Going Down In History

"Mom, I'm not coming back there." My decision was final. No matter how much I wanted to be back in the Bay Area, I would not leave.

"You would rather stay with him." It was a statement. She knew, everyone knew and I knew everyone knew. Hell, Chris and I made National news a month ago. I still remember the headline, 'Respected Teacher Runs Away With Underage Student'. Except now I was no longer underage or a student. You are now looking at a graduate. I was so lost in my thoughts that I almost forgot my mom.

"I would rather stay with him than live in an empty house." My mom had been pleading with me everyday this month to come home. I don't think she cared if I did or not, but her reputation was going down because her only daughter was on the news.

"I don't know who you are anymore!" I cackled into the phone at this statement.

"You never knew who I was Cheryl, you were never home." My tone was venomous towards her. I heard a sigh on the end of the line.

"I hope you know what you're doing." With that final statement, she hung up. I sighed and threw my cell phone onto the bed Chris and I shared. I groaned and fell onto the bed beside it. I heard the door open and close, then felt the bed sink in beside me. I turned over to see Chris facedown in a pillow.

"How was work?" I asked. There was tension on his new school administration ever since the news broadcast. He mumbled something into his pillow, figured I wouldn't be able to understand it and picked his head up.

"I'm fired." He said and let his head fall back into the pillow. My jaw dropped.

"Fired! Why?" I was astonished and my mind wouldn't place the pieces together.

"Charlie, you know why." He turned onto his side so he could look me in the eyes. I could see he was broken. He loved to teach, it was his passion and without it he was just a broken man, lost in a world that hated him.

"What are you going to do? I asked softly, looking into his eyes for any sign that may indicate his next plan. He meerly shrugged and ran his hand over his tired face.

"I don't know. They said I could finish the year off so after Christmas break they will have someone new." He closed his eyes and seemed to be thinking.

"Christmas break is only a month and a half away! What about after that?" I was worried about our options.

"If I knew that then I wouldn't be acting this way!" He snapped at me but instantly regretted it upon seeing look of hurt on my face. He pulled me against him and rested his head in the crook of my neck. I felt him take a deep breath, inhaling my scent and instantly relaxing. "I'm sorry. I have two options; get a new job or leave the country." Neither of these seemed like a good choice, but he was right, they were the only options.

"Which do you like best?" I played with his hair as he thought.

"To leave, but I'll have to get a job anyway so we can afford it." I was surprised.

"Aren't they paying you the rest of the year?" My tone raised a bit. I was angry at the school.

"Yeah, but even with that we won't be able to afford it." He yawned and took a deep breath of my scent again. I said nothing more, for the man laying next to me had fallen asleep.