My Dad Uses Me to Rule the Class

Dad is my homeroom teacher. He loves using me to assert his authority. He firmly believes that the more I suffer, the more the other students will fear him, which, in turn, gives him more authority. When I help my classmate pass an eraser to their friend, Dad slaps me in front of everyone until my face is swollen. When I sneak a bite of my friend's leftover chips after class is over, he drags me to the podium and pokes my lips with needles until I'm bleeding profusely. Later, the school's head of discipline, Mary Milner, catches a pair of students dating on school grounds. Dad insists that I'm one of the culprits. He doesn't even give me a chance to defend myself and drags me to the hallway and strips me of my clothes. He then heads to Mary's office and says with a smile, "My apologies, Ms. Milner. It's my fault for failing to raise Zack properly. Don't worry. I'll definitely teach him a lesson he won't forget this time!" Mary frowns and asks, "Zack Curtis? He's not involved in this dating incident." Dad is briefly stunned before he nonchalantly says, "It doesn't matter. I'll still punish him as a warning to the others. Besides, Zack always breaks the rules. He has already received countless punishments. What's one more?" However, Dad doesn't know that every time he punishes me, I secretly deduct a point from him in my heart. I've already deducted a total of 100 points. I make my way to the hallway on the sixth floor and jump out of the window without hesitation. I wonder if my death will be enough to assert Dad's authority. Chapter 1 Zack's POV The right side of my face was swollen like a balloon when I walked into the classroom while clutching my midterm test papers. Flecks of blood stained the corner of my lips. One of my female classmates whispered, "Zack Curtis got beaten again just because he didn't get a perfect score on his math exam. I feel so sorry for him…" Another classmate, Steve Norton, shot a disdainful look at me and sneered, "Why do you feel sorry for him? His father is our homeroom teacher. He's hogging the best resources, and yet he still can't get a perfect score. He deserves to get beaten." I paused for a moment. I swallowed the bitter taste in my throat before entering the classroom. My dad, Justin Curtis, had just slapped me in front of all the teachers and students in the office until my face turned swollen. "98 points?" he snapped. "Should you have lost those two points? Say something!" Dad's furious scolding echoed in my ears. There was a persistent ringing in my right ear after he repeatedly slapped me. I could barely hear anything anymore. However, Dad wasn't done punishing me just yet. "If you make this type of amateur mistake again, I'm going to slap the left side of your face until it swells up too!" He then looked at the students who were standing behind me and said, "The rest of you lost some points because of careless mistakes too. Now do you understand what will happen to you if you keep making the same mistakes?" I had no idea how the students behind me reacted. I simply kept my eyes on the ground, digging my nails into my palms until they nearly drew blood. After the other students left, Steve sauntered up to Dad with a smile and slung one arm over his shoulders. "Why are you so mad, Mr. Curtis? I wasn't being careless on purpose. I'll just be more careful next time." Dad snorted in amusement. "You've always been like this, you punk. I forbid you from making the same mistakes again. Do you understand?" Steve patted Dad's shoulder with a grin. I pursed my lips and dug my nails deeper into my palms. "Alright then," Dad said. "You can leave now." I only dared to slowly turn around after Dad waved his hand to dismiss us. I smoothly pulled up my hood and discreetly pushed my tongue against the inner side of my face that had gone numb. Seconds before I left the office, I heard the other teachers gushing to Dad, their voices laced with admiration. "Steve truly is your favorite class representative. You can't even bear to lay a single finger on him." "You're so good at teaching your son, Mr. Curtis. He just stands there and accepts your punishments. He doesn't even make a sound!" "Steve's not a fool," Dad said smugly. "He just hasn't applied his smarts to the right places. As for Zack, he's a man. So what if he receives a few punishments? It's not like I'm going to beat him to death. Besides, he has always been mature since he was a child. He never talks back to me." However, Dad had no idea that those who didn't retaliate when they were being beaten or scolded were either dogs or corpses. None of my classmates were brave enough to be my friend because Dad loved using me to assert his authority. Powering through the pain throbbing in the right side of my face, I returned to my seat and pulled out a tiny notebook from my pocket, writing a short note in it. "Slapped my face until it was swollen because I scored 98 points for my math exam. -1." Without me realizing it, I had already written 99 such notes by that point. In other words, Dad had used me to assert his authority 99 times. I would be free once he used me to assert his authority one more time. A brave warrior only needed a split second to make a life or death decision. But I was not a brave warrior. I was just a normal person who was weak and cowardly. In fact, I was a bit of a wimp. I barked out a self-deprecating laugh before carefully slipping the notebook back into my pocket. I then pulled out my math exam. Although it was recess, I was forbidden from playing with the other students. The right side of my face ached even more as I listened to the others playing around with each other. Steve approached me and clapped a hand on my shoulder. His words dripped with mockery when he said, "You must be an orphan Mr. Curtis picked up off the streets, Zack. On the other hand, he treats me like his actual son. You're nothing but a punching bag for him to take his frustrations out on." I clenched my fists tightly. I glared at him before saying coldly, "Someone who lost his father at a young age just loves stealing other people's fathers." Steve's father had abandoned him and run away when he was only four. It was common knowledge in our class. Steve's eyes widened the moment the words left my lips. His temper exploded in an instant. "Just you wait, Zack Curtis!" "I'll be waiting," I said calmly. I knew that Steve was just going to tattle on me to Dad and cause me to get punished again. It was the perfect arrangement. He would essentially be doing me a favor. Chapter 2 Zack's POV That night, I smelled the familiar scent of food in the air when I pushed open the door to my house. A warm light had been switched on in the living room. Dad sat at the dining table. A bowl of mashed potatoes, a plate of fried chicken, and a pot of mushroom soup were placed on the table in front of him. Dad didn't know how to cook before, but he was forced to fill the roles of both my father and mother after Mom left. He burned himself countless times before he finally learned how to cook. I made as little noise as possible as I changed into my indoor slippers. I wanted to hide my swollen right cheek and the flecks of blood at the corner of my lips in the shadows. However, Dad immediately looked up when I moved. "You're back?" Although his voice was still stern, there was a trace of nearly imperceptible worry in his tone. "Does your face still hurt?" I looked down and shook my head. I then walked over to the dining table. Sinking into the chair opposite him, I began to take small bites of my dinner. Although the food was delicious, I felt like I was being tortured. Every bite that I took made the muscles in my face sting painfully. The pain was so overwhelming that I decided to just swallow my food without chewing. Dad suddenly placed his fork down and walked over to me. My body reflexively went rigid, and the muscles in my back tensed. However, Dad simply sat next to me and reached out his hand to me. His fingers were hard, rough, and slightly chilly when he gently touched my swollen cheek that stung hotly. I shrank back as if I had been electrocuted. Dad's fingers froze for a moment. He took a deep breath and said, "It hasn't been easy for me to raise you by myself, Zack." His eyes slowly reddened as he spoke. After shedding the mask of the homeroom teacher that he wore during the day, he returned to being a single father who had to overcome countless hardships. "I'm a homeroom teacher. I have to keep over 50 students in check. It'll be difficult for me to control the class if I don't have any authority. The students' results will decline if they're not disciplined. When that happens, the principal and the students' parents will come looking for me to air out their complaints. "You're my son. The other students will only concede and be scared of me if you're the best and show the most proper and outstanding behavior. I need to assert my authority." He brushed his rough fingers across the corner of my eye. It was completely dry because I hadn't shed a single tear. I felt as if a hole had opened up in my heart as I looked at his pale face and old, faded clothes. A long time passed before I heard myself say dryly, "Steve told me that I'm just your punching bag today. He said that you don't see me as your son at all." Dad's hand stiffened. The melancholy and vulnerability on his face disappeared, replaced by a sternness that suggested that he had been offended. "What nonsense are you spouting?" he snapped, his voice rising. His image of a loving father crumbled in an instant. "You must have said something to provoke Steve. You shouldn't lie even if you're jealous of him!" I closed my eyes. In the end, I couldn't help myself and sneered mockingly, "Why would I be jealous of him? Should I be jealous that his results are worse than mine? Or should I envy him because he doesn't have a father?" The sound of a harsh slap rang across the air. My head snapped to the side from the impact. The right side of my face swelled even more. I lost my sense of hearing in my right ear for a split second. "How could you say such things? I can't believe that my own flesh and blood would say such malicious words." "Your flesh and blood…" I mumbled. I nearly burst into laughter at how absurd the entire situation was. "Is that why I deserve the worst punishments? Is that why I don't deserve to live with dignity?" "You!" Dad's chest heaved from fury. He pointed a trembling finger at me and snapped, "You don't know what's good for you! I worked so hard to—" I tuned out his heart-wrenching sob story just like I had countless times in the past. His words used to make my heart soften in an instant when I thought about all the trials and tribulations that he had to overcome. However, at that moment, his words were like a gust of wind that blew through the hole in my heart, leaving nothing in its wake. Dad needed to slap me until my face turned swollen and use a needle to poke my lips for my sake. For my sake, he needed to inflict bone-deep pain on me and trample all over my pride. When he was done ranting, he rubbed a hand over his face and rose to his feet. His calm, weary demeanor returned as if I had hallucinated his earlier outburst. "That's enough. Eat your dinner. You still have to get up early tomorrow." I lowered my head and continued eating the food on my plate that had gone cold ages ago. I curled my fingers under the table, brushing them across the tiny notebook that was hidden in my pocket. "It won't be long now," I thought to myself. Chapter 3 Zack's POV I went to school as usual the next day. When the recess bell rang, I pressed my right cheek to the cool surface of my desk, hoping that it would alleviate some of the pain. Steve suddenly entered the classroom with his nose stuck in the air. He brought his lips close to my ear. He didn't even bother to hide the glee in his voice when he whispered, "You're done for." I calmly closed my eyes and got lost in my thoughts. I wondered if Dad would acknowledge Steve as his son once I was dead. He probably would since he liked Steve so much. But I didn't know if Steve could endure Dad's punishments whenever he needed to assert his authority. Just then, the door slammed open. At the loud noise, everyone looked up with startled expressions. Dad stood at the door. His chest was heaving, and his expression was steely. He walked to the middle of the classroom. His eyes were reminiscent of poisoned wolf's as he slowly swept his icy gaze across everyone's anxious faces. Finally, he pinned his gaze on me. My heart felt like it had been thrown into an icy cave. "Our class is truly something else," he hissed as a storm raged in his eyes. "Someone is dedicating their attention to the wrong things. They picked up some bad habits and had a date on school grounds. They were even caught red-handed in the act!" A deathly silence descended upon the classroom. Everyone held their breath. "Step forward right now, Zack Curtis!" All the blood in my body immediately rushed to my head before dispersing in the next second. My voice was shaking when I mumbled, "It wasn't me—" "It wasn't you?" Dad roared, interrupting me. He stepped forward, casting his shadow over me. Just then, the sound of a chair scraping softly against the floor came from the front row. Steve had stood up. He lowered his head slightly and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. His face was scrunched up, making him look incredibly conflicted. "Mr. Curtis," he muttered, sounding like he had more to say. "Go ahead, Steve. What do you know? Don't worry. Just tell it as it is." Steve rubbed the back of his neck with an uneasy expression. In the end, a defeated expression crossed his face before he said, "It's not my intention to target anyone, but last Friday, I saw Zack kissing a female student from Class 7 at the school's back gate after school was over." The air around me seemed to turn to ice in an instant. A chilling sensation of being strangled gripped my throat. "You're lying! You're slandering me, Steve!" I shouted, leaping to my feet as my body trembled with rage and displeasure. "I don't know anyone in—" "Zack Curtis!" I felt as if I had been struck by lightning when I heard Dad's furious shout. He stood before me and raised his hand, mustering all his strength and ruthlessly slapping my already-swollen right cheek. Chapter 4 Zack's POV My world seemed to turn upside down at that moment. There was a deafening buzzing in my ears. Pain exploded from the point of impact, spreading from my cheek to my entire skull. Black spots danced in my vision. A warm liquid flowed from my nose and the corner of my lips at the same time. A metallic taste permeated my mouth. "How dare you talk back?" Dad roared. "How dare you continue to lie?" His voice was sharp, and his tone had changed. He grabbed a fistful of my fringe and dragged me along like I was a rag doll. I stumbled over my feet as we headed toward the podium. The pain that throbbed through my head was unbearable, but I couldn't feel it anymore. All I could feel was the stinging pain that lanced through my cheek and a burning humiliation. "I want everyone to watch closely!" Dad exclaimed as he threw me against the hard edge of the podium. The side of my waist collided against the edge, causing me to grunt in pain and curl into myself. Dad grabbed my hair again and forced me to turn my bloody, swollen face toward the class. "Take a good look at his face! This will be your fate if you break the school rules!" "It wasn't me, Dad… I didn't do it…" A mixture of tears and blood ran down my face. I had even slipped up and forgotten to refer to Dad as "Mr. Curtis". I continued to struggle even though it was futile, crying in a broken voice. I saw countless fearful and curious gazes looking at me through my blurry vision. The corners of Steve's lips were curled up into a faint smile as he sat in his seat. The gleeful glint in his eyes felt like a blade piercing my heart. "You didn't do it? How dare you say such a thing when we have an eyewitness here?" Dad snapped as he grabbed my arm. "Get out! Go and stand in the hallway. Let everyone see the fate that awaits anyone who breaks the rules and has dirty thoughts!" I was half-dragged out of the classroom. A few moments later, Dad reached for the zipper of my pants. "No… Don't do it, Dad!" I shouted. "Please don't do this! I was wrong! I've learned my lesson!" Fear gripped my heart in an instant. I let out anguished cries as I thrashed around wildly. I used both hands to protect myself, digging my nails into the fabric of my uniform. "You've learned your lesson? Well, you're too late!" Dad spat in a voice that was as cold as ice. "I'm going to teach you a lesson that you'll never forget today. I want everyone to see the consequences of dating on school grounds!" The low-quality zipper ripped open as Dad forcefully yanked it down. The button also flew off when the fabric was roughly pulled apart. The skin of my thighs was suddenly exposed to the freezing weather and prying eyes. I screamed in despair and desperately curled into myself. My hands shook violently as I futilely tried to cover myself with the ripped cloth. It was so cold. I could feel every part of my body screaming. However, compared to the biting cold, what was even more unbearable was the humiliation of being stripped and exposed in public. Students from other classes had already gathered at the end of the hallway after hearing the commotion. They peered at me from a distance away, whispering among themselves over my current predicament. Meanwhile, Dad acted like a triumphant general. He heaved for breath as he looked at my bloody face and disheveled clothes. He felt nothing but a sense of satisfaction and authority as he watched me huddle close to the wall and shiver like a leaf being buffeted by the wind. "Kneel here and reflect on your actions! You're forbidden from getting up without my permission!" Chapter 5 Zack's POV Dad didn't spare another glance at me. He pushed back the flyaway strands of his hair that had gotten messed up during our earlier scuffle and smoothed down the wrinkles on his shirt. He then fixed the solemn expression that belonged to "Mr. Curtis" back on his face. He turned around and headed toward the school's head of discipline Mary Milner's office. I shivered like a leaf in the wind. My heart throbbed painfully. I didn't understand why I had to suffer so much—why my pride was only a tool for Dad to use to assert his authority. I didn't know how much time had passed as I knelt there. Perhaps it was only a few minutes. Perhaps it was an entire century. I could still move my left arm. Slowly, I lifted my trembling hand and rummaged around in my pocket, pulling out my tiny notebook. I mustered what little strength I had left and wrote a short note in wonky handwriting. "Accused me of dating on school grounds. Humiliated me by stripping me in front of everyone. -1." I closed the book and leaned against the wall. Slowly, I pushed myself back to my feet even though my body didn't feel like it belonged to me anymore. My knees and my face hurt. My exposed skin also stung from the biting wind. However, my head felt incredibly light. It was as if I had freed myself from heavy shackles that dug into my flesh. It wasn't easy, but I managed to make my way toward the window of the hallway. I sat on the edge and looked at the grassy field bathed in sunlight. I could vaguely hear the joyous sounds of students having fun with each other. "How wonderful," I thought to myself, sighing. In the next second, I loosened my hold on the window frame. My body tipped forward and toppled out of the window. The wind roared in my ears. My entire body felt weightless. "I'm going to use my death to assert your authority, Dad," I thought to myself. "Is that going to be enough for you?" … Third-Person POV The door to Mary's office had been left ajar. Justin Curtis' apologetic laugh echoed from within the room. "My apologies, Ms. Milner," he said. "I'm the one who didn't teach Zack properly. Don't worry. I'll definitely punish him severely this time to teach him a lesson that he'll never forget. It'll also set an example for the other students!" Mary frowned and looked at the couple who stood before her with their eyes glued to the floor. Her voice was laced with confusion when she asked, "Zack Curtis? The students who were caught dating on school grounds weren't from your class." The smile on Justin's face stiffened. He quickly regained his composure and awkwardly waved his hand. "Oh? It wasn't Zack? That's fine. That doesn't change anything. We still have to set an example since we did catch a pair of students dating on school grounds. "Zack's punishment will serve as a warning to the rest of the students. Besides, he's a man. So what if I punish him every now and then? Most men grow up while being constantly punished." Mary's frown deepened. She was turning 50 soon and had met many different types of teachers. However, it was her first time meeting a teacher like Justin, who still insisted on using his son to assert his authority even though he had falsely accused Zack of something he didn't do. "I don't think that's appropriate, Mr. Curtis," she said. "The culprits are these two students, and we will deal with them accordingly. Why are you punishing Zack when he didn't do anything wrong? You're being unfair to him." Justin's face twisted into an upset expression the moment the words left her lips. He swiftly fixed a serious expression on his face that suggested that everything that he did was for the sake of his job. "Zack is my son, Ms. Milner. I have to punish him to make the students fear me and understand that I'm fair and don't play favorites. Zack will understand my good intentions." His voice was resolute as he spoke. His eyes also gleamed with a proud glint as if he was under the impression that he was making small sacrifices for the greater good. Mary looked like she had more to say, but she wasn't able to get a word in before the office door was slammed open with a loud bang. The female student who entered the office was deathly pale. Her trembling voice was thick with tears and disbelief when she exclaimed, "Something horrible just happened, Mr. Curtis! Zack… He jumped off the building!"