Teacher's Regret (3)

Shawn POV

During our days at school, we were getting constantly picked on, and by we, I meant my brother, even though we had somehow obtained permission for my brother to wear that blindfold, kids...well, their curiosity triumphs over someone else's comfort.

They wanted to take it off, and they picked on him everyday, I stepped in, but even I just get picked on along with him.

It started off just verbally, but at some point, it turned physical, and there are days when he snapped and just fought back, but instead of getting any justice, we got scolded harsher than the ones picking on us.

We were told to ignore it as everyone was just playing and having fun, we tried it, but it never stops, and one fateful day, while I was in the restroom, a group of them were picking on my brother and one started to punch his arm and tried everything to get a reaction out of him, they did, someone insulted our older brother, calling him a weak protector of humanity for losing to an angel, not just that, I heard that they even said our mother should be ashamed for giving birth to such a weak wizard.

By the time I got back, my brother already got up and swung his fist, the instigators retaliated and fought my brother turning it into a brawl, I stepped in and tried to pull them off, but Ms. Jones, our homeroom teacher at the time, caught wind of it and brought everyone to the principal's office.

I got suspended. And Perseus got expelled, the guys who instigated it got nothing in return, they created this narrative of Perseus fighting them because of a joke, our classmates supported them, and since it was everyone to 2, those instigators got awards and praise for protecting their friends.

I remember Ms. Jones at the time saying that he shouldn't be offended, if the class was laughing, it means that no one was offended, so why did he have to react so harshly?

No one in our class came to our defense, they only brought up the previous incidents of Perseus fighting them because of some 'jokes'.

Perseus was scolded and I can see him gritting his teeth the whole way through, he just sat still and had no retort as the class came in one by one, telling the principal and Ms. Jones that he swung first.

I jumped in and showed the bruises on his arms, but it was disregarded quickly.

And all of it happened in front of our father, who stood by our side till the end, he heard Perseus' side of the story, but he kept quiet till the end, as we were brought to our car, and when we got in, Perseus' just slowly started to tear up while mumbling an apology.

Something about being sorry for being such a disappointment.

"Don't worry." Dad told us at the time, "Shawn, I'll withdraw you from the school for now, until we finally move, you 2 can play all you want at home...and Perseus, you'll get an extra scoop of ice cream on our way back, just think it as thanks for breaking one of their noses."

The parents of the kids didn't demand any money or anything apart from a written apology from both 3 of 3, so we didn't get into any further trouble until we left the town and never returned.

Even looking at my classmates now over there, I can remember a few faces, some of whom were a part of the same instigators that got us expelled. Perseus never wanted to go to school after that, he said that he'll only get picked on, and I will too due to coming to his aid, so he was homeschooled while sometimes borrowing my textbooks to study with me while we were home.

Looking at them now...I know that my brother can't talk with them without bringing up any terrible memories, we can forgive but never forget.

To think that they still kept in touch with each other...well it was a small town, everybody knew each other through somebody...

"I'm sorry." I apologized, "But Perseus hasn't always been friendly to most people, even now, he prefers to go do things on his own unless I convince him otherwise."

"It's alright, he has every right t do what he did, I expected worse." she replied weakly "Maybe he'll shout at me, maybe even slap me, I would have just taken all of it without complaint."

"Well he wouldn't do that...may I ask out of curiosity? Why are they here without their parents?"

"They did come, but currently, they're enjoying this massage nearby, this group wanted to just go out, so I accompanied them." she answered before handing me a business card "We're currently staying at the Red Lotus Hotel 2 blocks down, you can find us there. If not, just email or call me, I'll be sure to give time to you 2 and listen to whatever you have to say to me."

She then just gave a curt nod of her head before turning away and joining her group, those people stared at me too, I made eye contact, but I just gave a wave and joined back with my group.

"Your brother seemed to be avoiding her." the captain said as I got back.

"I would love to call you perceptive, but it was kind of obvious."

"Does this have anything to do with Percy's previous expulsion?"

"How'd you know?"

"Those kids clearly aren't hers, and the way they're grouped...it looks like some sort of field trip, so if she's a teacher, I just had to match it to something I know, and it was on your brother's record, you had a lot of trouble with his teachers in the past, I just assumed that she's one of them."

"No wonder you're the captain."

He then turned to Professor Everett.

"Are you not going to chase after them, sir?" he asked

"No." the prof shook his head "I'm overprotective and strict, but not insensitive, I'll let my daughter off for now. And I know his records, and that includes health-related issues as well, he's barely stable, so I can recognize that he needs help."