Discovered

I walked into the classroom, and all eyes turned to me. Shoot, I was late to English class on my very first day at a new school.

 “Um, I’m sorry, I’m new here. Is this English twelve?” I asked nervously, focusing only on the brunette, shaggy-haired teacher. Wait… this teacher is actually really attractive. How old could he be? Twenty-two? Dang. Whoa, what am I thinking? He’s a teacher. Weird.

“Yes, this is the class you’re looking for. You’re name is Teagan Lott, correct?” He replied, looking down at a list on his desk for my name as he spoke.

“Yep, that’s me,” I answered awkwardly.

“Well Teagan, I’m Mr. Jackson. You can take a seat at that empty desk in the second row,” He told me, pointing to an empty chair next to a cute, perky-looking blonde girl.

“Hi, I’m Aria!” She whispered to me, smiling. 

“Hey. I'm Teagan... obviously, since the teacher just said it in front of everyone.” I whispered shyly back to her. 

“I like your sweatshirt, by the way! Aren't you dying in it, though? It's hot in this school....”

“Thanks, and I don't really mind the heat. I get cold a lot. ” I lied simply, sending her a smile. It was so hot I thought I was going to die, but I couldn't take off the sweatshirt. I just couldn't. Then people would see it.... I tried to get my mind off of the heat and listened to the teacher.

Mr. Jackson continued teaching and I kept accidentally thinking about how good-looking he was. Then I’d remember not to, but I’d eventually let my mind wander and I’d end up thinking about him again.

After class, he called me over to his desk. By the time I got there, Aria was the last person exiting the room, waving to me as she left. I waved back and then turned to Mr. Jackson.

"So how was your first day?" He asked me with a handsome smile. Ergh, no. Not handsome. Stop it, Teagan!

"It was alright," I answered, trying to avoid his gaze. I had a problem with people. I had poor social skills because I was afraid of someone finding out my secret.

"I'm glad. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help you," he replied, taking me out of my thoughts.

"Okay, thanks."

"Let me get you some work so you can catch up quickly. I don't want you to be completely confused in this class. Here are some papers. Oh, will you do me a favor and bring that paper cutter over here?" He said all of this while taking papers out of folders, and then pointed to the table at the back of the room with the paper cutter on top of it.

I walked to the back of the room obediently, and when I got to the table, the sharp part of the cutter was up, so I decided to put it down before I carried it across the room. I'm incredibly clumsy, and I'd most likely find a way to hurt myself with it. However, it didn't even make it off the table before I did something clutzy with it. When I put the knife-like piece down, it came too quickly and I ended up getting a small cut on my forearm, ripping a hole in my sweatshirt.

When it cut me, a sharp intake of breath escaped my lips and I pulled my arm back in surprise. Before I knew it, Mr. Jackson was right next to me.

"Are you okay?" He asked, grabbing my arm.

I pulled my arm away so quickly that he looked at me, shocked and confused.

"Um, I'm fine. Don't worry about it. It's just a little cut. I should probably go now." I said quickly, staring at my shoe and taking one step away from the table.

"I'm not allowing you to leave until I put a band-aid and disinfectant on this cut of yours. As a teacher, it's my job to take care of my students." Smiling, he grabbed my arm quickly and pulled up my sleeve gently but swiftly, catching me off guard. When he looked at my arm, he gasped.

I pulled my sleeve back down as fast as I could, wincing when it went over my fresh cut. Oh no; what was he going to say?

He raised his hand to my arm again quickly, and I flinched away from him, putting my hands out in front of me and turning my head away.

"Whoa, what was with that flinch? Did you think I was about to hit you or something? Give me your arm." He insisted, grabbing my arm again, but this time more forcefully.

I tried pulling away, but he was really strong. He pushed my sleeve up to the top of my arm, and he traced his fingers up my arm. I couldn't look at him. I refused to see what he looked like when he saw it all.

"What is all this?" He inquired quietly, and I could feel him looking intently at me.

"It's nothing. I fell off my bicycle." I stared determinedly at the floor tiles, feeling my eyes begin to fill with tears.

"Teagan, your arms are completely covered in cuts and bruises. Tell me the truth about what happened." He lifted my chin to force me to look into his eyes.

I looked up reluctantly, and what I saw in his nice green eyes surprised me. He looked really concerned, and had a soft look on his face. My tears spilled over then, and streamed down my cheeks. No one had really cared before. I hid them as a precaution, and no one had seen them before.

"Car crash." I whispered, wiping my cheeks with my sleeve.

"I know that's not true. Tell me where these came from. Please."

"I have to go," I said quickly, and I ran out of the room and all the way to my car.

"Teagan!" I heard him call after me as the door shut behind me.

When I got in the driver's seat, I just sat there and cried. Who was this teacher and why was he the first person that I actually wanted to tell? No one had ever seen my scars before. No one but the person who caused them.

My father.