Chapter 2 - What is this

.::Chapter Two::.

“Rory? Rory? You alive?’ A voice which I vaguely remembered called my name, I looked up and saw this I was Mr. Mandrels, “would you like to answer question ten?”
I looked down at my sheet which I vaguely remember doing.
“Oh yea! Its Jupiter and mars.” I replied now remembering where I was. It was first hour, astronomy, and I’ve been spacing since yesterday.
“Thank you.” He said patting my shoulder, which to anyone else would look like a kindergartner thing, but really all my teachers heard what happened.

Yesterday was horrible. All the cops at my house, which was really embarrassing, all of the reporters asking me questions. I think I remember punching one of them in the nose. That’s probably why my hand hurts. Mr. Mandrels voice brought me back to reality.
“Christopher! Cell phone! On my desk! And continue reading!” He shouted.
After class Mr. Mandrels called me to see him, seeing how second hour was his planning period, he looked happy to only see me and not nineteen others. But he also looked sweet and concerned.
“Is everything all right?” He asked. I could tell he was looking at my hand which hurt.
“Yes, everything’s fine, why?” I asked pretending not to notice what is happening in my life.
“Listen. “ He sighed, “your principal told all the teachers what happened yesterday. He also told us to not mention it to anyone else, but to also help you. So if there’s anything, let me know.” He said very sweetly--it made me want to cry and open up like an old book.
“To tell you the truth I don’t know what to do. I’m scared really. My father is gone and my mother is running away from the law! What am I going to do if she gets caught and won’t be able to come back to me; I’m frightened by the thought of being left alone! I just wish I knew that was going through her head, what could she possible be thinking?” I replied tears welding up in my eyes. I wanted to stop, I really did. I didn’t want anyone to see me weak and crying. Especially him. The next thing I knew there were two arms, warm arms, pulling me into a hug.
“Everything…will be all right.” Mr. Mandrels stated holding me to his chest, his hand on top of my head, “nothing will happen to you.”
It was at this moment I was glad his door was closed and that there weren’t any windows. Because to anyone else this would be horrible. Like that-Rory-girl-is-going-out-with-that-new-teacher horrible. But also because I had finally lost myself, I was crying so hard into his shirt. Good thing it was black.
In the middle of third hour I was called to the office, just to see where I was during second hour. I told them I was with Mr. Mandrels getting ‘help’. And she got it.

The rest of the day went normal, no more crying. Before I left for home, I stopped by Mr. Mandrel’s room. He was there at this desk--on his computer. I knocked.
“Rory? Come in.” He said. And like a dog I did, “is something the matter.”
“No, I just wanted to say thank you. And sorry.” I replied.
“Why?”
“Thank you for letting me tell you what was on my mind and I’m sorry for getting you shirt wet.” I said smiling meekly.
“It’s ok, it’s a stressful thing to go through.” He said getting up, “now lets go home.”
We walked to the parking together which was nice not being alone. And then out of no where a sea of reporters came flocking towards us.
“You’ve gotta be kidding me.” I said about to make a run for it, but Mandrels caught my hand and dragged me to his car. Shoving me throught the drivers side and onto the passenger’s seat. He started up the car and drove off.
Five seconds later I realized what had just happened, I was in my teacher’s car driving away from the Satan Spawn reporters.
“Where do you live?” He asked.
“…Uh…” I replied still not all together.
“Right they might be there too. Lets go to my place.” He said and then I just died. His place?
Before I knew it I was standing in his doorway, in his apartment like a statue. But from what I could see he kept his place clean and tidy.
“Well come on in.” He said poking his head out from behind another wall, “don’t worry, I won’t bite.” His smile was almost devious.
“But what me being here get you in trouble? I mean you’re a teacher.” I asked and to me I sounded pathetic and a little kid.
“I’m sure the others and the board will understand. I mean being chased by a bunch of reporters can get pretty tiring and besides none of the other teachers know, well they do, but they’ve never been here.” He replied walking up to me, but I couldn’t look at him, “hey is something wrong?”
“I just don’t know.” I said looking down at my shoes.
“It’ll be all right, if you want I’ll stay in another room.” He stated walking off, but I grabbed his arm.
“No!” I yelled, “I…I don’t want that! You don’t have to leave! It’ll be more awkward because I know you’re still here! I don’t want to be left alone in a strange house…not that you’re place is strange, I just…I’m not making any sense?”
“No you’re not making any since, but I think I understand. Why don’t you take a seat and I find us some drinks.” He said leading me into his living room, which had two large sofas, a TV stand and a flat screen TV, a lamp next to one of the sofas and an end table by the lamp. It was pretty simple, calming almost.
I took as seat and waited for Mr. Mandrels to come back from his kitchen, he turned on the TV for me, since he had eight remotes, and thank god it wasn’t on any news channel. I think it Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel, but whatever it was it took my mind off the fact that I was in my teacher’s home.
After a few minutes Mr. Mandrels came back with our drinks and he took a seat next to me, but on the far opposite side.
“Is there anyone you need to call to let them know that you’re still ok?” He asked.
“No.” I replied simply.
An awkward silence grew between us and I took this time to look around more, there were hardly any photos of him or his family. Nothing that looked like he got from his parents when he moved in.
“Um…Mr. Mandrels--” I started, but he interrupted me.
“You can call me by my first name, you know. Since we’re not in school.” He said smiling.
“Ok? What…is your first…name?” I asked blushing.
“Gregor.” He replied.
“All right. Gregor. If you don’t mind me asking and I’m hoping I’m not intruding on anything, but how come you don’t have any picture of your family up?”
Silence.
“You don’t have to tell me, if you don’t want to.” I said wanting to take the tension away.
“I guess I really didn’t want to unpack them. This room would be to crowded if I had all my photos of my family and it would be awkward to have all those eyes on me.” He replied smiling at the end.
“Oh I see.”
Again awkward silence. And then I heard something growl.
“Wow. I. Am. Really. Hungry.” I said blushing and also making Gregor laugh.
“Didn’t you eat lunch today?” He asked.
“No, I was in…the Counselor’s office all lunch period.” I replied.
“Well lets see if I’ve got anything to eat.” He said getting up.
“You don’t have to! I can wait ’til I get home.” I said cashing after him.
“It’s ok, my cooking isn’t entirely awful.” He said laughing as I tried to pull him away from his kitchen.
“That’s not it….I just.” I stopped because he stopped walking and that made me run into him.
“Just what?” He asked sounding almost cold.
“I just don’t like it when people do things for me when I don’t ask them to. If my mother were here she’d say that I don’t except charity well. And I don’t! So please, you don’t have to be so out going for me.” I said burying my face into his sleeve. He turned towards me and raised my head to gaze at him before my eyes darted to a random corner.
“All right.” He said in his calm, low voice, “I get it. So how about we order pizza, would you like to help me pay for it--that way it won’t be charity.”

So I chipped in my lunch money, seven dollars and twenty-five cents, and helped paid for our dinner. Afterwards we watched That 70’s Show and Scrubs, talked about what was going on in class, and he stayed away from the dreadful topic.
Three hours later! He drove me back to the school, waited for me to get in my car and start it, but before I did I turned to him.
“Gregor?” I asked.
“Yes?”
“Thank you, for today I mean.” I said smiling, “hopefully, it won’t happen again.” He smiled back, reaching his hand outside the window and grabbed a strain of hair.
“I hope it does.” With a devilish smirk and drove off, leaving me there with a beat red face.


When I arrived home I saw that my answering machine had ten messages, but I didn’t bother with it. Probably just some reporter wanting to ask me more questions about my mother. So I checked the mail, which was the usual junk mail. Random banks asking me if I wanted a credit card, stuff from colleges that I didn’t want to go to and some coupons. But there was a green envelope without a return address, I opened it and took out its contents. Which was a couple hundred dollar bills, a key, and a small piece of paper.
After a few minutes of reading the letter I dropped to the floor and started to hyperventilate.

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