Transfer student (1)

~Elizabeth~

What was the most humiliating experience a teacher could ever have?

Some would say discovering students found their classes boring. Other would say being scolded by the principal in front of the entire class.

Until this morning, I could have agreed with the second one.

But now....

Nothing could possibly compare to a student from my school finding me in nothing but my undergarments.

The moments our eyes met, every muscle in my body screamed humiliation.

My fingers instinctively clutched the oversized black T-shirt lying on the bed, and hurriedly pulled it tightly against my chest. Heat rushed to my face as my heart thumped wildly in my ears.

 ‘’W-Who are you?’’ I stammered, my voice trembling. I hastily grabbed the duvet I had pushed aside with my other hand, and yanked it over my body. As though the extra layer could somehow preserve the little dignity I had left as a teacher.

The student did not answer. Without a word, he turned around with his back facing my gaze.

‘’I neither looked at you nor touched you inappropriately if that’s what you’re concerned about.’’ He didn’t so much glance over his shoulder, as though deliberately giving me the privacy I needed. For a fleeting second, I felt grateful for his thoughtfulness.

Still, that passing appreciation did not make me forget my interrogation.

‘’Who are you and why am I here?’’

I did not entirely believe he neither looked nor touched my body. I mean...he just stared at me just now before turning around.

‘’Don’t you remember from last night? At the night club?’’ He asked, and I stayed silent, feeling more shame creeping in.

I didn’t want to admit that I remembered my drunken and careless actions from last night.

Especially now that I was in the presence of a student from my school. Who knows if the next gossip spreading through school would be about my drunken behavior? I could already imagine the stares from my teacher colleagues and students, and the judging whispers behind my back.

I could also lose my job as a teacher.

‘’You were drunk and I didn’t know where you lived.’’ The student explained as if sensing my unease. ‘’I had to bring you over to my apartment.’’

He paused before adding. ‘’You also threw up on our way back. I had the housekeeper change your clothes and get them washed.’’

‘’Your housekeeper?’’

‘’Yes, and she’s a woman.’’ He replied, his tone calm. ‘’If you don’t believe me, you are welcome to watch the CCTV footage from my apartment.’’

I didn’t know what to say.

It’s one thing to claim that he did nothing to me while I was unconscious. It’s another to willingly offer evidence to prove his innocence. I momentarily swept my gaze across the entire room, and indeed found a security camera mounted high up in a corner, its tiny red indicator light blinking steadily.

‘’I’d love to chat with you about our first time together all day, but it’s past eight and we have to get to school.’’

I looked back at the student.

First time together? That did not sound good to my ears.

‘’...we?’’ Confusion lingered in my tone, as well as wariness.

‘’Yes, we.’’ He replied matter-of-factly. ‘’Or you want to be late to your class with an excuse of getting drunk at a night club, teacher?’’

That immediately shut me up.

He knows who I am....

I noticed how addressed me as teacher. He definitely knew who I was. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have mentioned taking me along to school.

So much for the tiny hope I’d clung to that he had no idea of who I was, and I could manage to avoid him at school.

‘’Your clothes are on the bed.’’ He stated. ‘’You should be take a bath and meet me downstairs when you’re done. We’ll stop by your house before going to school.’’ 

 ‘’No one’s going to fault your tardiness when you’re with me, teacher.’’ He said before stepping out and shutting the door.

The moment I heard the closing click, I let out a shaky breath I hadn’t realized I was holding in. I watched door warily as though the student might suddenly open it and take a peek inside the room.

Seeing no sign of movement, I allowed myself to relax a little bit.

‘’...What have you done, Liz?’’ I whispered. Letting go of the duvet and T-shirt I’d been clutching, I buried my face in my hands.

Was it stupidly getting drunk at a night club?

Or was it appearing in the bed of a student from the school I teach? I had even called him handsome and asked him if he was married!

What should I do? I lifted my face, wondering what I could do to prevent the student from sharing what happened between us in school.

I also have to get to school. I didn’t forget the time the student had mentioned before he left. It was past 8 o’clock, and I’ve always arrived at school earlier than that.

The principal would definitely call me to the office.

‘’Let’s be calm and think one at a time.’’ I told myself and took a deep breath to soothe my nerves before getting down from the bed. The moment my feet touched the cool tiles and I stood up, the wave of nausea I felt earlier resurfaced, and I suddenly had the urge to puke.

‘’Ugh...’’ I clapped my hand over my mouth, my eyes frantically darting around the spacious room in search of the bathroom. I rushed to the nearest door and yanked it open, only to see it was a spacious closet.

‘’.....!’’

I spun around and quickly headed for the other door.

Luckily, it was the bathroom. Without wasting a second, I dashed straight for the toilet and threw up everything possible from my stomach.

Tears pricked my eyes as I retched until nothing came up, leaving my throat raw and burning. Panting, I slumped against the toilet seat and struggled to reach out for the flush lever. After a few clumsy attempts, I managed to press it and watched the water swirl everything away.

....I am never getting drunk again. I silently vowed before taking a brief moment to steady my breathing. Only then did I take a look around.

How spotless...

Not a single crack on the wall or mold. The glass shower partition and marble counter gleamed beneath the soft lightning. The bathroom looked less like a part of an apartment and more like something straight out of a luxury hotel.

It was a stark contrast to the tiny cubicle-sized bathroom I’ve always known.

I wonder who his parents are...

The thought crossed my mind.

I knew the faces of all my students and his face was not a familiar one. Perhaps he was a student from another class? But then, I was fairly familiar with the faces of 12th grade students. If there was a student like him at school, I would have noticed him at some point.

A transfer student maybe? The possibility surfaced my mind, only for me to pause my thoughts. I suddenly recalled there was a new transfer student. One I had yet to meet in person, and that student was arriving in my class today.

No...No...perhaps he’s a student from another class that I don’t know.

That student I just met surely couldn’t be the son of Lena Quinn and her husband....

Right?

‘’He can’t be the one.’’ I shook head and pushed myself up from the tiled floor. ‘’He must be from a different grade. Why did I assume he was from 12th grade?’’

This was what I kept assuring myself with until I arrived at school with the student.

‘’Welcome to Elite Crest Academy, Lucian Henderson!’’ The Principal exclaimed with a broad smile as he walked over to greet the student on my side.

The student I met this morning in nothing but my undergarments.

My heart sank.