Slightly Bruised and Broken From Our Head on Collision

Like the teacher said, 10 minutes later we are back in the classroom. We sink into our seats, and the teacher frowns at us and walks over.

“Are you two okay?” I rub my wrist nervously and bob my head, Alex smiles and nods and the teacher walks away. We carry on writing what we were writing last lesson, I start wondering if my wrist is going to bruise. Jack kinda held it too hard and it's starting to smart slightly. Alex is nervously tapping his pen on the edge of the table and as the seconds tick closer to the bell, I hope somehow that I can get out this class without any more drama. No such luck. When the bell goes the teacher calls out to me to stay behind. I start panicking and thinking of everything that may be classed as against the rules in the school that I may have done in the past week or two. But as I grab my bag and walk up to the front desk, I notice he has no late homework on his desk of mine, or any personal file. All he has is one leaflet that I can’t make out and a pot of pens. My internal panic system is overheating and I try to calm myself down, and fail.

“I’m worried about you.” the teacher announces as the last person shuts the door. My heart stops for a moment and I hope that there is one more person still in the room. I glance over my shoulder and see no-one. My heart doesn't seem to be beating.

“You are currently dating Jackary Barakat, is this correct?” I nod almost manically, as my heart is teetering on the edge of re-start.

“Is he urm... ever say, abusive in the relationship? Does he ever use violence unnecessarily?” My heart starts again with a thump, and I gasp. I shake my head.

“No sir, of course he doesn’t.” And then I realise too late, that I should have asked 1) why he thought that and 2) where he got idea from before denying. I know sound like I’m totally in denial. The teacher rubs his forehead and reaches for the leaflet. Only then do I see what is on the front of it.

“Abusive relationships and how to get out”

Shit. He pushes it across the desk. “If he ever, ever uses violence against you, please, please call someone on this leaflet, or talk to me. Or anyone in this facilities, anyone. Because you can get out, don’t feel like you’re trapped in the same cycle.” I nod too fast and grab the leaflet. He sighs loudly.

"Honey, if it ever gets too much. Please, please feel free to just come and talk. We don't even have to talk to any one else, it can be between you and me and no one else. This doesn't have to be some big scary hurdle to jump over. If you need help, grab it." I nod again and he scratches the back of his neck dejectedly.

“Dismissed, shut the door behind you.”

I run out of the class, shoving the leaflet in my bag and hope that he doesn’t push this any further. Because I know I handled it badly, and I know I sound like I’m in denial but he doesn’t and I don’t need anything added to Jack’s already fragile mood. I sigh and go to find my friends because honestly, I can’t cope with this. So I walk through the slowly emptying corridors, and count my footsteps that echo off of the tiled floor.