Retired S-rank father becomes a teacher

Settling into my seat for first period, I stared at him. The chair next to him was empty because Elizabeth usually arrived one minute before the teacher did. No, I didn’t count the days she was late, it was just coincidence. Then someone else sat next to him. A guy, his friend, Alan.

What? That was Elizabeth’s spot in every class they shared.

Alan patted Silas on his back like he was consoling him about something. I couldn’t hear what he was saying because they were at the back of the class. Did Elizabeth die? No she was a goddess, someone who didn’t get sick like me. Not to mention he would’ve reacted stronger if that happened; I had seen him get protective over her. My diary had many stories of those moments.

The clock ticked and it was one minute till class would start and the most beautiful person in this world walked in. She was glowing as always. Her silver hair was flowing behind her with each step.

Silas’ expression softened when he saw her.

Something stabbed at my heart.

Elizabeth walked to the front of the class, ignoring him and sat in the chair in the first row. The one next to me, a vacant place that never had anyone sit in it because I was there.

“Evelyn...right?” She asked me as she sat down, her voice like a soft breeze.

I nodded. It was the only thing I could do. "Y-you can call me Eve."

Taking out her books, she said, “I like Evelyn better, it's prettier. I hope you don’t mind me sitting here for now.”

“N-no.” Why was she sitting with me? “B-but don’t you usually sit with Silas?”

Her green eyes looked into mine. The color reminded me of grass on a sunny day: a perfect day.

A soft sigh left her mouth. “We... are on a break I suppose,” she spoke with a hint of melancholy.

My eyes went back to the purple-eyed boy, who wasn’t even looking this way. His head buried in his arms. A break?

“Did he cheat on you?” I asked, the words just came out, surprising even myself.

She shook her head, “No, I have family stuff going on back home. I need space.”

That...made sense. Family was always important, a mother and sister were the closest relation one should have, and I was being insensitive by prying into her business.

“I’m sorry I asked a stupid question,” I mumbled, my eyes down.

The teacher walked in at that moment, the chatter of students dying down and he started writing on the board as the sound of chalk echoed in the room. At the end of the class he’d give us our grade on the exam and I prayed for an A.

Class passed in a blur. My hand moved on its own to write the notes, my brain was stuck thinking about Elizabeth and Silas. Maybe they were actually breaking up and I had a chance—no what was I thinking. A guy like him would never go for a girl like me, never. Not to mention he loved her since they were kids.

The teacher handed out the exam paper, one by one, passing by every student until he got to me. His face was stoic, his eyes cold like most men that looked at me. With one quick movement, he placed the exam on my desk and continued with the other students.

The paper was upside down. It felt heavy to me as I turned it around. I couldn’t look, what if I failed? My hands shook. A voice next to me whispered, “I got an A, how about you?”

In bold red letters was my grade. B. Not an A+ or even an A but a B.

A sudden heaviness filled my stomach; I wanted to throw up but I held it in instead. I grabbed my bag and quickly ran out of the class. The roof of the school was a quiet place, no one came up here unless they were skipping class. I dropped my bag and stared at the blue sky.

I failed.

No food for me for another week. Mom would be disappointed.

What did I even do wrong, besides existing?

Why am I so pathetic?

There was a railing on the roof, made to prevent students from falling off: the school cared more about lawsuits than they did about mental health. My eyes looked down at the ground, so far away, people looking so small. I could jump and no one would care. Mom wouldn’t have a disappointment anymore.

I gripped the railing, my hands hurt, the metal was cold under my skin. One step, just one step over the bar and I would be in Heaven, right where I belonged or Hell but at least I wouldn’t feel this constant pain anymore.

My body was eating itself away, I could barely focus in class, I had no friends, and the boy I liked was in love with someone else. I wasn’t pretty, or smart, or talented. I had nothing.

I stepped on the railing and for the first time in my life, I felt at peace. The air felt fresh, my mind blank.

Then a hand grabbed mine. Strong and rough.

I looked back to see two purple eyes staring at me with an intense gaze. It was him, Silas.

He pulled me back to the roof.

My heart pounded and my mouth moved before my brain did, “Why?”

“Why did you save me?!” My voice was higher than normal.

Silas Vane didn’t answer me, he just looked at me with an unreadable expression and then he let go of my arm, taking out a beer from his bag and handing it to me.

Confused, I accepted the can and opened it.

Taking a sip of the cold liquid, almost throwing up from the bitterness, I watched him take a seat on the dirty floor of the roof by the railing. He opened his own can and looked at the sky.

After a few minutes of silence I asked again, this time softer, “Why?”

He shrugged. “Don’t know.”

I didn’t know how to respond, my head felt fuzzy from the alcohol and my heart was beating a thousand times a second. When did I sit down? I was sitting next to him, our arms almost touching.

We drank in silence, just looking at the sky.

Then he finally spoke up, his voice low, “Do you think a break means a relationship is over?”

My breath hitched.

A break meant they would get back together. Of course. But a pit in my stomach, maybe a devil on my shoulder told me to lie. It told me to try and replace the beautiful Elizabeth with myself. Maybe he’d fall in love with me instead, maybe I was good enough for someone like him.

No...I couldn’t do that. That wasn’t right.

But the devil won and I opened my mouth to utter words I shouldn’t have.

“Maybe? Breaks are usually just a step before a breakup.”

His eyes widened. The despair that passed his face was so clear because I saw that expression many times in my mirror.

The beer can crunched in his hand. The noise so loud in the quiet atmosphere.

I pulled him into a hug. The alcohol was making me feel warm and tingly. His body was stiff at first but then he relaxed in my embrace; it felt right to hold him like this, to comfort him.

The sun shone above us and my head rested on his shoulder. The smell of alcohol mixed with his cologne was intoxicating and I said the final nail in my coffin, “If you ever need a shoulder to cry on, you can always find me, Silas.”

He wrapped his arms around me, hiding his face in my neck. “Thank you, Eve.”

From that day on, we were closer and closer until eventually we became boyfriend and girlfriend. Not even this apocalypse would stop us. We’d stay together, forever, right?