Taliesin

Tal slammed the door to his dorm room shut and set the books onto the table with a soft sigh leaving his lips. He just had the most embarrassing encounter ever. After detention Tal had picked out six books about deities and mythologies to sneak out. He had been sure that the librarian wasn’t at her desk but as soon as he tiptoed around the corner, she had cleared her throat. “Your pass, Taliesin.” He had almost dropped the books at her glare. “I forgot it, I’m sorry, Miss.” The Academy’s librarian Lisa was as kind as she was strict. “I will make a note of these books. Bring your pass next time, Taliesin. You have a week to return them.” “Yes, thank you.” Tal took a deep breath. Lisa only meant well but how would he explain that he lost his pass somewhere in a strange village during one of his teleportation misadventures? He carefully shook his head and tried focusing on one problem after another. First the issue about possibly being a God, then the book pass. He needed to gather as much intel as possible.

Tal sorted the books into his shelf when someone knocked roughly at his door. He looked up, wondering who would visit him and then yelled, “Come in,” at them. Tal’s door was always unlocked. During his times at the orphanage he never had the option to lock his door and in most of the foster families a locked door wouldn’t have saved him anyways. A man hesitantly entered the room and searched for the student. Tal greeted him with a smile and walked closer while abandoning the books on his desk. “Mr. Hemlock!” The Academy director smiled too, and straightened his back. He was a handsome man in his early forties, his shoulder long hair grey at the front and dyed black at the back. His soft caramel eyes hid behind his transparent glasses. Several stitches from old wounds distracted Tal whenever he looked at the older man.

“Tal, I’m glad you’re here.” “Give me just a sec!” The boy said and vanished into the kitchen. He picked out a carafe of water and two glasses. “Thank you,” The man took a sip and immediately continued. “We need to talk, Tal.” Mr. Hemlock opened the conversation and the boy sat down, while inviting the man to sit as well. “Paul- I mean, your Coach, Mr. Moreno, has approached me about an incident. He said he gave you detention?” Tal played with the glass in front of him and shrunk into his seat. “Yes but–“ “Let me say something first, please.” Mr. Hemlock interrupted him and took a deep breath. Tal knew that he wasn’t a man of serious talks and scoldings. He had never even seen him become angry but now he found a slight hint of disappointment in his eyes. And that was much worse than pure anger.

“Mr Moreno told me that he found you in the changing room with your gear covered in fake blood. We had a lengthy discussion about how I don’t believe you would pull such a prank and him, well, him agreeing, actually. Paul and I know you, Tal, we know that you’re a quiet kid. So I have a question for you, Tal. Who did that to your gear and why did you not tell your Coach the truth?” Tal stayed quiet while listening. He gulped down a comment about how those were two questions and avoided looking up at the director. Mr. Hemlock had been the kindest person to ever take care of him and he hated that he had to lie. He was given such trust and had no choice but to abuse it. It wasn’t the first time either. Once, when he left class to go to the bathroom, he was teleported into an old factory building. His mind couldn’t adapt to the new location fast enough and Tal ended up stumbling and falling down a busted staircase. He broke a leg. When he came back, he had no idea how to explain how he got the injury in the middle of the corridor at the Academy. He told the director that he tripped on the stairs but the staircase was far away and he wouldn’t have managed to drag himself all the way back to the classroom with his wounded leg. The director had doubted him but Tal repeated his story over and over again until Mr. Hemlock gave in. He didn’t seem fully convinced but he trusted Tal to be honest with him. He wished Mr. Hemlock didn’t trust him that much. It was only going to end in disappointment and then he would send Tal away like all the other families did.

“You can tell me if it was someone else, Tal. You know that right?” That’s what he had said back then and that was what Mr. Hemlock implied now. With Tal’s history of bullying, it wasn’t an unusual question and he could have said ‘yes’ but Tal didn’t want to throw someone else under the bus just to get out of his own lies. “I’m sorry.” He said quietly and then cleared his throat. He looked up at Mr. Hemlock and focused on his nose to avoid the disappointment in his eyes for a bit longer. “I was late to practise so everyone was already inside. I couldn’t see who did it and when Coach found me, I didn’t want to assume the worst. I couldn’t explain it to him either.” Mr Hemlock nodded. He trusted him. Again. “I believe you, Tal and I will talk to Mr. Moreno about your detention. You shouldn’t be punished for someone else’s crimes.” If only he knew how literal that sentence was, Tal thought and then shook his head in disagreement.

“Mr. Hemlock, I prefer to go to detention. If the other students find out that you pardoned me, they will think you are favouring me.” “But, Tal,” The director got up with an uncertain smile. “You don’t deserve this punishment. Why would you accept it?” Tal got up as well and fiddled with the hem of his shirt. He couldn’t explain the real reason to him. He just wanted to stay in detention because he felt guilty. Even if he hadn’t planned it, the blood on his gear was his fault. He did deserve this punishment to a certain degree. “I don’t mind the work at the library. It’s quiet there. I would rather go to detention than have the students make up rumours again because you pardoned me.” Mr. Hemlock’s expression faltered for a moment and Tal immediately felt worse. Then the director cleared his throat. “You’re right, of course. I didn’t consider that. If you want to, you can, uhm, continue going to detention.” “Thank you, Sir.” Mr. Hemlock gave him a soft smile and ruffled through his hair. “Don’t mention it, kid.” Tal smiled back and they bid farewell to each other. When the door closed, and he was alone Tal’s smile vanished and was replaced by a wave of sadness that hit him. “I’m sorry.” He whispered and shook his head. He hated lying.