Suffocating

Policy

Calvin.

"Hello, Calvin. Sorry I'm late." Mrs. Jackson said, putting her coat on the coat rack. She grabbed the mail from the desk and started going through it.

Calvin wanted to get his phone out and play some game on it but he still didn't have a new one. He didn't even know what happened to the last one.

She tossed the mail back onto the desk then sat down in her seat. She bounced around on it a little before she got situated. The whole thing made him exhausted just watching her. "Alright, Calvin. So the school policy on this sort of thing involves us making a plan for you for the remainder of the school year. That way-"

"How is that supposed to help me?"

"Well, it will give you something to look forward to. A future to work on."

"There's like two months left of this school year."

"That's still plenty of time. We can get you onto a sports team or into a club for next year and-"

"Shouldn't you be more focused on figuring out why I tried to kill myself?"

Her face turned white like she'd seen a ghost and she stuttered before she figured out what to say. "Y-yes, I suppose we should. But that isn't the school's policy."

"Joining a club or a sports team isn't going to make me like life. To be honest with you, that's part of the reason why I did it."

She opened a drawer beside her and started riffling through papers. "Um, let me look for something for you. We can see if there's anything that could help you..."

"Mrs. Jackson, I know you don't want to do this."

"Calvin-"

"Look, I'm late for class. Can you just write me a pass so I can go?"

She sat in silence for a few seconds before she nodded and ripped a pass from the stack on her desk. She signed her name then handed it to Calvin.

He was almost out the door when she called his name. "Calvin?" He stopped but didn't turn around.

"If you ever need to talk about anything, please come to me. I'd be happy to talk to you."

He closed the door behind me and headed off to class without another word.

 "That was quick."

He met his sister's gaze and shrugged.

"Cal, please tell me you cooperated."

"She doesn't have a clue what she's doing. It doesn't help that the 'school policy' is a joke. She told me we needed to 'make a plan' for the end of the year. She thought joining a sports team would solve all my problems."

"Maybe it would."

"You're just as bad as her." Did she really think that joining a club would be the magic ingredient to keep Calvin alive? The kids at the school were most of the reason he did it. Unless they wanted him to do it again, there was no point in trying.

Ashley sighed. "Calvin, she's only trying to help you. I'm only trying to help you. But you need to help us, too."

Calvin rolled his eyes. "I don't need any help."

"Calvin." She said softly.

"I'm late for class, Ash."