Empty Chair

It has been a hard week for me.
Monday. We lost in PasICatan. My face read disappointment and I wasn't able to help myself from uttering strong words to the team.
Tuesday. I was late for my 7 am class because I wasn't able to sleep the night before.
Wednesday. I spilled something inside my bag. Some important files were damaged. If that wasn't enough, I had to stay at work after PACS review to check exam papers. I got back to the appartment at around 1:30 am. Can this week get any harder?
Thursday. Yes. I came late and unprepared for my 7 am class. Exam results came in. Low passing rate. This is a first for me. I was so disappointed in my students and myself.
Friday. I rushed recording Chem 15.1 papers so the students can study them over the weekend. One student didn't come to get his.
We then had our regular night reviews for PACS followed by an overnight review.
Saturday. Our overnight review was followed by yet another review 'til 5 pm. By 5:30, I was already at church, thankful for having gotten through a stressful week. It is over.
Wrong. I was walking home when I was stricken by what is yet the worst thing in my already bad week--the passing of a student in an alleged suicide. He won't be getting his papers after all.
It was friday when I first heard talks about an unfortunate passing of a student. Never did I imagine that it could be one of mine. But more than that, I never could have guessed it'd be him.
It was Wednesday when I last saw him. He seemed out of sorts. But then again, everyone was. It was a stressful week for everyone. We had a drill on stoichiometry that day. As usual, he was one of the first to finish. He asked how many items he got wrong and I answered "two".
What I didn't tell him is that only the number of significant figures was incorrect.
I don't know him that much outside the context of the class but I can tell that he is a good kid. He's never late and has never missed turning in a homework.
We may never understand why he did what he did. We can only hope that he has finally gotten rid of the pain he desperately wanted to get away from.
Because he thought his heart can't be mended, now ours are breaking as well.
Wednesday. I'll be coming to class knowing that I'll be staring at one empty chair.
Rest in peace, my little monster. </3 :'(

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