163. I died two years ago today.
Nagi sighed rubbing his eyes trying to adjust to the light, the one his student seemed hell bent on leaving on to spite him. Though he wasn’t quite sure why she still remained by his side, or even how she had found herself in his house. No she just stood in the doorway with the same smile she always seemed to wear while talking with him, though her eyes seemed a bit angrier than the rest of her demeanor let on. Burying his head in his hands he grumbled “Just what is it you want me to say? I don’t understand anything, especially whats going on in your mind right now. I don’t know what I did…just please shut off the lights already.” he pleaded, avoiding eye contact.
He felt somewhat ashamed to be scrutinized in such a way, sort of like a bug. It just wasn’t right, something happened…it had to of right? Nicolette didn’t act like this, or well he supposed she didn’t; they didn’t really see one another’s personal lives, or anything really outside of the safe bubble which housed their teacher student relationship. While he would have preferred to keep it that way she was already in his house, the morning after a night of binge drinking.
A framed photo was in her hands, but without even seeing it he already knew what she was looking at.
"Isn’t your wife going to be pissed about you bringing a young impressionable girl like me to your house?"
"Not particularly." he muttered refusing to raise his head. It was wrong it was all so wrong. "I think….you should go." he muttered laying back down and pulling the covers over his head.
"You wouldn’t shut up about her last night. It’s not like I didn’t know before I came here."
"Know what? That I died two years ago today? That the only light I had left was snuffed out far too early and it’s made living unbearable? Just what is it that you think you know?" he shouted pulling himself up and throwing his blankets onto the floor. And just like that the safety of the bubble burst. "You don’t know anything…why, why are you still here." he muttered quietly angry at himself for letting her get under his skin, for yelling at her, but most of all for allowing their relationship to change.
Her expression softened slightly as she set the photograph back down, taking a step closer to the bed. “I know enough, I suppose.” she responded awkwardly trying hard not to be effected by his outburst. He wasn’t like that she knew it, but what was done was done. She had forced his hand, dug deep down and forced up all of the complicated things he had refused to acknowledge.
"I was annoyed at first, all you did was talk about her clutch this photo and cry. It was…difficult seeing you that way. I just wanted…" she paused trying to figure out exactly what it was she wanted. "I’m not really sure what it is that I wanted, maybe for you to come back to class or something." she finished stubbornly refusing to be honest with herself.
"I see." Nagi muttered crossing his arms over his chest "I wasn’t…" he sighed "you know being a teacher, it’s what she wanted to do but she wasn’t able to. I don’t think I’m very good at it, but it’s reassuring hearing that you still want me to be there. If I wasn’t a teacher right now I’m not sure what I would do, I never really could figure out what I’d be good at. Sometimes I wonder if it isn’t the other way around. Rather than choosing something, it chooses you. I’d like to think that I’ve made her dream come true in some way."
She cleared her throat playing with her hands lowering her head hoping he didn’t notice the way her cheeks grew red “I…I’m going to make some coffee, you look like shit.” she called out before rushing out of the room and making herself at home in his kitchen.
Blinking Nagi looked stumped for a few seconds before laughing lightly and flopping back down onto his bed “I don’t have coffee, but the tea is in the cupboard on the right, bottom shelf, you can’t miss it.” he replied, feeling as though somehow a weight had been lifted. Maybe it was alright to let someone in, even if it was an impressionable young girl named Nicolette, who was also his student.