Today was the day of the funeral. Dean's Mother was drunk, she didn't even to seem to know why she was here. She was just yelling at everybody, as always.
"You! This is your fault." She yelled, her words slurred "You could have saved him! You could have done something. It's your job as a teacher to do that!"
"I'm sorry Ma'am. I did everything I could." I sighed
She just continued yelling at me and I was very quickly losing my patience with her. I tried to be polite knowing that everyone deals with death in their own way, But I don't take being slapped well.
"Alright you lazy piece of shit! Your son jumped off that god damn bridge because you're usually so gad damn drunk you didn't even know who the hell he was, and he just lost the love of his life! During the one god damn time of his life he really could have used a fucking mother is the time his teacher drove him to the hospital to say goodbye to his dead girlfriend! But you wouldn't know a damn thing about that because you were to drunk to remember!" I yelled
"Sean, I think it's time we leave." Mark said softly
"No! This kid needs one god damn person to care about him to be at his fucking funeral. If I couldn't save his life the least I can do is fucking be here!" I yelled
A few minutes later all of my friends from work showed up, my class, his friends, they were all here.
"You're right Sean. If we couldn't save him, the least we can do is be at his funeral." Mason smiled
"Sean, how many student funerals have you been to this year?" Gladdis asked me
"Fuck, I don't know. I think this is number 5 this year." I said rubbing my eyes
"Why are you so passionate to attend them? To make sure each student has at least one person there who cares?" Sam asked
I took a deep breath trying not to cry, at least not to the point where I lose my ability to speak. It hurts to think about Ethans funeral. Not a single person was there, except me. there was nobody to carry his casket, nobody to lower the casket, he didn't even get a decent casket. I wiped the tears from my eyes.
"Is it easier if I tell them Sean?" Mark asked
"N-no. I can do it." I said taking a deep breath "My very first boyfriend, his name was Ethan. We were 13 years old at the time. His ugh, his father found out about me." I had to pause to wipe away a few tears "He was already abusive to Ethan, he used to run away to my house. Ma would clean up any injuries he had. And one night, Ethan called me, said his Dad knew. By the time the police got to his house... i-it was to late. Not a single family member went, no friends, nobody. He was burred in a fucking wooden shipping crate." I had to stop. Just thinking about him, I couldn't breath. I clung to Mark. I didn't know what else to do. I just hugged him because if I didn't I wouldn't be able to stand.
"It's okay Sean. Take a breath, alright." Mark said rubbing my back
"Sean, how the hell is you life as fucked up as it is." Samantha sighed
"Broken people attract to broken people, we try to fix each other. Usually it just hurts." Mark sighed stroking my hair
"And I can't save everybody." I sighed
Mark hugged me as we walked to the car, and held my hand the whole drive home. I was so emotionally drained from this day that I just wanted to sleep. I had nothing left in me to give at the moment.
"A video going viral of a 'supper teacher' who jumped off a busy overpass to save a student has not been updated telling us the student has passed away." The radio announcer said
I flicked the station off and sat with my head in my hands. "The prettiest smiles hide the deepest secrets. The prettiest eyes have cried the most tears, and the kindest hearts have felt the most pain." I don't know who wrote that quote, but its one that's gotten me through a lot in life. Reminded me that you can't judge a book by its cover.
"I can't keep doing this to myself anymore Mark." I stated
"Doing what?" He questioned
"This. All of this. I'm fucking 36 Mark. I can't keep doing stupid shit and expecting to keep getting lucky like I do." I sighed
"Babe. This is just who you are. You want to save everybody. You will always want to save everybody. That's your personality." Mark sighed
I sat quietly for a few minutes, thinking about a lot, but nothing at the same time. My anti bullying speech is due soon and I have no idea what I'm going to say, or if I'm even still going to do it. I'm just exhausted and need to go and nap.Without realizing it I dozed off in the car on the was home.
YOU ARE READING
The Teacher Who Cared
Fanfic"Sean is the only teacher who actually seems to genuinely care for his students. He sure as hell cares more then you." Mason told her I loaded Jace into my car and we were off. Finally, we found Dean, Sitting on the railing of the freeway. "Dean...
