Really?”
“ Don’t be so shocked, you make me feel like a mean person,” he responded with a sigh.
“ You are though,” I pointed out.
“ I know.”
“ Bottle of water. Now go,” I demanded, irritated again.
He left the room, and I continued to unpack in silence. There were only a few more boxes left to unpack. I’d probably finish today. If I finished, did that mean I was done helping him after school? For some reason, that thought made my stomach turn a little. Why was I sad about it?
I shook the thought away and continued unpacking. After my third box I frowned. How long did it take Mr. Heywood to go get drinks? I started on my fourth box and was halfway through when he walked in, carrying a coke and a bottle of water. He set them both down on the counter and ran a hand through his hair. “Jeez,” he muttered, pushing himself onto the counter.
“ What took you so long?”
“ I ran into some girls at the vending machine,” he explained, taking his Coke and opening it. “It took forever to get away from them.”
“ Why didn’t you just say you didn’t want to talk?”
Mr. Heywood gave me a flat look. I realized why he couldn’t do that. He was the “nice, handsome, young, amazing” new teacher. He couldn’t ruin his image. I grumbled as I grabbed my water. Why was it only me he was himself with?
“ Thanks.” I opened it and took a long drink, letting the cold liquid run down my throat.
“ Call me Chris outside of class,” he ordered, setting down his Coke. “It’s weird being called Mr. Heywood when school’s over.”
“ Um, sure.” After about a half hour, I finally finished the last box. I turned to Mr. Heywood, chewing on my bottom lip. “Mr. Heywood—er, Chris?”
He looked at me, opening his mouth to speak, but suddenly his phone went off. He placed the magazine he was reading down and held up a finger to me. He pulled out his phone and looked at it. A scowl appeared on his face and he flipped the phone open, putting it to his ear.
“ What now?” he demanded into the receiver. “How many times do I have to tell you no? No! I said I don’t care, and I really don’t care. Yeah. Do what you want, but leave me out of it. Go ahead. Whatever. Bye.” He snapped the phone shut and glowered at it for a moment before tossing it onto the counter.
“ Was that the same person from a few days ago?” I asked.
“ Yeah.”
“ Is everything okay?”
“Sure,” Mr. Heywood responded with a shrug. “What did you want?”
“Oh, um, all the boxes are unpacked and put away,” I told him, gesturing to all the empty boxes behind me.
“Oh. Well I guess you can go home for today,” Mr. Heywood responded, looking slightly surprised, and a little disappointed. “That took less time than I expected.”
I waited for him to say more, but when he didn’t I frowned. Was this really it? Was I off the hook now? No more chores from him? I didn’t know why, but not only did I feel disheartened, but I actually felt a little bit lonely. I hesitated by the counter, taking my time finishing my water so I didn’t have to leave.
It was much more fun to be here than to be at my house by myself since my mom didn’t come home until late due to her work. If I was here helping out Mr. Heywood, I actually had someone to talk to and interact with, even if it was just orders, and being made fun of.
When my water was gone I sighed and threw the bottle into the recycling. I stooped down and picked up my school bag, lingering. I pretended to be interested in a poster on the wall. After a few minutes I heard the jingle of car keys. I turned to see Mr. Heywood holding them out to me.
“Want a ride home?”
I smiled. “Sure.”
It was sort of awkward sitting in Mr. Heywood’s car. He had a pretty fancy BMW. It made me wonder how he could afford it. I didn’t say anything though. I knew better than that. I sat in the passenger seat with my hands in my lap, staring straight ahead.
“Do you
“ Don’t be so shocked, you make me feel like a mean person,” he responded with a sigh.
“ You are though,” I pointed out.
“ I know.”
“ Bottle of water. Now go,” I demanded, irritated again.
He left the room, and I continued to unpack in silence. There were only a few more boxes left to unpack. I’d probably finish today. If I finished, did that mean I was done helping him after school? For some reason, that thought made my stomach turn a little. Why was I sad about it?
I shook the thought away and continued unpacking. After my third box I frowned. How long did it take Mr. Heywood to go get drinks? I started on my fourth box and was halfway through when he walked in, carrying a coke and a bottle of water. He set them both down on the counter and ran a hand through his hair. “Jeez,” he muttered, pushing himself onto the counter.
“ What took you so long?”
“ I ran into some girls at the vending machine,” he explained, taking his Coke and opening it. “It took forever to get away from them.”
“ Why didn’t you just say you didn’t want to talk?”
Mr. Heywood gave me a flat look. I realized why he couldn’t do that. He was the “nice, handsome, young, amazing” new teacher. He couldn’t ruin his image. I grumbled as I grabbed my water. Why was it only me he was himself with?
“ Thanks.” I opened it and took a long drink, letting the cold liquid run down my throat.
“ Call me Chris outside of class,” he ordered, setting down his Coke. “It’s weird being called Mr. Heywood when school’s over.”
“ Um, sure.” After about a half hour, I finally finished the last box. I turned to Mr. Heywood, chewing on my bottom lip. “Mr. Heywood—er, Chris?”
He looked at me, opening his mouth to speak, but suddenly his phone went off. He placed the magazine he was reading down and held up a finger to me. He pulled out his phone and looked at it. A scowl appeared on his face and he flipped the phone open, putting it to his ear.
“ What now?” he demanded into the receiver. “How many times do I have to tell you no? No! I said I don’t care, and I really don’t care. Yeah. Do what you want, but leave me out of it. Go ahead. Whatever. Bye.” He snapped the phone shut and glowered at it for a moment before tossing it onto the counter.
“ Was that the same person from a few days ago?” I asked.
“ Yeah.”
“ Is everything okay?”
“Sure,” Mr. Heywood responded with a shrug. “What did you want?”
“Oh, um, all the boxes are unpacked and put away,” I told him, gesturing to all the empty boxes behind me.
“Oh. Well I guess you can go home for today,” Mr. Heywood responded, looking slightly surprised, and a little disappointed. “That took less time than I expected.”
I waited for him to say more, but when he didn’t I frowned. Was this really it? Was I off the hook now? No more chores from him? I didn’t know why, but not only did I feel disheartened, but I actually felt a little bit lonely. I hesitated by the counter, taking my time finishing my water so I didn’t have to leave.
It was much more fun to be here than to be at my house by myself since my mom didn’t come home until late due to her work. If I was here helping out Mr. Heywood, I actually had someone to talk to and interact with, even if it was just orders, and being made fun of.
When my water was gone I sighed and threw the bottle into the recycling. I stooped down and picked up my school bag, lingering. I pretended to be interested in a poster on the wall. After a few minutes I heard the jingle of car keys. I turned to see Mr. Heywood holding them out to me.
“Want a ride home?”
I smiled. “Sure.”
It was sort of awkward sitting in Mr. Heywood’s car. He had a pretty fancy BMW. It made me wonder how he could afford it. I didn’t say anything though. I knew better than that. I sat in the passenger seat with my hands in my lap, staring straight ahead.
“Do you
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