Evie Was Here

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Mr.Barkley still couldn't believe what he just read. He read it again, then read it a third time. He greatly felt, this girl had it hard with her peers. He could see it, he could feel it. He even slightly saw a little bit of his adolescent self in her. He then gave it one more read

  *What makes me happy? This was veritably hard for me to decide. I walk alone, an empty afflicted soul in a sea of smiling faces. Not only do I walk alone, I also drown under all the pressure. It's hard to look up, and it's even harder to smile, when there really isn't much that makes me happy. Jubilance isn't exactly something that comes easy to me. Sorrow, now that is something I can greatly understand.  But happiness? Happiness... That word just doesn't come to my lips often, and even less when I'm around my classmates.
Even worse, I'm not so sure it even exists. For someone like me, no matter how hard I strive, happiness will elude me until the end of time. 

The funny thing, is I have reasons to be happy. I have a few great friends and my parents love me. We have a great relationship. I live in a beautiful acreage, my family makes decent money. So why is it that I always feel so empty, so sad? 

I had to think hard, but there is one time each day, everything seems to feel better. Maybe it's that small window of time, where I get to appreciate everything good around me.

Every morning before school, I take a walk, down the same predictable path. It is my own moment of blissful solitude. It is then, when I can feel normal, and at ease. It is then I can just clear my mind of all my own greatest insecurities. It is there in my own personal haven, that I am ultimately happy. Even if it's only about twenty minutes a day each morning, before I catch the bus and it takes me back back down my own personal, highway to hell.

This morning is no exception. It was a bright and sunny day, but as soon as I stepped inside that classroom door, the sun began to drop and the temperature started to plummet. My heart sank, and the darkness took over.

I am happy for the people, that do choose to be in my life. My parents, give me so much love. My small, yet significantly large in support, gang of friends. If I could erase all of the cruel people in my life, I would easily find that 'happiness', that most normal people talk about. I guess I can atleast be grateful, for having people in my life, that ultimately care. It's just so hard to keep those ideas close to heart, when everything else around me, buries me deep inside a tomb of bitter encumbrance. One day, happy will come more easily to me, I can only hope, that is.*

Mr. Barkley wasn't sure if he should clap his hands, or weep for the tortured soul. He didn't really know how bad she was treated, but he knew it couldn't be that great. He's heard rumours from the students mouths, she has seen some name calling here and there. He hasn't even been at this school that long, and the clues were so strongly there.

He wiped a tear, that was escaping out of the corner of his eye. What Evie needed most, was another friend, and less people in her life that were completely sour towards her. He really had a desperate need, to help her. To make her believe that she deserves to be happy all the time.

He rose from his seat, and headed towards the office.  When he arrived outside the office, he knocked gently on the door. He waited patiently, waiting for an answer. After a minute or two of quiet shuffling from within the room.

A soft voice answered,"Come in."

Mr. Barkley opened the door slowly and walked in.

"Oh hey Nickolas, how was your first week so far." The friendly and young receptionist Yvette asked.

"Not bad, Yvette, thanks for the recommendation. "

Yvette was Nickolas Barkley's brother in law's, cousin. A small family tie, but a strong one nevertheless. They were very close, and their families had worked together long ago. They both went to university together and had remained best friends ever since. Yvette was also best friends with Nickolas Barkley's recently deceased wife Gretchen.

She knew Nickolas would be a great teacher. Even though he just lost his wife, she knew he wouldn't let that keep him from shaping young minds. She made some calls, and arranged a meeting with the school board, and got her cousin in law the job. 

"How's Paul doing?" Mr.Barkley asked, of course signifying her cousin, and his late wife's brother.

"Oh he's been much better since...." Yvette trailed off, not wanting to contrive, a whirlpool of emotions. "The funeral."

Paul, did take his sister's death quite hard. They were very close, and that made Paul and Nickolas rather close aswell. They didn't speak much since the untimely accident, as he went through a spiral of depression, and alcoholism. Nick has always tried to be there, but also knew people grieved differently, and gave Paul his space.  Nickolas was thankful for that, ad well because Paul could certainly use some space sometimes himself.

"Give him my best, I know this was all so very hard on him." Nickolas now said to Yvette. "I tried to call him the other day, but he wasn't quite himself yet."

"Paul was always kind of stubborn that way." Said Yvette. She tried to force a smile. 

"Enough of all this negativity though, I am actually here for a certain students homing information, particularly a Ms. Evie Prancer."

Yvette gave him a thin smile. "You know I not supposed to do that. I know you only mean well..."

"I want to help her. I feel like maybe I can talk to her or her parents. Maybe all of them. She needs someone to show her that she is worth it."

She seems like a sweet girl, one of your students I presume." Said Yvette while handing the document over. "She is very shy and constrained however. I can only imagine why. I have seen some kids be very cruel to her. Is this why you want to go see her."

"Pretty much," Said Nick "She wrote something for me today, and a part of me wants to ... I dunno, save her, from her own personal misery."

"You were always an advocate for the troubled, Nick. I think that's what Gretchen loved best about you."

"Thanks again, Yvette, you have been more than helpful lately."

And with that, Nick left the office.
He stood at the top of the stairs leading into the school lobby, which was fairly busy. Some kids were already milling around talking, others sat quietly reading, while others ran around trying to get ready for the day sway from school ahead. He tried to spot Evie. She was standing near the windows looking out onto the street. When he finally spotted her, she was sitting with her head resting against the glass pane. She looked peaceful, but Nick sensed an underlying sadness. She was dressed in a simple white shirt, grey leggings, with long brown hair covering her face.

Her face turned towards the halls and she started chatting with a couple friends, or so it seemed. It was hard to see her lips moved underneath the mop of hair shielding her from the world.

He looked at her address and saved it into his phone. Today he would talk to her, and let her know that he was there to listen and help. He understood what she was going through. He was a teacher who felt determined to help kids through whatever hardships they might encounter in the future and in the now. He was going to help Evie understand  and find happiness 

That would now be his new vocation.