Mr. Fischbach • M.F

•chapter 17•

-One month later-

~Mr. Fischbach's POV~

I write the many fundamentals of writing up on the board when, loitering from the hall could be heard. I quirked when I heard it but, when I heard a familiar giggle, my eyebrows furrowed. Ms. Reid. I ask the class to try and guess what I'm about to write as I head outside my classroom door. And I get out there to see two students I rarely see in my class anymore.

William Richardson, and Neveah Reid. And it was like I couldn't even recognize her. She bleached the ends of curls, pierced her nose, bellybutton, and bottom lip, and got a tattoo on her collarbone. I watch the two laugh together, and it lights a fire in the pit of my stomach. "Get to class Richardson." I say after clearing my throat, slightly startling the two.

They roll their eyes, and Liam nods to me, before kissing Neveah goodbye. I clench my jaw at the sight, before watching this young lady try and enter my classroom, "Uh uh, you're tardy, again, go get a pass." I tell her, and she sighs, digging into her pocket and pulling out a pass, before slapping it onto my chest as she enters my class. I take it, and it was like a plantation walked into my room. "Ms. Reid." I say firmly, getting her to come back out. I close the door behind me, and I look into her hazel eyes.

They were bloodshot, "You're as high as a kite." I say, and she eventually shrugs, nonchalantly. "And? I don't have anything on me." She asks and says, and I really look at her. And I notice how skinny she's gotten ever since our little deal came to an end. I see the bags underneath her puffy eyes, and I turn my head to watch Richardson turn down the wrong hall. He's doing this.

He's the reason she went from showing up everyday, to being tardy everyday. He's the reason she doesn't care now. I look down at her obvious dress code violation and before she tugs it down, and I see a bruise the size of my face on her side. What the hell? "Is there a problem Mr. Fischbach?" She asks me firmly, with nearly a clenched jaw.

I snap out of it, shaking my head, "No but, you have one now. Detention, and not at lunch either." I tell her, and she laugh-scoffs, "Whatever." She says, as I let her into my classroom. I need to talk some sense into her. Or, at least, I feel like I need too. I'm the one who essentially got her to this point. Maybe if I had told I felt the same way that day, she wouldn't be with him.

I scoff at my own thoughts as I continue to teach. Maybe? Really Mark? Of course she wouldn't be with him. She told him off the same day she confessed her love for me.

I'm the reason she didn't want to be with him anymore. I was the only thing stopping her from becoming this. I turn to watch her pop her gum and text on her phone, and since I've already given her after school detention, I decide to disregard it. I essentially made her like this so, I can't find it in me to send her to the dean's. I hand out today's assignment and she disregards it completely, shoving it into her bag, just like her boyfriend does.

I spot the bruise on her side again and, it looked mighty painful, leading to me wonder how she got it. And that's when it hits me. What Liam said the day I eavesdropped on his attempt in getting Neveah back. "I-I know what I did to you was wrong," he paused, "I can't control my temper, and you know that." I stop teaching, realizing exactly how she got it. The son-of-a-bitch hits her?

Are you fucking kidding me?! I get so angry, I wouldn't be surprised if it was showing. Luckily though, a student calls out my name, getting my thought processes off of what I assume to be true, and back onto teaching. Wait . . . why did I get so angry just then? I mean, finding out a male student is beating on a female student would upset any teacher but, I literally felt something inside of my mind snap.