Page 57 of A Dead Man's B-Side
Shifting my focus to Theodore, I rested my cheek against my fist and watched for what he’d do. Save for the noise of the Dining Hall surrounding us, it was a quiet few moments before he spoke, “It’s nice to be making your acquaintance. Officially.”
I hummed, eyes shifting to Wolf, hoping his body language would guide me through how to view Theodore, but he was still too focused on his meal, not considering him at all. And maybe that was an answer in itself. “Likewise.”
He stood a step behind Rain, his position a permanent reminder through every aspect of his day. That couldn’t be easy. A constant reminder that you will always be one step behind. One rank beneath someone far superior to you.
My point was proven when Theodore’s lips thinned as a student carefully curved around Rain, only to bump into him passing by.
I wanted to smirk but the reason behind it made me pause. Thisplace was making me awfully egotistical; must be the atmosphere rubbing off on me.
That thought made me push my plate away. “I’ll see you guys later,” I spoke to August and Wolf, and stood to leave, only pausing a moment to regard Rain over my shoulder with a simple nod. “Rain, always a pleasure.”
She smiled. “I can imagine.”
I was planning on a smooth escape back to the dorms, my mind conjuring all the ways I could break into Wolf’s dorm for a quick search, but I was ultimately stopped at the steps out of the Dining Hall.
Marigold Walter was a rare student to find in open or populated areas. Always keeping close to the shadows and dark corners. Today, however, she seemed to be braving the crowd, only to pace the bottom of the stairs by the pavement.
At the sound of my shoes against the concrete, Marigold’s face lifted in urgency, and it didn’t take a genius to notice the blotchy red stains against her cheeks and tear-filled eyes.
Unease filled me at her wide expression, and I slowed to a stop, not knowing what our newfound relationship extended to. Silence filled the already quiet air. “... Hey… Marigold.”
I hadn’t meant to, but my greeting seemed to be the last string cut in a web of threads keeping her silent.
She spilled her guts on her own.
More tears fell, fear filling the stretch of her lips as the words came out.
Flashback
Circa 1975
“Alexei is a… very passionate boy, I will say that. But–...” The teacher found it hard to find the words that would deliver the soft-as-possible blow, which bothered Cassius more than it should have. “Statistically, the students that attend this school are very unlikely to finish high school, let alone consider college. And I simply do not find Alexei overcoming that outcome.”
Well, that was one way of putting it.
Cassius readjusted himself in the small seat facing the equally small desk and ran a hand over his hair before letting out an audible breath. "I’m sorry, ma’am, but I don’t seem to understand. Alexei is still young, and above class average.”
The old and worn-out teacher nodded along, her greying hair tied back in a simple low bun that reminded him of a governess. “I am very well aware of that fact, but grades are not everything. If Alexei can get an A in English and then spend recess fist-fighting with the older boys, sooner or later one action will out-influence the other.” She sighed almost regrettably at her own words. “Listen, this isn’t anything against Alexei. But this school can only do so much when the neighbourhood and homes these children grow up in have a greater hold on them.”
Cassius didn’t like it, but he understood, forcing himself toswallow that hard pill. The office was dull, only a fraction of life brought forth by the children’s drawings decorating the walls. He wondered if any of those students had followed the life she expected of Alexei. Perhaps it was like losing your own child. Raising them like your own, only to find them years later robbing the grocery store when shopping for milk. It must hurt every day, and maybe that’s why she seems too dry of hope now to find any optimism.
He didn’t blame her, not really, not when Alexei’s parents couldn’t even show up for this meeting.
Cassius almost had a stroke when Alexei asked this of him. Claiming that they’ll take him away if his parents miss one more meeting. So, the story of Alexei’s distant cousin came to be.
There was a lot that Cassius would never understand about Alexei’s life, no matter how long he lived. He never had to fear institutions like CPS knocking on his door, or whether it was safe to walk down the street to the corner store late at night.
Days later, perhaps a week, Alexei’s teacher’s words rang true when the young boy arrived at his doorstep with cuts and bruises, blood dripping onto his porch.
It drove Cassius into a panic he hadn’t known was possible, and it took him a long time to stop his hand from shaking to place the warm washcloth against the boy’s bloodstained cheek. When he calmed himself, humiliatingly so, considering Alexei didn’t seem as bothered by his own state at all, he led him to the bathroom and waited for Alexei to finish his shower.
It was silent, save for the running of water. And then thatstopped too. The bathroom door opened, and footsteps approached. From the couch, Cassius watched as Alexei went to join him with his eyes downcast.
“Want to tell me what happened?”
He could feel Alexei shrug. He was beginning to do that a lot. “Just–some guys messing around.”
“Don’t lie to me, Alexei.”
