Chapter Twelve

            After school was over Mark followed Jaebum’s instructions and went to pick up Jinyoung. Today just wasn’t going well for Mark. He knew that Youngjae wasn’t trying to be mean on purpose but it still hurt. Mark was…sensitive about things said or done to him more often than not. He didn’t know if he was coming or going half the time. What he did know however was that Jackson was trying. The boy was trying so hard that he had transferred schools just to see him, and yet Mark still felt wary. He wanted to let Jackson in more than anything, but Mark was still scared. Scared that Jackson wasn’t going to like Mark, for how he actually was, the trouble maker. The boy that his own father didn’t want. Gripping the steering wheel tight in his grip Mark tried to calm himself down. He needed to stay calm but the anxiety was running wild through his body. He just needed to breathe and take the first step in the right direction.

            Pulling the car up, Mark waited outside in the car but after thirty minutes of watching children get loaded onto buses and get picked up from their parents Mark got a little worried. Why wasn’t Jinyoung here yet? Deciding to check and see Mark hopped out the car and walked inside the main office.

            “Excuse me can you tell me where Park Jinyoung’s class is, I’m a family friend and I’m supposed to be picking him up from work?” Mark asked shyly to the old woman sitting at the front desk.

            “Oh you must be Mark, Mr. Park said that you would be coming. His classroom is room 4A just down the hall to your left. He’s in a family meeting right now but he should be finishing shortly.” She told him as she continued to flip through her book.

            Mark said a quick thank you before leaving to follow the woman’s directions. When he got to the classroom he saw a small brown haired boy who’d face was red and puffy, he must have been crying earlier because most of the irritation was around his eyes. Mark walked over to the boy before looking through the window in the classroom door, it looked like Jinyoung was in a deep conversation with two parents who seemed to be arguing with each other. Jinyoung looked very uncomfortable compared to his usual happy smile that he wore at home.

            Deciding to wait for his brother’s boyfriend, Mark took a seat next to the small child. He expected the child to stay silent the whole time and ignore him but the child actually turned to Mark and asked, “Why are parents so dumb?”

            Mark looked at the small teary eyed boy before thinking. He couldn’t just say parents but that was exactly how he felt about his own mother and father. They didn’t treat him the way normal parents should, or at least the way Mark hoped his parents would but he couldn’t ruin all hope for the small boy could he?  So instead he decided to work his way around the question.

            “I’m sure your parents aren’t dumb.” Mark said but the child seemed very upset with that answer.

            “They don’t love each other and now they don’t even love me. My dad doesn’t want me anymore and my mom has a new baby to care about by some guy named Tom.” He said, hoping this bit of information would help Mark understand his situation.

            Mark figured that the boy’s parents were divorced then so he sighed and said, “They don’t mean it…they just are misguided right now. They just don’t understand.”

            “They don’t understand their own kid? I have problems with math and they don’t understand me? That doesn’t seem all that fair to me.” The boy said, crossing his arms over his chest. This boy reminded Mark so much of himself…it hurt to see the young boy struggle.

            “What’s your name kid?” Mark asked before getting the quick answer of, “Jeremy! What’s your name?”

            “Mark, your teacher is my brother’s…friend,” Mark said not wanting to out Jinyoung in case the rest of the people around here didn’t know. He knew that while gay marriage was legal and everything a lot of people still did not except it and Mark did not want to cause trouble for a guy who has done nothing but try to Mark feel at home.

            “Well Mark, you’re one of the only adults that doesn’t treat me like I’m five years old so thanks,” He said before reaching out his tiny hand to shake Mark’s. Mark was going to reach back and shake it until the door to Jinyoung’s class opened and a man walked out practically fuming with anger.

            “What did I tell you about talking to stranger’s boy?! Jeremy you need to stop all that mess in class and focus. You’re staying with your mother tonight I have a business trip to go on. If those grades aren’t pulled up by the time I get back you will be in big trouble you hear me?” The man yelled before storming away. The women who followed him out the door looked apologetically at Mark before grabbing Jeremy’s hand and pulling the boy away. Jeremy waved good-bye to Mark as he was pulled away by his mother and Mark returned it. When Jinyoung came out of the class room he looked more tired than Mark had ever seen him.

            “Let’s get out of here,” He said before walking away. Once they were in the car Jinyoung had his head leaned up against the car. Mark didn’t want to say anything but he was curious…

            “What was that about?” He asked, just loud enough to be heard over the random music playing from the car radio.

            “Jeremy’s grades have been slipping ever since his parent’s got a divorce. Apparently the wife cheated and got pregnant but the husband was cheating first so she figured it was okay? I don’t know it’s really unfair too little Jeremey, also tell no one these things. Student teacher confidentiality and all that.”

            “Aw…that , but sometimes a divorce is what need to happen. Sometimes parents just don’t fit together right” Mark asked thinking about his own parents.

            “Yea but it still isn’t the best situation for the children involved. Jeremey used to be one of my hardest working students and now he keeps pulling pranks for attention. I just wished his parents weren’t so selfish and paid attention to their boy.” Jinyoung said.

            “Yea…me too.” Mark agreed as he continued to drive, but he wasn’t just thinking about little Jeremy, a young kid who understood more about the world than most adults. Mark was thinking about himself and how his own parents were selfish, too selfish to care about him.