Torn

by T. N. King

  He entered the Cafeteria and spotted him. In the corner with his deadbeat crew. Saul was sitting on top of the cafeteria table like it was his living room couch, legs spread out leaning back on his hands.

  A flame of rage shot through Liam seeing Saul so relaxed like this. Like he had no problem ripping people off at all as long as it benefitted him. Liam strode across the cafeteria elbowing any student who got in his way. “Saul” Liam called out.

  Saul’s head snapped towards Liam’s voice. Recognition flashed across Saul’s eyes as he realized that he had been caught in his con and he was soon going to be punished for it.

  Liam saw as every muscle in Saul’s body tensed like an animal deciding quickly whether to fly or fight.

  Saul launched himself from the table and began to full out run towards the cafeteria’s exit door, but it was already too late. Liam was too close. Within a few strides, Liam had caught Saul by the hood of his sweatshirt and pulled him back causing Saul to lose his balance. Liam pounced on the opportunity and threw Saul against the wall, then grabbed him by the front of his sweatshirt and slammed him against the wall.

  “Hey Liam, chill ok? So I scammed you a little. It’s nothing personal I—”

  Before could finish his sentence, Liam hit him hard in the gut.

  Saul started to double over in pain, but then threw a surprise left swing that knocked Liam straight in the eye.

  Liam stumbled back in surprise. He gingerly touched his face and winced, he’d definitely be donning a shiner throughout the week.

  At this point, a crowd of students had surrounded them. Some of them were cheering for Liam, some of them were cheering for Saul, but most of them were just cheering for excitement of violence.

  Fury sizzled across Liam’s skin. He wasn’t going to let Saul take advantage of him and then beat him up here in front of all these people. He had to prove he was not just some loser that people could push around. Liam rammed his elbow straight into the bridge of Saul’s nose and heard a sickening crack. Warm blood began to flow quickly out of Saul’s nose as he let out a scream. Liam grabbed Saul by the shoulders to steady him and then kneed him in his groin. Saul staggered back to the wall, clawing at him, desperately trying to keep himself upright.

  At this point, Liam knew he should stop. He knew he probably shouldn’t have even started the fight in the first place. But once he let anger rise up within him, it was like a snowball effect. The anger just kept building and building and he couldn’t seem to stop until he got the satisfaction that he needed.

  Saul, bloodied and broken, was about to collapse on to the cafeteria floor when Liam grabbed him and pinned him to the wall. As Liam was pulling back his fist for another punch, he felt a strong foreign grip on his wrist. Before Liam knew it, the hand that had grabbed his wrist had twisted his arm behind his back and was pinning it uncomfortable against his spine.

  “You’ll stop this now,” a sharp cool voice whispered harshly in his ear, cutting through Liam’s anger. Liam tried to turn around to see who was grabbing him but the expert way that he was being pinned made it impossible to see who it was.

  “Release him,” the voice hissed angrily into his ear.

  Liam relaxed his arm that was pinning Saul up against the wall. Before Saul slumped onto the ground completely Mr. Green pushed past some of the surrounding ogling students and ran grabbed Saul’s body before it hit the ground. “All right break it up, break it up everyone.” Mr. Green cajoled the gapping students as they reluctantly went back to their lunches.

  The hand that had been pinning Liam released its grip and Liam turned around surprised to see that the two glacial blue eyes that were staring at him were Ms. Cole’s, one of the school’s English teachers.

  “Take him to the nurse’s office,” she ordered to Mr. Green by motioning with her head to Saul. “I’ll take this one to the Principal’s office.” Ms. Cole’s hand clutched his shoulder.

  His whole body tightened suddenly. He became very aware of how close she was standing next to him. He could even smell her perfume a mix of lilies and lavender. It was intoxicating. Liam felt his mouth grow dry. He looked down at his toes.

  “You sure you don’t want me to take him to the principal’s? You might need help handling him Caroline.”

  “No, I believe that I can handle him, thank you Ben.”

  Ms. Cole’s finger dug even deeper into his shoulders, Liam felt a flare of pain, as she led him out into the hallway towards the principal’s office.

  A gyre of dread was swirling in his gut as they walked down the hall. Because of his rash actions, he would at minimum, be facing suspension, but more likely, he would be facing expulsion. This wasn’t his third strike, it was his fifth, and Principal Peters was feeling less generous with him lately.

  Click. Click. Click.

  The sound of Ms. Cole’s shiny black patent leather stilettos seemed to echo in the empty hallway with metronome like rhythm. Liam found it to be distracting. In fact, he found a lot of things about Ms. Cole to be distracting. He found the sheer hose she was wearing distracting. He found her tasteful form fitting grey dress distracting. He found her shiny raven black shoulder length hair distracting. Most distracting of all though was her iron hard grip on his shoulder.

  Liam was no pansy, but her bones must have been made out of steel because it really, really hurt. “Hey, do you think you could lightened up your grip a little bit?”

  Before Liam could even blink, Ms. Cole had grabbed him by the collar of his white T-shirt and slammed up against the lockers. Liam was again caught off guard by her strength.

  Her ice blue eyes bore into Liam’s as she lean her face right up into his. “Why would I do such a silly thing like that?” She growled into his face.

  Liam was having trouble thinking clearly. His eyes kept wandering down to her two full pink lips.

  She slammed him up against the locker again. “Pay attention.”

  “You’re hurting me!” the words rushed out of his mouth. He was embarrassed about how whiney they sounded.

  “I am hurting you Liam, but that’s what you want, don’t you?”

  “What?”

  “That’s why you act out so often is because you think you’re worthless and deserve to be punished.”

  Liam was stunned silent. She had somehow stumbled onto the truth in his soul that he didn’t even know himself.

  “Now listen and listen carefully. I can help you Liam. But you have to trust me completely and follow my lead once we get to Principal Peters office. Understand?”

  Liam just stared at her dumbly.

  She punched the side of the locker very close to Liam’s face. “Understand?”

  “Yes.”

  “Yes, Ms. Cole.”

  “Yes Ms. Cole.”

  “Good.” She let go of his shirt and brushed the wrinkles smooth. “Follow me.” She grabbed the crook of his elbow, more gently this time and led him to the Principal’s office.

  As soon as they step into the office, Liam noticed everything about her demeanor shifted. The stern gruffness with which she treated Liam with earlier instantly melted and Ms. Cole seemed to transform into a gentle, nurturing, worried teacher. A tender smile crossed her face as she approached the Principal’s secretary, a middle- aged woman who had an obscene amount of cats on her sweater.

  “Hello Caroline, what can I do for you?”

  “Hi Pamela, I have a student here who I caught getting in a fist fight with another student in the cafeteria today.” Ms. Cole gently placed her hand on her chest in gesture of concern.

  Liam, who always considered himself somewhat of an expert liar was impressed by Ms. Cole’s skill.

  “Oh, I’m sorry, I’m very sorry to hear that. Is the other student ok?”

  “Ben has taken him to the nurse.”

  “Well, you can send Liam right on in. The Principal is taking his lunch now.”

  “If you don’t mind.” Ms. Cole tilted her head in a submissive way towards the secreta
ry. “I’d like to sit in on this meeting too. I witnessed the incident and believe that my perspective could help.” She then placed her hand upon her chest again.

  “Of course, go right in.” The secretary exclaimed more than happy to give Ms. Cole exactly what she wanted.

  Ms. Cole nodded a “thanks” and led Liam into the office.

  Principal Peters, a stout balding man, sat at his desk, the remains of his lunch, strewn across it. As they entered his office Principal Peters looked up from his tuna fish sandwich, his mouth still full of the giant bite he had just taken. Several expressions crossed his face first surprise, then then irritation, then anger and then Liam’s least favorite, disappointment.

  Liam braced himself to be yelled at.

  Principal Peters finished chewing his bite, and then let out a big exaggerated sigh. “Why am I not surprised to see you here Liam? I’m not even mad. I can’t be with you anymore. I have no anger left. I’m just disappointed. I can see by your black eye that you’ve must have gotten yourself into another fight.”

  Liam’s eyes went to the floor. He wished with all his might that the earth would just open up and swallow him whole. He felt Ms. Cole’s eyes on him, studying him. The back of his neck flushed red with embarrassment.

  “Principal Peters, if I might add something?” Ms. Cole stepped forward and positioned herself in-between Liam and the Principal.

  “Please Caroline, go ahead.” Principal Peters wiped a glob of tuna off of his mouth with a napkin, tossed it in the trash, and then rubbed his head with exhaustion.

  “I was there in the cafeteria when the fight broke out – I was the one who broke it up – from my perspective, it wasn’t entirely Liam’s fault. The other student was provoking him.”

  “Hmm, I see. Well, procedure is to get statements from both of the boys and the other students there. All that being said though, I think that unfortunately at this point Caroline, it doesn’t really matter whose fault it is. Liam here has become a liability for this school and we can’t risk him inciting or getting into any more fights. I don’t want to have a lawsuit on my hands.” Principal Peters unconsciously shook his head as he balled up the garbage from his lunch and dumped it with a resounding thud into the garbage.

  Liam couldn’t help but think that Principal Peters probably wished that he’d tossed Liam in the garbage as well. He swung his gaze over at Ms. Cole the answer Principal Peters gave her sounded pretty final to Liam, but she seemed unfazed by it.

  Her eyes were lazer-focused on Principal Peters and her wide stance seemed strong and sure. “I think we can all agree that rehabilitation is always better than punishment. I believe that Liam might just need some extra attention to help with his behavioral issues.” She took a bold step forward and placed her hand on Principal Peters’ desk.

  Liam noticed the subtle power grabbing gesture.

  “Yes, but, which teacher is going to put aside time with no additional pay or resources to help out a severely trouble student?” Principal Peters questioned as he crossed his arms and leaned back in his swivel chair.

  “Well, I’d be willing to.”

  “Really.” Principal Peters sat up in his chair incredulously.

  “Yes, last summer I went to a national teacher conference and took a seminar about how to specifically deal with at risk youth. I’ve developed my own specially tailored program and I think Liam would make the perfect first guinea pig.”

  Principal Peters shifted around in his chair.

  Liam could tell he was uncomfortable with the idea but he was definitely weighing his options. Liam as well as the Principal knew that it never reflected well on a school to expel students.

  “I’d be willing to do the program,” Liam spoke up.

  Both heads turned to him.

  “If it means I won’t be expelled.”

  “Liam, if I know Ms. Cole she will be rigorous and hard on you, so make sure you are up for it. If you can’t completely the program with Ms. Cole I think that we’re at a place now where we should talk about different school options for you.” Principal Peters leaned forward giving Liam a long hard look.

  “I can do it. I want to do it,” Liam stated with a steady voice, looking directly into Principal Peter’s eyes. Although nothing about Liam was sure. He had no idea who this teacher was or what this “program” entailed. But at this point, he was running out of options.

  “Ok, excellent. Caroline, I turn Liam over to your expert and willing hands.”

  “Thank you Principal Peters. I really appreciate this opportunity,” Caroline said a tight lipped smile spreading across her face.

  “Liam. Today is your lucky day,” Principle Peters said in a way that made Liam feel that he wasn’t lucky at all. “You’re both dismissed.”

  Ms. Cole and Liam exited the office. And walked into the hallway.

  “Alright Liam your mentorship starts now. After school meet me in my classroom at 3:45pm sharp.”

  Liam was taken aback by her sudden solemnity.

  “And Liam. Don’t be late.” Ms. Cole turned her back. Her black heels clicking down the hallway away from him.

  “Ms. Cole,” Liam yelled out after her.

  She turned around sharply, looking at him expectantly.

  “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome Liam.” She looked him up and down, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “And call me Caroline.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  RING.

  Liam sat up in his desk with a start. He must have slept through the last half of world history. Although honestly, he might as well of been asleep through the first half of class too because he couldn’t stop thinking about what happened at lunch today. The way the Ms. Cole had slammed him up against the lockers. The way she ordered him around. And that final look she gave him when she said, “Call me Caroline.” Shivers went down his spine. What did she want with him? What was this experimental program that she pitched to the principal? What had he signed himself up for?

  Liam grabbed his pack and followed the herd of students bursting out into the hallways. They gabbed and squealed about their weekend plans. Liam grabbed a crumpled up piece of paper out of his pocket. It read ROOM 301. Caroline’s classroom was literally in the farthest corner of the building. He sighed knowing he’d have to trudge up the stairs again.

  He didn’t even have her as an English teacher – she taught honors English- something that Liam couldn’t get in in a million years. He’d overheard students saying that she was a hard ass so he was interested in seeing what she’d be like as a mentor. What would this be like, he wondered as he climbed the stairs.

  When he finally reached her classroom, he paused standing in front of the door. For some reason, Liam had a feeling in his gut that he was standing on the threshold of huge decision. His decision about whether or not he was going to enter this room would be a turning point in his life. He started to turn away from the door. While he was grateful for the opportunity Caroline had given him, he worried that he was going to mess it up. Maybe it would be better if he didn’t even try at all. He should just take his expulsion. It was what he deserved. He didn’t deserve this second chance being granted to him. He started to walk away from the door and towards the stairs.

  “Liam,” a loud voice rang from inside the classroom.

  Liam turned around surprised. How did Caroline know he was there? Something about her voice pulled him back to the door. Liam slowly twisted the knob and entered.

  He did a double take at the room. All the desks had been pushed to the sides of the classroom and only one single desk sat alone in the middle of the room. He scanned the room for Caroline and saw her sitting at her desk, her back turned to him.

  “You’re late.” Caroline voice cut across the room. Strong, sure, emotionless.

  Liam was caught off guard. He looked at his watch, he was only two minutes late. That was on time for him as he usually showed up to class, 15 – 20 minute late. “I’m only like two minutes late
.”

  “Sit.” Caroline still hadn’t turned around.

  Liam was totally confused and slightly weirded out. He slowly walked over to the desk in the middle of the room.

  “Sit,” she barked again.

  Something in her voice frightened Liam and he immediately pulled out the chair and sat in it.

  Caroline turned around in her chair.

  Liam watched as her eyes inspected him.

  “Good enough…” Her voice trailed off but her eyes remained on him.

  He felt them survey his slouchy posture and wide spread legs,

  “For now,” she murmured to herself as she pulled a stuffed manila folder out of her thin, black leather briefcase. She dropped it on her desk with a heavy thud “This is your school file Liam.” Caroline opened it up and began leafing through it. “11 unexcused absences, 23 tardies, 9 detentions and 2 suspensions in your four years here.”

  Liam squirmed in his seat. He felt embarrassed by the way she listed off his all of his misdeeds. “That’s all?” he quipped. Hoping to escape his embarrassment by hiding behind his humor. He knew as soon as the smart-ass remark came out of his mouth that he was done for.

  Caroline calmly stood up and walked to the door. She opened it and stood very still for a moment. “Liam what I am offering you is a chance to reform yourself, but I want to let you know that you don’t have to be here. You can leave at any time; just know that I will no longer responsible for you. So if you want to go then go.”

  Liam sat up in his chair. He didn’t want to go. He wanted to stay. He couldn’t put his finger on why exactly, but he trusted Caroline. He liked her strength and her kindness and he didn’t want to toss away her generous offer to mentor him. He knew he had to get his ego in check and just accept the fact that he was going to probably be embarrassed and uncomfortable. “I want to stay.”