A Diamond in the Rough - 1. A Diamond in the Rough

Darin was not sure what he was facing. He had been teaching at the private school for just the last three months and so far he had no major problems, either with his lessons or his students. So the note that had been left in his mailbox Thursday morning came as something of a surprise and brought him to the headmistress’s office on his prep period.

“Ah, Mr. Stanford, good to see you again,” greeted Mrs. Wallstone, the school secretary. “Miss Hernandez will be with you shortly.” She waved toward a row of seats, before answering the phone.

Darin sat and chewed his bottom lip. He felt like one of the students being called down to the principal’s office for doing something wrong; only for the life of him, he couldn’t think of anything that happened which would require him to come down to the office. Mentally he went over his last few days, trying hard to pinpoint where he had made a mistake. He kept chewing on his bottom lip and toying with the end of his tie. He glanced at the clock, surprised to find he’d been sitting there for five minutes already.

“Mr. Stanford,” Mrs. Wallstone called, “you can go on in.”

Darin stood and tried to calm the butterflies in his stomach. Nervously, he ran his hand down the front of his shirt checking buttons and making sure his tie was straight before he went in. He took a deep breath, knocked on the door, and walked into the office.

“Darin, I’m sorry to pull you from your prep period, but thank you for coming.” Miss Maria Hernandez walked around her desk and shook Darin’s hand. “I hate to be a pain, but I’m going to be.”

Darin cocked his head and just stared at Miss Hernandez.

“I’m botching this aren’t I?” Miss Hernandez laughed. “Let me start over. Darin, I have a favor to ask of you, and it isn’t a small one.”

Darin sat in the large chair before her desk. “Miss Hernandez,” he began.

“Maria. Just call me Maria.” She walked behind her desk, opened a drawer, pulled out a large file, and set it on the desk before her. “What we are about to discuss cannot leave this office. It is about a student and you know the privacy clause in your contact, especially with some of the more political families we deal with.” She paused to make sure she had Darin’s full attention. “Well, this is all part of it.” She picked up the folder and handed it to Darin. “Read it over, please. I’ll leave you alone ‘til you’re done. When you finish, just let Daliah know.”

“Daliah?”

Maria laughed again and shook her head, her long black pony tail waved back and forth, as she headed toward her office door. “Mrs. Wallstone.”

Darin nodded. His face was as red as a tomato, but he stared at the folder in his hands.

There was a soft click as Maria closed the door, leaving Darin alone with the file.

Darin opened the folder and three pictures sat on top. One showed a teenager, eye black and blue, hair dyed blue, nose swollen and broken. The second showed the same boy, only wearing a leather jacket, green Mohawk, what might have been a white shirt, but this time his cheek was swollen and already brilliantly shaded. What caught his eye was the blood that was clearly leaking from the boy’s split lip. The final picture showed the same teenager only with long black hair, his face undamaged, and wearing a black shirt. Darin paused and examined the pictures trying to get a sense of who this student was, but the pictures alone weren’t telling him much, so he set them aside to read the files. The first page carried just two pieces of information. The boy’s name was Christopher Bird, and he was eighteen years old as of yesterday. His curiosity was piqued as Darin glanced again at the pictures and began to read through the large pile of information.

Darin hadn’t realized how engrossed he’d become in the file until he looked up and discovered that his prep period was over and he was halfway through his fourth period English class. He set everything back on Maria’s desk and raced to the door. He opened it and before he could step out Mrs. Wallstone stepped in front of him.

“You’re done faster than she thought you would be.” Daliah raised her coffee cup and smiled. “Would you like a cup?”

“I can’t. Christ, I missed half the class.” Darin paled as he caught sight of the large clock in Daliah’s office.

“Relax, darling. Miss Hernandez has Suzann Latch covering this class and the next one. Your plan book was on your desk. Grab a coffee and go back in. I’ll let her know you’re done reading.”

Reluctantly, Darin fixed a cup of coffee and returned to Maria’s office. He sat down and thought about all he had learned concerning Mister Bird. One big question kept coming back to him, why did Maria want him to read this student’s file? Darin was roused from his thoughts when Maria strode back into her office.

“You read the file faster than I thought you would. So what assessment would you make after reading his file?”

Darin fidgeted in his seat. He didn’t look at Maria right away, but eventually set his cup down on her desk, glanced once at the file, and sighed.

Maria sat down at her desk and waited.

“I really don’t like to make judgments without meeting the student. However, I can draw a few conclusions after going through his files.” Darin paused and looked at Maria.

Maria smiled at him. “Go on. I really want to know what you think.”

“The files show he’s incredibly brilliant. He is bored easily if he isn’t challenged. The wealth and privilege are offset by the kidnapping he went through in sixth grade. After that he became very much the loner.” He paused to take a drink of his coffee, then set it down, and faced Maria again. “Reading through the notes of his former teachers, it seems as if it's the women he charms, and the men he challenges. If they can’t keep him engaged, well, they lose him completely. Add in that there is something he is obviously rebelling against, with the hair and clothes, plus the slightest misstep by another student seems to result in a fight, which, even with his extremely high grades, has resulted in his dismissal from his last three schools in this year alone.”

Maria nodded. “All true. We are his last chance. I’ve agreed to take him on, on one condition, Darin.”

“Oh? What is that?”

“That you are his teacher.” Maria sat back and folded her hands into her lap. She looked at him and cocked an eyebrow.

“Well I’m sure I could work up something challenging for him. Which of my classes will he be in?”

“No, Darin, you misunderstood me. You will be his teacher, the only one. He will be your class of one.” Maria watched his face.

“But I’m only certified for English. I … I’m a total disaster at math and, Jesus, I can’t remember much about the last science class I had.” Darin gripped the chair tightly, his knuckles slowly turned white, and the color slowly drained from his face.

“Darin, relax.” Maria stood, walked over to the large water dispenser, poured out a glass of cold water, and set it beside Darin’s coffee cup. “Take drink of water, and breathe, Darin,” Maria said calmly as she leaned on the edge of her desk.

“But, I also have my classes. I mean what about them?” Darin babbled, stunned and unsure what was happening.

“Take a drink of water, and let me fill you in.” Maria picked up the file and flipped to the back.

Darin took a big swallow, nearly choked, and finally sat back and stared at Maria.

“Do I have your full attention?”

Darin nodded.

“I don’t know if you read everything, but Christopher was given some tests to take. Actually, I had all the finals given to him for every subject.” Maria looked up and smiled at him. “He passed every one, and I don’t mean he just barely passed them. No, that isn’t his style. In five classes he scored perfect grades, and in the last he missed a step in his procedure that cost him a point.” Maria sighed and put the folder down. “Basically, he could sit and do nothing until graduation, and be Valedictorian, as long as he didn’t end up in a fight. Except, his parents and I have had a long conversation about his future and him coming to school here. I’ve made a few decisions and have a few things to explain to you, after which, if you agree, he will be taking a very different type of class.”

“Hold on. I’m an English teacher. Why on earth would you pick me? I mean, I just started my Masters degree and this is my first job.” Darin sat, waving his hands, unsure what to say.

Maria stood up and patted his shoulder. “Look, I’m going to lay it all on the table for you. Just hear me out.”

“Go on,” Darin squeaked out.

“Christopher has some rough edges,” Maria began.

Darin guffawed loudly. “Rough? More like jagged edges!”

“Fine. He has a few … edges we’d like to smooth over. Look, he needs someone who he can talk to and rely on. He needs to work a few things out before he is released into the world. No one is worried about him hurting anyone. I’m more worried this kid is going to hurt himself or wall himself off before he can really experience life.”

Darin fidgeted in his seat. “So what exactly do you expect me to do?”

Maria smiled widely and walked around her desk to pull out another file. “So, here is what I’m planning for you to do.”

 

***

 

Darin sat in his new classroom on a bright Monday morning waiting for his only student. He glanced out the window and noticed the barren trees moving in the wind. He still wasn’t sure how he’d been talked into this. He looked around the room and shook his head. There were two plush chairs, a circular table, a small coffee pot with cups next to it on a small counter, a mini fridge, and a small empty bookcase that presently held his work satchel.

“What on earth did I get myself into?” For a moment he thought back to the frantic meetings with both Miss Hernandez and Mister Robert Bird. Darin wasn’t sure he ever wanted to meet that man again. He pondered how Christopher Bird had survived growing up under such a demanding person. The man might be great in business, but he was ruthless in getting his way. Darin took a deep breath as he had seen someone approach the frosted glass on the door.

There was a sharp rap and in walked Christopher Bird.

Darin and Christopher both took a moment to study each other.

Christopher wore the school uniform – a white shirt with the school emblem, black slacks, and black shoes. However, he’d added a thick leather bracelet, what appeared to be a leather collar with thick metal spikes, and his long hair was bright blue with purple streaks.

Darin sat in a blue polo shirt, black slacks, and black shoes. He wore no jewelry and had no tattoos. His brown hair was cut short, and he kept up his long distance running so he was in good shape.

Christopher crossed his arms, shook his head, and leaned against the door frame. “I don’t want to see the school shrink.”

Darin laughed. “I’m not a shrink. Just your teacher.”

“Yeah right. The old bat at the office said all my classes were held in room 121. So, where the hell is the rest of the class?” Christopher looked around the office and growled.

“First off, Mrs. Wallstone isn’t a bat or old. She is probably one of the most helpful women you’ll ever meet. Second, this is the right room. I’m Mister Stanford, your teacher. Come in and sit down, Mister Bird.”

Christopher remained where he was.

Darin stood up and Christopher’s eyes widened. Darin towered over Christopher at six foot four inches.

Christopher took a deep breath and walked to the other chair and plopped into it. He fiddled with the edge of his polo shirt and stared at his teacher.

“Good. What would you like to be called?”

Christopher’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

“This isn’t the hard stuff. Do you want to be called Mister Bird? Christopher? Chris? Or maybe, Topher?”

“Bloody hell. Just call me, Chris.” Chris rolled his eyes and stared out the window.

Darin shook his head, walked over to the counter and started the coffee pot, knowing he was going to need something to brace himself for the rest of the day.

“I’m making coffee. I don’t know if you like coffee or not, but the fridge is stocked with water and fruit juice, so if you are thirsty just help yourself. Just leave the small container of milk for the coffee, please,” Darin paused and noted Chris was staring at him, open mouthed. “I can’t drink my coffee black.”

“What the fuck… I mean hell … I mean. Well, shit. What’s going on here?” Chris sat fidgeting in his seat.

“What is going on is a life class, Mister, um, Chris. As far as I know, this is the first of its kind.” Darin stood, holding a coffee mug in his sweaty hand, trying to stay calm.

“Well, explain this to me.” Chris sat forward in his seat, focusing his deep brown eyes on Darin.

“What is it you really want to do, Chris? Up ‘til now you’ve been told what to do, how to do it, and graded on how well you’ve done or repeated back what you’ve been told.” Darin paused to pour out a cup of coffee and to allow Chris to think over what he’d said so far. He grabbed the milk out of the fridge and poured some into his cup, put the milk away, and turned to face Chris again. “Now you are being asked, what is it you want to do? What do you want to explore? What do you want to learn?”

“You’ve got to be fu… uh, kidding me!” Chris’s eyes narrowed. “There is no way you can know everything, much less be honest with me.”

Darin took a sip of his coffee, as much for the caffeine as for the chance to think. He took his coffee back to his seat, set it on the table between them, and stared at Chris. “You’re right and you’re wrong. No one can know everything, but what I don’t know we can learn together.”

“So, I can ask about anything?” Chris sat back and smirked.

“Yes, and before you ask, yes, sex is a subject we can discuss.”

Chris’s eyes grew wide before he nodded, and slid back into his seat. “So, why am I getting this class and not everyone else?”

“The answer to that is both simple and complex.” Darin took a sip of his coffee. “To be honest, you’ve passed all the tests already. You could either be forced to sit in the classes and make the lives of your teachers and fellow students miserable, or you could simply be set loose now. However, there is a third choice, this class.”

Chris leaned forward, his gaze on Darin’s face, and sneered a moment. “And why should I take this class?”

Darin set his mug down and sat back. “Here is what I know. First, you are smart and being locked into those classrooms will be pure hell for you. You know the subject matter and you’ll be bored. You can’t deal with that for another six months.”

Chris grimaced but didn’t say anything.

“Second, there was the deal with your father. If you are kicked out or leave the school before graduation, you break the rules of your grandfather’s trust and your father will cut you off without a dime. Your father told me that college wasn’t mandatory, but if not college, you need to have a job, car, and an apartment within a month of graduation. The car and apartment must be paid for without money from your trust.”

Chris balled his fists and glared at Darin.

“Third, this class is yours. We learn, discuss, and study whatever it is you want. I’ve been given carte blanche to develop the curriculum for this.” Darin tried to wipe his sweaty palms discreetly on his pants.

“Before we start I want to know two things!”

Darin forced a smile and nodded.

“We can talk about anything I want to know about?”

Darin took a deep breath. “Yes, as long as it is something either useful day to day, like cooking, or will be something you can use for a career.”

“But you said I could ask about sex.” Chris sat back and put his feet on the table.

“Sex is part of life. You will try to please yourself or please a partner. It’s part of your day to day life and you should know about it.” Darin leaned across the table and smacked Chris’s feet off of it. “We’ll be living in here so don’t mess it up. We’ll be eating off that.”

“Fine.” Chris sat up and looked Darin over again. “Why you?”

“Why me what?”

“Why are you stuck being the teacher?” Chris sat, head cocked, staring at Darin.

“I was asked by Miss Hernandez.’

Chris shook his head. “That may be, but I know my father. What did he promise?”

Darin looked Chris straight in the eyes. “He promised me nothing.”

“Okay.” Chris smiled. “What did he threaten you with?”

Darin wiped his hands against his pants.

“You might as well tell me. He always does a complete background check, and then threatens to expose some secret to force people to do as he wants.”

“My secret isn’t so bad and your father doesn’t hold the trump card he thought he did.”

“Oh?”

“I’m gay. The days of that being an issue are over.” Darin reached over and picked up his cup, He hoped Chris didn’t notice how his hand trembled.

Chris sat quietly. It was an hour ‘til either spoke again. “Can you explain a checkbook and how to use one?”

“Absolutely,” Darin said as he reached for his satchel and pulled out his computer. “There is a site we can go to that will allow us to practice everything about accounts, including checking. When we finish this we can start finding out about your desires and dreams for your future.”

Chris took the computer and his first lesson began.

 

***

 

Chris stood before the stove and just shook.

“Alright, spill it. You’ve been slamming pots, missing steps, and you’ve dunked your braid three times into the sauce. You’re usually so much more focused. So tell me what’s wrong?” Darin leaned against the wall, chewing on a piece of sausage.

“I’m… I’m pissed!” He spun to face his teacher and was smacked with end of his neon blue braid.

“I figured.”

Chris took off the apron he was wearing and climbed up to sit on the prep table in the kitchen.

Darin waited patiently, learning it was easier to let Chris come out with things than to try to force it.

“I went home this weekend. Mom was happy to see me. She wants to take me shopping for clothes, and says my pants are getting too short.”

“Okay.”

Chris looked up and pinned his teacher with a stare.

“Glaring at me doesn’t tell me what’s wrong.”

“Then I had to talk to my father.” Chris began rocking and cracking his knuckles. “We had a long talk… about you.”

“Was there a problem?”

“He asked if my faggot teacher was getting through to me.”

Darin looked at Chris wide eyed.

“I told him my teacher is helping me figure things out and if he ever referred to you as a faggot again, I’d personally make him pay.”

Darin smiled. “Don’t get into a fight with him.”

“But--”

Darin cut him off and raised his hand. “He told me that whatever we needed for your class, he would pay for. No reason to try and use library books or just stay here at school. If you are truly interested in a subject, we can buy the books on it and fill those empty shelves in our classroom. Besides, he is already paying for the teacher that replaced me, as well as the supplies needed, such as our ingredients today or the videos we watched about cooking.”

Chris smiled wickedly. “I never thought you would say something like that.”

“Hey, I’m human.” Darin walked over and patted his student’s shoulder. “I think you better go check your sauce before it burns.”

“Shit!” Chris jumped off the table and ran to the sauce. “You know this should be pretty good in the lasagna. I just hope I didn’t let any hair get into the sauce. I think tomorrow I’m going to cut my hair.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I get the feeling I might be learning some new tricks from you and this hair is just causing me issues.” Chris caught the surprised look on his teacher’s face and laughed.

 

***

 

Darin watched as Chris got into the limo. His jet black hair was cut short and Darin missed the vivid blue it used to be. The door closed and the limo pulled away.

“I barely recognize him,” came Maria’s voice from behind him.

“He’s growing up.” Darin turned to face the headmistress. “I never know what he’ll focus on next. I swear he is like a damn sponge.”

Maria sighed. “At least you got through to him. Those first few days, I thought you’d either quit or kill him.”

Darin laughed. “He just wouldn’t believe me about his father. Once he challenged him and found out I hadn’t lied it went much smoother.”

“I’m sorry you had to come out like that.”

Darin smiled and shook his head. “There are many things I am afraid of in the classroom. Not being prepared, being unable to explain something so a student can grasp it, or even needing to run to the restroom and not finding someone to cover.” Darin walked over and slid the latest book that had captured Chris’s attention into the now overflowing bookshelf. “Admitting who I am was never a problem. “

Maria walked over and glanced at the titles on some of the books. “His interests are varied.”

“Yes, although he seems to be drawn to history and what that means in art, architecture, and people. The more he learns, the more he wants to know. We are going to the Museum of Modern Art next week. Lately, all he does is talk about the art of the Harlem Renaissance.”

“I know. His father made the arrangements with the museum for a tour.” Maria sat down. “This new situation suits you.”

“I don’t know about that, there is so much to learn every day. The big difference is Chris. I will say that he is learning to question things, ask for details, not just demand or annoy people to get his way. We respect each other.” Darin looked out the window, noticing all the trees in bloom. Spring was quickly moving toward summer.

“It shows. The past few months have seen him treat everyone differently. Your relationship is why.”

“No, you were right. You told me be honest and be his guide. I let him discover where his interests really are. The way things are going, I expect him to study history when he goes to college in the fall, perhaps with a focus on New York history. He has been applying all over the country.” Darin turned and took the other seat. “So why the visit?”

“Just to remind you that you only have two and a half weeks left.” Maria watched Darin lean forward in his seat.

“School doesn’t end for another five weeks.” Darin became very still.

“Seniors have only two and a half, then four days of finals, and school is over ‘til graduation.”

Darin stood up and nodded. “Then I just have to help him get ready.”

 

***

 

“I don’t want to stop now. I’ve learned more with you these last few months than… than in the last few years!” Chris stood neatly dressed in a dark grey suit. His eyes were like a stormy sea as he paced back and forth.

“Chris, school is over. I know I’ve been called your teacher, but you’ve taught me these last few months as well. Your passion, your desire to know, and the way you can apply what you learn is incredible. Hell, you can do more now than I can with my degree.” Darin looked down at Chris and smiled.

“But you still have so much to teach me!”

“Chris, you don’t need me. You can do it.“ Darin slipped on his suit jacket. “Come on. You were already supposed to be downstairs. Do you have your speech?”

“Yes, I’ve got it,” Chris whispered.

“Good.” Darin guided Chris toward the assembly hall.

Chris walked to the front and sat down.

Darin heard a few people mention how attractive and polite Chris was as he made his way to where the faculty sat. Chris had once been all jagged edges but in the end he was just a diamond in the rough, a boy looking for help to become the man he would be. Darin only cried once as Chris began his Valedictorian speech.

“Sometimes, as teenagers we are just pushed along, not asked what we want, or what our dreams are. We don’t want to answer Langston Hughes question of what happens to a dream deferred? We instead look for people to help us find and realize our dreams. We’ll take that help from wherever it is offered. For young or old, black or white, gay or straight, rich or poor – all of them can help us be better than we are, and isn’t that something to strive for?” Chris continued his speech, but he spoke and looked at Darin, the man who allowed him to dream.