A Teacher's Love (Under Construction)

Chapter 29

After school Ken went to work and I walked around school slowly taking my bag over my shoulder. I decided not to take the bus home, so I could go by the field and see Jack, but sadly they weren't out there yet. Probably still in the changing room, so I sat down on the bleachers at the bottom waiting for them to arrive.

In the mean time I pulled out my phone and some headphones, and decided to listen to some music as I stared up at the bright blue sky, there were a few streaks of clouds in the sky, but besides that it was very empty...very calming. The sun was out warming my fur some, with a gentle breeze. Granted it's like late autumn, the south has a tendency to say 'Fuck you,' to the weather and does what it wants, which is sometimes inconvenient, or can work in your favor depending on the kind of person you are.

I wonder what drove Jack to join the football team, growing up he hated the sport with a passion.

'I would never affiliate myself with those block heads.' He would say. Thinking about this only made me smile softly. Time sure has changed us both.

It wasn't long before I saw footballs tossing around next to me as well as feel footsteps on the bleachers. I soon find myself looking up to a tall tiger in a pair of shirts and a white tshirt with a big smile.

I couldn't help but smile back and wag my tail some ," about time you came to see me." I close my eyes relaxing.

He only chuckles and shakes his head. "You do know the last bus left already right, or are you trying to come stay with me now?"

"Oh no! I wanna stay with Mr. Mont!" I snap up staring at him as he gave a cocky smile rubbing his chin.

"WELL! This wouldn't be due to a particular dalmatian would it?" He said mockingly as he lean against the bars of the bleachers. A blush spreading accross my face.

"Well uh...how did...you find out..."

"Oh please. I know he's dating someone, and the fact that big kiss on game night was a dead giveaway! And yeah, I saw that!"

I felt my world falling apart around me. Shame was over me in thick layers as well as embarrassment, he had me now. I blush even harder and ball up into a ball. Only to feel his hand on my head and reassuringly scratch it making a weak purr come out from me while he spoke.

"No need to be scared. I'm not a bad guy. Your secret is safe with me hun. Besides your parents would kill me if I let anything happen to you, so you can talk to me if need be. That's also why I had you stay with Mr. Mont. Your parents told me you were gay, so I figured you'd learn best from them and so on."

I sigh and give a weak smile, that's Justin for you, always thinking about and planning for others.

"Also if I'm correct you're related to Jack aren't you?" He asked still leaning on the railing some looking down at me, arms crossed.

This makes me nod softly and frown looking up at him.

"Yeah? How did you know that?"

"Personal records and emergency contacts and all that fun jazz," He says nonchalantly waving it off as if it was nothing.

"Those are personal! You can't just dig through them!" I growl some as my fur on my neck and tail poofed and stood on end, while my ears swiveled around pinning in my head.

"I have to look at all that, as his caretaker I'm legally aloud to. So relax."

Wait...wait...wait...CARETAKER?!

"What do you mean? Is he ok?! What happen to him!?" I ask jumping up and grasping the tigers shirt, pleading for answers.

He only nodded keeping up his "calm man" routine. He put his hands on mine and gently kissed my forehead.

"Currently he's sick and resting at my home. But he should be here monday. Hes just got the flu. Before that, or anything before that, you will need to ask him yourself. It's not my place to spread pain."

I only let go of him frozen as my heart slowly seemed to crack in places I didn't think was possible, my mind playing through endless ideas of what could have happen to him. Oh the horrors... the pain... JACK WHAT HAPPEN?!

"You can see him monday. If he gets better before then. You'll see him then. But not till hes better. Now. Do you want me to take you to Mr. Monts?"

He asks gently, with concern as he gently strokes my cheek. In which I nod softly, I grab my back pack and make my way down the bleachers with his hand on my back.

On the way back, I layed my head on the window, the sun warming my fur as he drove. Homes passing by, for what seemed slower than normal as if time itself slowed, while my mind wandered, still counting the, what seemed like endless possibilities of what happen to my dear cousin.

I look over and stare at the tiger for a second trying to size him up some. He seems to care for Jack, but if I know Justin, he's very crafty, or at least was before he became a teacher. Very manipulative, and knew his way around words in a conversation, as if he was ballroom dancing in a masquerade, but the floor was made of plastic wrap. Everyone would fall but him.

"Are you going to keep staring at me, or say what's on your mind?" He asked not even looking my way as he drove.

"Why? Why are you here? Better question... WHAT on earth is going on with you and Jack?!" I growled softly as more of a pleading whine escaped.

"I'm here case myself family member left me a home in their will. So I came to start a new life, at a new school. I just so happen to come across Jack, hopelessly lost I might add, there's almost no cell reception down here at the time. He looked..." he said as his face seemed to tense up some and frown, "Lost as well... and in significantly more pain then I... I found him walking to school, so I offered him a ride, and he led me to the school."

"Now I know he's not a kid. Just like you aren't either, but compared to numbers, all of you are to me, but when it comes to... experience, and life itself... I feel Jack MAY have us beat by a landslide."

Venom seemed to leave his lips as he went on about this,... this, for lack for better phrases, a rather dark book, or some cliche dark edgy rouge in a tabletop game.

I could feel the anger boiling in him, as well as sorrow, as he continued to explain, from his understanding anyways, Jack's life. The sense of a man broken, doesn't seem to scrape the surface of what I was witnessing. Justin was... crumbling and shattering with each sentence, as was my heart.

Eventually we were both in tears as he pulled up to Mr. Mont's home. Trying to compose ourselves we try to talk about better things, lighter things.

Not too long after that I get out of the car and wave him off as he drives off. Leaving me to stand there staring at a certain dalmatian's home. I cock my head to the side, wiping a tear away, 'I wonder what he's been through.'

I think to myself before turning around and making my way up to my room gladly ending this day.