HOHB - liabilities and consequences...

Chapter #14

"A breakdown? ̈ I muttered, stunned in all-out confusion.¨

"Let me explain to you what I meant by that. I'll try to explain it in simple terms for your….pubescent brain to understand.

Lingering in between his wording, his curt smile showing his smug expression towards my brass understanding.

"For starters let me explain to you what I meant by ̈liabilities."

A vibrant scratch from a ruby skinned chalk-stick squealed onto the chalkboard, crafting a ragged stick figure into the already drawn-out inner circle.

"That is you."

̈ That's…me? Ha." Chuckling from his bizarre imagination, I began to rub my slightly puffy teer-filled eyes, as I gaped towards his silly drawing which was his attempted interpretation of me.

"I guess if I starved myself and suddenly grew a balloon size bobble-head, I could confidently say your drawing is spot on.¨ I retorted with a sly comeback of my own in correlation to his initial act.

̈Hmm, don't worry about that Damien. I can also confidently say you're nearly on the verge of embodying a bobble-head persona. If you get lucky you´ll go two for two based on your current eating habits.¨ Smirking with confidence Yates sent out an innocent smile, silently proving that his quick-witted thinking is still unrivaled.

̈Speaking of your eating habits, that leads me to one of the ̈liabilities ̈ I wanted to talk about.

Tightening the already clenched chalk-stick in hand, Yates began to sketch out four different vertical lines similar in comparison to the rays of a beaming sun. As each line began at the ends of the outer circle and flowed two finger lengths outwards.

"Number 1." Drawing a tiny circle, smaller than the original circle which surfaced roughly around one of the four lines, curiosity began to shift within my mind as I started to contemplate what he was up to.

"The apple I just drew is not for your amusement, but rather to serve a purpose." Yates uttered leisurely, pausing the strokes from his chalk stick, as his gaze abruptly focused on a window whitch flap was opened.

"The apple is something you can consider as somewhat of a representation for one of the liabilities I previously mentioned."

"This is only one of the many liabilities I wish to talk to you about today, but considering the time, I will only be able to continue for a little while longer."

Looking towards the window where the flap roomed, a brief sigh progressed from his mouth as his eyes began to shutter as a fleeting pause ensued.

"If you couldn't guess what the apple was intended to symbolize, my intention was to make it a representation of your eating habits. And frankly, I'm worried for you."

"What? Do you mean you're worried for me?" I chimed in abruptly expressing my concern as my voice mirrored my internal feelings.

Silence ensued for a moment, but his expression stayed composed and unadjusted throughout the pause. His eyes, strong and firm, never breaking eye contact with mine till a snap from the cold breeze interrupted the hushed atmosphere.

*AHUMM.*

A subtle rasp unhinged from his mouth as his previous rigid stance turned into a casual walk towards the direction of the infamous window he had been eyeing earlier.

"During my first year of teaching at this academy, I held the position of supervising the cafeteria before I was ultimately transferred to teach the class you're currently taking. "

Yates mouthed, breaking the stillness while he now rested on the porch of the window staring out into the glowing undisclosed skyline.

"During my time supervising the cafeteria there would usually be a couple of disagreements or tiny brawls between the students, nothing serve or life-threatening in the least."

"So my time was usually spent throwing out groundless penalties which would typically break up the arguments pretty quickly, as no students wanted to get in trouble during the first couple of weeks of school, but mostly because no student wanted to deal with the deans--..."

"Anyway, even though I was tasked to observe and act on any disobedience I spotted, my ruling was nowhere near absolute, we were understaffed significantly, and moreover having the responsibility to govern over five-hundred plus students was nowhere near possible."

Yates grumbled before finishing his sentence, as if remembering a certain matter that he wished to not bring to light.

"Plus those noble brats lack the basics of respect, including their egotistical personality to add into the mix, if only I--."

Yates words wobbled with concern, leading him to pause before finishing his sentence, his sudden break in speech was becoming a recurring theme as if his mind argued over what he was allowed to say.

"I'm so sorry, I couldn't help you sooner…¨

"Huh? What do you mean you're sorry?¨ I muttered softly, trying to sound tough and unfazed but all that came out was a pathetic whimpering question.

"..."

*to be continued.*