All Is Lost
1.
I've worked at Dulaney High for two years now. I'm the music teacher. The pupils here aren't as bad as some other schools. When Dulaney's old music teacher retired, they heard I was training and offered me the job, I used to go here and I was a 'gifted' pupil. If I was so gifted then my band would have taken off. It didn't.
I was slightly excited for work today. I'd been offered the chance to have a trainee teacher stay with me for the next year or so. Okay... so I wasn't really 'offered' as such. I begged for a hand. There's so much work to do around here that I can't handle it any more.
When I pulled into the empty parking lot I noticed the trainee's car. It was a battered, old Mercedes. I grabbed my files and folders and went straight over to the music block. My desk is constantly cluttered with papers and sheet music, I tried to straighten it up slightly before walking down to the office to meet my new bitch assistant. The receptionist, Joanna, smiled at me as I walked through the corridor.
"Hi Alex!" I waved at her and she blushed. "I'm guessing you're here to collect the new trainee?" I nodded in reply and she continued to speak."He arrived about twenty minutes ago. You can go through to Lynda's office and she'll introduce you two I guess..."
"Thanks Joanna," I walked through to the Pricipals office. How many times was I here when I came to Dulaney? Too many...
I walked into the office and closed the door behind me. "Ah! Mr Gaskarth!"The principal smiled and motioned to a seat. I saw the back of a dark haired gentleman. I took the seat next to him.
"Morning Alex," The dark haired stranger smiled at me. That fucking smile! Trademark!
"Jack!?" I haven't spoken to him for... A little while... I was hoping I'd never see that smile again... That face. He destroyed me! He hasn't contacted me since our band broke up.
"I remember when both of you were in here being punished and now look at you both! You've changed so much!" She's lost the plot! She can't expect me to work with him! "I was just about to send Joanna looking for you. I'm guessing I can leave you to show Mr Barakat to the new music block? And of course brief him of his duties?"
"Sure thing. Thanks for your time," she shook her head.
"It's no trouble at all! Your first class'll be in shortly Gaskarth," She warned and I merely nodded before leading Jack out of the door.
This year can go well or not.
"Long time no see, huh 'Lex?" I glared at him.
"You only have yourself to blame Barakat," I have never called Jack by his last name. I've never truly held a grudge against him. I trust him. Trusted him. Then he left me... Alone...
"You could have called me Lexy... I thought you were ignoring me after the row?"
"The reason our band broke up has nothing to do with this!" I clenched my fists. "Besides, we never would have gotten very far anyway. Just drop the subject. Our first class are complete clowns and they're only fourteen. Prepare for chaos." I led him over to the music block and went into my classroom. There was ten minutes until the bell for first period went. Hopefully there won't be too much trouble.
"You changed your hair Lexy, the red looked good," I shook my head and dismissed his comment.
"It looked stupid. The brown looks best. You got rid of your skunk do?" I put some of the work for my later classes in the cabinet to the left of the door. Jack was sitting on one of the front desks. He shrugged his shoulders and looked down.
"Needed a fresh start I guess," He mumbled and looked out of the window. "Can you remember your first music class here? I can,"He laughed lightly. I kind of missed the sound.
"Yep," I popped the 'p' and sat on my desk. "You were a complete and utter misfit, a billy no mates... Not much changed there," He threw a pen at my head and I ducked. "You need to perfect your aim. Watch Jonathan, he's in our fist class and he never misses my head." Jack laughed.
"I'll take notes... Wait! You think I was a misfit? You were just some creepy kid with a freaky accent," I nodded.
"Fair play," I looked out of the window and checked out the weather. Sunny.
FLASHBACK TO ALEX'S FIRST MUSIC LESSON!
I walked into the already full classroom and wondered over to the teacher nervously. He looked up at me and pointed to a seat in the back.
"SETTLE DOWN!" The class went quiet as he began to introduce me. "This is Alex Gaskarth. Introduce yourself." I stood up and looked at the faces of my new classmates. Some of them looked cruel and a few looked sympathetic.
A brunette boy with blonde streaks caught my eye and he started to pull faces at me. I tried to stifle a giggle.
"uh... Hi... I'm Alex..." I sat down awkwardly.
"DUUDE!" The brunette from before grinned at me before putting on a shitty accent. "Alax, are you bretesh?" I laughed.
"Yeah. I moved here last year." I blushed as people laughed at his impersonation. "That was the worst accent I've ever heard." he winked at me.
END OF FLASHBACK
I hears the noise in the corridor and braced myself. I looked over at Jack and caught him looking at me biting his lip. He turned his head to the door.
"Sorry I zoned out... Has the bell gone?" he nodded and I opened the door. I addressed my pupils and watched Jack move to my desk. "SHUT IT!" the students in front of me looked at me and quietened down. "You know the drill. Come in. Usual seats. If you do a swap I'll know." I moved away from the door and let them through. I saw a few whisper and stare at Jack. He grew uncomfortable. I can tell. He used to be my best friend. Once the class had settled I turned to look at Jack and he stood up. "Listen up! This is Mr Barakat. He's going to be with us for the next year. Any idiots who want to quiz Mr Barakat? This is your one chance?"A girl towards the front raised her hand. "Yes Elizabeth?"
"Is he gay?" A few people snickered as Elizabeth twirled her blonde hair around her fingers. "It's a serious question!" She protested. Jack cleared his throat and the room silenced.
"Not gay. Bisexual." He smiled. "Any other irrelevant questions?"The class shook their heads and he turned to me. "Good."
I can't help but think about how much Jack's changed. He hasn't made a stupid or inappropriate joke all day.
"That's what she said!" Okay. he's only made one stupid and inappropriate joke today. A lot less then he used to. He's sexier too. The older girls have been drooling over him all day. I'm jealous! That was me last week! Now he's stolen my role as hottest male teacher.
How dare he!
I was slightly excited for work today. I'd been offered the chance to have a trainee teacher stay with me for the next year or so. Okay... so I wasn't really 'offered' as such. I begged for a hand. There's so much work to do around here that I can't handle it any more.
When I pulled into the empty parking lot I noticed the trainee's car. It was a battered, old Mercedes. I grabbed my files and folders and went straight over to the music block. My desk is constantly cluttered with papers and sheet music, I tried to straighten it up slightly before walking down to the office to meet my new bitch assistant. The receptionist, Joanna, smiled at me as I walked through the corridor.
"Hi Alex!" I waved at her and she blushed. "I'm guessing you're here to collect the new trainee?" I nodded in reply and she continued to speak."He arrived about twenty minutes ago. You can go through to Lynda's office and she'll introduce you two I guess..."
"Thanks Joanna," I walked through to the Pricipals office. How many times was I here when I came to Dulaney? Too many...
I walked into the office and closed the door behind me. "Ah! Mr Gaskarth!"The principal smiled and motioned to a seat. I saw the back of a dark haired gentleman. I took the seat next to him.
"Morning Alex," The dark haired stranger smiled at me. That fucking smile! Trademark!
"Jack!?" I haven't spoken to him for... A little while... I was hoping I'd never see that smile again... That face. He destroyed me! He hasn't contacted me since our band broke up.
"I remember when both of you were in here being punished and now look at you both! You've changed so much!" She's lost the plot! She can't expect me to work with him! "I was just about to send Joanna looking for you. I'm guessing I can leave you to show Mr Barakat to the new music block? And of course brief him of his duties?"
"Sure thing. Thanks for your time," she shook her head.
"It's no trouble at all! Your first class'll be in shortly Gaskarth," She warned and I merely nodded before leading Jack out of the door.
This year can go well or not.
"Long time no see, huh 'Lex?" I glared at him.
"You only have yourself to blame Barakat," I have never called Jack by his last name. I've never truly held a grudge against him. I trust him. Trusted him. Then he left me... Alone...
"You could have called me Lexy... I thought you were ignoring me after the row?"
"The reason our band broke up has nothing to do with this!" I clenched my fists. "Besides, we never would have gotten very far anyway. Just drop the subject. Our first class are complete clowns and they're only fourteen. Prepare for chaos." I led him over to the music block and went into my classroom. There was ten minutes until the bell for first period went. Hopefully there won't be too much trouble.
"You changed your hair Lexy, the red looked good," I shook my head and dismissed his comment.
"It looked stupid. The brown looks best. You got rid of your skunk do?" I put some of the work for my later classes in the cabinet to the left of the door. Jack was sitting on one of the front desks. He shrugged his shoulders and looked down.
"Needed a fresh start I guess," He mumbled and looked out of the window. "Can you remember your first music class here? I can,"He laughed lightly. I kind of missed the sound.
"Yep," I popped the 'p' and sat on my desk. "You were a complete and utter misfit, a billy no mates... Not much changed there," He threw a pen at my head and I ducked. "You need to perfect your aim. Watch Jonathan, he's in our fist class and he never misses my head." Jack laughed.
"I'll take notes... Wait! You think I was a misfit? You were just some creepy kid with a freaky accent," I nodded.
"Fair play," I looked out of the window and checked out the weather. Sunny.
FLASHBACK TO ALEX'S FIRST MUSIC LESSON!
I walked into the already full classroom and wondered over to the teacher nervously. He looked up at me and pointed to a seat in the back.
"SETTLE DOWN!" The class went quiet as he began to introduce me. "This is Alex Gaskarth. Introduce yourself." I stood up and looked at the faces of my new classmates. Some of them looked cruel and a few looked sympathetic.
A brunette boy with blonde streaks caught my eye and he started to pull faces at me. I tried to stifle a giggle.
"uh... Hi... I'm Alex..." I sat down awkwardly.
"DUUDE!" The brunette from before grinned at me before putting on a shitty accent. "Alax, are you bretesh?" I laughed.
"Yeah. I moved here last year." I blushed as people laughed at his impersonation. "That was the worst accent I've ever heard." he winked at me.
END OF FLASHBACK
I hears the noise in the corridor and braced myself. I looked over at Jack and caught him looking at me biting his lip. He turned his head to the door.
"Sorry I zoned out... Has the bell gone?" he nodded and I opened the door. I addressed my pupils and watched Jack move to my desk. "SHUT IT!" the students in front of me looked at me and quietened down. "You know the drill. Come in. Usual seats. If you do a swap I'll know." I moved away from the door and let them through. I saw a few whisper and stare at Jack. He grew uncomfortable. I can tell. He used to be my best friend. Once the class had settled I turned to look at Jack and he stood up. "Listen up! This is Mr Barakat. He's going to be with us for the next year. Any idiots who want to quiz Mr Barakat? This is your one chance?"A girl towards the front raised her hand. "Yes Elizabeth?"
"Is he gay?" A few people snickered as Elizabeth twirled her blonde hair around her fingers. "It's a serious question!" She protested. Jack cleared his throat and the room silenced.
"Not gay. Bisexual." He smiled. "Any other irrelevant questions?"The class shook their heads and he turned to me. "Good."
I can't help but think about how much Jack's changed. He hasn't made a stupid or inappropriate joke all day.
"That's what she said!" Okay. he's only made one stupid and inappropriate joke today. A lot less then he used to. He's sexier too. The older girls have been drooling over him all day. I'm jealous! That was me last week! Now he's stolen my role as hottest male teacher.
How dare he!
9/15/13