Out Of The Shadows

Out Of The Shadows

By: Foraoo

Disclaimer: Fiction. Don't Own, Didn't Happen, Don't Sue

Chapter 1- My Hero

Not me, not me, not me please! Darren thought, his eyes squeezed shut. His English teacher had just announced to the class that he would be asking them to read aloud their essays this after-noon. Usually he would be fine with this, except he’d forgotten to do one. Mr Cannavale glanced around the class and grinned as he fixed his eyes on Darren.

“Mr Hayes! Why don’t you share with us your opinion on Gatsby’s greatness?” Darren blushed, heat warming his cheeks.

“I haven’t wrote it Sir.” He kept his eyes downcast and tone apologetic. He was aware of the automatic hush that filled the room. Darren Hayes hadn’t done his homework? The Darren Hayes? He raised his eyes to the teacher to take in the mans reaction. Instead of anger he saw a saddened look on the mans face and a resigned nod.

“Very well Darren if…” Mr Cannavale began.

“Probably too busy going six rounds with his old man.” Colin Bates shouted from the back, he paused waiting for laughter that never came then continued. “That guys such a drunk he’d explode standing next to a radiator.” Again no laughs.

“Please Colin, I think that’s enough. Don't assume malice for what stupidity can explain.” The teacher spoke, this raised a few titters and the class continued.

Everyone at the Jardiniere High School knew about Darren’s father. Harold Hayes was a legend in the town. Not a Friday night went by where Darren didn’t have to bail him out of jail, or apologise to the neighbours because he’d tried to shoot their dog again. To everyone else he was a funny, harmless drunk. To Darren he was the living embodiment of hell. Everybody also knew that scrapes and bruises that Darren often turned up to school with were the result of getting on his fathers bad side, but this wasn’t so funny, so harmless. So this was ignored, preferring their original assessment of the man.

Lost in his own thoughts he realised that the other students were packing up, he hurried to join them trying to think of someone he could copy the rest of the work off.

“Darren could you stay back please?” Mr Cannavale asked.

“Uh yeah sure.” He sat back down again and waited for the last of the students to clear out. Mr Cannavale glanced behind him and he heard hurried footsteps leave the room.

“Darren…Darren are you okay?” He pulled out a chair and sat opposite him with a concerned look on his face.

“Yes sir, I’m fine honest.” He blanched at the last word, if anything could’ve made him sound less truthful that word was it. Mr Cannavale smiled one of his classics that melted the heart of every one of his female students. He was a greatly handsome man. Hispanic, dark skinned with an athletic build and brown puppy dog eyes. But as well as his looks he was intelligent, funny and moral. The kind of man Darren wanted to be.

“Darren of all my students you’re one of my favourites.” Darren could feel himself blushing. “I hate to see you upset I…” He paused as if thinking of the words. “We have the school play coming up soon, I’ve been lumped with organising it and well I could do with a spare set of hands. I could use your help Darren.”

“I…Mr Cannavale…”

“Please call me Robert when we aren’t in class.” He smiled again. “At least think about it, it’ll get you out of the house for a few weeks.” The words hung unspoken in the air. Away from your father

“I don’t really know anything about organising a play Mr…I mean Robert. What if I mess up?”

“Darren it’ll be fine, I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t trust you.”

“Well then okay, it should be fun.” He felt himself smile back, it felt strange on his face. “Is that all?”

“Yeah that’s it.” He leant forward and placed a hand on his knee. “Darren if you ever need to talk you know where I am right?” Darren felt a tingle of excitement glow under Robert’s hand. He nodded and the teacher let go of his knee.

Almost running out of the classroom, shouting a hurried “Bye” at Sir, he felt a peculiar sensation in his stomach.
Why had Mr Can...Robert touched him like that? Maybe it was just friendly, but he had asked him to help with the play. That meant hours of time alone together so maybe it was something more? or maybe it was pity. His joy plummeted. Yeah that was it-pity. Why expect anything else?

His talk with Robert left him late for next class so quickening his pace he hurried to Science. Running straight into Colin.

“Watch it trailer trash.” He snorted.

“But he doesn’t live in a trailer?” Colin’s friend interjected quieting as Colin elbowed him. Darren ignored this and went to get passed.

“Hold it trash. There’s a poll to pay.” Colin gripped Darren’s arms to stop him moving.

“I don’t have any money.” Darren answered in a bored voice. If Colin thought this was intimidating then he really didn’t understand Darren’s home life.

“Okay the, you have to erm…kiss my feet.” Colin grinned delighted at this punishment.

“Let’s not and say that I did, huh?” How do people find this simpleton attractive? Darren thought.

“You back chatting me boy?”

“No Sir!” He answered in a military voice fighting the urge to laugh. Colin, realising he was been mocked swDarrDarren round and up against the wall.

“You little shit, your Dad can’t be punishing you hard enough.” Suddenly a pair of hands roughly threw Colin to the floor.

“You okay Darren?” Robert Cannavale asked looking into Darren’s wide surprised eyes.

“Uh yeah sure.” He gasped. A teacher had just hit a student for him! He couldn’t believe it.

“Assault! I can have you done for this!” Colin cried jumping to his feet.

“I’d like to see people believe you over me Mr Bates, that’ll be a sight to behold.” He glanced the boy full in the face and Colin wavered easily. “If I see you near Darren again, it’ll be much worse. Understood?” Colin nodded, hatred flaring in his eyes. He nodded at the other boy and they started down the hall.

In silence the student and teacher watched them. Finally once gone they turned to each other. Darren fought back the urge to sigh-“My hero!” and collapse in his arms ‘Mills and Boon’ style and instead settling for a demure “Thank you.” Robert smiled and rubbed Darren’s arm once again creating those delicious tingles.

“Anytime Darren. I’ll walk you to your next class.”

Unseen, hidden behind the lockers a pair of emerald eyes surveyed them, lost in the shadows.