Baby I'm A Fool For You

Sam Matchfed POV.

‘Sam! I’m sorry, please, I didn’t mean to, just, wait…’ said Rachel, my fiancée as I backed towards the door.
‘Rachel, what the hell? You hit me! I’ve got to go to work. We can talk later.’

I let myself out and stumbled down the stairs, my cheek still stinging. She’d never lashed out at me like before. I needed to get my head clear before I thought about it.

I jumped into my car and sped off to the school. I was actually quite excited. I aspired to be an art teacher, and today I was covering an art lesson. It was a good chance for me to get to know a few of the kids too. There was one kid in particular, Jamie Blake. She was all happy and smiley around the school, but I knew it was fake. This kid needed help.

I had my registration period free, so I filed some notes and had a look at what the art class was doing. I was covering Jamie’s class first, which meant I could talk to her by the end of the day.

As I made my way over to the art room, I saw Jamie and her two best friends walking in to the classroom. Then she appeared to just fall back, and hit her head on a low window ledge. Everyone started to crowd around her as she lay on the floor.

‘Guys, move, let me see if she’s okay’ I said as I knelt down. ‘Just back off a bit guys, give her some space.’

I started shaking her shoulder, and I realized how small and bony she was. Not a good sign.

‘What happened?’ She asked, trying to sit upright.
‘Stay lying down, you blacked out for a second. Took a nasty hit to the back of the head too. Do you want to go to the nurse?’’ I saw the panic flicker across her face.
‘No, I’m fine. I’ll just go to art.’
‘I’m covering the lesson anyway, so let me know if you need to go. You might want to get that hand checked too’
‘Thanks, sir, but I’m fine, really.’

I helped her back up and opened the door for her to go in. I heard her being nagged by her friends, asking if she had eaten. She looked almost like a ghost, her silky white skin a shocking contrast to her dark black clothes that hung off her like sheets. I subtly turned up the heating in the room. She removed her jumper and as her shirt rode up, I could see her ribs sticking out against her shirt, and how her arms looked like matchsticks. I also noticed the long wristband covering her left wrist, probably hiding numerous scars.

I wandered around the class and had a look at the kids work. I waited for Jamie to get up and get some more colours and had a look at her sketchpad. The front page was dedicated to music and bands, including my favorite, Muse. She had some sketches of dresses and skirts, and some pictures of stick thin models. I saw her making her way back over, so I started talking to Gerard, asking him some stupid questions.

I walked and sat back at the table. I could hear the kids talking amongst themselves, wondering why I had a limp. I laughed inwardly as I heard the pupils favorite rumour: I have a wooden leg. It wasn’t anything as exciting as that, just that I’d had an operation on my leg when I was younger and it hadn’t worked. But, at 23, I could still have something done if I wanted.

I sat and thought for a while about Rachel, trying to think what I’d done for her to hit me. I love her to pieces, and I’d never hit her, ever. I couldn’t lose her.

Eventually the end of the lesson came. I watched Jamie stand up and fall against the table. Her friend Frank asked if she was okay but she clearly wasn’t.

She was the last out the class, so I started up a conversation.

‘Are you feeling better now?’ I asked.
‘Yeah, bit of a headache, but it’ll pass.’
‘Is everything okay? You don’t seem as bubbly today.’ I hoped she’d open up, tell me everything, but clearly not. This girl was used to putting on a happy face, and she did it well.
‘Yeah.’ She said, letting her inky black hair fall over her face, playing with the bloodied bandage on her hand.
‘Talk to me. What’s wrong? Problems at home?’
‘No’
‘Friend problems?’
‘No’
Hand sore?’
‘No’
‘School work?’
‘Yeah, I’ve got a maths test last and I’m really worried about it, that’s all.’
‘Well, how about you come and see me after your test? Lunchtime maybe? My office is over where they teach Home Ec.’
‘Uhm, sure. See you later. Thanks Sir’
‘Welcome’ I replied as she walked out the door.

She was the reason I’d taken this job. And I knew she was going to be the kid who made it worthwhile. I just hoped I wasn’t too late.

I collected up my stuff and made my way over to my office. I sat in there and did my usual….fuck all. I looked up some drummers and wrote some more lyrics for my band, but nothing really seemed to distract me from this meeting with Jamie.

Eventually, lunch time came about, and five minutes after the bell, there was a gentle knock on the door.

‘Come in,’ I replied.

Jamie sheepishly made her way into the office and sat on the white plastic chair next t my desk.

‘How did the test go?’ I asked, pretending I hadn’t noticed the mascara that was rubbed around her eyes. She’d clearly been crying, but I wasn’t going to push her, not yet. I needed to gain her trust first.

‘Yeah, it was shit.’ She replied, giggling slightly. ‘I managed to do about four pages and the rest was blank. Maths isn’t my strong point.’

We talked for a while until I managed to ask her what was really going on.

‘So, ask me to mind my own business, but what happened before art today? You’ve go to admit, you’re really skinny, Jamie, worryingly skinny. And I can see the bandage under your wristband. I won’t judge you, or tell anyone, I want to help you.’

‘I just passed out. Iron deficiency, it happens. I’m not that skinny, maybe a little bit. I smashed a mug this morning, and while I was trying to clear it up, I managed to cut myself on some of it.’ She said, in a panic. Her snow white face was now shaded pimk.
‘Please Jamie, talk to me. I really want to help you. You can trust me’

Then she burst into tears. I wanted to bundle her up in my arms, tell her it was going to be okay, but I couldn’t.

And it hurt.