Hot Line | ✓

call #9

"hey, tee."

"hello, evan. isn't your phone bill getting expensive from all these calls?"

"yes, tremendously expensive," he says with a laugh. "but it's okay."

"are you sure you still need to call?" she stops, trying to find a better way to rephrase her question. "i mean, is it worth it for you to keep calling?"

"of course it is."

"if you say so." she sighs, deciding to change the subject. "how are you doing today?"

"i'm all right. work was tough. how are you?"

"i'm doing well. i don't think you've mentioned what you do for a living yet."

"i'm a high school english teacher."

"oh god. why?"

he laughs. "my english teacher in tenth grade inspired me a lot. i decided to follow in her footsteps."

"you're not much older than your students though."

"you mature a lot in those five years. it's surprising how different i am from the students i teach."

"i bet you're the hot teacher on campus."

he laughs. "i doubt it."

"why was work tough today?"

"there's this kid in my class that's being bullied by some of the other kids. i'm trying to help him out but he just pushes me away. it's giving me a headache. how do you help someone that doesn't even want your help?"

she pauses before quietly saying, "i'm still trying to figure that out for myself."