Speechless// Jachary

16

A/N This cha is littered with things that could trigger people. Read with caution.

daniel and Mrs Barnsley stayed by Jack's bedside and helped him through his tears. The day was hell. The night was hell. The funeral was more than hell. Everyone was trying to speak to him. He couldn't stop crying through the whole service.

Jack's mother didn't finish writing her will. She started years ago but didn't see the point in finishing it. Her sister got the house, her cousin got her jewellery, her best friend got her books and Jack and his siblings got her diaries and photo albums. nobody got  The custody of any of the children. Jack didn't know what was going to happen. He wanted to stay with Mrs Barnsley forever; for her to adopt him but she was only supposed to be a temporary fix.

Eventually the time came for Jack to go back to school and for Daniel to go back home. Jack was still in the deepest depression he had ever had and cut often. He wished for Daniel to come back but he knew that he had to go.

The first day of school the teen walked around with his head down and his back slouched, only doing things if absolutely necessary. He skipped breakfast. He skipped lunch. He opened his locker to find a letter, which he put in his pocket as the bell rang signalling the end of lunch.

The curly haired boy had a class with his favourite teacher; Mr Crupp. He walked into class and sat down at a desk near the teacher.He didn't look up when he started speaking.

"Class! Today we will be doing something a little bit different at the start." He sat down on his chair. And pressed the button to change the projector screen. Jack look at it.

"I wish my students knew how much I love my job and how much I hate seeing students in difficult situations." He picked up a pile of paper and started handing it around. "I bet there is a lot of things that you guys," he pointed round at the students. "Would like me to know."

Jack knew instantly dad got what he wanted to tell him. "Take a look at the slip I've given you." He sat back down at his desk. "I wish my teacher knew..." He paused. "what do you wish I knew about." He stood up. "This could be your chance to tell me something that you don't have the courage to tell me in person. It could be something like, 'I wish my teacher knew how great I think he is,' " students started laughing. Jack smiled. Jack smiled for the first time in months.

"Or it could be more serious. Why you struggle in class, something at home etcetera. At the bottom of the sheet you will see two," he help up two fingers. "check boxes." One of them says ' private' and the other one says 'public.' If you tick the private box, it will stay between me and you. If you tick the public box I may choose to share it with the class, anonymously if I feel it an appropriate subject to discuss in class. Please start writing.

Jack picked up his pen, writing his name at the top of the sheet and ticking the square box labels 'private ' and then proceeding to finish the sentence written on the paper. He wrote,

I wish my teacher knew that my grandma wants my custody but I want so stay with who I'm with right now. She is happy to adopt me but I'm scared I will have to live with my grandma if the court grants her custody over Mrs Barnsley.

His words came from his heart. His grandma didn't understand him. His grandma would frown upon him. His grandma would act like the supply teacher did. If his grandma got custody, there really would be only one escape. Suicide.