Last Hope (Ziall Horlik) AU

Chapter 4

Zayn's POV

As the months went on with teaching, I noticed a change in all of my students. They all seemed to become more serious about getting better grades and also, they seemed more interested in coming to my class. But I also noticed a negative change in one certain blonde student.

Niall closed himself off from everything. When the class would all take turns sharing about how they feel in a certain situation or what different mental health issues they have dealt with in the past or with family members, he would just say short phrases then we would move on. Sometimes he would just say I don't know, even though he very much knows probably more than me.

What troubles me most, is when I have the students write an essay on Friday about what they learned over the week and to give their opinion, Niall has the best paper and the best words to make it sound like he took his time researching or he really did listen in class. It just seems like he doesn't trust me, or like he doesn't want me to know anything about him.

The first two days of school I thought he would be a good student and I could maybe have a good teacher, student relationship with him. Then he came back the day after having lunch with me, and closed off completely. I tried to think if did anything to upset him or freak him out, but nothing came to mind. So, I was forced to let it go and watch as Niall sat in the back of my classroom quietly just watching as the other students fought over their opinions on what is a choice and what makes the mind do that.

"So after the unit of choice we covered for two months, we'll now be moving to the unit over the mind getting stuck in a choice. The first point I have I want you all to debate on is homelessness. We know that it's not always a choice, yet studies show that some people are offered a hotel to stay at for a night or a friend's house to stay at until they get on their feet again but the people turn it down and remain on the streets. What makes the mind do that?" I asked the class after they all seemed to get settled in after the bell rang. My eyes scared over the students that were thinking over the question until they landed on Niall. He looked beyond angry to be talking about this, but this was the first emotion I've seen from him in two months, so I decided to push it to maybe get his wall down for me.

"I believe, that the mind is afraid of what it cannot control. If it gets used to something, a way of living perhaps, then it will stay stuck that way." I threw out to the class, then looked to see Niall shaking his head ever so slightly.

"I think homeless people get hooked on drugs and stuff, then don't have the mental strength to accept help because they've been without it so long." One of the boys suggested. I nodded in thought and waited for more answers.

I got allot of students saying that people like being homeless because it becomes like a home to them. I also got allot of students saying that addiction leads to where people are and they just can't see a good opportunity because of how messed up they've become.

"Bullshit." I heard an Irish mumble in the back of the class. The class went silent as I looked to the seething Niall. As a teacher and a student of psychology, this was the best thing I could have seen. He's not that shell of a boy he seemed to be for months, so I contined to push him even if all of me wanted to calm him down and maybe give the skinny boy a hug.

"Excuse me, what was that, Mr.Horan?" I asked him, making sure he knew well that I heard him. He sat up in his chair and gripped the side of his desk.

"I said that's bullshit! All of this is! Not all homeless people are there because of addiction and not all homeless people would turn down a place to sleep!" He yelled at me. I nodded in thought of what his opinion was, then took a step away from my desk.

"Studies have shown that is what happens. The mind gets stuck in what it's used to, not that it likes it. It's a sense of natural security humans look for." I told the boy. He shook his head and stood up, his chair falling behind him to the floor.