Loving Mr. Cary

Chapter 4 : Mr. Cary’s younger version

*Della*

It was another school day and I wasn't having it at all. When I got to the school gate, all the students that passed by me wouldn't stop staring at me.

Though I wore a hoodie just like yesterday, it didn't cover the bandages that were on my face.

I headed to the hallway and walked to class, ignoring the stares of everyone. I told myself I had to get used to being the center of attention until further notice.

As I got closer to class, I saw almost all the students pulling out their phones and staring at the screen. I looked around me and noticed no one was looking at me anymore.

They were more focused on their phones. I heaved a sigh of relief and entered the lecture hall.

It was the same thing there too. Everyone was paying attention to whatever was on their phone. It was the perfect distraction to let me breathe.

I sat down and pulled out my textbooks, alongside my phone, getting ready for the lecturer. I turned on my phone and went straight to my chat with Mr. Cary.

We talked so much the previous night that I wasn't sure if I responded to his last texts before I fell asleep.

'Good night, little princess' was his last text, but I was too busy to respond. I beamed softly and began to text him back.

'Good morning, Mr. Cary. I'm sorry I couldn't reply to your text last night. I was so sleepy and didn't know I had fallen asleep…'

I paused and stared into space remembering how much he had made me laugh the previous night. He knew I was down and tried, and went out of his way to make me happy.

'He is an amazing man,' I thought.

'… and thank you for making me happy last night. It means a lot to me. Thank you for being there for me as you promised.'

I completed the text and sent it. I stared at my phone waiting to see my message delivered.

“Della!" my friend, Sarah, yelled out of nowhere.

“Jesus Christ! Sarah!" I yelled as I jumped in fright. “You didn't have to call my name like that." I placed my hand on my chest like that would regulate my thumping heart.

“I'm sorry. I am just so excited to see you in school today after what happened yesterday. I was so scared you would get suspended for it. I looked for you after I heard the news, but you were nowhere to be found." She spoke very fast as she sat in front of me.

She turned slightly to face me.

“Yes. I left immediately after being dismissed at the disciplinary chairman's office," I replied in a low-pitched tone.

“Oh… okay. You're very lucky you weren't suspended. I am very happy for you. Emma deserves whatever she is going through right now."

I scoffed and shook my head. “I didn't even ruin her face enough," I cursed under my breath.

“You haven't seen it, have you?" she asked in a whisper.

I creased my brows and tilted my head to the side a little. “Seen what?"

Her eyes popped wide open and she hastily reached for her phone from inside her bag.

“Karma is a b***h!" she said barely above a whisper and gave me her phone.

Still confused, I looked at the screen of her phone, and to my greatest surprise, it was a leaked video of Emma and Richard having s*x in my backyard.

“Holy hell," I murmured, and Sarah chuckled. “Who posted this?"

“No one knows. It's an anonymous account. I thought you were behind it."

“What?! I don't know anything about this. Why would I want to post this? I was too damaged to pull out my phone when I saw them together. I know nothing about this, and I don't care. I guess she got what she deserved."

I returned Sarah's phone to her and began to flip through my textbook like I didn't see or hear anything.

Just then I heard a loud bang at my back. I looked back and saw that it was Emma who stormed into the room. She looked so furious as she headed straight toward me.

“How dare you?!" she roared, and before she could get to me, she was stopped by Richard.

“Let go of me! Let me deal with this motherfucker. You were so pissed about me being with Richard that you had to create an anonymous account and do this s**t? If you want revenge, why can't you come and face me instead of acting like a coward!" she yelled again, trying to get past Richard who was struggling to get a hold of her.

“Emma, stop this, okay?! If you hit her again, you will be expelled! Calm the f**k down!" Richard yelled at her.

I exhaled deeply and shook my head. I looked away from them and kept flipping through my textbook.

Deep down, I wanted to defend myself so badly, but I didn't. I wanted her to believe I did it so she could see me as an enemy, especially after how she betrayed me. There is not a chance in hell of us ever being friends again.

“This isn't over, Della! This isn't over! You will regret this, I promise you!" she shouted again.

After Emma finished shouting, murmuring from the class filled my ear. I picked up my earphones and just when I was about to plug them into my ears, I heard the school speakers in the class turn on.

“Emma Walker and Richard White, I need you in the disciplinary committee's meeting room right now!"

The disciplinary chairman's voice echoed in my ear and a little smirk lit up my face.

“Serves you right," I muttered and plugged my earphones into my ears, slightly relaxing when the music begins to play.

I scanned through my notes trying to catch up on what was taught in the previous class just to waste time.

After several minutes, someone tapped me on the shoulder. I looked up and it happened to be Richard. He has a feeble smile on his face.

“Hi."

I pulled out my earphones and glared at him. “What do you want?" I muttered in a dry manner and looked away.

“I want us to talk," he responded.

“I don't want to talk to you," I answered almost immediately and wanted to plug in my earphones again when he held my hand.

“Please. I'm not here to cause trouble. I am here to apologize for what I did."

I read his face carefully and I could see remorse, but I still didn't want to be moved by it.

“What did you do?"

“I betrayed you. I had s*x with your best friend, but I swear I didn't mean to, Della."

I scoffed and shook my head. “Of course, you didn't. She forced your c**k into her p***y, right?" I responded sarcastically.

“No, Della. But we were drunk. Both of us. We had no idea what we were doing. I know this isn't an excuse…"

“No, it isn't, Richard. Nothing can change the fact that both of you stabbed me in the back."

“I know, but can you at least forgive me? I am very sorry," he pleaded, eyes filled with what appeared to be sadness. But I don't know if I believe they're genuine or not.

I sighed and lowered my head in pain. I thought I was getting over him, but I wasn't. As he approached me, it shattered my healing heart even more.

“Please, Della. I'm apologizing. I know we can't be together anymore, but can you at least forgive me? I don't mind being your friend. I'll do anything to make you forgive me. I am so sorry."

Tears rolled down my eyes uncontrollably, and I hastily wiped them off with my hand. I didn't want to seem weak to him, but he was getting to me.

I loved him so much, and I should have known getting rid of him from my life for good wouldn't be easy.

“Okay," I uttered.

“Okay? You have forgiven me?" he asked in awe and excitement, and I nodded.

“Thank you so much! Can you please take that video down now?" he asked.

I lifted my eyes and looked at him in disbelief. I should have known it! I should have known that he didn't regret his actions! I should have known he wanted my forgiveness because he thought I could delete the anonymous post.

“Is that why you are here? You come to me with such remorseful expressions because you believe I leaked that video, right? This isn't a sincere apology, is it? You did it because you want me to take it down?!" I accused, raising my voice and not caring who overheard.

“Della, calm down," Richard spoke calmly, looking around the room at the people watching us.

“Don't f*****g tell me to calm down, Richard! Go away! Stay away from me!" I yelled with tears in my eyes.

I was deceived again. It felt awful. I wanted to forgive him, and I wanted to try to be friends with him again, but he didn't want that! He wanted something else!

“Can you stop yelling?! You are attracting everyones' attention to us!" he raised his voice.

“Like I care?! Get away! Now!" I pushed him away from me, springing to my feet.

He stared at me with a fierce look and clenched his jaw. “Fine!"

He walked back to his desk without another word. I was panting hard as I sat on my chair again. I grabbed my head in my hands and tried to relax.

“I hate him," I whispered to myself.

A message from Mr. Carry popped up on my phone and I clicked on it with teary eyes. He was just responding to my message.

'Good morning, little princess. I hope you slept well. You don't have to thank me about last night, that was the least I could do. I'm glad I could make you feel better.'

I sniffed and wiped my eyes with the back of my hand.

'Something else has happened. I got to school and found out an anonymous page leaked a video of Emma and Richard having s*x. Everyone thinks I did it, and Emma even confronted me about it.' Tears dropped on my phone screen as I typed.

'Oh, my God. I'm so sorry, Della.'

'Richard came to me and began to apologize. I thought he regretted his actions but he only did it because he thought he could convince me to take down the video. I don't even know anything about it, Mr. Cary. I tried to stay strong but I couldn't. I can't stop my tears from running.'

My hands quivered as I typed. The urge to scream and break into more tears increased.

'Can I call you, Della? I am very worried about you. I want to talk to you over the phone.'

I was about to respond when the door to the room opened and the lecturer walked in.

“Settle down for today's lecture," he announced, walking to the desk at the front of the room.

'I have to go now, Mr. Cary. The lecturer is in class.' After sending the text, I switched off my phone.

I wiped my eyes with my hoodie until they were dry enough. I didn't want the lecturer to ask me questions.

“We have a new student that will be joining us today. He is a transfer student and I hope you all treat him well. Dave, come in!" the lecturer called.

I tiredly looked at the door waiting to see the new student. He walked in with a soft smile and lowered his head to the lecturer.

His mode of dressing and clothes screamed expensive. No one needed to tell me that he was from a rich family.

Not only that… he looked so much like Mr. Cary. He was like the younger version of him.

“Introduce yourself to the class," the lecturer said to him.

“Good day, everyone. My name is Dave Newman, and I'm a transfer student. I hope you take care of me," he uttered and bowed slightly.

'Newman? That is Mr. Cary's surname. Does Mr. Cary have a son my age? How come he never talked about him?' I questioned, staring at the new student as he found a free seat to sit in.

He had similar features to Mr. Cary. His face, his height, and even his masculinity to some degree. He was a carbon copy.

Seeing him in class felt strange because it was as if Mr. Cary was in class receiving lectures with me.