Some Days Feel Like Razorblades

Jack POV

Okay third day of school. I'm on time, I'm prepared, and I'm trying to keep my cool. It's not that hard being the cool teacher. I was in high school just a few years back so I understand the stress with everything. Most of my students are juniors and seniors so they are already under a lot of stress with finals and college so I give no homework. That was the one thing I vowed. I want my students to have a nice stress free environment to have fun in. As the kids pile in I tell them all to sit down and be quiet. I start my lesson and passed out the work books. I think the kids respect me because of how young I am and I'm, from what I hear, the cool teacher. I feel like if a student needed to talk to someone they would come to me over the old seasoned teachers. There was one girl who worried me a little, Alice. She just sits there writing notes with her head down. During free time she sits and listens to music. No one even tries to talk to her, It's quite sad.
"Alice, can you come see me at the end of the day" I asked as the bell rang
She nodded and left.
I have walked around and peeked at her note book. And it was all scribbles. Looked like me song lyric book vaguely. They had little notes next to the scribbles. Her fingers weren't calloused like a guitar player or another string player, maybe a pianist or percussionist. My next hour came in as I sat on my desk.
"Guys sit down." I smiled
"Hey jack. Where's Alex been. He hasen't been here" a kid, mike, asked
"I'm not sure." I lied
"I heard he got in a car crash" some kid said
"I'm not sure but wherever he is I hope he is okay" I smiled
I passed out workbooks and everyone eventually quieted down and got to work. As the bell rang I grabbed my guitar and started to play. As I got bored of guitar I got up and sat at the old grand piano in the back of the room my fingers slid across the keys as I played. The piano needed some tuning but that was normal. It probably had been sitting there gathering dust for five or six years. I finished the song as a voice cleared their throat. I turned around and there standing at the door frame was Tom. The visitors pass hanging from his pocket.
"I forgot you could play." He chuckled
"I forgot I could too" I got up grabbing the micro fiber cloth out of my desk drawer
"How are you" he asked walking over to me
"I'm good. How are you holding up" I asked wiping off the piano dust
"I'm okay. Still in shock" he sat atop a desk
"Yeah that's how it usually works. He comes home tomorrow right" I smiled
"Yeah. I have to sit him down and explain some things to him but I'm not sure how to do it" he sighed
"I understand. It's tough job" I half smiled
"It is. I don't know how to approach him" Tom got up off the desk
"Do it slowly. Ease into it. Don't sit him down as soon as he gets home. Do it over dinner or lunch. Make sure there are no blades anywhere. Check for spots in the carpet, drawers, closet, and bathroom. Remove anything that could cause pain and draw blood." I closed the piano and stood by Tom
"I can't loose him jack-o. He is literally all I have." Toms shoulders shuttered
"I understand. It's hard."I put my arm around his shoulders
"Thanks jack. You're a great friend. Alex could learn a thing or too from you." Tom smiled
"You gotta keep it together for the kids." I chuckled
"Right. Well I'll see you soon." He smiled
"Keep me update" I grinned
"Will do" Tom left

I had been working on the rest of the months lesson plans when there was a knock at the door

"Hey jack you wanted to see me" Alice said from the door frame
"Oh hey Alice, sit sit" I gestured to the spinny chair next to mine
"Am I in trouble. Have I done something wrong" her voice quivered
"No, god no. I just wanted to get to know you. Figure out what's going on up there" I pointed to my head
"Oh okay" she hesitated
"So what music are you into" I sat back in my chair
"Pop punk, you know twenty one pilots, green day, blink, so on and so forth" she seemed to relax
"you've got good taste kid" I smiled
"Anything else" she asked
"You play any instruments" I cheekily grinned
"Piano, guitar, ukulele, clarinet, violin, viola, and drums" she counted on her fingers
"Nice. How do you manage everything" I asked
"I'm in band and orchestra as well as I have lessons twice a week for viola" she glared like she was better then me
"Would you play something for me"
"maybe some day" she grinned
"I'm going to hold you to it" I spun in my chair
"You know what. Come with me" she stood up and say at the grand piano
"It's really out of tune" I warned
"Figured. Judging on the layer of dust on the black keys this hasn't been touched in years" she chuckled
"Yeah I..." Alice cut me off by starting to play

The song sounded familiar. I couldn't quite figure it out until she started to sing, the. It hit me. Adams song by Blink. The song didn't do her voice justice. She sounded like she was expertly trained. Not just a run-of-the-mill choir member. I walked and got my acoustic and played with her. As her hands slowed and the song stopped she looked back to me.

"That song got me through so much. I had to learn it" she looked at her hands
"Yeah. Same" I looked at my feet propped against the chair back
"Have you ever just felt like no one cared" she spun to face me
"You bet kiddo" I placed my guitar on its wall mount
"Want to know a funny story. Well not so funny" she laughed
"Yeah sure" I furrowed my forehead
"When I was a freshman I was walking around my neighborhood, my parents had gone on a 'Business trip' to get away from me. I went to cross the street. I had my music turned up, enraged that they just up and left without my knowing. I crossed the street without hearing or seeing a car. I was hit at 40 miles an hour. I had 9 broken bones. I spent a month and a half out of school in and out of hospital. No one noticed. I had to depend on my aunt and uncle to take care of me. Even then I'm sure they were fed up with me." She looked at her hands
"Hey if you feel like people don't care you can always come talk to me. Give me your phone" I stuck out my hand
"Why" she handed it over
"Because I'm giving you my number. Whenever you need someone to talk to you can text me. Any day any time. I don't care if it's 3 in the morning you can talk to me." I handed her phone back
"Thanks jack. But you really don't have to worry about me" Alice smiled
"I worry about everyone" i said as the bell rang
"Thanks jack" Alice said from the door
"Any time" I pointed to her

My phone buzzed in my pants.

"Hey it's Alice" it read
"It's jack" I replied
"Okay I just wanted to see if it was actually you"
"It is. Now pay attention you have class" I said very teacher like
"I'm in art. He doesn't care" she replied
"Oh get to drawing" I replied shutting my phone off

I'm glad she is okay.

Notes

I'm trying to put out one chapter every week, its not going so well. I'm trying at least.