Before The Next Tears Falls (StudentxTeacher)

Talking to someone helps

Chapter 4

Thoughts in bold and/or italics.

Anika's POV

26th.Sep.2009

"Ok, guys, I'm just going to go sit in the corridors. I'm too cold to go outside; go enjoy yourselves. It's only a fifteen-minute break anyways."

"You sure, Anika?" Scarlett and Sam asked

"Yeah, go on without me."

I love the guys so much, but sometimes I need my space so that I can breathe. I'm always the strong one of the group, and I never show my emotions. I smile and carry on with life.

I was walking down the school's corridors, doing my Head Girl duties making sure no kids were misbehaving, making sure the passages were clean and quiet when I spotted Christian in a classroom.
I tried to spy through the classroom doors without getting caught, but I was too late he had seen me

"Shit!" I tried running down the corridors but failing miserably

"Hey, Anika, can you come in for a second?" Christian asked

No, no, no no "Yeah, sure, I'm coming over" I put on a fake smile. Going inside the classroom, I see how different the setting of the tables are compared to the other classrooms and how the classroom is big enough for me to move around with my wheelchair, and I can access some of the stationary without getting stuck.

"Hey, Anika come over here for a second?" Christian asked

"Yeah, sure," I said, coming over to his desk.

"How's everything been in school and at home, and how come you're still in school? Shouldn't you have left by now?"

"Woah, what's with all the questions?" Anyways you know me, everything's okay as always, and I'm taking another year of school to get extra points for college and university. How's everything for you?"

"Everything's still the same, I guess; I managed to graduate from university early, so I came back to get a proper job, so now I guess I'm your official English Teacher. You haven't changed one bit, Anika; you still answer with one-word sentences, and you still don't make eye contact."

"Nothing is interesting about me, Blue Bear using his nickname I gave him in primary school. Also, I do make eye contact more than the average person does" wtf am I saying!?

"Do you know? He said, smirking, "I dare you to make eye contact with me for five minutes."

"Okay, deal."

Christians POV

"Okay, deal," she said

It hadn't even been ten seconds yet, and I could see her fidgeting, so I held her hands without breaking eye contact and started rubbing small circles into her palms. I could see her breathe in, and then she began to calm down gradually. I could see the pain in her eyes; it was so strong, and her eyes were begging for help, whereas Anika she's smiling, but it was not reaching to her eyes.

She started to squeeze my hands hard, and tears began to roll down her cheeks without her noticing. I began to worry because I'd never seen Ani upset before. In primary, she was always so cheerful and was always smiling a real smile.

"Baby, what's wrong?" I know I shouldn't be calling her that since she's my student, but I couldn't help it.

She didn't say anything, and it was like she was reliving something in the past; her eyes were closed, and silent tears rolled down her cheeks.

I went over to her and just hugged her hard. It hurt me, knowing something was hurting her, and I didn't know what to do.

"Christian, it hurts. I can't do this anymore," Anika kept repeating; she hugged me back, and she was soaking my shirt with her tears, but I don't mind.

"Christian, I'm a burden to my family, to my friends and to everyone! My parents hate me. My mum always tells me how she regrets not having an abortion when she had the chance. My parents argue all the time, and my dad abuses my mum and me. They hit me on my legs because they know nobody's going to see it. When you're younger, you can run and hide, but when you get older, you have to do something about it, and I can't.

"If Dad says no, I don't do it; if Dad says yes, I do. It is like my whole life circles around dads opinion, dads health, dads rules and dads abuse!"

I can't believe the stuff Anikas been through! Nobody deserves that, especially not her. How is she so strong? If I were in her space, I wouldn't still be alive; I know that. From now on, I'm going to make sure I look after her and make sure I talk to her every day!

"Anika, you need to report them; if you don't, then I will! I promise you, from now on, I will always be here for you," I said.

"Now pick somewhere to sit at the break is over in five minutes, and I don't want you to panic or feel claustrophobic!"

I watched her wipe her tears away and put her façade back up as she picked a table to sit at.

"Oooh, someone's eager to learn!" As I watched her choose the table in front of mine.

Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I've been struggling with a few things these past months, but I promise I will try to update soon. P.S. sorry for the grammar mistakes; I'm dyslexic, even though that's not an excuse.