The Struggle of Ms. Carter (rewritten)

Chapter 11~

Payton's P. o. V.
_____________
The bell had rung for the end of second hour, I usually go out to lunch. Bailey's schedule is formed around him so he has lunch in between third hour. It's split so everything is even meaning—we couldn't eat together.

Instead I decided to go see Ms. Carter. Just to get back the thermos if she'd finished.

I walked out of my second hour right into the flood and nodded my head over to Simone and Nathan.
They're both on the cheerleading team and played on our school's chess team. And pretty good considering they didn't know a thing about chess to begin with. As it turns out Bailey is really good. He taught them the basics then played them until they finally beat him.
While I on the other hand know close to nothing about chess, and just hung around to watch them play. 

I rounded the small circle and heading straight down to the language arts hallway, I took a detour to the bathroom. Not before I admired the trees through the window at the end of the hall. Fall was close to being taken over by chill and the need of thick layers and mittens. Speaking of, I need a new winter coat.

I pushed through a couple more people to get to the bathroom. An in an instant I am hit by perfume that lingers with flavored smoke. People don't vape much here but when they do it's like a hotbox.
I tighten my ponytail and glide into a stall in the scarcely lit bathroom.
As I step out to wash my hands there is a bolt, intently keeping anonymous, as she steps into a stall at the far end. I figured it was just a girl who really had to pee until heard soft sniffling.
By now I'd washed and dried my hands and felt as if I was in a movie with dramatic music that intensified as I moved across to the far stall. I raised my hand up to the door just as the sniffling subsided into shuffling as if they were pacing. My knock wasn't loud but it was enough to draw out a tiny gasp from the girl in question and she paused her pacing for a second. I took a chance and spoke softly so as not to startle her any further.

"Hey, are you okay love?" I didn't really see much of her when she came in but I figured she must've been a freshman, going off of height.
There was another sniffle on the other side of the door before the door swung open and I was faced with the woman in question.

"Payton?? Aren't you supposed to be in class?" Her hazel eyes peered up at me and she wiped her button nose with some tissue she held in her right hand. Her sleeves pulled up to her knuckles as if she were cold.

"No I'm at lunch, I was actually on my way to see you. What are you doing in this bathroom, don't you have the key to the teachers'?"

"Well yes but there is only one in this hall which is occupied and there isn't another for two more halls and this couldn't wait. I figured no one would be in this one since it's lunch"- she looked up at me, slowly taking in a breath to pause her boisterous ramble.
I cut her off before she could start again.

"I understand now it's okay. Why are you crying?" Her eyes widened slightly as if she forgot that she was crying and then softened again.

"Oh! This. This is..nothing. Everything is fine. It's all good now." Her posture straightened. She roughly pushed her fringe to one side and lightly pressed her fingertips to her tomato cheeks then dropped them and forced a small smile.
I sighed clearly not believing her and crossed my arms.

"I don't believe you." Scoffing she copied my mannerism and crossed her arms as well seeming defensive.

"Well I guess you'll just have to. Payton this doesn't concern you." Her tone was softened but I could tell she was just trying to get me to believe her so she could leave, just to cry more in the safety of her own classroom.

"So would you also like me to ignore the fact that you probably haven't eaten lunch either?" I raised my right brow and her cheeks started to heat up again.

"How did you...I ate lunch."

"No you didn't."

"How would you know??"

"Alright. Fine then." Her next answer was just a series of stutters followed by a loud huff then she began walking past me. When I didn't follow she looked back at me and with a disgruntled face and nodded her head toward the door. I got the message and smiled shaking my head while catching up to her relaxed pace.
We'd not said a word when we got to her classroom until she sat at her desk and pulled out her uneaten lunch. While I picked an empty seat in front and crossed one leg over the other.

"Fine." Was all she said but I couldn't help the grin that covered my face.

"Don't look at me like that it's creepy." She said, this time with a mouth stuffed with baby tomatoes. I couldn't help myself and started to laugh, real hard. I had to wait a good two minutes for it to subside while the small woman sat shaking her head at me.

"Okay I'm sorry. I'm done." I can tell she's holding back a small smile on her carmine tinted lips matching the blush she was still wearing on her cheeks.
She looked a bit serious now.

"I'm sorry you had to see me like that. It was really unprofessional and I apologize deeply if I made you feel uncomfortable in any way." She glanced up to gauge my reaction.

"Why are you apologizing? You were the one crying. It's okay. Sometimes you just can't help the way you feel."

Ms. Carter's p. O. v.
___________
I gave a quick smile. Her voice was deeply soothing, laced with maturity and density that made her sound a lot older.
But I felt as though I could trust her. Why?
I have no clue.
It's almost like she reminds me of a friend I never had growing up.
Kids must love her.

"My sister..." I can feel the tears welling back up.
"You don't have to tell me just to give me an explanation."
She gave a smile soaked in sincerity and I looked into the eyes seemingly getting lighter with my own tears.

"My sister called me just as the lunch bell rang and she told me she needed to talk later. Well I don't like to wait-so I pushed her to tell me. She'd just came back from having a few tests done at the doctors, just a normal checkup, and they found something. She didn't really tell me much but I know that cancer runs in her family so.." I was gently wiping away a tear before it started to form. When I looked back up to her she had the most confused look on her face.
"I'm so sorry. But don't you mean our?"
I frowned.

"What?"
She rephrased.

"You said her family instead of our."

"Oh..well she's not my real sister. We've been close ever since fos"- I stopped myself from saying too much and remembered the position I was in right now. I'm spilling my guts to a 18 year old student. Not that there is a very large age gap but she doesn't need to know any of this information, I can't keep talking to her like she's a high school buddy.
I averted my watered eyes somewhere else and chewed my lip.

"Since foster care." Payton finished my sentence for me, speaking low.
And I couldn't speak so I just nodded once placing my sticky palms on the cool surface of my desk.

"I think"- I wiped a tear that slid slowly at the thought of going back to that mindset and pulled my hands into fists at my sides.

"I think you should go eat your lunch now."
She just stared at me curiously while I avoided her eyes for a long while until she nodded understandably. Standing back up she walked up to my desk. I didn't know what to expect from her—but we just stared for a moment until she spoke.

"You can give the thermos back whenever you're finished. Do try to enjoy the rest of your day. I'll see you later." I nodded my head and she walked over toward the door. 

It'd been a solid 10 minutes since she'd left and the bell rang. I took a steady inhale.
Today has been much too long and I'll be glad when it's over.