind map?" Mr Cumberbatch leans towards me, his elbows on his desk and his hands pressed together as if in thought in front of his thick, plump lips. I struggle to hold eye contact with him and nod swiftly, averting my eyes to the A3 sheet of paper in front of me. "So tell me about yourself" He demands.
"Um... I'm a bit of a social recluse. I have a best friend called Jacob, I'm good friends with the librarian and I also have stage two lung cancer, but I'm okay" I mutter, fiddling with my fingers.
"What?" He splutters causing me to look up at him. His face is an image of complete and utter prostration.
"I have stage two lung cancer, so what?" I shrug, lightly. He recollects himself and smiles at me. "And I don't want any sympathy. I just want to be treated like any other seventeen year old" I look at him. "Please don't treat me differently" I beg, looking him square in the eye.
"Don't worry, I won't." Mr Cumberbatch smiles at me. "So got any hobbies?"
YOU ARE READING
Only Time Will Tell (Short Story Competition Benedict Cumberbatch)
FanficA new English Literature teacher that is well read and isn't too bad on the eyes arrives at Stefanie's school. The two meet and immediately become inseparable, but will Mr Cumberbatch play her or will their story end happily just like in all the boo...
