Against All Odds

by Alexia Vella Deguara

  “That's why you didn't want to sleep with me, to give your virginity to this rapist.”He yelled.

  “Rapist? Me? Tyler said as he lifted one eye brow slightly. "Be careful what you say. I have never forced anyone to sleep with me. I'm not like you!” Tyler shouted.

  My stomach ached,we were getting caught, again. The truth was coming out and there was no way to hide it.

  “Stop it Julian, it's not what you're thinking. There's nothing between us, tell him Ty, Mr Spencer.”I cried desperately.

  Tyler looked at me blankly.

  “Tell him what? It's none of his business and anyway there isn't much to say. Let him think what the hell he wants,” he groaned.

  I was astonished was he getting mad all of a sudden?My heart beat increased and I was sweating with fear.

  “You stole my girlfriend, you humiliated me on the beach, in front of half the school, but now it's payback time. I will ruin you, you'll end up in prison where you belong.” Yelled Julian.

  Oh my God, he will report him. First Ms Larson and now Julian. I felt my stomach churning.

  “Julian you will do nothing, if you report him. I'll say what you tried to do to me,” I shouted.

  Julian gave me a nasty look. “What? Why are you defending him,are you in love with him?” He asked angrily.

  I shivered. What could I say?Tyler looked at me strangely, was he expecting me to respond?

  “I...”I said holding my breath.

  “So. Come on Cassidy, it's not a difficult question,” he insisted.

  I looked at Tyler, begging him with my eyes to help me.

  “Why don't you make him happy Cassy? He seems so eager to know the truth ,” he surprisingly said. My jaw dropped as I gasped in shock. I stared at him, what was he playing at? I felt confused.

  “Shut up both of you. I don't have to answer stupid questions, it's none of your business. You are my ex Julian so stop being jealous, there is no reason and you-" My voice died in my throat as I met his deep gaze. I stared at him as I took a despairing breath. " You Mr Spencer,you're my teacher and I'm not going to stay here hearing you. Just leave me alone both of you!” I shouted and then began to walk away. I had to get away. This has gone too far.

  “Cassidy wait I still need to tell you something, please it won't take long.” Tyler said from behind me.

  “You'll have to tell me another time,I'm going home,” I replied .Tyler looked at me, he looked sad but he didn't insist. He surrendered and began to walk away. I was relieved, I thought he would say something in front of Julian but he didn't. I began to walk home. Julian came behind me.

  “Cassidy stop,” he ordered, I ignored him and kept walking.

  “What do you want Julian?” I asked as I sighed with frustration.

  “Do you have a relationship with him?” He asked.

  I swallowed hard. “No.”

  “You're lying. I know you, we have been together for 5 months. Why ? Why Cassidy,he's a teacher and a bastard. What the hell did you see in him? He's so arrogant,” he said ruthlessly.

  “Stop it, Julian please. There's nothing between us OK.” I said trying to convince him.

  “Stop denying the evidence and look at me.”He said grabbing my wrist.

  I stopped and turned around to face him.

  “What?”

  “Leave him and return to me. I won't pressure you in anything, although it seems he managed to get what he wanted in such a little time,” he said sarcastically.

  “Why are you continuing with this story?” I snapped.

  "Because it's the truth,try and deny that you slept with him if you have enough courage,” he shouted.

  “Julian .” I felt my blood draining and my head was throbbing. I wasn't a good liar.

  “Listen. I won't report him but you have to leave him and give me another chance. If not I'll do it, it's too late for you to report me. You have no evidence, no bruises,nothing,” he said as his face stretched with a hateful grin.

  “What? You're blackmailing me?” I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

  "It's not blackmail, it's for your own good and for his own as well. Do you want him to end up in prison because you had a dirty affair with him?” He asked.

  “It wasn't a dirty affair, I love him.” Oh my God what have I done? My hand went to my mouth and I looked at him shocked. He was smiling evilly.

  “Good girl, now you're talking. I knew I was right. One day, you only have one day to decide, if you don't do what I told you, your precious Mr Spencer will spend a great deal of time in jail,” he said with a laugh.

  Was he serious?I felt a terrible sensation inside, anger began to build up in me, how dare he blackmail me like this?

  “Why would you want to be with me if you know that I don't feel anything for you?” I asked trying to hold back the tears.

  “I don't want your love Cassidy. I want your body and I will have it and this time with your consent. See you tomorrow honey and oh happy birthday,” he said laughing.

  My God, what did he think I was a whore? Did he really think I would have sex with him to save Tyler? Would I? I looked at him while he walked away. I felt miserable. My world was falling apart, there was no escape. What was I going to do now?Although I was still angry at Tyler and didn't know if I was going to continue our relationship, I didn't want Julian to report him. My head felt heavy. I sat down on the pavement and hid my face in my hands and cried for the hundredth time in this awful day.

  Tyler's POV

  My face still hurts but my heart even more. I called her ten times she didn't answer. I need to talk to her badly about my decision, now more than ever I know I made the right choice. A choice which will make me suffer but which will be my only possibility. Our only possibility. I grabbed the phone in my hands and stared at the buttons. I'll give it another try, maybe this is my lucky time. I dial the number and the phone rings but there is no answer. Please Cassidy answer, what if she's with Julian right now? I shouldn't have left her alone with him. He's sly. I'll call again.

  “Hello,” she answered finally.

  “Cassy... are you OK?” I asked so happy to hear her voice.

  “No, I'm not. Tyler leave me alone. I don't want to talk to you. This has been the worst day of my life, you betrayed me. Ms Larson caught us and Julian-” She stopped.

  "Julian what? Did he do anything to you?" I asked concerned.

  "No... I ..I just can't take it anymore,” she cried.

  “Cassy,just listen to me for a moment. I need to tell you something very important.” I tried to tell her.

  “Not today,don't call me again,” she interrupt me.

  “Julian-” I began.

  “You don't have to worry about him,he won't report you. I'll make sure he doesn't. OK,” she said her voice broken.

  What did that mean?“How? Cassy what do you have in mind?” Now I was worried.

  “Nothing. Tyler give me a break. I need to think,don't call me again. I'm switching off my mobile.”

  And saying that she hung up. What was going on? Did she hide something from me? Oh,I felt my head exploding. This was all my fault. I looked at the little shiny box that was suppose to be Cassy's birthday present. Right now we were suppose to be together celebrating her birthday,why was this happening to us?That night I couldn't sleep. At 11 o'clock I gave up and got out of bed. I put on some gym trousers and went for a walk. I needed to think. I needed to prepare myself for the following day. What was I going to say? What explanation could I give? It was hard but I had to do it, for her, for us. That was the only way. I returned home past midnight and only managed to get 2 hours of sleep. At 8 o'clock I was at school. My heart was beating fast and my stomach was hurting. I was frightened to death. I walked slowly. My fate was written and I was the one who was going to help it happen. I thought of her and that gave me courage. I walked all the corridor until I was in front of his door. I knocked and waited for his reply.

  CHAPTER 39

  “Come in!”He said. I
drew a desperate breath and then I put my trembling hands on the door knob. I opened it slowly and walked in. Mr Daniels gazed at me. He gave me a strange look as if he was expecting to see me. Was he waiting for me?

  “Tyler, what happened to your face?"He asked looking better at me.

  “Nothing. I just bumped it,” I invented.

  “How come so early this morning? Please take a seat,” he said taking off his spectacles.

  I walked towards the chair and sat down. I felt so nervous.

  “So, what can I do for you?” He asked focusing his attention on my swollen face.

  “Mr Daniels, I came here because I want to give you this,” I said putting an envelope on his desk.

  Mr Daniels looked at me and then at the letter.

  “What's that?”He asked looking at me narrowly.

  “My resignation,” I said quietly as I pushed the envelope towards him. Mr Daniels looked at me astonished, his blue

  eyes widened but never left my face.

  “What? Why? Tyler why are you resigning? You're a good teacher and the students love you.”He said.

  “I... I've put the reasons in the letter,hope you'll understand,” I replied hoping he doesn't ask me for more information.

  Mr Daniels remained silent staring at me searchingly. Then he grabbed the letter and opened it. He read it quietly then his gaze came back on me.

  “Here it says personal problems,” he said raising an eyebrow.

  I nodded. I didn't know what to write. Mr Daniels put the letter down and then looked at me straight in the eyes.

  “Tyler, are your personal problems by any chance called Cassidy Hastley?” He asked as he relaxed in his chair.

  All of a sudden I felt cold, a shiver ran down my spine. I felt dizzy as if I was going to pass out. My God he knew, how? Did Ms Larson? Or Denise? I stared at him, my mouth open unable to breathe.

  “I must have hit the spot it's seems. The expression on your face is indescribable. Tyler, I suspected something was going on between you and Cassidy. When we were at Lagoon beach I knew you never took her to hospital. I also knew that it was you who danced with her at the students ball. Although you were dressed up. I recognized you and when I called you during the blackout,I could hear the students screaming through your phone. I knew you were there. I made a mistake, I should have never accepted that a teacher does a lesson alone with a student.”

  “Mr Daniels,I..I'm sorry honestly I didn't want to do anything wrong. I didn't harm her or took advantage of her. I'm sorry,” I stuttered raising up my hand and running my fingers through my hair. I looked down, I couldn't stand his gaze. Mr Daniels stood up.

  “I know you're not that kind of man Tyler. You must feel something for her to risk this much. Do you love her?” He asked as he walked towards the window.

  I tensed. The truth was out now. It was useless to lie.

  “Yes I do. I'm in love with her. I didn't want it to happen. I know its against the rules but I couldn't help it,” I admitted.

  He turned around to face me. I looked at him,waiting for him to say something but he didn't. He kept looking at me. I thought he was going to yell at me, that he'd be mad at me but he didn't. He kept calm. I broke the silence.

  "Mr Daniels,if you suspected, if you knew, how come you didn't fire me? Or talked to me? I..I don't understand,” I said feeling my stomach tensing again.

  “Well. I hoped I was wrong. I hoped that when we were having that meeting in the hall, and you were miles away, it wasn't because your eyes were on her. I hoped I had interpreted all the signs wrongly and this because I like you Tyler and I know what you are feeling right now,” he said softly. I was stunned by the way he was behaving.

  “I still don't understand,” I said.

  Mr Daniels opened the drawer of his desk and took out a frame and he handed it to me. I looked at it, there was him with a woman which I presumed was his wife and three children.

  “You have a beautiful family Mr Daniels,” I said although I still couldn't understand what his family had to do with my situation.

  “Thanks, but you know 13 years ago I didn't think that I would be having that family. The first time I saw my wife I thought I was going to pass out, she was so beautiful. I still can't believe how I managed to explain difficult equations to my students that day,” he said looking at me, waiting for my reaction to those words. I looked at him stunned.

  “She, she was your student?”I asked incredulously.

  “Yes. I was her physics teacher. Tyler I have been through the same situation before you and I know what you're going through right now.”

  “What did you do? How did you manage to marry her?” I asked feeling a little better.

  “My situation was even worst than yours. I was already 30 she was 18,too young for me. I did nothing until graduation. I only told her my feelings that day during the party. I never risked. I knew she felt something for me as well but I kept it all inside me. Then I started to go out with her. I followed her when she went to college. I helped her in her studies, she became a teacher and when she finished college we got married,” he said.

  “You've been wiser than me. I couldn't keep everything inside,” I said sadly.

  “Listen Tyler. I won't report you but I will accept your resignation. It's the best solution but you have to go away, far from here. Leave the city,” he paused and looked at me.“Since I will sort of cover for you, you can't keep seeing her. I would end up in trouble as well. Hope you understand this.”He warned.

  “I have to leave the city?To go where? And how will I manage to stay without her. I thought that if I resign I could be with her.”I said desperately. My heart ached. I felt so depressed.

  “You'll be but after graduation. Listen although you resign that doesn't mean everything will be OK. Everyone will know why you resigned if you continue your relationship with her, and investigations could take place. If her parents or someone will report you, you could be in serious trouble just the same. Especially if they find out you had a sexual relationship with her,” he said looking at me with a knowing look.

  I couldn't stand his gaze. I looked down.

  “I don't want to know if you have,the least I know the better. Tyler,I have a friend in Glensville. He's a headmaster of a small boy's school. Why don't you go there. I've been talking to him recently, he said he needed an English literature Teacher,” he said as he grabbed a piece of paper and wrote an address on it.

  “Glensville? It's more than 5 hours drive from here,” I said feeling terrible already.

  “I know but anyway you won't return here. Not until graduation,you have to promise me that,” he insisted.

  “OK I'll go there, if there isn't an other way to do this, I'll do it,” I said with determination.

  “Listen if she loves you and I hope she does for all the trouble you've put yourself through then she will wait 6 months,” he said as he handled me the paper.

  “I hope. I love her so much.”I said putting my head in my hands. I needed to cry but I didn't want to do it in front of him. I felt his hand on my shoulder.

  “Come on Tyler,everything will be fine. I'm happy you came to me before it was too late. I'll make some phone calls and tell you when you can go to Glensville's School. You can go now,you have a lot of things to do, searching for a new apartment and all. Tyler, stay away from her for now OK. It's for your own good, hers and mine as well now."

  I nodded and stood up. I was going to open the door but then something came to my mind.

  “Mr Daniels.”

  “Yes?”

  “What will happen to Cassidy, will she be expelled?” I asked.