Story of Clyde and Addison - Chapter 5
#5 of Clyde and Addison (Teacher/Student)
Chapter 5 - Powder Keg
Clyde read slowly along a list of 'professionally acclaimed' work out regiments by some British cat, cocking his eyebrow at the fact that they were identical to about one thousand other regiments. He had managed to diffuse the arousal a few minutes ago by distracting his mind with very harsh criticisms over the 'Cutting Edge' routines of various celebrities.
Really--people, these are nothing special. Why do they make such a big deal about it?
He flipped the page over and continued to read until Addison walked back in, his whole body was wet from the shower, and he tossed a towel and shirt over his shoulder.
"How was your shower, coach? We dragons don't actually have to shower all too often!"
"It was good; my hair was pretty tangled up. Needed to shower because someone spilt their drink on a bench, which I then laid down on."
Addison chuckled and set the towel on his head, drying off his mane while Clyde, from over his shoulder, snuck in glances at the wet fur and glistening, ebony body. He did not feel gauche doing it now, since Addison knew he was, and he just smiled and looked back to his magazine.
The coach chuckled as Clyde observed him and dropped his towel on the chair. "So you're just not going to compliment me, but stare? Shame, shame, shame!"
Clyde snorted, "I'm too busy reading to sit here and blow smoke up your ass!"
Addison laughed uproariously! "Well, excuse me for thinking otherwise!"
Clyde chuckled and then turned from the magazine, "So, Coach, what do you do in homeroom, usually?"
"Well, I review my planner, or meditate. Since you are here, though, I guess we can talk about what is on your mind." Addison looked over, "Do you want to talk about what happened?"
Clyde shrugged his shoulders, "Are you really that interested in hearing about this?"
"I'm a teacher, even if I weren't, I'd be concerned. Any person would." Addison answered very seriously, "How long has this been going on with your family?"
Clyde sighed a little quietly and, unwilling to look him in the eyes, stared at the wall and floor as he recited this story, once again, to the curious ears of a compassionate soul. He spoke quietly about how it began since he was young, when his mother had met this drunken man when his brother was younger, and he was just seven years old. The violence was immediate if not almost like a fulfilled promise, and Clyde said he learned from a very young age what it truly meant to be unhappy. His childhood was filled with witnessing violence occur to his mother and older brother, he mentioned he was always terrified to come home. When his older brother had prepared to move out Clyde desperately wanted to go with him-- but he admitted he felt guilty leaving his mother alone, so he never really left the home.
"Do you feel like you owe it to your mother to suffer with her?" Addison asked quietly, resting his chin under his hands.
"I guess I would hate my-self if I wasn't there for her, or my younger brother. I won't move out until either he dies, or my mom divorces him-- even then she can't really make it on her own." Clyde sighed and rubbed his head, feeling sickened by the feelings of imprisonment, and how selfish it made him feel. "I guess after a while I got used to being hit, when my brother came back it quieted down, but now its picking up-- it comes in waves, you know? It'll be loud for months, then quiet for months or a year even! Then-- something just sets it all off."
Addison nodded a bit more, taking this time to try to convey some words of strength. "When I had traveled, I met people with similar stories-- drug addicts, victims of domestic abuse. Every one of them felt weak, scared, and trapped by their lives; some older than you and haven't accomplished anything because of their fears."
Addison continued, "But-- I did meet others who came out of situations far worse-- they put them-selves through hell, and really mastered their own lives. I know it sounds more magical than real, but depending on how you look at and handle situations determines how strong you're going to be."
Clyde nodded though he still frowned and looked at the floor, "I know-- I read a lot of that inspirational stuff online. I guess I'm just sticking it out to be there for my family in a way my dad wasn't, my older brother is kind of odd and aggressive, but he's always there for me too." He went silent for a little bit and rubbed his face again, "I just wish that it would all stop, you know? We moved here to start over-- not to just keep dealing with the same bull shit."
Addison nodded a little bit more, he could see how upset Clyde was and decided it had been enough talking about that. He asked him if he wanted to lay down and Clyde decided he would, taking the time to curl up on the beanbag and close his eyes, albeit awkwardly since it was a new environment to him still. Addison was unsure what to do but he left the room for several minutes, while Clyde slept, Addison watched him sleep from the desk. He felt perturbed by this kid's struggle, he saw a lot of potential and kindness in him, he was like the free spirits of the people he had met in his travels.
Clyde definitely deserves a lot more-- any person does, but this kid's got such a pure heart. Taking punches for his mother, and at school. Sighing and rubbing his face he was unsure how to approach this from any other angle except being supportive, but he feared he might be developing to close of a proximity to it. Working with people his own age was simpler as there were no boundaries or jurisdiction, but teenagers were different-- especially when they seemed to have a crush on him. Oh Clyde why couldn't you just-- Addison caught him-self before the wishful thought could complete it-self, and pardoned him-self out of the room.
Clyde had drifted in and out of sleep for the next hour, feeling a bit more refreshed and excused him-self to homeroom while Addison offered him to come by any time.
"Just remember, I'm always here and so is the Councilor if you feel like you need any help, or to get things off your chest," he recited in a professional tone, before prompting Clyde to just face book him when he got home if he felt like he needed to vent more.
"Just don't tag me in those lame pictures anymore," Addison rolled his eyes as he prepared for the next period, "I'm not into those weird vine videos."
"Pffft-- the spongebob one was good, but I'll see you later Mr Addison." Clyde smiled and waved to him before wandering out of the room. He felt relieved-- and he felt closer to Addison, who time and time again was proving to be his only real and true friend in all of this mess. He thought over him for a moment before smiled to him-self shyly, and moved off to class.
The night before had been rough but he felt washed away of the stress for the time being, until he reached his science building for fifth period. While working he was suddenly called into the principal's office and his scales could have gone white when his eyes widened, and he felt his stomach hit the floor. Standing up from the desk he began his long walk to that evil place in the school, thinking rapidly in his head the immediate list of excuses, pleas, and reasons he could to exonerate him-self and Addison from trouble. As he walked to the red bricked building and slipped through the glass doors, he glanced at the receptionist desk at the two working women, who always looked uptight and miserable in school of only around five hundred students.
"In here Clyde," a voice called to him, and Clyde walked into the room to see his teacher Mr. Hand, and the principle. He closed the door behind him and moved to sit down, tapping his claws against his knee nervous, while struggling to keep his heart, and tail still. The principle was an older avian, he thought that she was some kind of white peacock, and when she was done looking over a paper she smiled pleasantly at her beak at the dragon. Her name was Mrs. Schall, and he had only met her once, but never actually spoke to her, and considering what happened in his last school, he was mortified of principles.
"I hear you have quite the reputation, you're working hard to be an honor-roll student, yes?"
"Yes mam," Clyde replied quietly, nodding only once. He felt his stomach twisting into knots, "Can--I ask why I am here."
"Mr. Hand was worried about the bruise on your face, and your dismissal of going to the counselor." She gently put her hands on the desk and appeared to frown, "Clyde--is there something going on in your home?"
Clyde fell silent for a moment and shook his head once, and she knew he was lying, but she nodded and sighed quietly for a moment, thinking. "I understand--talking about it can be difficult, but starting fights with students is not going to help either."
"F-fights?" Clyde began unsurely, "You mean between me and Marius?"
"And Alex," she began slowly, "I know the three of you were in some kind of brawl. He, Marius that is--has a history of this sort of thing, but I would not really want you to be enemies with any of my students, you understand?"
Clyde nodded and answered, though he felt suddenly annoyed that she would presume he started the fight; he assumed one of them must have made up some kind of story, since he did indeed throw the first punch, but this was a month ago almost. She explained he would need to start seeing the counselor if any other problems persisted, but she was hopeful they would not as he showed much promise, and held good rapport with the staff. Mr. Hand was kind to boast about Clyde's work ethic in the class, and Clyde nodded a bit quietly and thanked him, secretly wishing just to leave the principal's office.
"Now, one more thing Clyde. Before you go, I need you to understand that--some students, and their families, have a deeply rooted tradition. And if you were to start trying to gain attention, or make a scene about your own life style--I cannot protect you from that."
Clyde looked up with a sudden sharpness, "Even if I was antagonized in the beginning?"
"Well we have no way to prove this, but the problem is I have multiple students claiming you were in a fight last month--it took a while for it to reach my desk." She sighed and withdrew her hands, "Our private lives need to remain that way, all of us, not just you. You understand?"
"Yes mam, I do." Clyde replied quickly, nodding.
"All right, you can go, and take care of your-self," She nodded, with a seemingly less caring tone than when he walked in.
Upon leaving and closing the door Clyde felt anger inside of him, as if she were--accusing him of starting the fight for being gay, and for causing a scene! He rolled his eyes at the small town mentality, and as he was leaving he gripped his fists and until he reached the science room, when he was instantly given looks from Alex, Marius, and his friends. Clyde cocked his eye brow and realized now what it was he was dealing with and promptly took his seat, working his way through until he could put on his iPod and listen to his music. He relaxed in his seat with his eyes closed, and remained motionless even though he sensed the movement of the others around him. He heard a shuffle and saw a small piece of paper appear on his desk, unfolding it he saw the crudely drawn, almost caveman like description of him giving a blowjob. He heard snickers and gently laid his hands onto the desk and nodded twice, cracking his neck.
Mother--fuckers. You have no idea what I could fucking do to you if I did not give such a fucking damn about my school work, Clyde growled angrily, quietly enough not to alert anyone. The rest of the school day was in a blur until he left and he angrily passed by Marius and Alex, catching their eyes and returning a deathly stare as he hopped down the small flight of stairs. He found Addison and told him what had happened earlier, and Addison sighed and shook his head, offering the dragon a ride home again.
"This kind of thing happens here," he muttered, "They did not bother me because I was in good standing with a different principle. This--Mrs. Schall, she is likely from out of town, by Berkley Corner, where the upper class lives."
"Then why the hell did it seem like Marius was being protected?" Clyde growled angrily and leaned back to look up at the truck's interior, "Why that ass hole?"
"Apparently his mother and many other women in town all go to the same church. She likely heard what happened from her, and Marius's mother used to work for the school as a Substitute Teacher. He has been given a good amount of leeway with his behavior."
Clyde frowned and muttered, "Makes fucking sense--spoiled ass hole gets away with crap."
Addison frowned and looked over, gently squeezes Clyde on his leg and slowed the truck down to a stop as they neared Alvin's school. Clyde looked up, and Addison pat him on the shoulder, telling him it will all be all right, just to watch his temper, and don't give into Marius's taunting.
"Thanks, Co. . . "
"Come on, call me Addis." Addison asked him, smiling and laughing, "Coach is too formal."
Clyde smiled bashfully and laughed, nodded, "Ok Addis--thank you for everything you've done. I know I really can't do much to repay you."
"You just keep being you, and be a good student--and a good person," Addison said smoothly, "Things will work out in the end for you, I promise that.