My Teacher, Louis Tomlinson

Chapter 23- Help me

Ashton's POV:

Skye hasn't been at school for the past eight days. I was hoping to see her today, thinking that two weekends and a full week of school plus some extra days would have been enough time to heal whatever sickness she claimed to have. She hasn't replied to my texts in a few days, asking if I can bring over her late work. Maybe her phone broke?

Nonetheless, I decided to talk to Mr. Tomlinson about the situation during class today since he seemed pretty close with her. She'd mentioned that he took her home most days, too, so that was a plus. He cares enough about her to do that.

I waited patiently through scales and other random practices before Mr. Tomlinson finally told us to group up and work on our projects for a few minutes since he hadn't given us time to work on Friday due to a guest speaker.

"Mr. Tomlinson?" I went up to his desk that he'd just sat down at.

"Ah, Mr. Irwin, just the man I wanted to see." He greeted. "How's Skylynn doing?"

"Actually, that's why I came to speak with you. She hasn't replied to my texts or calls in days, and I feel like I need to go check on her... but I just don't know... I also have a bunch of late work to give her, but I really feel like I should spend time with her too. If she's really this sick then she must be miserable right now." I rambled.

"Of course. I can take you there after school, if you'd like? It's right across from my flat." He offered.

"That would be great, sir."

"Okay then."

Just then, the bell rang and my contemporaries scrambled to get their things together and get the hell out of here. I hung back, as I'd seen Skye do many times before.

"Ready to go?" Mr. Tomlinson asked after we'd gathered our things.

"Yes sir!" I said, slinging my backpack over my shoulders.

He led me to the teacher's parking lot where we had the misfortune of running into who Skye has dubbed the meanest teacher on campus, our English teacher.

"Well hello, gay-boy. Hope you're not bringing that poor child home for a quickie, because I'll have you know, that's very illegal." He sneered.

"I could very well have you reported for harassment of a faculty member and a student for what you just said." Mr. Tomlinson retorted.

"Yeah, well who is Vice Principal Saunders gonna believe? The man she sleeps next to every night or the first-year fag?"

Oh yeah. Did I mention that he and the Vice Principal were married?

Mr. Tomlinson frowned, protectively grabbing my shoulder and leading me to the car quickly.

"God, it's getting hard for me to turn the other cheek around him. I made the mistake of bringing my roommate Harry as my plus-one to one of the faculty banquets and now all he does is make fun of me for it. Christ, can't men be friends anymore?" He rants.

I make some kind of "hmmph" noise to let him know I agree as he starts the car.

The drive to Skye's house is short and silent. She lives with her uncle, aunt, and cousins in a small house across from a bunch of apartments. Mr. Tomlinson stops in front of her house and I open the door.

"I'll wait here and take you home, Ashton."

"Oh no, it's fine, sir. I can just call my mom to pick me up or something." I argue.

"No, no, no. I insist."

With that I thanked him and then grabbed my bag before making her way across the slightly unkempt lawn to the door. I rang the bell a couple of times and waited. A gruff man answered the door after the second ring.