Teacher

Alone Again...Maybe

Mr. Wood's POV

All week I've been trying to avoid him. Yes, that includes calling into work saying that I need to do some personal stuff.

This kid is making my job suffer.

"Oh my goddd," I say, stretching out my limbs.

If you thought that I didn't have a place and only slept at school, you're wrong. I do have an apartment. It's just crappy and old. Half the time I purposely sleep at school just because it's way cleaner and has air conditioning.

But Jack has driven me back to this place again, and I really need air conditioningggg.

"So, what's for lunch...mice?" I ask at the little critters running around. Yeah, I have mice and all. Yes, they could have diseases. Do I want this? No, of course not. But when it's all you got, it's really all you got. The good thing is, there's a stray cat that comes to my room a lot. He's really soft and friendly. Plus he eats some of the mice.

Henry, a mouse I have seen around for a few months, died from Lynx, the stray cat. I gave him a proper burial.

The mice just move along. Figures. "Guyyyys, I'm starving. Come onnnn, don't leave me like this—" Lynx comes over and rubs against me. I chuckle and pet him. "At least you have my back, buddy," I say to him. He purrs.

I lean back and think about Jack again. I know he is probably freaking out about my absence. I would be a bit worried if I were him too. But the punk drove me to this. Okay, maybe not. But that one stunt that week with humiliating me was too much... But then I just had to go over to his house in blind fear...

"Fuck me..." I cover my face with my hand.

No matter what happened, I have to go back. There is no way around it. Or I have no job. Hopefully, he'll let me alone and we can just do what we have to do.

I get up and groan. I need to check my fridge again. "Meeeooowww," Lynx mews. Awww. "Hey, buddy. Why not go over there and eat that mouse, huh? Go hunt a bit," I say, petting Lynx before going to my "fridge." Yeah, I wish I had food. I just open it and look at the cobwebs.

If I weren't avoiding Jack, I would probably ask him how he keeps his house well-stocked while his family is away. I'm not that broke...right?

...

You know something is wrong when a teenager can take on and fulfill more responsibilities than an adult can...

I start coughing. Fuck, all the dust and stuff is getting to me. Ugh.

I decide to just sit down on the dirty floor and meditate with my buddies.

...

...

RING!

I violently pull my body back and accidentally hit my head on the floor. OW!

I get up angrily. "WHOEVER IS AT THE DOOR WILL PAY ME EXTRA FOR MY BLEEDING SKULL!" I stomp over to the door. It rings again.

I get my fist ready. Society has not seen the monster within me. I can get so angry the world would shake!

It rings again. I grit my teeth. I violently open the door and scream, "YOU'RE PAYING ME EXTRA FOR MY BLEEDING SKULL, YOU MORON. I'M IN PAIN BECAUSE OF YOU, SO GET LOST!" I shut the door and pout.

...

Wait, who was at the door???

I look through the peephole when I hear someone talking through the door.

"Aww, my poor baby. I'm so sorry for causing you an ouchie. Please let me in. I'll fix you right up, sweetie," Jack says, looking right at the peephole. He blows a kiss. I move my head away.

SHIIIIT! HE FOUND MY PLACE. I NEED TO PACK UP AND MOVE IMMEDIATELY!

I run over to my stuff and get my suitcases out. The door rings while I'm packing away...nothing. Well, I do have a blanket, a phone, and some gum? I actually thought I had more. Why do I have a second suitcase??

I didn't notice but the doorbell stopped. Maybe he left? Good riddance to him.

While I'm squeezing a rat's neck, because it ate cheese I wanted to save, I hear jingling. Is it Christmas? The rat coughs up the cheese and I place it and the rat into my other suitcase.

I see Lynx coming over. I put my hand out and he climbs onto my hand. I put him into my other suitcase with my blanket.

"I'm sorry guys. This won't be too suffocating. It'll only be a few minutes, okay?" I say to my "pets". I get up to find something to dig holes into the suitcases so they can breathe.

Just when I find an old drill, my front door opens up. Shooooot, what the heck?? I don't even have a landlord here—

Jack comes walking in and says casually. "You had your key under your mat. I would remove it if you didn't want any intruders coming in for the future, huh?" He looks at what I'm doing. A mouse is choking and I decided to bonk its head. It throws up and moves along.

Jack makes a disgusted face. "Is this what you live with?" I shrug at him. "Well, I have to do that sometimes, sorry. It's better for the mouse."

"Meooowwww," Lynx cries. Shoot, I forgot about him. I take the drill and go over to my suitcase.

Jack follows along. "Why do you have a drill? You could hurt yourself—" I pause what I'm doing. He's looking at me in an evil way. I totally forgot that I yelled at him earlier. I drop the drill and put my hands on my head and go. "Owwww, my head still hurts from earlier!! You cruel human. I will sue you for my bleeding skull!" I try to act hurt. Is this too much??

Jack doesn't look amused. "Honey, I think you have some problems. First, you answer a door to what could have been a stranger, yelling about being in pain and then slam it, then you..." he looks at the suitcase with the rat. How do I know? Because the rat is currently eating the suitcase... "...shove a suitcase eating rat inside, well, a suitcase. And you put your cat into another suitcase and think putting holes in it will help. And you have no power, and by the looks of the opened fridge, it's empty. This is no way to live, teacher. You're going insane and you need help. Preferably my help," he points out.

I sweat drop, he sort of has me there...

He walks closer to me. "You have not been able to take care of yourself and that's not good. Neglect on health is very bad. Please, will you come back with me? My family is on vacation right now, so you can stay with me," he says. I go to protest but he holds a hand up, "Do you have another choice? I'll take your pet cat and rat and whatever else. I will buy cages for the other pets you have around. Please? They need a proper home as well, it's not fair to them," he says gently, even if he probably thinks they shouldn't be kept as pets. I decide to think it over.

This is probably a bad decision, at least for me in the long run. But this could work out if I add conditions. And I get a free house!

"Alright, on a few conditions. We take my pets to the vet, so they aren't so disease-filled, and you will not 'baby' me until I give permission, okay? And I will go to the doctor if you pay my medical bills. I know you'll do that," I reply.

He nods his head and excitedly says. "Absolutely! I won't baby you until you say so. All I care about is your health right now. So you have a deal!" He smiles.

I grin and skip towards my door. "Alrighty then! You can grab all my stuff, including the drill. I'll wait in the car!" He groans as I exit the apartment and go to his car. "Unlock it!" I shout at him. I hear a click a minute later. Haha, I win.