I'm sorry Ms. Miller

Chapter 3: "What's going on"

Another two weeks passed and Ms. Miller was checking with me almost daily to make sure I was okay. Things have been tense between me and my friends. They know I've been avoiding them and they also know I'm isolating myself.

It was now Monday and as usual, I got to school ten minutes early. This time Marcus and Rachel were waiting for me at my locker.

-"That's it, you are telling me what's going on with you" Rachel said

-"There's nothing going on"

-"Come on Em, talk to us, we feel like we are losing you as a friend, we are worried" Marcus begged. I took a deep breath and my heart started beating in my chest, I was too anxious to tell them.

-"I-I uhm..." I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "I have the same problem as my dad and I had to get a hearing aid."

-"Is that why you are being so distant?" Marcus asked confused and I nodded looking down.

-"Oh babes, we don't care about that, you don't have to feel bad, we still love you the same. That doesn't change anything" Rachel said and hugged me and I let a few tears roll down my cheeks.

-"I'm sorry, I know I should have told you but I'm embarrassed about it"

-"You stupid bitch, it's okay" Marcus said "Is that why you are always sitting at the front?" I nodded and he hugged me too.

We went to the class and they sat at the front with me.

-"If there's something you didn't hear you can tell us and we'll repeat it for you" Marcus said and I hugged him.

-"I love you guys"

-"We love you too Emma"

The classes were more enjoyable with my friends by my side. I've missed them these three weeks.

I made my way to Algebra, I was early, but I wanted to ask Ms. Miller something I didn't understand in class. I got in without knocking, she was sitting at her desk with her head in her hands. I cleared my throat to get her attention and she looked up. Her eyes were red and she was crying.

-"Ms. are you ok?" I said and moved closer. She nodded and looked away. She took a few deep breaths, and wiped her tears with her sleeve.

-"I'm sorry" She said looking down. I looked at her and wanted to make sure she was okay, but I was too awkward. I started fidgeting with my spinner ring.

-"Are you sure you are alright?"

-"Yes Emma, I'm just overwhelmed. Is there something you wanted?" Her nose was also red. I wonder what happened.

-"Uhm yes, I wanted to ask you about something I didn't understand yesterday"

-"Go on" I took out my notebook and showed her. She took it from my hand and our fingers brushed. She explained it to me and handed me my notebook, our hands brushed again and I quickly pulled it and sat at my usual seat. She gave me a small smile and I looked away.

-"You are a little shy aren't you?" I shrugged and played with my ring. "Do I make you nervous?" She asked frowning.

-"No, I'm just uhm I'm a bit awkward sometimes, I guess" I said not looking at her, students started walking and she went back to her desk. She started teaching and sometimes I could feel her eyes on me. When the bell rang I got up and looked at her before leaving. She was wearing light blue jeans with a gray hoodie, a pair of white air forces and a flannel shirt over the hoodie.

I went to Physics and then P.E. This week we were practicing volleyball and I sucked.

On the other hand, Rachel was a pro and Marcus was mid. As we were playing we had to practice on our own against a wall. I started doing exactly as told and I accidentally hit the ball too hard, it came back faster than I could hit and smacked me in the face. I fell on my butt and the teacher came to check up on me, but she was struggling to keep a straight face. She sent me to the nurse, the nurse gave me ice and told me to home and rest.

I got my stuff and made my way out the front door holding the ice to my nose.

-"What happened to you?" Ms. Miller asked. She was sitting outside on her phone drinking coffee.

-"P.E. happened" She looked at me amused and I ended up telling her what happened. She couldn't stop laughing. She had the cutest laugh.

-"I'm glad you found my story entertaining" I said and she smiled widely.

-"I'm sorry"

-"You are not"

-"You are right, I'm not"

-"I'm glad I could lift your mood"

-"Do you want a ride?" She pointed at her car.

-"Yes please" She rolled her eyes playfully and we got in her car. "If you don't mind me asking, how old are you Ms.?" She seemed too young to be a teacher.

-"I'm 23" She smiled

-"Holy shit you are young" I exclaimed and she chuckled.

-"Yeah, I guess I am. It's my first time teaching"

-"But you seem so experienced in how you handle things. You are a great teacher." She glanced at me.

-"Thank you Emma, that's nice of you to say"

-"I mean it"

-"And you, you must be seventeen right?"

-"Nope, eighteen"

-"Oh how come?"

-"I transferred schools and missed a year"

-"Oh okay" She shrugged and I couldn't help but notice how her accent changed out of school.

-"Can I ask you one more thing?"

-"Sure" she shrugged.

-"You have a strange accent, where are you from?"

-"Oh, uhm, I'm half Italian, that's probably why. I didn't know it was that noticeable" She frowned a little.

-"Oh, it's not, at least not when you are teaching"

-"I like your tattoo. It's cool"

-"Thanks, do you have any?" I asked and she extended her right arm toward me.

-"This one and another small one on my other arm."

-"June" I read out loud "Does it have a meaning behind it, or do you just like summer a lot?" She smiled.

-"It does, it was my dog's name. We named her after the month we found her. She passed away last year, and I got this in her memory"

-"Aw that's so cute"

We got to my house.

-"Thank you for the ride Ms. Miller"

-"Take care Emma"

For the rest of the week and the next week after, Ms. Miller seemed off, like something was bothering her. I wanted to ask her if she was okay but It wasn't my place to intervene.

My friends kept asking me questions about the hearing aid and I showed them how I wear it and control it. They helped me feel more at ease with it.

Another guy bothered me again, but this time I told him that only gays care about who's gay or not, and he disappeared after that.