Sam *
Second period just started and I'm halfway through explaining todays lesson when there's a knock at the door. I walk across the room and open the door and am surprised to see Tara Smith standing there, avoiding eye contact.
"Good morning Tara." I say and Tara nods her head looking uncomfortable. I clear my throat. "Take a seat".
As Tara walks past me I notice her lean as far away from me as she can. I shut the door and turn to see the whole class watch Tara as she makes her way to a seat. Tara keeps her eyes down but I notice how her hands rub together anxiously.
"So as I was saying.." I start my class again trying to take the attention off Tara.
It's a big thing she's doing coming back to school and she doesn't need every set of eyes watching her. As everyone's attention is focused back on me I continue on with the lesson as planned. Of cause I notice some students trying to glance back at Tara but I try to keep them busy with work so they don't have a chance. I also notice that Tara is just sitting there looking down at the desk. I don't know if she's paying attention but I don't care.
Out of the corner of my eye I watch Tara try to control her emotions. She closes her eyes and when she opens them again her breathing in more under control. I can see how uncomfortable Tara is in this situation and can see that she is making herself do this. Her eyes take everything in, like they are searching for danger. What have those eyes seen to now be always on guard?.
The bell rings the students get up and practically run out of the room, except Tara who sits there staring at her desk, her eyes again dart back and forth across the table. I can practically see that she didn't think about lunch and recess when she made herself come back to school.
"Tara?." I ask but it doesn't reach her. I repeat my self two more times as I slowly approach her. Tara finally notices me coming closer and jumps up, knocking over the chair and running backwards away from me. I can see the fear in her face. What has this young girl gone through that caused such a reaction?.
"Tara it's okay." She stands there still in her own thoughts as she stares at me.
"You didn't get up and leave when everyone else did so I came over to see if you were okay?". Jerry mentioned that Tara hasn't spoken about the incident with anyone but I offer anyway.
She runs her hands through her hair and takes a deep breath. "I'm fine.'
She's lying, that's plain to see. Her eyes are always taking in her surroundings, her movements are jerky and sharp when she walks and her voice is strained but at least she spoke.
"Okay." I reply knowingly.
I step back and she picks up the fallen chair and her bag and hesitantly leaves the room. Walking to my desk I pack away my booklets. After I finish putting my things away I walk out of the room and close the door behind me. It's then I notice that Tara hasn't walked away from the classroom. She's standing a couple meters away from the entrance staring out across the quad. I notice her shoulders start to shake slightly, as well as her hands rubbing together.
I slowly approach her. "Tara would you like a room to sit in to have your recess and lunch? Somewhere quiet where no one will bother you?".
"Yes please".
Taking the keys out of my pocket I open the door and step back giving her plenty of room.
I poke my head in to check that everything is alright. "Tara if you need anything just let me know."
I close the door and walk back to the staffroom. Sitting down at my desk and run my hands down my face and let out a long breath.
"Hard class?" Asks Nick another P.E teacher.
"No... well sort of." I say as the other three P.E teachers walk into the room.
"Really? Why?." Nick says picking up a apple.
"I just had Tara Smith in my class." Nick stops mid bite and the other teachers turn to face me, their faces showing their curiosity as they wait for me to continue.
"She's just so different from what she use to be. Where once there was a confident young woman with the world ahead of her, now there is a scared little girl with eyes that scream fear and jolts at any movement towards her. What causes such a reaction?." I shake my head. Everyone is silent. "By the way I'm opening room 27 for Tara for both lunch and recess."
"That's a good idea." Says Debbie the head of my department.
"Does anyone know what exactly happened to her?." Asks Julie the newest member of staff.
"No. Jerry mentioned that Anne, Tara's mother said that she hasn't mentioned anything to anybody. Not them, not a therapist, not even the police."
"Unbelievable. To keep all that inside." Nick lets out a breath.
"Did they catch the people who took her?." Asks Julie.
"I think they did. Again no one knows much about what happened." Say Debbie.
"Except Tara." I say.
The room is silent as we think about the case that involves Tara.
"I wonder why Tara has come back?." Nick says taking a bite out of his apple.
"Maybe her parents made her come back to school?." Says Julie.
"No that's not it. Jerry said that it was Tara's idea to come back. I just don't understand why when anyone can see that she's afraid." I look up and everyone is thinking. "You guys don't understand. I have never seen anyone this afraid of anything before."
Looking around their faces looked sickly, just thinking of what Tara had to endure. The rest of recess is spent in silence. When the bell chimes I make my way back to room 27 to find it empty.
Fourth period I don't have a class so I spend my free time in the classroom marking and preparing work. Before I know it the bell rings for lunch. I'm putting marks into my computer when there's a quiet knock at the door. Tara is standing there looking down at the ground.
"Come in Tara. I've nearly finished, just have a couple more to do."
Tara walks to her desk and sits down.
I'm putting the last mark into the computer when I hear her say. "My Craft." She pauses. "Would it be okay for me to wait in here at the end of school? I just can't..."
"I understand. Yes that's not a problem." I smile.
Tara nods her head and opens her lunch.
I shut the computer down and stand to leave. "Tara if you need anything just let me know." I offer again and walk to the staffroom. I tell the rest of the staff about Tara coming back into the room at the end of the day to wait out the crowd.
****
YOU ARE READING
Breaking Point
General Fiction"Everybody has a breaking point. That's fact. Some people's breaking points are after a death or the end of their relationship. Mine was neither of those. Mine brewed overtime, waiting for the moment to strike, and then the incident happened, delayi...
