Matthew Scully
A story by Government Patsy
Chapter 1
Mulder POV
After class I had gone to the principle's office to check out this new kid's folder. Matthew Scully was my first big challenge as a teacher. As I walk into the empty office I head over to the cabinet where all the students' folders are being kept. The folders can't leave the room, since the information is classified so I have to read the folder in the office. The secretary let me in since Principle Skinner isn't on school grounds today.
My heart immediately sinks as I read the first and newest sheet of paper in the file. I had given this kid a hard time for not participating in class when Matthew Scully had just lost both of his parents… I feel like such an asshole but keep reading the transcripts in his file. There's not much else in there except his old report cards. Straight A's in English, Social Studies and the other humanities subjects, B in Math and Science. Definitely a smart kid. I feel absolutely horrible about the way I handled the situation in class and intend to right my wrong.
As luck would have it Matthew Scully is attending my class the very next day in first period. As always I'm there about fifteen minutes before class commences to turn on the smartboard and read my own notes that I've prepared for this day's class. The boy is already sitting in the dark classroom, hoody over his head, his face only lit up by his phone's screen.
I turn on the light and Matthew winces visibly, cursing under his breath, otherwise ignoring my presence.
I think for a little while on how to approach this. I set down my laptop on my own desk and move to the back of the class and sit down on the table right next to where the boy is sitting.
"I'm sorry, Matthew," I simply state. "I came down too hard on you yesterday. You're new here and I'll let you settle into things before demanding anything of you again."
Matthew looks shocked but his face soon turns sour again, angry.
"So I guess someone told you my parents died, huh?" he huffs. "It's fine, I don't need or want special treatment!"
I contemplate this - this kid is definitely not making it easy for me.
"Well, I'll treat you like I treat every other student in class then," I shrug.
"Perfect," Matthew nods and looks back to his phone.
I feel slightly defeated as I return to my desk and set up for class. Before long other students usher in and the workday has officially begun.
It's only been a few months of this job but I already love it more than I ever thought I would. After graduating I'd had no idea what to use my degree for and I'd started panicking about what to do. As I started applying for different jobs, and got turned down, I started panicking even more. This teaching job kind of fell in my lap - I'd never thought about teaching before but I'd accepted it immediately and I hadn't regretted it since.
After class Matthew leaves the room in a hurry. I sigh at this and feel defeated once more. A few of my other students stay back for a few minutes with some questions about their group project. After answering their questions I head down to the teachers' lounge. I have a cup of coffee and join a few of my fellow teachers by our usual table.
"What's up, Sue?" I ask a middle-aged woman who's one of my dearest work-colleagues.
"Just the usual, Fox," she shrugs and opens a tin can of cookies.
"God damn, Sue," I sigh as I reach into it and pull out a chocolate-chip cookie. "I don't know how much longer my clothes will fit me with all the treats you keep feeding me with."
"I'm not forcing you, Fox," she chuckles as she grabs a cookie for herself.
Sue loves to bake all kinds of treats and loves bringing them to work for me. She celebrated her 50'th birthday last year and has been teaching for about 25 years now. She always wears cozy sweaters and her round glasses, her face framed by short dark-grey hair that falls to right below her ears, her whole face most often lit up with the kindest smile. Beyond being an amazing person, Sue is also a great teacher and colleague.
"Have you had the pleasure of Matthew Scully yet?" I ask her, after munching on my cookie.
"I have," she nods. "Terrible about his parents - he seems like a good boy though."
"I kind of got off on the wrong foot with him," I sigh deeply and frustrated. "I don't know how to win his trust."
"Well, I'm sure you will with time, Fox," she smiles at me. "Just treat him like you would every other kid in your class but keep in mind that he could be quite fragile."
I wish I'd asked Sue for help sooner. I've already not done what she just said.
"Yeah, okay…" I nod. "How's he doing in English?"
"Well, I only talked to him shortly during yesterday's class," she informs me. "I just asked him stuff about English class and he was very polite and kind."
"He was completely different with me," I shrug. "I think I accidentally angered him…"
"Fox, he's a boy in pain right now - it might actually serve him well to have someone to lash out on, even though it sucks for you of course."
I contemplate her words and keep thinking about what I could have done better.
Before our break is over there's an announcement that one of the science teachers are retiring at the end of the month. I didn't know him very well so I just look forward to getting a new colleague soon. It's a small staff room so a new face will be welcome.
The rest of my workday runs its course and so does the staff meeting after school hours.
I drive the twenty-minute car-ride home to my little townhouse and get some leftovers out the fridge. I don't really know anyone in town except one guy. I just moved here in August, four months ago, and this guy I use to study with freshman year lives here. He dropped out and we didn't really talk after that but since I moved here we've been hanging out quite regularly. He works as a barman at a cozy little bar a few streets from my house, and I often go there just for the company.
"Hey," I say as I sit down by the bar. "Busy?"
"Not at all," Anthony grins as he looks around the bar with less than ten people in it.
It's always like this during the weeknights, which is when I come here. There are just a few companies of people around the bar by the tables. The music is low and chill. I really like this place.
I order my usual beer and chat to Anthony when he has time for that.
At the moment Anthony is talking to some other customers so I'm scrolling through a news feed on my phone. I feel someone sit down next to me and I look up. It's a young woman with fiery red hair. She rids herself of her scarf and big jacket, which she hangs on a hook under the bar desk. She's dressed quite casually in black pants and a long-sleeved white t-shirt. She puts her purse down on the desk and tries to catch Anthony's attention. He comes over right away - as every bartender does, he has radar for attractive women and they never seem to wait for long at his bar. She orders two shots of tequila and a beer. She immediately swings back one of the shots of tequila and then grimaces as if she just drank something really disgusting.
"Ugh, piss," she winces and drowns the shot with some of her beer.
I can't help but laugh at that which makes her look over at me for the first time, realizing she sat down next to someone. Her eyebrow is raised at me.
"Oh, I'm sorry," I quickly apologize, the woman has clearly had a long day and I really didn't mean to disturb her.
"It's fine," she sighs. "Just one of those days."
"Well, I'm sorry about that," I tell her and take a swig of my own beer, pocketing my phone.
"Teenagers," she mutters.
"Tell me about it," I agree and shake my head.
We look at each other and clink our beer bottles together before taking another swig.
"I don't think I've ever seen you in here before," I pry after a few moments of silence between us as we drink our beers.
"I've never been," she clarifies. "You come here often?"
"Yeah, a few times a week," I say - realizing I must sound quite lame, going to a bar alone several times every week. "Well, the bartender's a friend of mine, so I just come to hang out with him and have a few beers if I'm bored."
"I'm a resident at the hospital so I never even have time to go out," she sighs. "Today was my day off but it didn't go as planned."
"Clearly," I chuckle and she chuckles with me.
She's beautiful. Her blue eyes are shining at me as she laughs under her breath.
"So how long have you lived in town?" she asks me.
"Only four months - that's why I come here so often… I only know Anthony in town really. I moved here for work."
"I moved here for my residency as well," she tells me. "So I don't know that many people here either. I only know people from work really."
We talk for a good while and suddenly our beers are empty. I buy us both a new one. A few more people come into the bar, a group of men. They're watching a match on the telly behind the bar and they're a little loud so we move to a booth with our drinks.
"You want that?" she taps her finger on the second shot of tequila that she ordered. She brought it with her to the booth. "I'd completely forgotten how much I despise tequila."
"Sure," I laugh and down it, I can't help but wince a little as well which makes her chuckle.
I really hadn't planned on doing shots this evening. I probably would have gone home already if I hadn't met this woman. We end up talking for hours. Before I know it, it's nearly midnight.
"Oh God, I have work in the morning," I mutter annoyed.
"Me too," she leans her head back in the seat and sighs.
"I don't want this evening to end," I tell her.
She looks up at me and bites her lip. She has a look about her that I can't place; she seems to be contemplating something.
"Me neither," she says, blushing. "I never even do this… just go out and meet someone and talk to them… I don't really know what's going on."
"Well, I'm glad it happened," I smile at her - she blushes even more.
"Yeah," she moves a strand piece of hair behind her ear, looking down at the table, fidgeting with the label on the bottle.
"I really should get going," she sighs after we've been quiet for a little while.
"Yeah," I sigh myself in agreement.
We get up, put on our jackets, close our tap, and leave the bar.
"Which way are you?" I ask her, as we're outside - I quickly close my long, black jacket, as it's much colder than I thought it would be.
She points and tells me which street she'll be going down - luckily I'm going the same way.
The streets are empty, only lit up by the streetlights. It's cold and our breaths are visible in the frosty air.
"So cold," she shivers as we walk, her arms covering her chest, shielding her from the temperature.
"Yeah," I say, my hands deep in my pockets since I'm not wearing gloves. "Just wait for that New England winter."
"Ugh," she sounds deflated, making me chuckle at her.
Before long we come to a crossway. This is where we part.
"It was really nice meeting you," I tell her, taking her hand.
"Yeah," she smiles up at me, giving my hand a squeeze.
I don't want this to be the end. I have no idea how to stop it from ending. I become frantic. I take her other hand too and pull her towards me. She seems surprised but she doesn't stop me.
"You're beautiful," I whisper in a coarse and lust-laded voice, intertwining my hands with hers.
"Thanks," she says, biting her lip as she's eyeing my own lips - her dark pupils suggesting she's thinking about the same thing as I am.
There hasn't been any flirting all night but suddenly we're standing only inches apart, our eyes searching each other's. She gets impatient and reaches up for my lips with her own. They touch and the world stands still. There's no sound, no light, no cold, just her and me. I move my hands from hers and put my arms around her waist, deepening our kiss. She moves her own hands to my shoulders. Her lips are so soft and warm. Our kiss doesn't end until we desperately need air. I rest my forehead against hers as I'm trying to catch my breath; my heart is beating so fast in my chest. I tighten my arms around her even more; I can't help but want to be even closer to her.
"I don't even know your name…" I realize.
"It's Dana," she tells me, pulling her head back to look up at me. "And you?"
"I'm-" her cell-phone rings and vibrates in her pocket and startles the both of us.
She takes it out of her pocket annoyed and looks at it - when she sees the caller ID her facial expression changes though and she immediately answers it, turning away from me.
I can hear someone crying on the other end of the line. She talks calmly to the person on the other end. When she hangs up she turns back to me.
"I have to go," is all she says.
I just stand there dumb-founded as she walks away. I realize I have to get her number… just do something before it's too late. But before I can react, she's gone.