Against All Odds

by Alexia Vella Deguara

  I was going to cry. I didn't want to hear her anymore. I grabbed my bag and went out hurriedly. I was running like a freak without even looking where I was going when I bumped into someone. We hit so hard that I fell to the floor and found myself surrounded by papers. I looked up and saw Mr Bayne looking at me.

  “Cassidy are you OK?” He asked

  “I'm sorry Mr Bayne. Oh look what I've done to all your papers,” I apologized.

  “It doesn't matter we'll pick them up, although to be honest they were in alphabetical order. Anyway I'll arrange them don't worry,” he said as he bent down to began to pick up the papers.

  “I'm sorry, no leave them. I'll pick them up.” I stood up and began to pick up the papers.

  “What happened Cassidy you seem so devastated?” He asked as he look at my pale face.

  “Nothing,” I replied avoiding his gaze.

  “It's not true,you were running.”He insisted.

  At that moment I saw him looking behind me.

  He must have seen Ms Leighton coming out of the Art class room.

  “Cassidy, are you in this state because of her?" He asked looking at me in the eyes.

  “What did she tell you?”

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

  “Nothing” I lied.

  “You're not telling me the truth again. Come on tell me. What did she tell you?” He asked again.

  I looked at him feeling on the verge of crying. I was fighting with myself not to break down in front of him.

  “Mr Bayne, I appreciate what you're doing for me, but I don't want to involve you in my problems. I knew what was going to happen if we were ever caught. It's better if you stay away from me. Don't you know that everyone considers me a slut? They could think that you, you-"

  I stopped, I couldn't continue, a tear rolled down my cheek.

  “Think what?” He asked looking at me.

  I blushed.

  “Listen Cassidy. I know what you mean,that I could be involved with you like Tyler. But I know you're not a slut and you must have really felt something for Tyler, and anyway I'm far more resistant than he is,” he said with a smile “And I know you would never try anything with me, you're not that kind of girl and honestly I don't really care what others say,” he said gently.

  I looked at him stunned, why was he being so kind to me?And how did he know what kind of girl I was ? He never really spoke to me in class. I saw him looking at me sometimes but it was like he did with other students. He was usually quiet and timid.

  “I'm your teacher and you're a student,” he continued “It's part of my job to help you, and don't listen to whatever she told you,she's just angry because Tyler never showed the minimal interest in her. While she really wanted him and badly.” Saying this he picked up the last two papers and tried to arrange the whole bunch but had quite a lot and was going to drop everything again.

  “Can I help you?” I offered.“You can't even see where you are going.”

  “Well if you can I won't say no. I need some help. I was going to take them to the History Class,” he said.

  I took some of his papers and followed him. When we arrived I put everything on his desk. Then I looked at him, he was glancing at me under his glasses.

  “Mr Bayne,” I said shyly.

  “Yes?”

  “Can I stay here with you? I can help you to arrange your papers alphabetically,” I offered.

  He looked at me for a second and then smiled.

  “Sure,you were suppose to have Art right now,right?”

  “Yes but since Tyler is not here. I don't even have a teacher and no substitute came.”I replied.

  “OK then, so let me tell you,how you have to do them. The papers with these titles have to be on the front while those with the pictures have to go to the back. You have to do them alphabetically according to the student's name understood?”He asked.

  “Yes Sir.”

  “Good.”

  He smiled whilst he gave me a stack of papers. I took them and went to sit at the desk in the front row. I felt so sad and alone. Everyone hated me. I had only Lucy and the encouragement of Mr Bayne. At least here in his class I was safe. No one could insult me. No teacher could come and judge me. I looked at him. He was a good man. The only one who tried to understand my situation. The only one who believed that my involvement with Tyler wasn't because I wanted favors. He believed that I was in love with him. It's strange,I had never talked to this teacher before, if not during a lesson. I never had given much thought to him. He's timid, we always considered him the nerdy one. I never even noticed he had such beautiful blue eyes behind those glasses and now here I am telling him all I am going through. Life is so strange sometimes. How I wished he was Tyler. Where was he? Why didn't he contact me yet? I pulled out my mobile and tried to call him again ,but again to no avail. It was still switched off. I felt very sad. I was still doing the papers when there was a knock at the door.

  “Come in.” Mr Bayne said.

  Just at that moment Mr Daniels came in.

  “Mr Bayne,have you seen -?” He stopped and looked at me. “Oh she's here,I was looking for you Cassidy. I thought I'd find you in the Art room,” he said.

  “I'm sorry Mr Daniels but no one came and I met Mr Bayne and...”I didn't know what to say. I felt judged all the time. I felt as if nothing I said was going to be believed so I just stayed quiet. Mr Bayne looked at me and then...

  “I told her she could come here, I needed some help,” he answered for me. Mr Daniels looked at me again and then at Mr Bayne.

  “Cassidy, I know what happened this morning. I knew it would happen but not this early. I had teachers complaining in my office all morning. They want me to expel you but I won't. Hope the students are not so hard on you.”

  “Oh yes they are,” said Mr Bayne again.

  "Cassidy probably you should consider changing school,” said Mr Daniels.

  I shook my head.“No. I won't” I said

  determined. “I won't let anyone crush me. I know I made a mistake. I know I should have never done what I did, but I want to graduate here. I don't care what they say.”

  “OK Cassidy,then you'll stay but be prepared that some teachers won't treat you the same way as they used to,” he warned.

  “I know.”

  Then he looked at Mr Bayne and told him to follow him out so that he can talk to him. Alone. Mr Bayne went out with him and after a few minutes he returned. His face was red and he seemed a little angry. He didn't say anything but kept arranging the papers.

  “Is everything OK Mr Bayne?” I asked after some time. He looked at me and his gaze softened.

  “Yes don't worry.”

  “The papers are ready,” I said standing up and grabbing my bag.

  “Where are you going?” He asked me.

  “I don't know exactly, but I'm not staying here. I know Mr Daniels didn't like the idea of me being here with you,” I said. I didn't want to put him into any trouble, no one was trusting me right now.

  “What, listen don't worry about Mr Daniels. I can handle him,do whatever you feel. If you want to go then go. But if you want to stay here, for me it's not a problem.”

  I looked at him for a second and put my bag down again and sat down.

  “I'll stay here then.”

  “OK, do you have any school work to do?” He asked.

  “Yes I do.”

  “Very well I'll do some corrections then. If you need anything just ask me.”

  He sat down and began correcting while I grabbed my English homework, the one he had given us. I tried to concentrate on my homework but I couldn't. Was my life from now on going to be like this? I've never been so popular at school. I Never really had a lot of friends, maybe because I was very reserved but I used to be one of the best students. In what mess did I put myself into? I was so afraid that someone could tell my mum. Luckily my mum didn't know any of my schoolmate's parents, only Lucy's but I knew Lucy would never tell her mum any
thing. I kept looking at the same question for about a quarter of an hour. I couldn't figure out what it was talking about.

  “Any problems?”

  I looked up and saw him looking at me.

  “Yes, I can't understand this question,” I said.

  “Come here, let me take a look.”He offered.

  I did and went near his desk. He looked at the question and began to explain. He was very good in explaining I understood immediately.

  “Oh it's so simple.”

  “Yes it is but can be difficult when one can't concentrate. Cassidy this bad period will pass, you just have to be strong. Did you hear from him?” he asked then.

  “No. I don't know what's happening right now. I tried to call him yesterday and this morning, his mobile is always switched off. “

  “Give him time and I think right now it's better if you don't have any contact. You don't want to worsen the situation do you?”

  “No.”

  He helped me to do the other questions explaining to me the lesson he had done this morning. What he was saying was all new to me, this morning I hadn't heard a word and then I managed to complete all my homework. When the bell rang I felt bad again. I had to leave this class. I had to face them again. I saw Mr Bayne packing, ready to

  go,while I was still seated.

  “Cassidy, we have to go.”

  I didn't move.

  “What is it?”

  “I.... Can't I stay here?”

  “Cassidy you can't hide for eternity.”

  “I know but right now,I don't have the courage to face them. Please let me stay here. I'll be OK on my own.”

  “I can't. I have to close the classroom.”

  “OK then,” I grabbed my bag and followed him out. As soon as I found myself in the corridor I could see everyone looking at me. I felt awful, the boys were really nasty and commented heavily. One even offered to do my homework in change of sex. My God what did they think I was? I heard Mr Bayne yelling at them, he was just behind me. I felt mortified. I ran away. I went to the gym and hid there. I needed to cry, I couldn't believe this was happening to me. Why, why Tyler had decided to resign? If I knew I would never have let him do this. I spent my break in there and then I don't know how I found the courage to go for my last three lessons. One of them was with Ms Larson, who was really cold with me. She kept looking at me, even Mr Franks looked at me with hostility. I just kept silent trying to follow the lessons. At the end I went to my locker and found it worst then this morning. It was all scribbled with obscenities and offensive words. I opened it up, trying not to cry and went to wait for Lucy at the exit. She didn't take long to arrive and hugged me when she saw me.

  “Where have you been all day Cassidy? I was so worried about you.”

  I told her everything...

  “Oh my God Cas, maybe you should really consider to change school. How are you going to manage 6 months like this?”

  She wasn't of any encouragement.

  “I will. I have to. I won't change school, how will I explain that to my mum without telling her the truth? No I can't. I'll stay here. If I have you I can manage and Mr Bayne has been very helpful as well.”

  She looked at me strangely but she said nothing. I knew what she was thinking. Just at that moment I saw a person that I never thought to see again. She was looking at me.

  “ Cassidy, can I speak to you for a moment please?” She asked. I looked at her and then at her tummy.

  “What do you want Denise?” I asked her. My day couldn't get worst. I wasn't sure if I could handle more bad news. I felt very vulnerable right now.

  “Just to talk to you, please. It won't take long.”

  I looked at Lucy.

  “Cassidy don't-”

  “I have to. Go Lucy. I'll manage on my own,” I said.

  “No, I'll wait for you here OK”

  “Thanks.”

  It was time for the truth. I knew what she wanted to talk to me about.

  CHAPTER 43

  We walked a little and sat down on a bench. She then looked at me.

  “Cassidy, I heard about Tyler. I'm sorry.”She said.

  “You are? I thought you'd be happy,” I said surprised.

  “Listen,there are a lot of things you don't know. First of all I loved Tyler. I was in love with him seriously, but unfortunately I don't know how to be faithful. It's in my nature. I can't stay with just one man. When he left me I was devastated. I had always thought he would be with me forever but I was wrong. Only now I realize that you can't buy someone's love."

  I looked at her,she looked sad but why was she telling me all this?

  “I missed him terribly, I didn't know where he went. He didn't tell my father and he never answered my calls. Then 2 months ago I went to my father's Art gallery and I saw a painting. It was signed by him, I looked at it. It showed a young woman, it was beautiful. Tyler never paid much attention to the face when he painted nudes but not this time," she sighed and paused a moment, than she continued.

  "He focused a lot on the eyes and on her expression. I was jealous. I knew he must have loved this woman, then I saw him in the car park. I tried to call him from my car but he ignored me completely. I tried to call him various times, he never answered, until you did. I was really hurt when I heard your voice. I knew you must have been the model in that painting. I was cruel to you and hoped you'd leave him. I wanted to find him. I had to see him. It was nearly a year that he had left me.

  “A year? So the baby-” I said quietly looking into her eyes.

  "It's not his,” she admitted.

  I nearly cried, so much was the happiness I felt inside. I was relieved, so he hadn't lied to me and once again I hadn't believed him.

  “I found his new address in my father's contact book and decided to come here and look for him. Although I'm pregnant I thought there was still a chance to have him back, but when I came here I saw him with you. You were in front of his door kissing. I felt angry,he had found his soul mate. I wanted revenge but not only, I wanted him back. So l blackmailed him. I told him that if he does not marry me and be a father to my child I would report him. I even had proof. I took a photo of you two kissing,” she said playing nervously with her fingers. She looked down, she couldn't even meet my eyes.

  “What? He didn't tell me anything, oh my God. But why are you telling me all this?”

  “Because when you found me in his apartment, he had been really cruel to me. He had told me words that hurt me and he had confessed he loved you so much, and that If he lost you, he will kill me. He also told me that he didn't care if I reported him,he was not accepting my blackmail.”

  I looked at her stunned, my heart was beating fast.

  “And you reported him?” I asked her.

  “No, I didn't but was really surprised when the following day Lisa told me he had resigned. Why did he do that?” She asked.

  “Maybe he thought you would have done it and wanted to beat you on time,” I replied. That's the only explanation I could think of.

  “I don't know but how is he now? She asked looking at me. She seemed really concerned.

  “I don't know,it's been 2 days since I last saw him. He's not even at his flat,” I said sadly.

  “Well actually I've been there already, his flat has been rented to someone else. He doesn't live there anymore,” she confessed.