Chapter 22
Let's try school again. What's the best way to do it? Sitting in a classroom alone after school with Mr. Howard while he grades your assignments. Two months of missing school work and I'm pretty sure that I had failed. I finished all of the work sheets and got a couple of essays left to finish.
I could've finished it all in one night but I didn't want too and it take the joys out of being a teenage student. You only get once in a lifetime. I shake my head coming out of my thoughts as Mr. Howard goes through grading my work sheets. I could've been smart about it and got all A's but I want a couple of F's and wrong answers to show that I am capable of being a regular student.
Mr. Howard looks up making eye contact with me. I give him my best smile. He gives me one too before going back to grading. "Am I doing something wrong, Mr. Howard?" I ask him. "You're talking out loud, Ms. Thorne." He say. Oh, I thought it was saying all of that in my mind. "I didn't know I was thinking out loud. I'll keep quiet." I say playing with my hands.
He doesn't respond. He put his pen down on the sheets of paper and fold his hands together and look at me in my face. "How are things with Sarah, Ms. Thorne?" He asks. "Everything is fine. My boyfriend and I had a fight the other night when I told him that I was out of the difficult pregnancy stage." I say feeling my voice crack. "Is everything okay?" He asks picking the pen back up and going back to grading.
"I kind of told him by mistake that it was no more baby." "I'm sorry for your lost." He say looking me in my face. "No, I'm still pregnant. It was the way I had worded it the whole thing. He told me that I'll never be out of it and till I finally give birth. I shouldn't take my pregnancy so lightly after everything we been through." I say nodding. "You shouldn't. It's a blessing being pregnant and bring a child into this world." He say.
"Right, and it is." I say nodding. Wow, that was awkward and new. I notice the wedding band on his ring finger. "You're married." I say before I have a chance to stop myself. "I'm happily married." He say. I nod my head. That's new. I didn't know that or I didn't pay it no mind. "I didn't think my marriage was anyone's concern." "It's not. I just never paid it no mind. Are you almost done? I need to go home and do something." I say.
"Almost." He say grabbing the teacher stamp and stamping. "Okay." I say looking outside. The Sun is going down and it's almost dark and Thank god, the rain isn't as bad as it was this morning. It's silent for a couple of minutes. "Have you called the Nurse?" He asks me. "No, I have not. I am okay and don't need nobody else in my business. Should I?" I ask him.
"It's up to you, Mrs. Thorne. Nothing like having a woman to talk too." He say looking at me. "I'm all the woman I need, Mr. Howard. I don't need a woman's advice when she doesn't know she's talking about." "You don't know what anyone's go through." "And, I don't want to know because I feel it's personal and I don't want to say anything or get too deep in but you think I need a woman figure in my life?" I ask him.
"It's up to you." "I don't need a woman in my life and I don't want no one in my business. I am okay and been okay for the last couple of months but you can tell the Nurse that I fine." "You tell her yourself." "And, I will when I visit her. I'm sure she gets a lot of pregnant teens visiting her office and I don't know why I'm so special. I'm not the first one and won't be the last one but I'll tell her." I say playing with my fingers.
He just nods his head. I shake my head when he stamp another F on the paper. "Did you study or use the book?" He asks me. "On some of them, I really did. I was never a biology person nor was it my favorite subject." I say looking around his desk and grabbing his name plaque. He takes it out of my hand and put it back on the desk.
Right. I look at the clock hanging above the chalkboard. 5:49 p.m. I guess it'll be dark around six o' clock. Jacob's working. I never brought a car nor needed one plus I didn't see myself staying this late over graded papers. I rub on my stomach pulling my shirt down a little bit. I look at Mr. Howard's wedding band one more time. "So, was that you at the cafe the other day? I mean yesterday?" I ask him.
"No." He answers. "It's just that I saw you unless you have a twin brother." I say looking at his teacher badge. "I was at school all day yesterday." "I thought so. My mind might be a little bit crazy." I say going for his plaque again but he grabs it putting it in his desk drawer. "Sorry, I'm so bored. I didn't know it would take this long." "It's two months worth of assignments." He say.
I nod my head. It goes back to silence again. Might as well. He stop what he's doing and look me in the face. "The first day of school when I came into classroom and how you talked to me. You treated me as a regular trouble maker and the way you spoke to me." I say. "Is the same way you spoke to Ryan." He say. Who? "I don't know a Ryan, Mr. Howard. I changed myself around and got rid of everything." I say talking about my hair.
He doesn't respond. I guess he want me to continue. "These last two months has been hectic and my life has change for the greatest and I want to apologize for not attending your classes. You gave me a second chance by helping me that night at the dinner and in school. No teacher has ever did that for me." Not that I can remember.
"Thank you, Mr. Howard. You're giving me a chance to turn my life around." I say looking at the clock again. Hint. Hint. "You're welcome, Ms. Thorne." He finally say. I guess that's all he's going to say. "I have to be home, Mr. Howard." I say when he doesn't say anything else. The situation is getting to awkward again. "I'm sorry but I have to go." I say shaking my head and grabbing my bookbag up.
He stay silent. "I'm not that type of student who is bad and always get into fights." I say putting on my book bag and standing up. He just looks at me. I shake my head and leave out of the classroom. I lean up against the lockers and slide down. I don't know what is going on no more. I need to talk to Jacob. I rub on my hair looking down the hallway at the window and see that it's dark outside.
I calm myself down trying to collect my thoughts. He obviously painted me as a bad student even though I'm nowhere in that department. That missing from class for two months ain't do no me no justice. I guess I'll call Jacob to see if he's done with work or something. I'll call Sam's house. Ugh, Sam.
I lean over to look into the classroom to see Mr. Howard still sitting at his desk still grading papers. "I'm not that type of person, Mr. Howard. I just want you to get off my back." I say. He stop writing and look up at me. "Not right now. It's too much going on in my life and I can't take another person nor problem. I'm trying my best but not right now, Mr. Howard. I have a baby to think about." I say while he stares in my face.
I hope that get through to him. "I just want to add that I stayed up all night to finish those work sheets even though my boyfriend told me to think about my health. I tried my best and whether you put F's or A's, I'll accept it because I did my best. Now, I have to go home to take my medicine." I say getting up off the floor. "Okay, Mrs. Thorne." He say nodding. I nod too. Whether it got to him or not, I have to get home. I can't afford to get sick. I need to call Jacob to come get me.
I'm riding in Mr. Howard's car. He offered to take me home. I didn't call Jacob or anything nor told him that I was staying this late. He got more things to worry about than my school problems. Mr. Howard is playing classical music on the radio.
I glance at Mr. Howard before looking back outside. He glances at me before looking forward. "Thanks for giving me a ride, Mr. Howard. I know it's probably against the law or something." I say rubbing my hands together. "It's okay, Ms. Thorne." He say turning the heat up. "Is that better?" He asks me. "Oh, If I can feel it." I laugh out. He nods going back to driving.
I grin looking out of the window. It get silent for a couple of minutes. "I'm not a delinquent and I didn't attack you. I don't understand how you can jump to that conclusion." I say resting my head on the window. He glances at me. "I'm sorry. I am very sorry, Mr. Howard and I hope one day you can forgive me but some students can't be saved nor want to be." I say rubbing on my thighs.
"I make it my life to try and save each and every one of my students, Ms. Thorne." "And, the ones who doesn't want to be saved?" I ask him. I'm one of them and I don't want him on my back. "I try my hardest." 'And, how can you try to save me with a baby on the way?" I ask him. "School wise. You're failing my class and I know you want to graduate with all of your friends." He say.
"I do. I need an education to work and provide for Sarah." I say looking at the different houses that we're driving past. "Need a job to take care of Sarah." "Right." I say leaning my forehead on the window. The rest of the ride is silent as he turn on my street. I don't see Bella's truck meaning she's either at Sam's house or the Cullen's house.
We pull up in front of my house. 'Thanks, Mr. Howard." I say taking off my seatbelt and grabbing my bookbag from off the floor. "You're welcome, Ms. Thorne." He say as I open up the door and exit out of the car. I close the door waving to him. "See you in class tomorrow?" He asks me. "In class." I say taking out my cellphone to call Jacob to let him know that I'm home.
I grab my keys out of my other pocket and walk up to my house getting a bad feeling. I check my mailbox to see if I got any mail and I don't. I turn back around to see Mr. Howard watching me from his car. I guess he's waiting for me to go into the house before driving off. I unlock the front door and open the door to see someone trashed my whole house.
I shake my head in disbelief looking around to see the furniture has been slashed and mud all on the carpet even the kitchen is a mess. Not my bedroom. I drop my bookbag on the floor and run up the stairs to see the person or whoever it was got the hallway. I open my bedroom door to see someone trashed my bedroom. The bedroom is even worse.
It's clothes all around. The bed is tore in half. This can't be good. I walk towards my computer desk to see that nobody rummaged through it. "Are you okay?" I heard Mr. Howard voice asks walking into my bedroom. "Yeah, I don't think anything was stolen." I say walking to my dresser that's basically destroyed. I mean whoever it was rummaged through my dresser. "The police is on the way." He say looking around my bedroom.
"I need to call Jacob." I say walking out of the bedroom and past Mr. Howard leaving him in my bedroom. I run down the stairs and towards the kitchen for the house phone. "Fuck." I yell angrily grabbing my hair. I feel hands touching my arms and being led to sit down in one of the kitchen chairs. "You need to calm down. You're pregnant." Mr. Howard say kneeling in front of me.
I breathe out trying to calm down. He grabs my hands looking me in my eyes. "You have to think of Sarah. The police is on their way." "I have to call Jacob and tell him someone trashed my house." I say looking at the house phone. Where's my cellphone? "Lacie, the police is on the way." He say tightening his grip. "I have to call Jacob." I say looking around my house.
"You can call him from the hospital. Think of Sarah." "Sarah." I repeat. The baby. Right. I look around the kitchen one more time before wrapping my arms around Mr. Howard. He hug me back. "The person can still be in the house." I say moving out of the hug and seeing he has some of my black hair dye on the side of his face. He looks me right in my eyes.
I wipe it off his face smearing it a little bit and the kitchen door opens up to Jacob, Embry and Quil. Mr. Howard turns around to them. Jacob gives me the death stare while Embry and Quil looks around the kitchen. Jacob angrily looks me in the face while Quil walk past him and into the living room and Embry looks at him. "Jacob, someone broke into my house." I say to him but he looks at me then Mr. Howard.
"I was just bringing her home." He say to Jacob. "It's no need get jealous. The police is on the way. I'm okay and the baby is okay." I explain but he keeps just standing in the kitchen doorway. "Jacob." Quil call walking back into the kitchen. "Do you think Lacie need to go to the hospital?" Mr. Howard asks Jacob. We all look at him. "I think she do." He answers.
"I don't need too. I'm fine. I just got mad that someone would actually do this to my house. Thank god, I wasn't here plus the police is outside." I say hearing the police sirens. That was quick. Maybe it's Chief Swan. "Checked around the house. No one's in the house." Quil say to Jacob. "Jacob, nothing is going on between me and my teacher. I love you not him." I say wanting this to be over with.
"I can take her to the hospital." Mr. Howard offer. "I can take her." Jacob say looking at me. "Someone take me, please. I'm already tired." I say turning around in my chair to look at the living room one last time. "I was might've robbed and all you see is Mr. Howard, Jacob. I'm okay and nothing is going on between us. Take me to the hospital." I yell and Mr. Howard help me up.
"I'll help her to the car." Quil say taking me from Mr. Howard and helping me walk out of the front door. I shake my head looking around my living room one last time. "Trashed my house, Quil." I say to him. He just shake his head as I look around at the police car that's behind Mr. Howard's car. "Just take me to the hospital." I say fainting in his arms.
Okay, I can't go to the hospital. I think Embry called everybody. I look around my living room one more time to see everything has been destroyed. It was a petty evil human to do this to my house. The door was locked and I'm starting to think maybe someone else had a hand into doing this. Maybe someone close to me such as a boyfriend or one of his friends.
I turn around to look at Jacob who's talking to a police officer with Mr. Howard. All three of them look at me. Quil shake his head in disbelief making me believe that maybe my theory is correct but who would do this to my house and for no reason. I can't think of no one else who would I mean I haven't been in school for two months.
I make eye contact with one of the police officers who's going through some of the trashed furniture. Where is Sam at? He's probably working or something. I wanna get up from this couch but my body tells me to think of Sarah and let the guys handle this. "Who would trash my house?" I ask mainly looking at Jacob. Where is Embry? He must be upstairs or something.
"What they're trying to figure out. They'll need to ask you questions." Jacob say. "It's no questions that need to be asked because I have no enemies and I go to school for two days and this crap happens. What are you doing, Jacob?" I ask feeling faint again. They all look at me and him. "Lacie, why don't you calm down?" Quil asks me. "I am calm. I didn't expect someone to do this. I don't have nobody who wouldn't like me." I say shaking my head.
Maybe Paul. He probably would've been the main one considering how things is probably going with that love triangle that he's in. I look at the mud spot that's in the middle of the carpet then at Jacob. Everybody looks at him. "I wouldn't trash your house, Lacie." He say denying it. I don't know whether to believe him or not. "Jacob wouldn't, Lacie." Embry say probably taking up for him.
I calm myself down. I look at Quil to see if Jacob is telling the truth or not. "Jacob wouldn't, Lacie." He say. I shake my head and lay down on the couch. "Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" I hear Mr. Howard asks. "I am sure. Maybe later. I want the person who destroyed my house found." I say looking at the picture frames destroyed.
"They'll look into it. Do you have a place where you can stay?" Mr. Howard asks me. "No, I do not." I say. Jacob's house probably a no. I'm sure Sam is going to tell me no. I don't want to stay with Bella and I'm sure it's out because of Edward and the danger. "I have no one, Mr. Howard. I can stay here." I say looking around at everybody in the living room.
Embry and Quil looks at Jacob. "We can stay here. I can protect Lacie." He say looking at me. "Yeah, and I'm sure Embry and Quil wouldn't mind sleeping the night with us. The house is going to be cleaned well and good. No fool or dummy would come back with three big dudes in the house, Mr. Howard." I say looking at him. "Ms. Thorne, I don't think that's a good idea nor it's safe incase he circles around." He say.
"Lacie, Sarah." Quil say. "Right, I forget." I say rubbing on my face and looking at the smashed TV with the crack in the middle of it. I get up from the couch and walk to the TV. "Looks like someone took a bat to it." I say kneeling down to touch on the crack. "Or a fist." I hear Quil say. I see Embry looking at Jacob out of the reflection of the TV. He shake his head at Embry.
"I'm going upstairs to call my parents." I say standing up and walking past everybody to get to the stairs. I stop when I feel everybody eyes on me and turn around. They all look at me worried. "I didn't do nothing so terrible to want to destroy my home. Jacob-" I say shaking my head in disbelief. He walks over towards me and wrap me in his arms.
I hug him back putting my head in his neck. He rubs on my back. "I would cry, Jacob. I would seriously cry." I say coming out of the hug and leaving him downstairs as I walk up to my bedroom closing the door behind me. I breathe out fixing my mattress and laying on my bed. I am so tired of all of this drama. I look around my room one more time before laying my head back down and falling asleep.